What do you do if your marketing skills need a confidence boost?

Look at things like 1. Industry Benchmarks: Research industry standards for key marketing metrics (e.g., conversion rates, click-through rates). Compare your results to identify areas for improvement. 2. Knowledge Audits: Take online marketing quizzes or skill assessments. Identify areas where you lack knowledge or practical experience. 3. Performance Reviews: Analyze past campaigns and projects. Reflect on areas where upskilling could have made a difference. 4. Peer Feedback: honest feedback from colleagues or mentors. Ask them to identify areas where your skills could be strengthened. 5. Customer Feedback: Analyse feedback from customers. Are they satisfied? Are there areas for improvement in communication or strategy?

I think PIR's (Performance In Review) on campaigns or projects is really helpful when done collaboratively. When you are reviewing a campaign or a project, it can feel less personal than a review of YOUR performance. It's a great way to discuss how the campaign went, what we could have done differently, what we wish we had known etc. Then work to create a roadmap of things you could work on for next time.

I spend a lot of time scrolling through marketing blogs, videos, etc just to gauge what is out there and see if anything grabs my attention. Sometimes it won't immediately be relevant, but a month or so later I will be working on something and think 'hmm I am sure I saw an article about something similar to this, let me go find it'.

Connecting with peers makes it easier to find a mentor. There are dozens of marketing communities and groups that you can join both here on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. There are WhatsApp groups, Slack and Telegram channels, etc. In these spaces, loads of conversations are going on daily that you can pick nuggets from. Finding a physical one-on-one mentor/coach on your own is very unlikely. But if you engage in these communities, you can build upon general discussions to connect with a mentor or coach.

A dip in your confidence is natural, so don't beat yourself up about it! To give yourself a confidence boost, keep a 'Brag Book', a record of everything you do on a daily basis that show's every step of your progress and success (it can be the smallest thing) and whenever you're feeling unvalidated, read it. You achieve amazing things every day, you just need a reminder.

Keep up to date with trends outside of your industry. My best ideas have come from adapting content from other industries, rather than churning out similar content to all my competitors.