How can you transition from finance to marketing?

Understand that marketing is a complex discipline and you have to study it before you can be a good marketer. Although some skills are transferrable and budgeting will probably be easier for someone coming from finance, not having a thorough understanding of all the facets of marketing is a recipe for disaster. Marketing is art and science, and a good marketer has to be many things, for sure having numerical skills helps but knowledge of the processes that are required to build a successful marketing strategy are vital. Go study, and read a lot of industry publications, keep up with the work being done around effectiveness and keep your mind flexible because this discipline is a wonderful ever-changing beast.

Coming from a finance background can be quite beneficial if you're considering a move into marketing. Marketing is a great blend of creativity and analytics, especially as you progress in your career. Knowing how to read numbers really helps a lot. I know some outstanding marketers who keep an eye on social media to spot trends and understand changes in consumer behavior. They also delve into books and blogs and work closely with agencies or consultants. And since sometimes we don't have data, as you gain more experience, most marketers develop a gut feeling, and this intuition becomes invaluable in the long run.

Telling people that it can be challenging to move to Marketing from Finance is unnecessary and creates a fictitious gate. Don’t do that, LinkedIn. Plenty of people move from all sorts of functions transition into marketing. If you’re interested in making a switch, one of the easiest ways to do that is by pursuing a role in product marketing for a company selling a product or service related to the function you previously worked in. As an example, if you were previously a CPA, look for roles at companies in the tax/accounting space like Intuit and H&R Block. As an expert in accounting, you can leverage your credible experience to drive the messaging, positioning, packaging, and pricing that others without your background won’t have.

Not all marketers are creative gurus… Many of the best marketing leaders I’ve met are actually quite analytical people. Furthermore, the possibilities we have nowadays to access and process large amount of data, makes marketing a much more numerical science, where decision making must be backed up with facts. The ability to understand and take conclusions from data is therefore critical. Usually, financial professionals have the skill of reading figures and applying common sense to interpret the story behind numbers and patterns. I believe that's a crucial strength for a solid marketer today.

Marketing is NOT complex. I barely made it into university in the day. I am just average in intelligence. However I LOVE the game and business and specifically marketing is just a game, rooted in the NUMBERS. So as a finance person you are already smart enough. Just become tenacious! Find the best business unit or marketer in the company and buy them lunch once a month and pepper them with questions. You will learn more than any online course will ever get you. Go shopping, find the owner and talk to them. Ask if you can do an unpaid internship helping them with finance and discuss the easy to implement marketing ideas. I more than doubled the sales of a 6 figure business at virtually no cost. Learn that the answer is NEVER

Many might be surprised to learn that a lot of marketing roles require a strong foundation in finance and analytics. Understanding marketing metrics, trends, and campaign ROIs is an integral part of performance-driven marketing. For those with finance backgrounds, I would encourage looking for roles in Marketing Analytics, Data Analytics, and even Marketing Strategy.

Most people over complicate what it is that marketing tries to achieve. Think of the term 'Market' - a two sided venue for the exchange of goods and services. Think like you are bringing things to market and you have the foundation to which you can apply various tools and structures. Before listening to podcasts and joining communities, research early markets and how they were built. What are the incentives for traders and customers? How did they develop and how do they compare to global markets of today. Dig deep into history to help understand the direction of the future.

Leverage your analytical skills from finance to excel in marketing analytics. Knowledge of tools like Google Analytics and data analysis can be a potent asset. Demonstrate your aptitude for evidence-based decision-making.

I think having that ?outside perspective“ can be very helpful. Also: Marketing is not rocket science. We see it everywhere and I think thats one of the best ways to learn: to observe what is done now and analyze how you would do it differently/better. Having your numbers straight is key in marketing aswell.

Embrace content creation as a means of showcasing your marketing skills. Start a blog or YouTube channel related to marketing topics that interest you. Share your insights, strategies, and analysis. This not only builds your portfolio but also positions you as a knowledgeable voice in the field.

First, create a compelling LinkedIn profile that showcases your skills, experience, and achievements. Add a professional photo and a well-written headline. Then, regularly share your work, achievements, and industry insights in posts and articles. Join relevant LinkedIn groups and participate in discussions to connect with like-minded professionals. Don't be shy about reaching out to colleagues, mentors, and industry peers to connect. Personalize your connection requests with a friendly message. Engaging with your network by commenting on their posts and sharing valuable content can help you stay visible and build stronger relationships.

Transitioning from finance to marketing involves two critical steps: building a robust portfolio and expanding your network. Your portfolio is your canvas, showcasing your practical marketing experience, and networking connects you to key industry players. As a finance professional in this transition, I've found that a well-curated portfolio of marketing projects illustrates my adaptability and hands-on skills. Meanwhile, networking via platforms like LinkedIn and Meetup has provided invaluable guidance, mentorship, and job opportunities. In marketing, it's not just what you know; it's also who you know and what you can show. Building your portfolio and network is the key to success in this dynamic field.

Portfolio is a rather broad term. Since your learning needs to happen at an accelerated pace compared to that of a seasoned marketeer, it's important that you achieve small victories. These victories can be in various forms but must come in quick succession. For instance, one day, you may need to focus on creating a customer profile, brainstorm a campaign the next or go for a BTL campaign and so forth. Each delivery enhances your skills. Over time, these achievements and victories accumulate resulting in the portfolio. It typically takes anywhere from 2 to 5 years. Opportunities are rewarding for people with unique skill sets. Therefore the faster you complete the transition, the more rewarding the results will be.

In my experience, building your portfolio in today's time can essentially vital to your business. Most companies will not work with you if you do not have any history in your specialty. Most brands need a record of receipts for assurance that you can deliver what it is they are hiring you or your company to do.

I would recommend leaning into your experience rather than trying to reposition yourself away from your core transferrable skills. For example, I always try to take the approach of always being 'the most organized person in the room'. Highlight project management, ROI, driving projects to completion, KPI tracking, interdepartmental working and understanding your numbers - effective marketing is equally driven by messaging and execution.

As someone who worked 3 years in Finance before going to a marketing role, here's what worked for me to get that marketing role: 1) I showed how I made meaningful efforts to learn the basics of marketing and had projects where I was either exposed to or actually applied those marketing concepts, despite being in a finance role; 2) positioned myself as a "unique" profile, who combined marketing skills and finance acumen, and thus able to understand a lot more the concept using marketing in service of creating shareholder value; 3) showed previous examples of how I learned fast and remained humble.

The final step in transitioning from finance to marketing is to actively seek marketing roles or projects. Explore diverse options, including full-time, part-time, freelance, or volunteer opportunities that align with your skills and interests. Platforms like LinkedIn itself can help you find suitable positions. Your portfolio and network are powerful assets for showcasing your capabilities and gathering recommendations and feedback. Embrace the dynamic world of marketing and take that next step towards a rewarding career change!

As everyone is now getting into AI or CHAT GPT tools its very difficult in near future for marketing people to get along with it. Some better options can be. ? Brand managers ? Communications and public relations ? Content marketers ? Digital marketers ? Event marketers ? Product marketers ? Search engine marketers

All Marketing teams have, or have to work with, a finance colleague assigned to help record budgets and track and report spending. Get yourself assigned to partner with the Marketing department to get an inside view of how the discipline works and where you can further apply your skills and experience. In my experience, finance and marketing see business from different perspectives - which can sometimes make communication difficult. An associate who knows how "translate" between the marketing and finance department will always be valued.

I went from accounting to marketing. Using data analytics and understanding numbers will give you a leg up on the competition. Knowing the importance of profitability will go a long way in marketing. More than you will ever know.

While most people seem to think finance and marketing are not the closest friends in many organisations, the fact is that this perspective primarily rests on a common misunderstanding of what marketing is. Finance and marketing are arguably the most aligned functions in a commercial organisation: effective marketing looks years ahead on how to generate profits, which fits hand in glove with the resource allocation / strategic investment mindset required in finance (not to be confused with accounting functions which tend to be a little more short term oriented in their purpose). Marketing is 100% about driving profit generation through taking products to the market place. Approach with that mindset and the alignment should be obvious.

I transitioned from coder to finance to marketing and then to management. What I found helpful was to focus on leveraging your analytical skills and understanding of market trends, honed in finance, to inform marketing strategies. Additionally, engage in self-directed projects or online courses specific to marketing to enhance your knowledge in this new field.

I’ve known extremely successful marketing leaders that started their careers in finance. Although the transition can be tough (as most transitions are), playing to your strengths and leveraging on the skillset acquired as a finance professional can set you apart as a marketer. Make sure you keep you analytical and problem-solving skills always sharp, that you see the business as a whole and you understand the impact of your decisions on top and bottom line, and also on other teams’ results and workload, and that you squeeze your budget maximizing the ROI of the activities you lead. Of course, you will need to incorporate the rest of the marketing skills as fast as possible (storytelling, marketing strategy, customer understanding, etc).

Marketing is all about metrics nowadays , so a finance person can make a smooth transition to Marketing. I recommend enrolling CIM ( UK) which is metrics driven l.