5 Critical Soft Skills for an Effective Digital Marketing Team

Whether you’re taking a critical look at your own digital marketing team or you’re choosing an agency to work with, you’ll no doubt be scouting for those elusive soft skills; intangible interpersonal skills and personality traits that dictate how effectively a person performs in their role. 

What really makes a great marketing team? In order to be effective, a marketing team must work together as one cohesive unit and have each member play an integral role in the process. Great teams are made up of people who are not only talented but who also possess critical soft skills that help keep them all on the same page and ensure their collective success. 

Let’s look at five of the most important personal skills that any marketing team should possess to function at its best.

1. Good Communication Skills

Good communication is one of the most important soft skills for a digital marketing team – and in fact, for any individual! This means being able to clearly articulate your ideas, give and receive feedback, and work together towards a common goal. 

Without good communication, it will be difficult to produce great work. Communication should also be clear and concise so that everyone understands the message in the same way leaving no room for interpretation.

What does this look like in the office environment? Well, this would be a person who actively listens when you talk to them, perhaps paraphrasing what you’ve said to ensure that they understand. They are likely to ask open questions to clarify their interpretation before responding to you.

2. Collaboration and Interpersonal Skills

A great digital marketing team is built on a foundation of collaboration. Each team member must be able to work together to create a cohesive unit in an environment where everyone feels free to express themselves honestly. This starts with communication, which is key to any successful relationship. But it also requires trust, respect, and a willingness to compromise in order to get the job done. 

Without these things, a team will quickly fall apart. Every member needs to understand their role in the process and how they can contribute to the team’s overall success. As a manager, you are obligated to hire candidates with the necessary technical skills. Don’t forget these critical soft skills that help build a strong digital marketing strategy that has more potential for success.

Collaboration doesn’t come easily to everyone. Some people within a team are on a mission to advance their careers, and others work hard to protect their roles. However, a healthy company culture where employers have made the effort to create a safe and well-defined environment offers great rewards. 

3. A Proactive Mindset

Being proactive means having a can-do attitude and being willing to put in the extra effort to get things done. It’s an important quality for any team member, but especially for those on the digital marketing team. 

Your company needs someone who is always looking for new ways to promote your business and improve existing tactics. Without this mindset, it becomes difficult to keep up with the fast pace in the digital space and how consumers interact with brands. If you aren’t actively trying to find a way around ongoing changes or brainstorming ideas about what these changes could mean for your marketing strategy, then you’re not doing enough work for the team.

Additionally, proactive team members will look to the future to assess which direction they should take and be thoroughly engaged in planning, analytics, and new concepts. 

4. Professionalism

We all need a team that is professional, but we aren’t all born professionals. This soft skill requires our ongoing, active attention to reach and maintain a level that fits our role. 

A professional team has a good work ethic, is punctual, and both dress and speak appropriately. They also communicate effectively with clients and customers and should show the same level of respect in person as they do over email or phone. A digital marketing team must maintain their professionalism even when faced with difficult questions or challenging situations. The customer will notice how your marketing team acts on the first contact and whether this is something they want to deal with further. 

It’s true that people don’t always remember what you say but will remember how you make them feel. This means that a constant, professional tone will always be well-received. Especially if it’s coupled with friendly reliability and open, easy communication. 

5. Creative Problem-Solving Skills

Yes, some people are born to be better problem solvers than others, but it doesn’t mean you can’t become one.

The ability to think outside the box and come up with new solutions to problems is critical for any marketing team. Whether it’s finding a new way to reach customers or coming up with a more efficient workflow, creative problem solving will help your team succeed. 

A great team member has experience identifying new ways to improve customer experiences, products, and processes. They can take initiative in discovering hidden opportunities and quickly develop many innovative ideas. They also understand how their work impacts the company and can develop strategies that address present and future needs.

Look for These Important Soft Skills

The most valuable soft skills are those that equal great results for a digital marketing team and their clients. Active problem-solving, excellent communication skills, and brilliant interpersonal skills are a recipe for success. (Whether you experience these in-house or from a professional marketing agency. )

We understand it can be tricky to assess a digital marketing team from the outside. How do you determine whether the agency you’re investing your time and trust will deliver what you need? If this sounds all too familiar, we invite you to explore ClickTrain. Here, brands can match with PPC agencies that best suit their needs and their niche.