Major Challenge: Your Second Marketing Hire

Congratulations on being named the marketing leader in your company. You’re here first, and you were hired to establish your brand and drive customer acquisition. But as your business grows, it's crucial to consider who your second marketing hire should be. You have so much to accomplish, requiring such a diversity of skills. The decision of who to hire next can greatly impact the success of your marketing efforts and your company's growth.

Here are some key factors to consider when deciding who your second marketing hire should be:

1. Identify your biggest marketing challenge

Before deciding who your next marketing hire should be, you need to identify your biggest marketing challenge. Is it generating more leads? Improving your website's conversion rate? Enhancing your social media presence? Each of these challenges requires a different skill set, so identifying your top priority is critical to making the right hire.

2. Consider your existing skill gaps

Your second marketing hire should complement your own skills. For example, if you excel at strategy and planning, your next hire might be more execution-focused. Alternatively, if you are an expert in paid advertising, your next hire might specialize in content marketing or SEO. By assessing your own skill map, you can ensure that your second hire brings new expertise and knowledge to the table.

3. Find somebody passionate about your product

Regarding marketing, there is no substitute for passion and enthusiasm. Your second marketing hire should be someone genuinely excited about your product or service and can communicate that enthusiasm to potential customers. They should be able to craft compelling messaging and engage with prospects in a way that conveys the unique value of your product.

4. Prioritize adaptability and willingness to learn

Marketing is a rapidly evolving field, with new tools and strategies emerging all the time. Your second marketing hire should be someone willing to learn and adapt to changing circumstances. They should be comfortable experimenting with new tactics and testing different approaches to find what works best for your company.

5. Evaluate the cultural fit

Finally, when hiring your second marketing resource, evaluating cultural fit is essential. Your marketing team will work closely with other departments, including product, sales, and customer success. Hence, ensuring that your new hire aligns with your company's culture and values is crucial. Look for someone who can collaborate effectively with others, communicate clearly, and embody your company's mission.

As you hire, think through a long-term plan for what will live in-house and what you can outsource to an agency that fits your needs. You don’t have the budget to bring every skill in-house, and you don’t have a full-time need for every skill. Please reach out if we can be supportive or helpful as you roadmap your skills plan.