Unless you slept through the 80\u2019s and early 90\u2019s you\u2019ve heard of MacGyver \u2013 the resourceful agent for the fictional Phoenix Foundation in Los Angeles on the TV show of the same name. MacGyver was unlike secret agents in other television series and films because instead of relying on high-tech weapons and sophisticated tools, he relied on his brain and creative problem solving to outsmart enemies. Typically with only his Swiss Army Knife and whatever else was around he was able to fashion a solution to the problem at hand.<\/p>\n
The show was a pop-culture phenomenon, leading to the popularization of the phrase \u201cto MacGyver something\u201d the meaning of which is implied. While the character was of course fiction his approach to problem solving is pretty critical for modern marketers.<\/p>\n
Here are 5 ways the best digital marketers are like MacGyver:<\/p>\n
1. Ability to get results with the bare minimum<\/strong><\/p>\n Just like MacGyver was able to work his way out of any situation with the simplest of tools, the best marketers don\u2019t need a whole lot to work with to achieve results. For example, the best social media and SEO professionals don\u2019t really need expensive monitoring solutions or bloated apps. They can work with just the bare minimum (perhaps simply Basecamp to stay organized, WordPress to publish, Google Analytics to track and Excel to plan: basically Excel + a web browser) and dominate. Of course the mix of tools will vary based on initiative \u2013 but the point is that MacGyver was able to creatively work with less to accomplish more. Notice great digital marketers aren\u2019t always chasing new tools anyway\u00a0because they don\u2019t need to<\/em>. If a new tool is that good, it will likely find us.<\/p>\n Further, it\u2019s\u00a0not about tools or technology, it\u2019s about ideas and creative application of them. Less is almost always more. This is something I\u2019ve also experienced with\u00a0audio production\u00a0as the tech behind it advances: more effects, plugins, etc. doesn\u2019t necessarily lead to better results.<\/p>\n 2. Undaunted by any situation, able to put together solutions under pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n MacGyver wasn\u2019t daunted by any situation, no matter how implausible success seemed. He was able to rationally think through each situation and piece together a solution bit by bit. He formulated a plan and didn\u2019t ask permission \u2013 just got it done.<\/p>\n In\u00a0digital marketing, this isn\u2019t much different. Many situations seem impossible \u2013 you can\u2019t get your technical team to execute. No one has time to contribute to the blog. The C-suite won\u2019t fund your SEO program (yet will throw tons away on advertising). The point is these are your problems: solve them. Can\u2019t get results for a new initiative? No problem, test it on your own and report back results of a pilot campaign. Can\u2019t get an expensive monitoring tool? Who needs it \u2013 get scrappy with an\u00a0iGoogle dashboard\u00a0and some feeds.<\/p>\n You need to be able to piece together solutions within the limits of what you have to work with (team members, budgets, time, etc.). This is actually a good thing as it forces creativity and a focus on just the essentials. I am calling BS on your excuses because I\u2019ve seen teams with less than you (really, teams of one) dominate many categories. If you say you can\u2019t do it \u2013 I\u2019d say you\u2019re lazy. You can if you choose to.\u00a0As Louis Gray advises: \u00a0be smart, not scared.<\/p>\n 3. The \u201cgo to\u201d person for strategy and tactics<\/strong><\/p>\n Throughout the show, many high-ranking officials called upon MacGyver to help architect a plan. Concurrently, MacGyver was thrown into situations where he had to make it up as he want along and execute, execute, execute. The point was he was equal parts strategist and tactician (and skilled at both).<\/p>\n As a digital marketer it is also vital you can play the role of both strategist and tactician. The two go together. It is essential to stay active at the edge in order to keep your skills sharp and\u00a0experiment\u00a0enough on your own to understand modern, relevant digital strategies. Digital marketers who leave the front lines are going to find their approaches less relevant every day.<\/p>\n 4. Teacher, mentor, leader \u2013 but also student<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the recurring themes in MacGyver was the fact that he was a teacher, mentor and ultimately leader to others within the show. He would get into situations where it was a requisite to have someone else help him out (and in many cases that person was unmotivated). However MacGyver persevered and found an angle to reach even the most unwilling of students. Concurrently, in many episodes this was flipped and the student ended up teaching MacGyver something too leaving him impressed, and ultimately inspired.<\/p>\n Digital marketing is the same, in that leadership is a requisite as there is still a clear\u00a0digital divide\u00a0in most organizations. But at the same time, digitally savvy leaders need to be open to their team\u2019s thoughts. This is because on the web, creative and articulate communications skills are ultimately what matter most and this transcends digital-savvy.<\/p>\n 5. In inbound marketing and for MacGyver, brains trump budget<\/strong><\/p>\n While enemies in MacGyver always had a significant technological advantage MacGyver generally was working with purely his intellect. This is the essence of inbound marketing: that a brand with a larger budget can be outrun by one with more creative efforts.<\/p>\n Further, MacGyver never used guns (he didn\u2019t believe in them). This can be analogous to internet marketing if we consider guns similar to advertising. Yes, you can pull the trigger on a gun to take down an enemy, just like you can pull the trigger on an ad campaigns and flood your site with traffic. I\u2019m not arguing that both can\u2019t be effective \u2013 they can.<\/p>\n But there is something elegant about outsmarting your enemy and using non-violent means to bring them down. The results of this generally don\u2019t involve anyone being hurt and instead, being brought to justice. Similarly, there is something elegant about an inbound strategy that trends up traffic metrics over time in a sustainable fashion. It may take more careful planning, but offers\u00a0increasing returns.<\/p>\n While the character of MacGyver was fictional: I\u2019d say some of the best digital marketers possess many of the skills the character portrayed in the show.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unless you slept through the 80\u2019s and early 90\u2019s you\u2019ve heard of MacGyver \u2013 the resourceful agent for the fictional … <\/p>\n