My first University lecture, given to a class of MA Masters in Marketing students. The aim is to give the benefit of my experience in a career as a digital marketing professional and what I believe have been the difference makers for having a successful career. I hope you are inspired into taking action to start developing your career!

1. Theory into practice: Essentials for a
successful career in digital
marketing
Presented by Lee Benning – 7th February, 2017

2. Why would you want to
listen to me?
• Working in digital marketing for 10+ years
• Experimenting in digital marketing for 10 years before
that
• Learning always!!
• Getting great results
• Digital marketing consultant (brands, agencies, SME)
• Full Member of Chartered Institute of Marketing
• CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing
• Google Partners Certified: Analytics & Adwords
• Degree in Business with E-commerce

3. Brands I have worked with
+ more…. (Top Secret!
Protected by NDA) 

4. “As far back as I
can remember, I
always wanted
to be…”

5. … a computer programmer
(it seemed cool at the time)

6. So, when I left
school at 16…
• Learned to program, developed a love for IT
• NVQ in Software Production (IT training college)
• BTEC National Diploma in IT (regular college)
• Got Internet at home, taught myself to build
websites
• Dropped out of 2 Uni courses (BIT & computer
studies) – didn’t teach anything I didn’t already
know
• Wanted a challenge and an education
• Enrolled in BA(Hons) Business with E-commerce at
SSU (2001)
• Only studied one marketing module
• Ran my own website, taught myself SEO + how to
analyse web stats

7. Starting out
(no real
marketing
background)
• Worked at start-up: learned on the job
• Wore many hats
• Sales, Marketing, Finance
• First in, last-man standing!
• Offered job at Sony Europe head office in
Basingstoke (Online Marketing dept.)
• Based on education (relevant degree)
• + someone else had paid me to do a similar
job (experience)!
• Had only ever been out of Southampton a
handful of times – almost said no (many
excuses… truth = out of comfort zone)

8. “Your son made it mama”

9. Developing as a
digital marketer
• Worked with some brilliant minds at Sony
(big international marketing department)
• Learned marketing skills passively through
meetings and email communications
• Asked questions: “Why do we do it that
way?, How do we know if it is a success?”
• Understood that it’s the outcome that
matters, not how you got there
• Developed processes to get results faster
(hint: models and frameworks would come in handy)
• No room to develop career*, found new job
*but I did develop a lot of new skills

10. Digital marketing
management
• Out of comfort zone – again!
• Am I worth this amount of money? (Even
though I can easily do the job)?
• Prepared marketing plans
• Theory, frameworks and models came in
handy here!
• Appointed digital agencies
• Don’t rely on agencies for strategic
expertise
• Rely on agencies for deploying tactics
• YOU define how success will be measured
(no vanity metrics!!)
• Focused on results – that’s all MDs and
CEOs care about

11. Like a boss
“A man who
doesn’t spend
time with his
family can never
be a real man”

12. Challenges faced and
how to overcome them
• Stepping out of comfort zone (what if I fail?)
• Commit to do something that is scary (public
speaking, ownership of delivering a project…
handing an assignment in on time) - you WILL do it
• Career development
• Being held back by management
• You will scare them - you will know things that they
don’t
• Invest in yourself – it will pay off!
• Internal politics
• It’s easier to ask for forgiveness, than it is to get
permission (Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, 1986)
• Selling myself (hint: different message for different
markets)
• Distractions (social media; turn off push notifications and
stick mobile in a drawer!)

13. Difference
makers for my
career
Starting out:
• Relevant degree
• Relevant side-project (running my own website)
• Something to make me stand out from the crowd on my CV
(shortlisted for Season 1 of Dragon’s Den)
Stepping up into management:
• Big brand(s) on CV
• Relevant experience
• Communication skills
Going solo:
• Past results/testimonials (qualifications not so important anymore)
• Network of contacts
• Proven processes (hint: know your marketing frameworks!)
• Professional development - sharpening the saw (Stephen R. Covey)

14. Important skills required today in digital
• Data insights (drowning in data) [know what you want to measure ahead of time]
• Mobile marketing (sales, lead gen, brand awareness, direct response marketing,
geo-targeting)
• Social media + SEO - often outsourced
** Setting objectives and measuring success ** (theory and frameworks come in
very useful here!)
“You don’t need to be an expert in everything, but be an expert in something - and
have a good understanding of everything else.”

15. How to take
advantage of
skills gaps and
start building
your network
• Start a blog + learn how to build and engage an
audience (interesting CV talking point!)
• Install Google Analytics, understand the data
• Let your friends on FB know what you do (or
aspire to do)
• Connect with classmates on social media
• Follow and tweet to key influencers in your
chosen field (ego-baiting)
• Connect with connectors
• Add me on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leebenning

16. Reflections
A relevant
degree will
make you stand
out from the
crowd
01
Relevant
degree +
relevant
experience =
gold!
02
Take any job in
digital
marketing at
start of career
(experience)
03
Stepping out of
comfort zone =
only way to
grow
04
Leaders care
about results –
not how hard
you worked to
get there
05
Invest in
continued
development
(personal +
professional)
06

17. Recommended reading
• Awaken The Giant Within, Tony Robbins (self-development)
• Don’t Make Me Think, Steve Krug (usability)
• Letting Go Of The Words, Janice (Ginny) Redish (user experience)
• Cashvertising, Drew Eric Whitman (advertising)
• Do The Work, Steven Pressfield (productivity)
• SOSTAC® Guide To Your Perfect Digital Marketing Plan, PR Smith (marketing
planning)