Ask HN: Looking to learn some more marketing

Gustomaximus · on Oct 22, 2015

Marketer of 10+ years here, you'll learn 100x more by doing marketing than any course. If you have a side project or could volunteer yourself to help out a business you'd have the best chance of really learning. When interviewing for hires you see people who have done work vs read about it. The later is the more interesting. Practical experience will really aid your transition more than courses.

I made the transition from a technical analyst background this way. Back in the day I was fairly handy with Excel/Access/VBA type work. I was working in a large company and hit up some marketers and asked if I could build tools/reports to monitor and improve ad spend in my spare time. This helped them optimise a bunch and they got a new headcount and gave me a permanent role. If you have a similar option it would be easier than trying to convince a new company to take a chance on you.

Also what do you mean by technical marketing role? This could mean a bunch of things. If doing courses or practical experience you should decide what marketing field you want to go into to focus on. People from ouside the profession don't typically realise the level of diversity in skills/role. If your not sure let me know what your trying to get out of this move and I'll try and offer some advice.

klaut · on Oct 22, 2015

Better than any course is real life experience, learning as you go.

Here's an idea. Pick a product on Clickbank, set up an affiliate and train your marketing chops with it.

tmaly · on Oct 21, 2015

I just read inbound.org for ideas

siquick · on Oct 21, 2015

I read alot but edging more towards a classroom/structured environment.