When and Why Do You Need a Marketing Generalist in 2024?

Are you about to ramp up your marketing efforts but have no idea where to start? Or maybe you want to lay the foundation to work your way up to building a marketing dream team.

Whatever the case may be, a marketing generalist is the best place to start.

Here’s why, when, and how to hire a marketing generalist for your business.

Reasons to Hire a Marketing Generalist

There are plenty of good reasons to hire a marketing generalist as they are adaptable marketing professionals with a wide breadth of experience and skills to help your business’s marketing efforts really take off.

Here are three of the best reasons to hire a marketing generalist.

Versatility/Broad Skill Set

The first reason to hire a marketing generalist is that they’re the most versatile marketing experts with the broadest skill sets.

It’s right there in the title. A marketing generalist is able to offer perspective and expertise on everything from digital marketing to traditional marketing strategies.

This versatility enables marketing generalists to handle multiple tasks across different marketing niches, making them especially valuable to dynamic business environments or companies with a variety of marketing needs.

Cost-Effective

Since a marketing generalist can wear many hats, they’re also very cost-effective.

They’re able to do the work of multiple different positions, so you can hire fewer people at first while your workload is lighter. (Just remember, a marketing generalist is only one person; don’t expect them to do the work of 5!)

A marketing generalist is much more affordable than hiring a marketing agency when you don't need as much work done.

Strategic Perspective

Generalists usually have a fuller understanding of the big picture of marketing, which allows them to understand how different areas of marketing can collaborate.

This perspective is essential in strategic planning and keeping marketing efforts aligned with the business's overall objectives.

What Marketing Generalists Do for You

So… what exactly does a marketing generalist do?

It really depends. Since they are a generalist, they are capable of doing just about anything you can think of that falls under the “marketing” umbrella like market research, social media marketing, SEO, and even UI in some instances.

Here are a few examples of what a marketing generalist could do for you.

Market Research

The first step to any successful marketing strategy is research.

A marketing generalist can handle these crucial first steps to understand industry trends, the competitive market landscape, and customer preferences, to help create a winning strategy that targets the right market in the right ways.

Content Creation

A marketing generalist can also create content, including social media posts, blog posts, and sometimes even marketing videos or basic graphic design tasks (though most can’t really replace a graphic designer or video creator.)

Newsletters and email marketing could also fall under this umbrella.

Analytics and Reporting

A marketing generalist is also able to conduct A/B testing to see what works and what doesn’t.

They can also study how successful each of their marketing efforts is and adjust accordingly.

When to Hire a Marketing Generalist

Is it time yet?

The answer is: probably.

Here’s when to know if it’s time to hire a marketing generalist.

Early-Stage Startups

If you’re just starting out as a business, now is the best time to hire a marketing generalist.

Since it’s just one person, it’s easy to collaborate right from the beginning and get your marketing generalist in on the ground floor so they can get to know your business in its infancy and help you come up with a plan to take your business where you want it to go.

Limited Budgets

Whether you’re a startup or having a tough quarter, a marketing generalist is a great way to continue your marketing efforts while on a budget.

Since they have such a broad knowledge of the different subsets of marketing, they can offer expertise and insights into different areas of marketing without the need to pay for another employee.

Evolving Marketing Needs

Is your business in a transitional stage? Are you looking to grow into a different market? It may be time to bring a marketing generalist into the mix.

Their broad skill set and adaptability can prove invaluable to a business that’s looking to shift or change.

Need to Centralize Marketing Efforts

Sometimes, you hire a bunch of different teams to work on different areas of your marketing. And while that can be beneficial in many ways, it can lead to a “too many cooks” situation.

A marketing generalist can come in and help organize and centralize your business’s marketing efforts.

Qualities of a Good Marketing Generalist

Here’s how to know if you’ve found a good one.

Adaptability

A good marketing generalist should be able to pivot and fill in as necessary.

A “roll with the punches” type of person is necessary for the ever-changing requirements of this type of role.

Wide Range of Skills

A generalist needs to have a wide range of marketing experience and skills that could make them capable of handling all different kinds of marketing tasks.

This includes knowledge of email marketing techniques, A/B testing, social media marketing, on and off-page SEO, SMS marketing, and more.

Creativity

Last, but certainly not least, is creativity.

A marketing generalist should have a creative mind that is able to come up with creative ideas to marketing the business in unique and different ways.

How to Find the Right Marketing Generalist for Your Business

You’ll need to know the right places to look and how to vet marketing generalists to find the right one for your business’s unique needs.

Ask for Referrals from Other Business Owners

One of the best ways to find a talented marketing generalist is by asking other business owners who they use or have used in the past.

This can help you get an idea of what type of service each one provides, as well as any potential issues they may have had with them in the past. You can also ask if there were any particular qualities or qualifications that made them stand out among others.

Search the Freelance Platforms and Agencies

Since marketing generalists are often freelancers, freelancing platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and more are great places to find them.

Agencies are another great way to find qualified, vetted marketing generalists who have what it takes to take your marketing efforts to the next level.

Check Online Reviews

It’s always helpful to read online reviews about different marketing generalists before making your decision – this will give you an idea of what other people think about their services and whether or not they would recommend them based on their own experiences with them in the past.

Be sure to check multiple sources, including Google Reviews, Yelp!, Angie's List, etc., so that you get a comprehensive overview from various perspectives before deciding which one is right for your needs.

By following these steps carefully when searching for the right marketing generalist, you can ensure that all aspects related to marketing within your business run smoothly without any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you hire a marketing strategist?

You should hire a marketing strategist when you own a startup, when your marketing needs are shifting, when you have a limited budget, or need to fill gaps in your marketing strategy or team.

What is the role of a marketing generalist?

A marketing generalist can be in charge of doing everything from email marketing to market research to social media and SEO.

Why should you hire a generalist?

Hiring a generalist saves money, time, and resources over hiring a full marketing team when your business is new or you’re on a tight budget.

What is a disadvantage of hiring a generalist?

Disadvantages of hiring a generalist include possible gaps in your marketing efforts, as one person can only do so much.