A Marketer's Information to Working Remotely
Remote work is going from an occasional benefit to the norm. As long as you have a computer and internet connection, you can do your work anytime, anywhere.
For marketers: creating promotional materials, meeting with clients, and completing projects from home, hotel, coffee shop, or library – basically anywhere with an internet connection.
While remote working has many advantages, it can be difficult for employees who work in the office on a regular basis to work this way.
In this article, we're going to talk about the how and why of working remotely for marketers.
The rise in the popularity of remote working
Remote work has been around for years.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly made it the norm for many companies, and both employers and employees are realizing that the work-from-home system can be successful.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, big companies like Best Buy, British Telecom, and Dow Chemical have found that remote workers are 35 to 40 percent more productive.
The survey also found that employees are less likely to get sick and feel empowered to work independently while improving collaboration. Importantly, many people are less likely to report unemployment because of discrimination in the workplace or lack of transport.
Employees often prefer to work remotely than in the office on a regular basis. In fact, 72 percent of employers believe remote working leads to increased employee retention.
These numbers show that remote working is likely to stay here.
Employees prefer the convenience of working from their preferred location. In the meantime, employers can have a more productive and efficient workforce. It's a win-win-win situation for everyone.
The benefits of working remotely as a marketer
Working remotely as a marketer offers a ton of benefits. For many there is a sense of freedom and an improved work-life balance that wasn't there when they went to the office every day.
Here are five of the top benefits of working remotely as a marketer.
1. Work from anywhere in the world
Gone are the days when employees had to take vacation to go on vacation.
As long as you have a laptop and WiFi, you can create promotional content from a beach in Thailand or a coffee shop in Japan. As long as you work during the expected working hours, it generally doesn't matter where you work from.
Talented marketers looking to explore the world can do their job and travel at the same time.
2. Work at your preferred time
While this is not allowed in every workplace, working remotely may give you more control over your working hours.
If you are a morning person, you can start your day at the crack of dawn and finish by the afternoon. If you're a night owl, you can start and end later.
This type of work also gives you the freedom to use your breaks as you see fit. For example, if you want to hit the gym, you don't have to worry about showing up at work with your hair wet – or even showering if that's your thing.
3. More time for loved ones
You know the feeling: you get up early, commute, are “out and about” at work all day, commute home and are only spent when you go through the door.
If you have a long commute, you might be out with your kids before breakfast or find yourself unable to go out with friends at the end of the day.
Working remotely may give you more time to help the children prepare for school or to have conversations with your significant other.
After completing your services, you don't have to spend an hour in traffic. Instead, you can just leave your home office and move on to your “real life”.
4. Make use of the time zones
Being in different time zones could make finishing meetings a little tricky, but there are some advantages too. Your end of the day is the start of the day on the other side of the world, which means you can send a project from your desk in New York to a representative in Singapore at 5:00 p.m. your time and they'll get it right away – at 5 a.m. their time.
They can work while you sleep, and it's almost like your project moved back in time to meet your deadline.
5. Save money
Working remotely can help you save money.
No need to spend money on gasoline, a professional closet, or an expensive lunch in the cafeteria – that can add up to $ 4,000 a year.
A FlexJobs study found the average commuter spends $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 annually on gasoline, vehicle maintenance, and insurance (which can cost less if you drive less). If you work from home, that money can stay in your pocket.
In addition to transportation costs, households spent $ 1,866 a year on clothing and $ 3,459 on “food outside of home”. As a remote marketer, all you need to do is dress up during video calls and cook from your kitchen.
Challenges of working remotely as a marketer
Not everything is perfect, including remote working arrangements. Here are some hurdles marketers can face when they are far from an office.
1. Reimbursement of office equipment
Marketers who create video content and edit images may need high-end computers and software. You may also need to purchase a home office setup. Who would pay the bill?
Many large companies offer high quality equipment for marketers, but small agencies and startups may not offer these privileges.
If you're interviewing for a remote position, don't be afraid to ask them about these costs before accepting the position: who will pay for the internet connection, software, or equipment? Will your employer grant a home office grant?
2. It is difficult to build relationships
Office marketers may find it easier to build real relationships with their teams or managers.
If they do tasks together, they can have small talk and get to know each other better. In contrast, working remotely means that you can only speak to colleagues during meetings. (Though off-topic group chats are not uncommon.)
Also, you don't exactly work closely with your boss. Therefore, preparing for a promotion or improving your professional relationship with your boss can be difficult. You need to take additional steps to build camaraderie.
Tips for working remotely successfully
How can you be successful as a remote worker? Let's look at these tips that might help you.
Minimize distractions
As a remote marketer, you are not being monitored by your boss or coworkers. You can work anytime, anywhere, as long as you have done your job.
The downside is that you may also be prone to distractions. It's easy to get distracted by a social media notification when no one is looking at your back.
How can you minimize distractions? Some practical tips include the following:
Move your phone to another room
There is a chance that you will need your phone at some point during the day. However, move it to a different room if your work doesn't require it. Otherwise, instead of staying at work, you might be scrolling through Twitter.
Plan your break time
Most marketers have a lot to do in a day; B. Writing blog posts, SEO optimization and planning marketing campaigns. The hectic chores can tempt you to take an unplanned 30-minute break that quickly turns into an hour-long break.
To avoid this, plan your break time and length of breaks before starting the day. Set alarms and timers to force yourself to stay focused.
Understand your most productive time
When are you most productive?
According to the BBC, 11 a.m. is the most productive time of the day. Of course, this can vary from person to person.
Determine when you have reached your maximum productivity and then tackle difficult tasks. For example, a morning person might start with high priority tasks in the morning and focus their attention on less important tasks in the afternoon.
time for you
Setting timers is not just intended for breaks. You can also use it to set self-imposed deadlines or to give yourself permission to step back from a stressful task.
For projects that need to be done soon, you can set a 60 minute timer that tells you that you won't be able to check your email until that timer has expired. You can come back to this later. However, if you come back with new eyes, you can improve on what you have created.
If you're working on something mentally demanding, like a very emotional piece, you can set a timer for yourself too. Knowing that for your own well-being you need to get away from it, it may be a lot easier to ward off the negative feelings knowing that you only have to look at them for an hour now.
While you can use your phone timer, there are other time tracking software options that can help you achieve maximum productivity. It also makes it easier for you to keep track of what time it is so that you don't suddenly look up and find that you were home from work an hour ago.
Create a workspace
Having a dedicated work area is key to maximizing productivity and focus. The ideal work area can help you get in the mood for work.
Here are some tips for creating a good workspace for marketers.
Pick a good place
In a perfect world, you could set up an office in a room that no one else has access to, like a guest room. An ideal workspace should help you focus on your current marketing campaigns. So choose a quiet area that is free from distractions.
For example, Li-Chi Pan's work area makes it easy with a desk equipped with an iMac and a lamp. Your entire setup is next to a picture window that offers plenty of light and great views of the Sydney rooftops.
However, this option is not available to everyone.
If you don't have free space, stand in an area that is as distraction-free as possible, even if that means standing at your kitchen table in front of a wall. Avoid creating a space in your bedroom as it can make it difficult to look at as a resting place.
Change your remote work landscape
Even if your workspace looks beautiful, working from home for long periods of time can sometimes get boring. When you're in the office with others, what you see changes all the time.
I highly recommend working in a coffee shop, library, or common room whenever possible. Not only might this avoid boredom watching the same stuff all day. However, being someone who thrives with company can help keep you from feeling isolated.
Have a forum for your to-do list or ideas
Marketers often have lots of sticky notes for their various tasks or marketing campaign ideas. The nice thing about being at home rather than in the office is that you can arrange this however you want as you are in control of the space.
Think about having a forum to post your schedule or creative plans on to stay organized.
For example, this Oh Happy Day workspace has a clear glass plate that a marketer can use to set their priorities for the day of the week.
Get the right office equipment and supplies for remote working success
Ask your employer to provide your equipment, such as monitors, a mouse, and a keyboard. You can also inquire about reimbursement for office supplies or even needed furniture like a desk.
While much of your work can be done using video conferencing tools, some customers prefer to speak over the phone. If this is the case for you, ask your work for a work phone so that customers don't call your personal number.
Unfortunately, these expenses are often no longer tax deductible, although some states allow it. So be sure to check your laws and speak to a tax advisor if necessary.
Make sure your WiFi is working well enough
Make sure your internet connection is strong whether you work from home or on the beach. You don't want the work to be deleted immediately before you save it, or for a customer's call to be dropped.
I strongly recommend using VPN (Virtual Private Networks) to ensure a safe and private connection. Some marketing agencies can also benefit from a VPN as it helps them identify the organic search results, take a look at YouTube ads, and do competitive analysis when browsing from a particular country or region.
Celebrate your remote work wins
Has your marketing campaign achieved record breaking results? Have you got a new customer? Every breakthrough achievement is a cause for celebration.
Unfortunately, your profits and achievements may not be as noticeable when working from home or from a remote location.
One possible solution is to encourage teammates and employers to put in place an announcement system when you and your teammates make a profit. It can be as simple as announcing success through a dedicated group chat or sending an email with a list of achievements.
Conclusion
Like everything else, working as a remote marketer has its advantages and disadvantages. Productivity can increase and money can be saved – for both employees and employers – but it can get a little lonely.
As long as you minimize distractions and have your own workspace, you can run your projects and marketing campaigns efficiently. Don't forget to ask your employer about the right equipment and make sure you have WiFi.
Celebrate your success as you and your digital marketing team win big or small. This way everyone is motivated to do their best even when they are apart.
How will you be successful as a remote marketer?
See How my agency can drive Firmly Amounts of traffic on your website
- SEO – Unlock tons of SEO traffic. See real results.
- Content Marketing – Our team creates epic content that is shared, links accessed and visitors drawn.
- Paid media – effective paid strategies with a clear ROI.
Book a call