There are a number of tools that I use everyday that help me do my job better — whether it’s Google Keyword tool or Dreamweaver, those tools help make me a more productive/less dependent worker.
In the spirit of that, I’m starting a new series called “Digital Marketer’s Tookit.” Every Thursday, I’ll post another tool of the trade to help give you an inside look into the day to day life of a digital marketer, or if you’re currently in the field, I hope to pass on some of the tricks that make my life easier.
This week: Adobe Photoshop. A designer’s best friend and a marketer’s nightmare.
It’s not technically a part of a typical digital marketer’s job description — but I use it almost every day:
- Tweaking Email Graphics – Our designer can easily mock-up a few different styles of headers and other graphics that are “on brand” and I can use those few templates and change the copy, add additional elements, etc.in a blink of an eye. No need to worry about turnaround times!
- Quick-turn Social Media graphics – Remember Oreo’s Twitter response to the Superbowl blackout? The blackout was obviously not planned, but they were able to turn around a graphic within minutes as a response. For most of us, we can’t have a graphic designer on call on a Sunday night…so having a social media person who can work their way around Photoshop is a definite bonus.
- Mock-Up Ideas – There are times that I need my graphic designer’s technical assistance, but I can’t quite verbalize what it is I’m looking for. But I can create a rough mock in Photoshop to provide him/her with a starting point
- Other – This is a cop out category…I know. But there are so many tiny things that crop up that can’t be bucketed.
- Photoshopping a “Play” icon onto a video still
- Adding texture or frames around a person’s photo in an email so it has some depth
- And so much more….
Now, here’s the bad news…if you’re not a designer, making a business case to purchase an additional license for $600-$900 bucks may not be an easy one. If your boss gives you push back, download the 30 day trial, read this article on how to get started as a “non-designer” in Photoshop, and start creating!
I promise you, if you take every advantage within those 30 days to prove how valuable of a tool it is, you’ll have no problem selling it to your management team.
And…bonus: It’ll help you stand out among your peers in a competitive job market. 🙂
Good luck and happy Photoshopping!
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