I have been doing Online Marketing for the last 3 years or so, working in organizations and companies providing services or products or just ideas. And more often than not, I have encountered several ‘collisions’ and ‘cold wars’ between programmers and marketers.
More often than not, both these breeds fail to understand each other, and this leads to conflicts.
When there is a requirement to roll out a new campaign, we approach the programmer and designer to create that and implement within the website. Now, sometimes the design of the campaign is really outrageous and the programmer feels the heat. He blames the marketer for such ‘tough’ job and the in-fighting starts.
And believe me; in a fight between a programmer and a marketer, no one wins. It is the organization which loses!
This has led me to write this post, for programmers – 7 things which every programmer should know about a marketer
Contents
1) Programming is rational; Marketing is not:
Programming is all about codes and logics. The result is always rational- You put 2 with 3 and the result is 5 no matter which programming language you are using. But with marketing, it is the opposite. Marketing is never rational; at its best, it is like a gamble!
2) Marketing is tough; Don’t compare it with bug tests
Bug tests and other test procedures are always scheduled in advance. But marketing cannot be ‘scheduled’. In almost 80% of the cases, marketing involves sudden, instantaneous decisions based on the market conditions. Hence, please don’t make it boring by scheduling the activities. It’s not bug testing!
3) Marketing is like a fiction book; Programming is non-fiction
Most of the marketers don’t have a clue of what they are doing. It’s not scripted or with a definite proof-of-action. It can be compared with a fiction story. You never know what the output is unless you do it. Programming on the other hand is quite like a non-fiction book. Before even reading it, you know the outcome.
4) Not everyone is an expert in both
Because Mark Zuckerberg is a brilliant programmer & a brilliant marketer; it doesn’t mean that every programmer would be a brilliant marketer. Or the vice versa. Accept us as we are, and try to form a team. Yes, we are trying to do the same!
5) Mediocre marketers are successful too; unlike mediocre programmers:
There are several programmers who downgrade a marketer just because he is an average mind. Programmers pride themselves in solving some tough problems and using logic to solve them. Hence a mediocre programmer never makes it big. But as marketing is irrational, even mediocre marketer can make it big. Accept this fact and carry on with life!
6) Without marketing, all your code is worthless
This one is the most important of them all- Without marketing, all your codes and logic and ‘rational’ thoughts will be dumped and vanished. Help us with your products, with your logic and we will make it even better. Allow us to be bold and be brave and we will do it good. If your code is worth it, we will leave no stone unturned.
Do you agree with me? I would love to agree to disagree or provide you more insights. Share your views!
[…] week, I had posted an interesting write-up called “6 Things Every Marketer Should Know About A Programmer” which stirred a controversy. Programmers blamed me for belittling their profession and one of […]
i love this artical its awesome..
:) I love controversies!
Just read both the articles on programming and marketing. Personally, I don’t like programming because I am shit scared of science and maths.
The point is whatever you do, try to be the best.
~ Chitra
Hi Mohul
Though I love programming and marketing I was little bit upset with this article :-(
But the way you’re responding to negative commands and your follow up article is really awesome :-)
@Partha,
Thanks for valuable comments!
Hi Mohul !
Nice Write up :)
But girls can’t make babies themself :D
Looking for your next Post.
Thanks ! Good one !
Thanks Manoj!
Dear Mohul,
I was a programmer (for 20+ years) as well as business unit head (10+ years) working with marketers. While I appreciate your views on how tough it is to market, but please do not belittle the programmers. Their efforts are no way less complex than yours. Programming is not just writing Code but it actually involves solving a business need through a series of well thought out logical solutions made up of a large set of functionality (hope this statement itself is not confusing already). I think there is a little bit of overlap between marketing and sales in the points above but I will go with that. Let me add a few things marketers should know about programmers:
1. While the marketer’s job is almost over with selling and closing the deal, the programmer is left holding the baby for a long period much after.
2. With all kinds of assurances given by the marketer to the customer, the customer being the “King”, assumes it is his right to keep demanding for improvements/refinements to the product eternally. This is conveniently passed on to the programmer.
3. One of the most painful situation for the programmer during marketing/sales is the situation when the marketer wants to offer price reduction and deep discounts to the customer due to peer pressure. While this is acceptable as a business decision but invariably this reduction in price is directly passed on to the developer team in the form of reduced effort and schedule. This is really killing. The marketer should understand this and moderate accordingly.
To summarize, both the programmer and marketer exist because of each other. It is very important to have a trust between the two community and they both should understand that their goals are same. One-upmanship will go nowhere other than causing distrust and dis-respect between two important pillars of the organization.
Dear Partha,
Thanks a lot for your enlightening views on the life of a programmer.
I have worked as a SAP ABAP Consultant in the past, and I can totally relate with your words. Sometimes, the programmer’s life can literally turn into a pain in the *** (cost cuttings, after sales.. )
But this particular post has been inspired after my experiences with mainly web-based programmers who are creating codes for websites and social media apps.
None the less, I am no way belittling your breed.. You guys are the soul of the IT industry!
I will very soon publish another post: 6 Things Every Marketer Should Know About A Programmer.. and will surely use your points..
Thanks in advance :)
U said: 6) Without marketing, all your code is worthless >>
BUT also add another 7th point:
7) Without CODE, all your marketing is worthless and u will be in loss… :P
What what I would say is…without code there is nothing for marketer to market anything at all… This is a given…
But I really think programmers should show some respect to marketers…simply because they actually bring your work in limelight.. If a marketer is successful, only then your work will be seen, used and appreciated.
So true @Arun.. Infact, when both of these rare breeds team up and then work towards the final goal, then miracles happen! Its like two sides of a coin.. :)
Well summed !
Thanks a lot for your attention.. Keep reading!
the writer is a fool:
1. “You put 2 with 3 and the result is 5 no matter which programming language you are using.”… the difference of mathematics and programming is that in math you use formulas.. in programming you create formulas
2. “But marketing cannot be ‘scheduled’. ” => only if you’re weak with statistics, forecasting and time management
3. “Programming on the other hand is quite like a fiction book. Before even reading it, you know the outcome.” => how come you know the outcome when you still have to create the formula? this writer doesn’t know about programming nor have any idea about it
Dear Programmer,
Thank you for the comments.
1. Yes, programmers do create formulas. But the procedure of creation is rational. It is based on pre-defined rules and conventions. What I am trying to express via this post is that, marketing is irrational. It has no rules and no conventions.
2. I am into Content based Marketing. Publishing and creating those content, which resonates with the heart of reader. I have been into the cold hard world of consultants and their long excel sheets with forecasts and time-management and stuff. But that is just the speculation part. I say, the tools of marketing. Actual marketing is all unpredictable..
3. Yes, you are so right! I have no idea about programming and I am scared like shit of it. That is why I decided to become an Online Marketer :)
And lastly, again you are so right.. I always love to remain hungry and foolish.. My mantra is, “Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish” !
Hi Mohul,
With no connection whatsoever to the article, I would like to appreciate you for replying with decorum to the “programmer” who does not know to respect people and their opinions. Cheers! I am into online marketing too! :)
Absolutely Agreed Matthew…
@Mohul, respect to you for the way you replied to that comment!
Wow! Thanks for that headsup.. Made my day brighter and livelier.. Cheers!
Dear programmer – Please read this… Article written by @mohul on what every marketer should know about a programmer (in response to this article)… He has made a grear closing statement Here it is – “A marketer without a good programmer is like a rich person who doesn’t know what a Rolex is; and a programmer without a good marketer is like a beautiful painting stuck in a cupboard.”
Every Marketer as well Programmer should read this post
https://trak.in/marketing/5-things-marketer-should-know-about-programmer/