Patel, the founder of marketing analytics tool Kissmetrics, said: “Mediocre marketers think in terms of campaigns. Great marketers think in terms of growth frameworks.”
Whiles his statement divided opinions, it also underlines why there are not many digital marketers from this part of the world. It’s a tedious space with lots of opportunities, but also one that demands creativity, tact, attention, skill and strong analytical abilities.
In spite of these demands, though, the digital marketing space in Ghana has shown encouraging signs of growth and is getting better with each passing year. More and more people are also getting a grip of the field and its accompanying perks. One of such is Perci Mensah, a young man who currently works as a Digital Account Manager at Global Media Alliance (GMA).
Perci specialises in developing comprehensive social and digital media plans and strategies, optimizing SEO, performing market research, and monitoring the performance of promotional campaigns.
The father of two believes the ever-changing nature of the digital space means digital marketers must always strive to update their knowledge or be left behind.
“My work as a Digital Marketing Strategist has no end, especially as digital trends and practices keep changing,” he told Pulse.com.gh. “That notwithstanding, I am responsible for planning, developing, implementing and managing the overall digital marketing strategy of brands.”
The mention of the term ‘brand’ opens up a new conversation altogether. In layman terms, a brand is simply any concept that helps to identify a particular product or company. In the marketing world, though, a ‘brand’ is a more complex concept that is kaleidoscopic.
As a digital account manager, Perci’s day-to-day activities require that he helps to optimize the online presence of clients through digital marketing strategies. This includes creating digital campaigns, monitoring clients’ social media, and measuring the success of marketing strategies.
It’s never an easy job for one to pull off, especially with several brands angling for perfection and constantly demanding results. In simple terms, the digital marketing space doesn’t reward effort, only the end product and numbers count.
But it’s a job that Perci says he enjoys. Each day comes with its own challenges but there’s also the bit where you get to meet new people, work with different brands and grow on the job.
“I love the work of a Digital Account Manager because it provides me the opportunity to work with different industries,” says Perci. “I have had, for instance, the opportunity to develop digital strategies and execute digital campaigns for brands in automobile, health, banking, insurance, e-commerce and even politics. What is more fascinating about this opportunity is that it keeps you on your toes. My mind is always active learning about the new knowledge and trends that pertain to the digital media industry.”
On the major challenges that come with his work, Perci said: “You don’t sometimes have time for yourself. There are certain times, for instance, I forgo sleep or having a good time with my family just to stay awake in ensuring that the expectations of our clients are exceeded.
“Agency work comes with a lot of pressure and demands but since it is the path we have chosen to go; we just have to brace ourselves for the demands it brings.”
Perci seems sure that he has found his calling. The digital space is still growing in Ghana but he is one of those who have carved a niche for themselves in there. A couple of years ago, though, the thought of becoming a digital media strategist wasn’t even part of his plans.
He had dreams of becoming a medical doctor, then bounced off ideas on sitting behind a desk as an accountant. But, as they usually say, life happened and he found himself volunteering as a marketing officer for an NGO while schooling at the University of Ghana.
“I found myself always surfing the internet and particularly spending more time on social media even sometimes at the expense of my books,” he recounts. “I was doing social media around this time but with no shape in mind.
“My journey into practically identifying this as a career started when Rev. Jerry Panou saw an opportunity for an unpaid internship at 3FM. I applied, got interviewed and was selected together with my friend, Victor Terkpetey.”
Perci continued: “Our duties were to ensure community management of 3FM’s social media accounts. It was around this time that I also met Mrs. Petra Aba Asamoah, who happened to be our supervisor. Some personal conversations I later had with her made me develop more interest in social media, as she’d later connect me to opportunities in that field.
“I also along the line met Mr. Daniel Pabby, who I worked for as a Social Media Partner. Mr. Pabby would later challenge me and even pay for me to take some courses. Our business unfortunately couldn’t survive so I was left on my own. Around this same time, I decided to enroll in some online courses, read the ins and outs of the digital media industry and began cross-selling my skills to SMEs.”
It’s fair to say Perci has risen through the ranks and he is now closer to finding his feet than ever. He’s basically where he belongs and is currently aiming to break new grounds in the digital marketing space.
Perci sees digital media as the future and believes there are lots of opportunities that the youth can tap into in this space.
“I with open arms welcome every young person who wants to venture into the digital media field,” he retorted. “Digital media has enormous opportunities to offer young people, and young people should not close their eyes to these opportunities.
“There are readily available jobs and even entrepreneurial opportunities for people in this career path. The industry requires studious people so every young person with the mindset to cause a change in their own way using digital tools should quickly align themselves with the knowledge and expectations the industry requires.”
Don’t be too quick to forget the name is Perci Mensah. Like a Ninja, he’s always working in the shadows but the brands know the value he adds to their products and activations. It’s not magic, it’s just the style of a man who knows his stuff.