A marketing professional should remain a student for life: Vishal Vyas, TTK Healthcare
Since consumer behaviour and the media environment is changing dynamically, learning on a daily basis becomes paramount, feels Vyas.
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Speaking of the dynamic changes in consumer behaviour and the media environment, Vishal Vyas, Chief Marketing Officer, TTK Healthcare, shared something marketing guru Prof Philip Kotler had once said: "Marketing takes a day to learn. Unfortunately, it takes a lifetime to master."
Given that, Vyas strongly advocates being a student for life if one is to navigate the shifting landscape of marketing successfully.
Edited excerpts.
The creator economy has taken the world by storm. Which influencers and trends are you following?
I am not much into social media, but I definitely follow people from a business point of view. We have three brands in the sexual wellness space — Skore condoms, MsChief, and Love Depot. The communication for such brands is kind of complicated, with lots of restrictions and limitations.
Here, the creator economy has worked very well for us. I follow people in this space, like Dr Prateek Makwana (sexual health expert and consultant embryologist). I am mostly on X (formerly Twitter), where I follow the trends, etc.
The way influencers and experts talk to their audience has changed the whole communications space. It has helped us a lot and has opened up lots of avenues for us to talk to their followers. It is a great blessing for marketing, especially for products like ours.
What marketing related content do you consume in your free time?
There is a marketing books podcast which I follow religiously. It reviews new marketing book launches every week, and has discussions with the author. It provides a lot of insight on what’s happening, what new topics people are writing or talking about. I also follow HBR (Harvard Business Review) case studies. In my spare time, I also read marketing books.
There is a lot of talk about burnout, workplace toxicity, and hustle culture. What steps have you taken to avoid the adverse impact of these? What advice would you give to your peers, colleagues, and next gen marketers on this?
Marketing isn’t just a job. There are many things happening around us. With the plethora of digital avenues in this space, like social media, it is creating a lot of pressure on time. So, the first thing I tell my team is that they should love the job they are doing.
Since most of the time is spent in office, there needs to be a purpose as to why this career is being pursued. That way, one is able to avoid burnout.
I have started following the Bhagavad Gita and I think that is a huge resource we have. If one talks about personal or professional life, there are so many messages in the Gita, which ensures peace and calmness.
At the office, our HR has put in place flexible hours. So overall, I hope we are able to successfully reduce the burnout and work pressure on our team.
Is there any sport or fitness routine you practice?
First thing every morning, I devote 30-40 minutes to walking. It is something which not only refreshes you physically, but mentally also. I also practice yoga, which I am not very regular at.
What does your weekend look like?
Weekends are about being with the family. Because all of us have high-pressure jobs where we mostly end up working late, and have less time to devote to family. Hence, I stay at home most of the time and take my family along whenever I go out.
Share one work hack and one life hack you swear by.
In terms of work hack, It is about finding a purpose. I know what I am trying to do and what I am trying to make. The thing is to find a purpose. Secondly, as a marketing professional, I was told that, “We are here to change lives. Marketing is not about selling products and all.” Because any new offering or innovation changes the life of the consumer. But you need to make sure that it reaches the consumer. Hence, I always believe that that's what we are here for. It insulates me from everyday pressures, which I know are temporary.
What are you watching or streaming this weekend?
I’ve started watching Panchayat — the third season just dropped.
A piece of wisdom you would like to share
As a marketing professional, I spend most of my time in this field. Nobody has mastered marketing or knows everything about this subject. Today, consumer behaviour and the media environment is changing dynamically. Marketing Guru Prof Philip Kotler had once said, ‘Marketing takes a day to learn. Unfortunately, it takes a lifetime to master.’’ Hence, I believe it is very important to remain a student for life.
