Remote work is now the rule rather than the exception. As more and more businesses either by choice or by necessity put measures in place to support a distributed workforce, employees across industries are adapting to a world where they can work entirely from the comfort of their own home. Believe it or not, that’s not necessarily as great as it sounds.
For one, distractions abound, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be an exercise in futility. Beyond these, working from home as a marketing professional presents several of its own challenges. We’re going to go over a few of the most common, and explain how you can overcome them.
Security Tools and Best Practices
When sensitive assets such as product roadmaps or press releases are on a workplace PC, your clients can reasonably expect that data will be kept secure. As such, before you download anything to a personal smartphone or desktop, you need to be absolutely certain that the device is up to the same security standards as your workplace systems. We’d recommend the following:
- An antimalware solution
- A password manager
- Two-factor authentication on all critical accounts
- Secure file-sharing software that allows encryption of and control over sensitive files
- Active mindfulness when opening emails and browsing the web
A Virtual Private Network (VPN)
If you need to access corporate servers or software from home, there’s a good chance you’ll use a VPN to do it. Secure access to corporate resources isn’t the only reason to install one, however. VPNs actually have a multitude of applications beyond supporting an encrypted connection.
For one, they can allow you to get around region locking and location tracking. While this is only relevant in niche use cases, it can nevertheless prove invaluable from a market research standpoint. It’s also helpful if you’re working with a client whose website automatically changes its content based on the visitor’s location, allowing you to access the data you need in order to do your job.
High-Quality Audio and Video Hardware
Last but certainly not least, working doesn’t negate the importance of face-to-face meetings. With that in mind, we’d strongly recommend investing in a high-quality webcam and a professional-grade headset. You need to be able to connect with both clients and colleagues via video conferences, and not just because it’s important for collaboration.
Especially if you live alone, teleconferences are absolutely critical to staving off the effects of prolonged social isolation. While they’re still no substitute for face-to-face contact, they can still help a great deal.
Marketing in a Digital, Distributed Future
Even once the coronavirus pandemic dies down, it seems likely that remote work will still feature prominently in many workplaces. As such, you have a lot to gain from familiarizing yourself with it. Equip yourself with the necessary tools now, and you’ve everything to gain in the future.
