Dorcas Tanko: The Admin Officer Breaking Into E-Commerce Marketing

Earlier this year, Dorcas Tanko. who had been working as an admin officer for some years is now breaking into the world of ecommerce marketing, as an ecommerce marketing specialist.

The question is, Why is she doing it? 

And is it even possible to move directly an administrative officer into a new field with the potential of earning alot of money without tech or coding skills, prior experience, and by the way, how exactly is Dorcas doing it?

Enter Dorcas!

For years, I worked as an administrative officer, a role that demanded structure, organization, and unwavering attention to detail. My days were filled with emails, meeting schedules, maintaining office records, and ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day operations. 

It was a stable job, one that kept my bills paid. But deep down, I felt a yearning for more, coupled with the inflationary rate of the economy that was accompanied by an increasing hike in prices of goods and services, my desire to explore a career that offered both growth and financial freedom increased.

The idea of transitioning into e-commerce marketing was one that I contemplated for months. Just like many people stuck in a predictable routine, I had so many questions and what if’s, at the very least I worried about starting over. 

I had doubts about whether I could handle the workload of the bootcamp alongside my responsibilities as an administrative officer. 

My job was anything but laid-back, managing schedules, creating reports, and overseeing the coordination of my team left me drained by the end of each day. 

Would I be able to balance my current demanding job with the commitment required to learn an entirely new skill set? Worst of all, how would I raise the money to pay for the bootcamp?

My monthly salary was initially  manageable but its value was swallowed up by inflation which made it nothing to write home about, to the extent that I had to cut down on luxury and farther down into some of my basic needs just to survive.

I applied for a raise but was denied, applied for a loan so as to register for the bootcamp it was denied too. The other option was to get another job which was almost impossible because many organizations were laying off staff to cope with the state of the economy.

I was practically in a dilemma 

Yet, the thought of running on a deficit budget every month terrified me even more.

There is no way I would survive this….

I can't continue like this, I resolved….

These thoughts lingered in my mind until I saw what KISSmarketers offering: To prepare you for the job, help you get the job and guide you through executing the job

What offer could be better than this? I thought, 

They pride themselves in bridging the gap between knowledge and employability and of a truth, it is evident in their offer and course outlines.

I finally joined the KISSmarketers e-Commerce Marketing Bootcamp. That day was the beginning of a journey that has completely transformed my life.

The KISSmarketers Bootcamp promised to equip me with the tools and knowledge I needed to break into e-commerce marketing, an industry I’d heard so much about. With roles offering salaries between $40,000 to $60,000 annually for entry level,  $60,000 to $90,000 annually for mid level roles and $90,000 to $120,000 annually for senior positions, the opportunity seemed too good to pass up.

I told myself: “Dorcas, this is your chance. If you want to rewrite your story”

The bootcamp didn’t just teach me technical skills; it reshaped my mindset. For years, I believed that stability was the ultimate goal, but this bootcamp opened my eyes to the power of growth, innovation, and adaptability.

Some of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned include:

• A deeper understanding of the customer experience.
• Crafting Customer Personas: I now know how to tailor marketing strategies to specific audiences.
• How to position and package products effectively to drive sales
• Conversion takes place when you are able to move a customer or potential customer from one stage of the customer journey to another e.g from awareness stage to consideration stage.
• I discovered that people buy emotionally, then justify their purchases logically. 
• I learned the importance of creating consistent and authentic brand messaging, and many more

These skills have not only prepared me for a career in e-commerce marketing but have also changed how I approach life. I now see opportunities where I once saw obstacles and believe in my ability to build a future on my terms.

Looking back, the transformation I’ve undergone is remarkable. I started this journey as an administrative officer unsure of my next step, and now I’m an e-commerce marketer equipped with the skills to thrive in a dynamic, high-paying industry.

For anyone considering a leap like this, my advice is simple: Take the first step. You don’t have to have everything figured out right away. The most important thing is to start, trust in your ability to learn and grow.

I’m still on my journey, but I’m confident that with the knowledge and experience I’ve gained, the future is brighter than I ever imagined.

Dorcas T, Ecommerce Marketing student at KISSmarketers