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Home > Students > Explore Majors & Careers > Career Profiles > Marketing Marketing- What You Need to Know Overview According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.1 In other words, marketing is the process of developing an understanding of a product's customer and influencing their decisions. This large service industry is a vital business function in every industry, profit or not-for-profit, and is the means with which organizations interact with the public.2 The marketing industry can convey messages to the public that have the power to change societal behavior:3 for example, the anti-smoking advertising movement in the eighties is largely responsible for the steep decline in American smoking, however the marketing industry was originally responsible for the prevalence of smoking through decades of marketing cigarettes to young people. Because those who work in marketing have the ability to shape the way the public views a product, practice or idea, they play an important role in a consumer society. The marketing industry is responsible for developing the products that satisfy the needs of society and for creating the competitive environment that makes the prices of products affordable.4 Who They Serve: What They Do: The industry consists of three key areas: market research, market strategy, and brand/product management. Market research is the function that links the consumer, customer and public to the marketer through information: it aims to understand what the consumer needs, identify why and how the customer chooses a product to satisfy that need, and discover how best to communicate the marketer's ideas with the public.7 Market strategists take the information from the market researchers and develop a marketing strategy based on it. Finally, product or brand managers plan, develop and coordinate the marketing efforts for a specific brand or product, and oversee the production, advertising, distribution, and sales of the product or service.8 Areas of Specialization: Market research is based on the first principle of marketing: that understanding the consumer is the best way to influence his or her market decisions.9 Market researchers gather information about what people think in order to help organizations market their products to the people most likely to support or buy them.10 First, market researchers devise methods and procedures for obtaining the data they need: they design surveys, lead focus groups and oversee the compilation of data.11 Next, they make recommendations and present the information to market strategists in a way that is helpful in making decisions on the promotion, distribution, design and pricing of products or services.12 Typically, market researchers design the studies and analyze the results, but outsource the actual administration of the studies to communications consultants and research firms. Because market research combines communications, business management and statistical analysis, market research professionals hold highly advanced degrees and often combine their full-time jobs with part-time jobs as consultants or academic positions. About 7% of market researchers are self-employed. Marketing Strategy Brand/Product Management Many brand or product managers work at the corporate level, but many work out in the field. Field positions include sales representatives, who market and sell products to the general public. Depending on the product or service, extremely high or low level training can be required. All sales positions require excellent intrapersonal and communications skills, but for technical products, high levels of knowledge and training are required. For example, marketers selling pharmaceutical and medical equipment must understand the construction and uses of the product, and be able to describe that information effectively to doctors. On the retail side of brand management, buyers select, order and receive merchandise consistent with the brand. This is another multifaceted position: buyers must recognize products that would appeal to their consumers, and at the same time negotiate the purchase price to a level that will enable the brand owner to make a profit. Finally, media planners identify and purchase the space or time used by marketing strategists to communicate with the public.16 Because each of these positions require creativity, communications skills and a background in business, it is easy to see why marketing attracts dynamic and motivated individuals to the industry. What Employers Want: There is an increasing interest in marketing strategists and brand/product managers with backgrounds in the social sciences, particularly those that offer insight into the human mind such as anthropology, psychology, sociology and economics.18 Majors that develop communications skills are also useful, including theatre, Writing Seminars and English. Job candidates with special interests in the field should pursue courses in them as well: for example, those looking to go into international marketing should take courses in foreign languages and world history.19 Technical and specialized skills are becoming increasingly relevant in the marketing industry. Marketers should be proficient in web-based marketing messaging and techniques, and should also be able to work with online data warehouses.20 As technology and medical science continues to grow, the need to market them continues to grow as well. Students with engineering and medical backgrounds who have the creative and communication skills required for marketing are increasingly in demand by companies looking to market medical products, pharmaceuticals, and computer hardware and software.21 Finally, real-world experience is crucial to securing an entry-level job in marketing. Internships in marketing and marketing experience for on-campus or non-profit organizations are excellent ways to gain this experience. What They Hire Undergraduates to Do:
Marketing firms and in-house departments encourage career growth within the company, and advancement is quick: typically within one to two years.23 Patrick Russell,
National Sales Director, Harris Connect inCircle - a professional and social networking site for Hopkins students and alumn where you can identify alumni by career field, major and orgnaization. Resources: Industry /Professional Organizations: Industry Websites: Networking: Internships, research positions and summer employment are highly effective ways for you to try out a field, gain experience and skills and make professional contacts. Advertising Want to know more about these career fields? Click on them to view their profiles. If you would like to talk about how your search is going, we invite you to make an appointment with a Career Counselor by calling 410-516-8056. Endnotes: |
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