Marketers are the people who just make us do it, get us to look at London and turn it to 30 °. Marketing is concerned with identifying consumer demand related to a product or service and developing ways that consumers can buy these in the optimum quantities to make your business profitable. This includes analysis of market research, distribution, product design, location (i.e. where to sell it), pricing and promotion–also known as the 4 ‘ Ps.’
The marketing world covers advertising, branding, promotions, and sales through social platforms or offline modes. Any business could offer the best products or services in the industry, but if they had not been properly marketed, none of the potential customers would know about it. It is the marketing strategies that make the difference and are regarded as the most important ingredient for any business ‘ success.
Marketing can theoretically be defined as identifying current patterns and trends and understanding the need for any products and services and making use of the facts to make relevant adjustments as to how the products are priced / advertised. Some of a marketer’s typical tasks are-
- Determining the need for specific products or services
- Distinguishing potential markets for products or services
- Monitoring current trends and patterns in the society
- Developing pricing and sales strategies
- Working with public relations, product development, technology and sales departments.
Common myths about career in marketing
Marketing is a new approach to business
Before the industrial revolution, marketing strategies were used. Buyers and sellers enjoyed close contact with each other at that time and tried to understand what customers want, why they want the product and how they want it? They used to do their best to meet their needs, so marketing is quite old today, not something that has been developed. Marketing strategies have been changed nowadays. Numerous approaches are used to grow the business, such as digital marketing, market research, search engine optimization, pay per click, offline promotional methods such as radio advertising, television, etc.
Marketing is concerned only with advertising and high-pressure selling.
Marketing is a broad area that includes not only advertising and high-pressure sales, but also innovation, market testing, market research, product promotion, public relations, digital marketing, content writing, etc. It is the job of a marketer to explain to the general public a company and its services or products. As a marketer, you should be able to explain the target population’s needs and interests and then recommend process, customer service, and product changes. A successful marketer is the one who by driving sales can increase the income of a company.
Skills required to pursue marketing
To be a good marketing agent you must have the following skills:
Communication skills: Communication needs to be quite effective, as the field is about communicating with customers through verbal or written modes. Marketing includes writing content, creating multimedia campaigns, understanding design, and a general understanding of who the end user is and what they want. It’s a fun, creative, and exciting domain.
Analytical thinking skills: Marketing includes market understanding, current trends and a lot of research-based analysis to determine what the audience wants and needs, why they want it to be and how they want it to be. On the basis of data and other information received, marketers are often able to draw logical conclusions.
Technology skills: From using different software to track the progress of a key campaign, to using analytics to measure the success of social media campaigns, you will need decent computer knowledge and efficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Data Analysis Software, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC), Sales Copywriting, Content Writing.
Negotiation skills: You will have to negotiate budgets, timelines, and expectations with customers as a marketer. You would also need to work with designers and vendors, etc., and you should be able to drive a hard bargain, which as a professional marketer is a big part of success.
Educational requirements to pursue marketing
If you want to pursue marketing as a fully fledged career then you must have the following degrees with you:
BBA
The course includes management and theoretical studies in the areas of finance, operations management, information systems management, etc. Indian Management Institute, Indore; Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi; Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune; Christ University, Bangalore etc. are the leading colleges / universities offering this course.
BBM
The course includes administrative and theoretical studies in the areas of accounting, business, finance, real estate, management of human resources, international business, information technology, etc. Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi University; Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University; Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Delhi University; Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai etc. are the leading colleges / universities offering this course.
B.COM
The course’s duration is 3 years. The content of the course is nearly similar, but the only difference is that students with 10+ 2 math are eligible for B.Com. (Hons.) and non-mathematicians are eligible for B.Com. Leading colleges / universities offering this course are Delhi University (Multiple Colleges); Mumbai University (Multiple Colleges); Christ University, Bangalore Admission through these universities is through merit or admission / interview by the respective colleges / universities.
Postgraduate programs overseas
If you’re looking for education abroad, you can pursue a marketing master’s program. Some of the top universities that offer this course are Northwest University, USA; Harvard Business School, USA; Wharton School, Pennsylvania; Stanford University, USA; London Business School, UK; HEC Paris, France, etc. Standardized examinations such as GRE or GMAT, Language Proficiency Examinations such as TOEFL, IELTS, Application Essays, Resume etc. are neede in the completion of the application process for the same
Marketing certification programs
There are a number of marketing certification programs available which you can pursue online or offline as per your preference. Here is a list of some of them:
- Google AdWords Certification
- Google Analytics Certification
- HootSuite Social Media Marketing Certification
- Certification courses from Scrum Alliance
- Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association
- eMarketing Institute’s Online Marketing Certification
- Distilled: Smarter Online Marketing
- Certification courses from HubSpot
- Moz Academy
Scope of marketing as a career in India
Marketing is a broad area which includes the following specialized fields:
Digital marketing
Digital marketing is a booming career as the world becomes more digitized in every aspect. Digital Marketing’s scope includes branding, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, video production, web design, development of apps, search engine optimization, marketing of search engines, etc. Nearly all businesses now use digital marketing to build their brand, generate leads, and sell. In the field of digital marketing, working smart, keeping yourself updated with the latest information, excellent communication skills are the key to success.
Direct marketing
Direct marketing involves directly reaching customers using their phone numbers, email ids, buying history, etc., and communicating about new products or services. Many service providers also use Google AdWords, Google my Business, Facebook advertisements, content marketing, organic social media, coupon deal sites, email marketing, webinars, etc. to grow their business.
Market research
Research on the market involves researching current trends in order to understand their consumers, their needs, buying habits and how they view the product on current trends. Just as in many companies, due to the changing technological and social trends, market research is evolving by speed of light, you can bring lots of new ideas to the table and further develop them through the deep knowledge of experienced professionals. Some research is done to understand market environments that are competitive, technological, social, economic, cultural, political or legal.
Advertising
In order to create brand reinforcement and brand identity, advertising facilitates large-scale marketing. To promote the product, various forms like Electronic Media (Radio / TV), Print Media (Newspaper / Magazine), Direct Mail, etc. Help you generate potential customers by allocating the right amount of money to the right channels. You can work as a copywriter, graphic designer, editor of films and videos, prepare ads, etc.
Brand management
Brands have a strong influence not only on customer engagement, but also on a company’s management. Brand management scope includes brand positioning, cost, customer satisfaction and competitor awareness. Many companies manage their brand through public relations, advertising, telephone directories, online (website, blogs, social media such as Twitter and Facebook), broadcast media (television, radio), print media (newspapers, magazines, specialty publications), and print and direct mail displays (brochures, fliers, signage).
Public relations
Public relations involve daily interaction with customers. People working as managers of public relations are known as the company’s spokesperson and are involved in creating a favored brand image. Public relations also involves media advertising promotion, enhancing the company’s public awareness, and projecting the organization as a source of opportunities and growth.
Hope you find this information about marketing as a career useful! Convert your passion for Marketing into your profession by taking help from this article