Any business has a critical position filled by a Marketing Manager, and for good reason. This is the individual who acts as the bridge from the products of a company to the target audience. It is their responsibility to develop and execute marketing strategies that drive brand awareness, customer acquisition, and revenue growth.
Marketing Manager also requires a fair bit of overseeing multiple marketing campaign efforts; managing budgets across the breadth of these efforts; and, in general, analyzing various market trends to ensure that the business is keeping ahead of its competitors. And when I say “business,” I am not just referring to the realm of traditional business, as we also now know it. Any entity that markets a product or service occupies the same space. And all of these entities have undergone a sea change in their horizons as they have morphed into a digital realm.
What Exactly Does a Marketing Manager Do?
Essentially, the marketing manager is the person who helps the company promote its brand image, products, and services, to sell them efficiently. A marketing manager’s job is quite complex and multifaceted – from analyzing all available marketing data to generating new creative ideas and marketing strategies and implementing them.
Directing Customer Relationship Management and Public Relations efforts, promoting products and services, and working actively to raise brand awareness. Most importantly, a marketing manager is precisely that – a manager, as in someone who builds and leads teams of professionals by delegating responsibilities, plans budgets, and oversees them, and is responsible for the achievements (or shortcomings) of the entire Marketing Department or Team.
Marketing Manager – Skills, Abilities, Experience
You are probably wondering what kind of experience, skills, and abilities you need to have before starting your career as a Marketing Manager? Here are a few considerations to get you started on your way to achieving this:
1. First and foremost
you need a bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management, preferably from a top-tier college or university. Honestly, the importance of proper higher education for your career cannot be overstated. Employers are looking for professionals who have the latest knowledge and expertise in the industry, and these can only be gained through years of study. It is certainly true that various online courses represent a cheaper and more accessible path to this knowledge. However, a college diploma, especially one from a renowned institution, will work wonders for your employment opportunities and your career advancement in the future.
2. Extensive work experience is priceless
Aside from your education, the most relevant indicator for your potential employer is whether you have sufficient hands-on experience in the industry. It would help if you started working on that background as soon as possible, even while studying for your bachelor’s degree. There are countless jobs in marketing.
Including opportunities for people with little or no previous marketing experience. These entry-level jobs include social media coordinator, marketing coordinator, event marketing specialist, account coordinator, project coordinator, and many more. At first, the salary will be nothing to write home about, but these jobs will help you “break into” the industry and start learning much stuff from your work.
3. Supercharge your career with additional education
If your professional life is already past points 1 and 2, you are probably just one step away from becoming a successful Marketing Manager. It would help if you focused your attention on the fields where your skills and expertise seem to be somewhat lacking and to take action on closing those gaps. This is best done by enrolling for additional education, ideally a Master of Science or an MBA in Marketing.
While it is true that a master’s degree requires a considerable investment in both time and money, it will most definitely help you take one or even several steps up the career ladder. Furthermore, you can pick a master’s program closely related to your company’s main activity or industry, thus earning points with your current employer and maybe even convincing to help fund your education.
To Summarize
A career as a Marketing Manager is guaranteed to be exciting, challenging, and diverse, as long as you pick your education correctly, create a career strategy for yourself, and follow through on it. If you keep in mind all of the points listed above and work consistently towards these goals, unique opportunities are sure to present themselves, and your professional success will skyrocket.
Check out: How to Become a Successful Sales Manager?