Launching new products and services is the way most companies increase their revenue. However, this approach is hardly effective if the audience is not aware of the said releases. That’s why enterprises are putting a lot of money and effort into their marketing, even hiring experts known as marketing managers. So, if you’re highly passionate about advertising, brand awareness, or digital marketing, then becoming a marketing manager might be the right career choice for you!
Sounds intriguing? Then keep reading to learn more about what this job entails and how you can also join the thousands of experts all around the country!
Who Is a Marketing Manager?
Generally speaking, marketing managers are the ones who identify, assess and connect with potential consumers. As the name suggests, managers also lead their departments and teams both creatively and analytically in order to succeed. They may also have to research current trends and find ways to tackle them.
Common Responsibilities of a Marketing Manager
It’s important to understand that the responsibilities of a marketing manager vary depending on the industry and company size. But usually, there are a few common activities that all of them will perform, regardless of the industry-specific criteria:
- Develop budgets for advertising campaigns;
- Create marketing plans with specific goals and outcomes;
- Discover the most effective way to promote a product or service in media, print and digital platforms;
- Work together with sales and marketing teams to come up with reliable strategies;
- Research the industry and competitors to build a unique marketing plan;
- Communicate with clients and secure partnerships, particularly through gifts, such as premium pens, custom tech items, and business bags;
- Make recommendations to senior management on the company’s marketing direction and when to launch future campaigns to better target consumers;
- Develop and monitor marketing programs that can be used throughout the year in order to target customers based on market research;
- Evaluate other employees’ work and offer suggestions and constructive feedback when necessary;
- Manage public relations and address external and internal problems.
Types of Marketing Managers
More often than not, marketing managers work for large, multinational corporations that operate in sectors like healthcare, banking, technology, and anything in between. As a result, there’s no shortage of marketing positions regardless of what field you are interested in.
Additionally, marketing is incredibly diverse, so it’s very common for managers to specialize in one specific area. Below you’ll find a few examples of some of the most in-demand marketing manager positions:
- Brand Marketing Managers are responsible for promoting a business’s image and name.
- Affiliate Marketing Managers are those who keep track of the organization’s relationship with its marketing affiliates.
- Digital Marketing Managers supervise and implement online advertising strategies.
- Content Marketing Managers are accountable for creating content for a company’s website.
- Product Marketing Managers are in charge of the branding and positioning of specific items.
- Social Media Marketing Managers focus on posting content and interacting with consumers on social media platforms.
- Marketing Communications Managers monitor and evaluate product and brand messaging.
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How to Become a Marketing Manager
Do you want to get yourself a marketing manager position? Then here are the main steps you’ll need to take:
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
It goes without saying that marketing managers play a vital role in a company’s success or failure. As a result, all organizations require you to get a bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, communications, business, or a similar field. That’s because a degree prepares students for a dynamic marketing environment by blending traditional business methods with modern technologies like SEO, content management and data analytics. It’s also advised to continue your education with a Master of Business Administration to learn a wide range of relevant skills that will make you even more useful to large companies and increase your chances of success.
Step 2: Get Experience
Whether you like it or not, experience is a must for any management position, particularly in marketing. However, getting an entry-level job can be hard if you’ve never worked during college. That’s why it’s best to start with an internship or volunteer to learn and gain practical field experience. Just try to choose an organization and a position that is at least remotely tied to the marketing industry.
Another benefit of internships and volunteering is that they provide an avenue to network with people that are already established in the industry, which can help you immensely when searching for a job.
Step 3: Apply for an Entry-Level Job
Once you feel confident with your experience, it’s time to apply for an entry-level marketing job. Luckily, there are dozens of career opportunities that you can choose to build your marketing career. For instance, you can either become a social media coordinator, marketing assistant, advertising assistant, or sales representative.
These jobs usually directly report to a media planner, account administrator or client service executive, which are all mid-level positions. Therefore, you can learn a lot from your superiors, which you can use to advance your career in the same organization.
However, before applying for an entry-level job, it’s advisable to spend some time creating an attention-worthy resume. It should feature all your relevant skills and experiences, including internships and volunteer work. And, you can reuse the same resume by updating it later on when you decide to switch to a management position.
We also recommend you build a portfolio in your spare time, especially if you want to target a digital marketing management position. That will help showcase your abilities to potential employers.
Step 4: Develop Your Marketing and Leadership Skills
Even though you already have an entry-level job, you should still do some extra research to further hone your expertise. Remember that communication, presentation and sales abilities are vital for any marketing manager. You also need to develop multitasking skills, which will prove useful when dealing with large volumes of work.
One way to learn these relevant skills is to join a marketing association. Many of them offer specialized courses in marketing or host events where you can meet and connect with other people in the industry. And best of all, some associations may even reward you with credentials, such as specialty certifications.
Step 5: Advance Your Career
Have you accumulated at least two years of work experience and enough skills to become a marketing manager? Then it’s time to take a step further in your career. You can either ask for a promotion to a marketing manager position in your current organization. Or, you can update your resume, create a cover letter and try your luck at another company that has an open position.
In Conclusion
There’s no doubt that marketing is a lucrative and engaging field to work in. And since marketing managers are always in high demand, you should have no trouble finding a job. However, you’ll need to put in a lot of work and effort beforehand to develop the necessary skills. But once you do, you’ll be able to join a wonderful industry that provides a plethora of learning and development opportunities!