Marketing Today
Today, marketing is a pretty integrated part of business. In a typical business, marketing has a few roles, namely to introduce a product or idea to the public and prospective customers. However, in many companies marketing is much more. Marketing has a hand in everything from product development and pricing, to distribution and promotion. There are many facets to marketing, there are marketing departments in companies that are focused on what their particular company has to offer, whereas many businesses will hire a Marketing Firm to promote certain products for them. This could consist of in-store advertising, or even door to door sales. The end goal of most marketing strategies is the satisfaction of the customer or client.
Marketing Careers
1. Marketing Manager
2. Advertising
3. Public Relations
4. Market Research
5. Retailing
6. Non-Profit
2. Advertising
3. Public Relations
4. Market Research
5. Retailing
6. Non-Profit
Marketing Mentor: Robert Owen, ConAgra Foods
Q: Where do you work? or what part of the company?
A: Lamb Weston, which is one of the Brands owned by ConAgra Foods Inc.
Q: What is your business title?
A: Marketing Manager of Health and Wellness Platforms.
Here is an overview of his answers to many of my questions about what he does, and what responsibilities he has:
He is in charge of product launches and advertising, specifically for sweet potato products which are healthier than many other potato products. Sometimes helps with pricing and placing of products. He normally will focus on one project at a time, and does not have a team reporting to him, rather he works off and on with other peers or departments when needed to accomplish his tasks. He reports to a Marketing Director, and facilitates during bi-weekly conference calls with other major department heads and peers. Things are pretty lean when it comes to number of employees per project or department.
Q: What is the job climate like for the marketing field?
A: In our economic situation it is pretty hard to find a job. Marketing for most businesses is kind of an overhead. Any good company will have a marketing arm, but it is many times one of the first areas to trim down on to save money or during tight times. Some companies are more marketing based and have a great need but other companies are more focused on sales and manufacturing goods for others to market.
Q: What are some qualities and skills needed to be successful in this field?
A: Being able to Negotiate is important. One must be able to get a point across in an effective but not confrontational way. You need to work well with others, be able to build relationships and communicate well. It is also to be a good listener. Creativity will help a lot as well.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job?
A: It is not mundane. One week I may be crunching numbers and forecasting so the buyers can get the right amount of materials, and another week I may be focusing on advertising in stores. There is also flexibility in how to do things as long as they get done.
Q: What do you dislike about your job?
A: It is difficult to implement change or even good ideas through the different levels and also among other peers. I feel like I sometimes am stuck spending time reacting to things and not being as proactive or focused on future longterm goals.
Q: What schooling or qualifications are needed to land a job in this market?
A: A minimun of a Bachelors Degree. Many companies want a Masters, but some will let you obtain an Executive MBA while working for them.
A: Lamb Weston, which is one of the Brands owned by ConAgra Foods Inc.
Q: What is your business title?
A: Marketing Manager of Health and Wellness Platforms.
Here is an overview of his answers to many of my questions about what he does, and what responsibilities he has:
He is in charge of product launches and advertising, specifically for sweet potato products which are healthier than many other potato products. Sometimes helps with pricing and placing of products. He normally will focus on one project at a time, and does not have a team reporting to him, rather he works off and on with other peers or departments when needed to accomplish his tasks. He reports to a Marketing Director, and facilitates during bi-weekly conference calls with other major department heads and peers. Things are pretty lean when it comes to number of employees per project or department.
Q: What is the job climate like for the marketing field?
A: In our economic situation it is pretty hard to find a job. Marketing for most businesses is kind of an overhead. Any good company will have a marketing arm, but it is many times one of the first areas to trim down on to save money or during tight times. Some companies are more marketing based and have a great need but other companies are more focused on sales and manufacturing goods for others to market.
Q: What are some qualities and skills needed to be successful in this field?
A: Being able to Negotiate is important. One must be able to get a point across in an effective but not confrontational way. You need to work well with others, be able to build relationships and communicate well. It is also to be a good listener. Creativity will help a lot as well.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job?
A: It is not mundane. One week I may be crunching numbers and forecasting so the buyers can get the right amount of materials, and another week I may be focusing on advertising in stores. There is also flexibility in how to do things as long as they get done.
Q: What do you dislike about your job?
A: It is difficult to implement change or even good ideas through the different levels and also among other peers. I feel like I sometimes am stuck spending time reacting to things and not being as proactive or focused on future longterm goals.
Q: What schooling or qualifications are needed to land a job in this market?
A: A minimun of a Bachelors Degree. Many companies want a Masters, but some will let you obtain an Executive MBA while working for them.
Key Marketing Terms
4 p's of marketing: (1)
identification, selection,
and development of
a product,
(2) determination of its price,
(3) selection of a channel to reach the customer (4) development and implementation of
a promotional strategy.
Target market: Particular market segment that a marketing campaign is focused on.
Product mix: A clusterof associated products that yield larger sales revenue when marketed together than if they are marketed individually.
Promotion mix: A Specific combination of promotional methods such as print or broadcast advertising, direct marketing, personal selling, point of sale display, merchandising, etc., used for one product or a similar group of products.
Segmentation: Subdivisions of the population into grouped by factors such as age, gender, income or others.
Positioning: Marketing strategy that aims to make a brand occupy a distinct position in relation to the competing brands in the mind of the customer. Companies try doing this be establishing unique characteristics or features of the product. Once a brand is positioned, it is very difficult to reposition it without destroying its credibility.
Integrated Marketing Communication: A combination of marketing and communication strategies and promotional methods used to achieve the objectives of a Marketing Campaign.
Price Skimming: When a producer puts a high profit driving price on a new or unique product before substitute or copycat products hit the market to compete.
Brand Equity: The power and recognition a brand has earned over time and through quality, which results in higher sales and profit margins.
Target market: Particular market segment that a marketing campaign is focused on.
Product mix: A clusterof associated products that yield larger sales revenue when marketed together than if they are marketed individually.
Promotion mix: A Specific combination of promotional methods such as print or broadcast advertising, direct marketing, personal selling, point of sale display, merchandising, etc., used for one product or a similar group of products.
Segmentation: Subdivisions of the population into grouped by factors such as age, gender, income or others.
Positioning: Marketing strategy that aims to make a brand occupy a distinct position in relation to the competing brands in the mind of the customer. Companies try doing this be establishing unique characteristics or features of the product. Once a brand is positioned, it is very difficult to reposition it without destroying its credibility.
Integrated Marketing Communication: A combination of marketing and communication strategies and promotional methods used to achieve the objectives of a Marketing Campaign.
Price Skimming: When a producer puts a high profit driving price on a new or unique product before substitute or copycat products hit the market to compete.
Brand Equity: The power and recognition a brand has earned over time and through quality, which results in higher sales and profit margins.
References
http://www.careers-in-marketing.com/
www.businessdictionary.com
www.businessdictionary.com