Who is a marketing manager, what does he do and what is his salary?
Any enterprise must be competitive a priori - a firm position in the market, readiness for internal changes while tracking market fluctuations and business demands, confident and flexible management. In order for the course of the enterprise to maintain, strengthen and adapt to its changes, the company must have a marketing manager.
Peculiarities
The marketing manager is in charge of coordinating marketing processes. Otherwise, they might call him a marketer. The main work of this specialist is considered to be the coverage of three areas: market research of suppliers of raw materials and sales, organization and implementation of advertising, control and analysis of production efficiency... In simple terms, a marketer includes several professions (or functions). Developer, creative, advertising agent, designer, executive - most marketing managers really have to take on these tasks.
A specialist necessarily researches the market using up-to-date methods.... He must also communicate with consumers (receiving feedback). He is engaged in marketing and development of events that will attract a new segment of clients. Obviously, in any company focused on performance, the marketer is one of the leading specialists.
The nuance lies in the fact that different enterprises have different attitudes towards the main tasks of a marketing manager. And if one firm makes him a multifunctional worker, the other defines a narrow sphere.
Advantages and disadvantages
Initially, a marketer is considered to be a specialist who must study the tastes of a buyer, promote a product, and research which products will be in great demand. This person monitors, researches, analyzes, draws conclusions and proposes solutions, the forecasts of the success of which are carefully calculated.
Profession benefits:
- demanded;
- highly paid;
- with great career opportunities;
- interesting;
- assuming a device in a variety of areas.
In a few years (from 2), a novice marketer can become a head of the marketing department.
Disadvantages of the profession:
- frequent stressful situations;
- great mental and emotional costs;
- frequent need to stay outside of working hours in the office, etc.
All disadvantages are conditional, there may be more advantages than indicated in the list. It depends on the expectations of the applicant, and on his temperament, and on those professional attitudes that he has.
Job responsibilities
The main occupation of a marketer is conducting events that are focused on identifying the target audience, studying needs and assessing the indicators of the relevance of production results... The job description of the manager defines the scope of his duties, what exactly he does. Usually the job description consists of several sections: general provisions, duties, tasks, powers, level of responsibility.
Job responsibilities also depend on the area in which the marketer comes: network companies, trade related to social communications. If this is trade marketing, the sections in responsibilities will be different, etc.
Market research and its trends
The market in marketing research is clearly defined. It is characterized by customer needs, capacity and location.
Main types of the market:
- market of manufacturers or manufactured products;
- consumer;
- the market for government agencies;
- intermediary;
- international.
With the help of marketing research of the market, you can find out what its volume is in relation to the products in which the company specializes. You can find out who is the main buyer of your product or services, who is your direct competitor, what is the forecast for market development, etc. After that, an analytical marketing plan is created.
Study of consumer behavior
The marketer assesses the reasons that they are capable of influencing the decision to purchase a product / service or refuse it. The result of the choice can be influenced by the family, any group that is reference for the buyer. Marketers must consider the reaction of the customer, study how he makes a purchase. This analysis provides information on the degree of satisfaction with the purchase, the likelihood of a repeat purchase, etc.
Marketing manager explores and motivation research. All of this is a lot of work, involving extensive research. What stages the buyer goes through before the purchase, what influences this, what are the roles of the people included in this purchase - all this is important for a specialist.
Target market selection
Target market refers to the point of application of marketing, which is an attractive market segment that a company will focus on. A marketing strategy involves 2 components: choosing the target market directly, creating a marketing mix (which will satisfy the market's need for a product).
The market selection process includes the following steps:
- segmentation - define the criteria for segmenting the market, draw up segment profiles;
- selection of target segments - analysis of the degree of attractiveness of the segments, the choice of the main one;
- positioning of goods on the market - a marketing complex is being developed for each target segment.
There are many methods for developing a target market, and each of them is checked by a specialist and selected for a specific request.
Formation of a competitive advantage
The competitive advantages of an organization are, first of all, a listing of the benefits that your product or service represents. First, a list of benefits is drawn up, then they need to be ranked.
The next step is to compare your company's benefits to those of your competitors. And in the fourth stage, the marketer is looking for absolute competitive advantages. Further, the specialist is looking for false competitive advantages, finally, after all this voluminous work, a development and control plan is drawn up. Usually an experienced specialist draws up 2 marketing action plans: the first plan is devoted to a competitive advantage for several years in advance, the second is obliged to keep the advantages up-to-date.
Developing a strategy for development
Marketing strategy is a specific process that helps create conditions for the concentration of resources on the opportunity to increase the volume of products or services sold. Also, the goal of this strategy will be to obtain sustainable market competitive advantages.
The marketing strategy consists of:
- goal setting;
- analysis;
- planning and monitoring of enterprises.
Strategy development involves defining the mission and goals of the company, the basic strategy or strategic focus. This also includes the formation of competitive positioning.
Product management
Product management can take place at three levels - at the level of brand, product variety, product range. One of the main objects of marketing influence is precisely the product. And he is a controlled variable, by which the company itself manages the market and the client. The product is a key marketing mix created to meet the needs of the buyer.
Regulation of customer relations
The key goal of marketing services is to establish a continuous, long-term relationship with the consumer. And they are possible only on the basis of knowledge of the client's profile, his needs.
It is important for a marketer:
- regularly monitor customer reactions to your own marketing efforts;
- maintain bi-directional communications with the client, which are based on feedback, on the construction of a variety of convenient communication channels;
- create in the "client-company" link both a rational and an emotional connection.
The marketer needs to update the customer database. Ideally, this should be a CRM system. It is necessary to create such a personnel management system, the purpose of which is to form and maintain customer loyalty.
Career prospects
The most obvious prospect is to head up the marketing department. If the company is large, this goal is most often seen by newly hired managers. Many business coaches advise those who want to build their own business in the future to get real experience as marketers. The rationale behind this is that market research, product promotion, product management research, and customer relationship building can be learned through the role of a marketer.
If you are still getting education, but plan to do an internship at an enterprise as a marketing manager, then the layer of work that you do in practice may be the best resume for subsequent employment.
Where can you work?
Mostly marketing managers are in demand in companies that trade and provide services. Moreover, the scale of organizations is not so important. Marketing vacancies are available both in large holdings and in medium-sized organizations. Some specialists are afraid of employment in an outsourcing agency. But often this is an excellent solution to a professional question: the marketing agency is focused on providing media services, advertising, and the manager will work together with colleagues. This can be a very handy collaboration.
Marketers work together, and this is often beneficial for everyone involved.
Where and how to study?
You can get the specialty of a marketing manager at a university, college and even in special courses. In the latter case, retraining is expected on the basis of an already existing education, as a rule, an economic one.
But formal education, having a diploma is not enough. All theory is supported by practical skills. Refresher courses for marketers also exist. They can take place in different ways: in the form of seminars, webinars, trainings. Such continuous training will help you stay in demand as a specialist, receive a decent salary and, of course, improve your professional skills.
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