Understanding why and how to work in the marketing field

09 Oct 2023

Understanding_why_and_how_to_work_in_the_marketing_field

Any company aiming to increase its sales must implement a solid marketing strategy. Why be interested in marketing and receive training on this subject in a business school ? Marketing is a broad field and allows companies to achieve numerous objectives by promoting their brand image and values, providing solutions to their target customers, and gaining new market share... Chose a job in the marketing field and actively contribute to the growth of a company.

What is marketing?

The word marketing comes from the English word 鈥market鈥. It is a generic term that refers to all the strategies put in place to bridge the gap between a product and its market.

In other words, the objective of a marketing strategy is to provide a solution (usually a product or service marketed by a company) to a customer through promotion and communication.

To achieve this, it is necessary to use different means coming from various fields. The idea is to create an organized system with multiple layers that echo each other:

  1. Analysis of targets;
  2. Definition of a sales offer, products or services to highlight;
  3. Development of communication means that are appropriate and distribution channels, distribution of qualitative content;
  4. Regular launch of advertising and event campaigns;
  5. Analysis of results;
  6. Adjustment of the sales strategy and communication.

What are the different types of marketing?

There are many ways to do marketing. We talk about marketing approaches.

 

Traditional marketing

 

Traditional marketing gathers methods and media that have been used for several decades : television, radio, print or print media advertisements. Advertising posters are also part of this.

These mediums serve to establish a first connection with the consumer. Today, we also hear about "outbound marketing". In contrast, you will come across the term "inbound marketing", which consists of bringing the customer to you rather than going to them.

 

Digital marketing

 

Marketing techniques have undergone a real turning point with the advent of social networks, emails, and the Internet. Marketing has become progressively more digital, adapting to brand new online media: social networks, showcase websites, SEO blogs, newsletters, etc. With this momentum of digital marketing, strategies diversify and continue to evolve

 

Relationship marketing

 

Relationship marketing aims to create a privileged relationship with the customer to improve their loyalty. To achieve this, companies use CRM tools (customer relationship management) to personalize their offers.

This type of marketing is customer-oriented and is the opposite of pure transactional marketing, which is more focused on the product and the purchase.

Why is marketing essential?

Marketing is an effective way for a company to have a concrete impact on its sales. It clarifies the positioning of a company, both with the target customers and in relation to competitors. The marketing strategy contributes to establishing a reputation, building consistent communication methods, and creating engagement from consumers.

All of this aims to increase sales and profitability for a company. Well-executed content creation, in line with the brand image, promises solid and lasting results.

What skills should you acquire to succeed in the field of marketing?

 

Technical marketing skills

 

To make a breakthrough in marketing careers, you must master various skills:

  • Being able to analyze data, develop strategies, and calculate ROI (return on investment).
  • Having a solid knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO).
  • Mastering desktop publishing tools such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop to be able to create attractive graphic content.
  • Expertise in the ins and outs of paid advertising (SEA).
  • Strong language skills, impeccable mastery of spoken and written French.

Soft skills in marketing

 

Soft skills are the qualities and attitudes that you need to highlight to have a successful career in marketing. Obviously, we think of great creativity, listening and communication skills.

But there are also others, such as:

  • Having a good sense of initiative.
  • Being adaptable.
  • Enjoying teamwork.
  • Being inventive, knowing how to marvel and seek innovation.

What marketing careers should you consider?

With technological breakthroughs, marketing careers continue to evolve and diversify. When we think of operational marketing, we inevitably think of certain specific positions :

  • Product Manager/Brand Manager : responsible for monitoring trends and developing a comprehensive marketing strategy for a product or range.
  • Marketing Director : this director oversees all marketing actions. By setting specific goals, they coordinate the actions of all relevant departments to ensure strategic coherence and project implementation.
  • Community Manager : many students aspire to become community managers.
  • Data Analyst : responsible for collecting and analyzing customer data, as well as prospect data. They rely on statistical tools to create reports.
  • E-commerce Manager : manages all aspects of online sales activity. This includes optimizing the website, analyzing performance, and developing solutions to increase sales, etc.
  • SEO/SEA Managers : these search engine optimizers have a specific mission to optimize the positioning of a website on search engines. The SEO Manager analyzes traffic and develops a content strategy to increase traffic through organic search. The SEA Manager, on the other hand, manages paid advertising campaigns and their monitoring.

But there are many other customer-oriented marketing activities: category manager, customer relationship manager, collection manager, growth manager, etc.

Some of these job titles may have slightly different definitions from one company to another, and their functions may vary.

What studies should you pursue to work in marketing?

As the field of marketing is very vast, several study paths are possible. You can look for a management-based education and choose a specialty related to marketing, or you can turn to degrees in digital strategy or e-business.

In terms of the duration of your studies, you can choose a shorter path with a BTS or a DUT, or opt for longer studies aiming to obtain a master's degree in digital marketing.

Business schools also offer excellent marketing education. Following a program at one of these specialized schools will allow you to learn about the history of marketing, economics, statistical tools, sociology, market analysis, customer relationship management, communication, management, English, the web, etc.

Discover more about our marketing master's program in Paris.

What marketing trends should you follow ?

If you want to learn about marketing careers and their evolution, don't hesitate to keep an eye on current trends. Marketing is an attractive discipline that evolve along times. 

These days, we recommend looking into the following trends:

  • Influencer marketing.
  • Artificial intelligence in marketing.
  • CSR, sustainability and ecology.
  • Infographics.

Marketing is an essential field in the economy and businesses today. If you are interested in the world of marketing and want to learn more about marketing careers, contact us to discover our business school degrees and acquire the necessary skills to launch your career in marketing.