Sources and Use of Marketing Information - Essay Example

Business Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Education needed 5 Job experience needed 6 Skills needed 6 Job Personality Traits Needed 7 Work Environment 7 Work Schedule/Hours/Vacation 8 Work Location and Travel 8 Job Outlook 9 Salaries and Benefits 9 Conclusion 9 Works Cited 11 Name of student: Name of Professor: Course Number: Date of Paper: Business Executive Summary This paper helps to study the job role of a marketing manager. The primary objective of the study is to understand the job responsibilities of a marketing manager and then identify his contribution towards the growth of the company. It is seen that, a marketing manager has an important role to play in an organization and the marketing activities of a company is solely carried under his supervision. Specific educational qualification and significant experience in the same field is required to be a successful marketing manager. The environment in which a marketing manager works is very stressful at certain situations. The overall outlook of this job profile is very lucrative for both the employee and the employer. Thus, it becomes imperative to understand the value of the marketing manager in the business settings. Introduction The principal responsibility of a marketing manager is associated with managing the business operations of a company. The job requires managing the resources available to the company effectively in order to create effective marketing policies and strategies. The marketing manager is often given the responsibility to handle the issues related to a single product, in case the product is of vital importance and when marketing of such products is very complicated. There can be circumstances when the marketing manager will be viewed as a general manager and given the responsibility to handle a wide range of products and services. Organizations which operate in a large scale can thus, employ and appoint several marketing managers for handling different products. Small firms on the other hand do not engage more than one marketing managers because of its limited business operations. The marketing manager should be highly creative and he should always keep on developing innovative ideas. He should be articulate and have an ability of communicating ideas effectively to his subordinates. The marketing manager should intensively promote the products of the company and work in an organized way (Brownlie and Saren, 147-161). Job Duties The job duties vary with the structure and functions of the organization. It also differs with the sector of business operations. The duty of the marketing manager may involve a range of activities. The foremost responsibility of a marketing manager is to analyze and conduct research about the major trends prevailing in the market. They should have the skills to identify the potential target markets. It is the responsibility of the marketing managers to cater to those markets with innovative strategies that would benefit the organization they are working for. Marketing strategies should be designed effectively according to the budget plans. Campaigns should be organized by the marketing managers to promote the ideas of the organization. The marketing manager guides his team mates in the design process of brochure and posters for advertisement related activities. He also chalks out innovative plans of marketing through the social media. It is also the responsibility of the marketing manager to attend the sales meetings regularly. He should also visit conferences and contribute his opinions for the enhancement of business operations of the company. He should ensure that all tasks are completed within the deadline. The effectiveness of the promotional activities should be monitored and evaluated by the marketing manager. The entire marketing team should report to the marketing manager and thus, it becomes essential that the marketing manager ensures that all the responsibilities assigned to him are carried on efficiently (Bennett, 702-726). Education needed For the post of a marketing manager, certain specific educational qualifications are required. The educational qualifications add more value to the profile of a marketing manager. The post requires a basic (Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree with specialization in the marketing field. A degree related to business or some professional marketing course certification is demanded by some employers. Such professional degree includes the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Professional Diploma in Marketing and Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) Diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing (Middleton and Long, 325-342). People from other backgrounds such as sales and public relation can also shift into marketing management. The understanding of the operations related to marketing is more essential rather than the specific educational qualifications (Middleton and Long, 325-342). Job experience needed The post also requires sufficient experience. Before joining as a marketing manager, a minimum of three to five years’ of experience is needed in the same field. This previous experience would be beneficial for the personnel in order to efficiently work as a marketing manager. The employers are highly interested in employing candidates who are highly skilled and have the necessary attributes which are required for a marketing manager. Rather than the formal educational qualifications, previous experiences are given more importance. For becoming a successful marketing manager, proper industry knowledge is required. The marketing manager should have the appropriate skills for motivating and managing a team. It is imperative for him to have sufficient experience, as this would help him to tackle pressures and deliver work within the specified deadlines. It would be helpful if previous experience of working as a marketing executive is present. The marketing manager should also have sufficient idea about various product markets such as financial services, fashion or moving consumer goods (FMCG) (Wotruba and Castleberry, 49-65). Skills needed Varied skills are required for the post of a marketing manager. The basic skills that a marketing manager should posses are exceptional speaking and writing ability. He should be articulate and communicate effectively. The marketing manager should have a creative outlook in finding solutions to problems. The person should have capabilities for making plans and organizing work according to the objectives set. It is essential that a marketing manager acts as a leader and motivates and drive his subordinates to take initiatives within the company. The marketing manager should have the ability to confidently sell his ideas to the consumers through innovative marketing strategies. He should give detailed attention to the issues related to product marketing. Budget plans should be drafted by the marketing manager according to the resource availability of the company. For global marketing operations, it is highly beneficial for the marketing manager to be eloquent in foreign languages. In a nut shell, a proper sense of business is expected from the marketing manager (Hoffmann, 275-286). Job Personality Traits Needed Special personality traits are required for the post of a marketing manager. The marketing plans needs to be campaigned efficiently and this is the responsibility of a marketing manager. He should have the qualities that would help him to convey messages creatively to the target customers. The success of the campaign is highly dependent on the innovative techniques used. The perception of the marketing manager towards the whole process of innovation guides the marketing campaign. The marketing manager must have leadership skills and should have a positive outlook which would help him to motivate the mass. Customer satisfaction can be enhanced in the process. The marketing manager also needs to have an analytical mind so that he can effectively conduct market research and reach a conclusion based on that (Handelman and Arnold, 33-48). Work Environment The marketing managers generally operate in an environment which has sufficient work pressures. Sometimes he has to work for regular hours but during strict deadlines, work can extend to late nights and weekend shifts. The job role does not require the marketing manger to travel very often, unless any global campaign work is required. Mostly the work is done in the office premises. In case of operation which requires integrated work from various divisions or branches of the company, the marketing manager may have to include travel plans in his work schedule. The work environment becomes very strenuous during the time of urgent work deliverables. It is a profession which involves significant stress as providing mental support is essential in such job profiles. Most of the marketing managers work in advertising agencies as recorded by employment surveys. They generally work in a work environment which requires ample dedication and hard work. These work environments are also very organized and work ethics are highly valued. Formal dressing style is also maintained by the marketing managers to be in sync with the work culture (Chonko, Tanner Jr and Smith, 69-80). Work Schedule/Hours/Vacation The working hours for the post of a marketing manager are not fixed and it varies with the work pressure. The usual working hours of a marketing manager is similar to any other job roles. The marketing manager normally works from 9am to 5pm and from Monday to Friday. This is during circumstances when work pressures are low. However, in situation when there are pressures of deadlines, the marketing manager has to work for irregular odd hours. This happens mainly during the launch of campaigns. He may also have to attend special meetings and conferences over the weekend. Work is highly rewarded if the goals of the company are successfully met (Quazi, 822-831). Work Location and Travel The job role of a marketing manager is mainly office based. However, travel plans are also included in cases when it is necessary to attend client and partner meetings. Sometimes the marketing executives also visit the suppliers for negotiating a deal. Job locations are mainly in metro cities and advanced regions where there is huge scope and need for marketing activities. The travel plans of the marketing managers are designed to enhance stakeholder and customer relationship of a company. Travel plans may sometime be for a long period in case the work requires international visits. This depends on the company’s business operations. Job Outlook Short Term: In the current scenario or in the immediate short run, the job role of a marketing manager is considered to be very lucrative. There are presently huge openings for the post of marketing managers all over the world and especially in the United States. More jobs are created with the passage of time. Long Term: The job profile of a marketing manager is expected to be more attractive for the job seekers in the future. Marketing division is essential for a company’s growth and thus, it can be expected that in the long run the role of a marketing manager would be valued more. However, the growth in such jobs is projected and forecasted to increase at a slower rate (Upshaw, 56) Salaries and Benefits The salary and benefits enjoyed by a marketing manager depends on the years of experience, the job responsibilities, location of the job, structure of the organization and other industry factors. Additional benefits are also provided which is done in order to provide motivation to the employees. Globally, the average salary of marketing managers range in between $83,300 - $155,000 per year. This can be figured as $40.05 - $74.54 per hour (Schefczyk and Gerpott, 145-163). Conclusion The information provided in this study helps to conclude that the job role of a marketing manager is imperative in an organization. The job role requires dedication and the ability to work in a team setting. These jobs are highly attractive in terms of its pay package and job opportunities that help in personal growth in the long term. The marketing division of an organization, thus, requires a marketing manager who could efficiently strategize and enhance product growth of a company. Works Cited Bennett, Roger. "Sources and use of marketing information by marketing managers." Journal of Documentation 63.5 (2007): 702-726. Print. Brownlie, Douglas, and Michael Saren. "Beyond the one-dimensional marketing manager: the discourse of theory, practice and relevance." International Journal of Research in Marketing 14.2 (1997): 147-161. Print. Chonko, Lawrence B., John F. Tanner Jr, and Ellen Reid Smith. "Selling and sales management in action: the sales forces role in international marketing research and marketing information systems." Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management 11.1 (1991): 69-80. Print. Handelman, Jay M., and Stephen J. Arnold. "The role of marketing actions with a social dimension: Appeals to the institutional environment." The Journal of Marketing (1999): 33-48. Print. Hoffmann, Terrence. "The meanings of competency." Journal of European Industrial Training 23.6 (1999): 275-286. Print. Middleton, Brian, and George Long. "Marketing skills: critical issues in marketing education and training." Journal of Marketing Management 5.3 (1990): 325-342. Print. Quazi, Ali M. "Identifying the determinants of corporate managers’ perceived social obligations." Management Decision 41.9 (2003): 822-831. Print. Schefczyk, Michael, and Torsten J. Gerpott. "Qualifications and turnover of managers and venture capital-financed firm performance: An empirical study of German venture capital-investments." Journal of Business Venturing 16.2 (2001): 145-163. Print. Upshaw, Lynn B. Building brand identity: A strategy for success in a hostile marketplace. Vol. 1. New York, NY: Wiley, 1995. Print. Wotruba, Thomas R., and Stephen B. Castleberry. "Job analysis and hiring practices for national account marketing positions." Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management 13.3 (1993): 49-65. Print. 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