What is a Marketing Manager?
If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and being responsible for the success of your team (or even a company as a whole), then you may be a good fit in a position as a marketing manager. Individuals in this profession are responsible for creating innovative pricing strategies to maximize profits.
Depending on your exact position, though, you may have additional roles and responsibilities. So, understanding these responsibilities as well as learning the exact process for how to become a marketing manager is important before committing to the pursuit.
To put it simply, a marketing manager is someone who manages the bulk of the marketing for a business or product.
As a marketing manager, you may be responsible for overseeing the campaigns for several products or services or just a single product.
In any case, it is important that you are extremely outgoing, inventive, and spontaneous in nature. It is also important that you can effectively work with others as many marketing professionals are responsible for participating in and even leading several teams.
Marketing managers must also be highly focused and detail-oriented, as many projects are set on tight budget and time constraints.
Most of the work of a marketing manager is done in an office setting; however, travel to meet with clients, work with various teams, and even conduct informational polls is not uncommon.
Top Skills for Marketing Managers
While the skills needed of a marketing manager vary slightly by field, it is important that these individuals possess a basic set of skills that can be applied to various scenarios, industries, and companies large and small. The most important skills that any marketing manager needs includes:
- Critical Thinking
Critical thinking involves the important ability to analyze situations and/or statements and assess their validity. This is a fundamental skill upon which many management professionals build their careers. This skill alone breeds creative thinking and, in turn, problem solving, which is exactly what today’s employers want and need.
- Project Management
In today’s workforce, you don’t have to have the title of “project manager” to be one. In fact, marketing managers are frequently in charge of projects that serve as a response to social media and other customer engagement opportunities. So if you are interested in serving as a marketing manager, you had better start sharpening your project management skills in order to effectively lead your team and accomplish objectives.
- Analytical Thinking
Effective marketing requires a thorough understanding of how different services and products perform in the market, which requires analyzing a vast amount of data. The best managers are also capable of looking beyond the data and identifying trends and patters that can contribute to more successful marketing efforts.
- Holistic Approach
The most effective managers are able to think in terms of integrated systems and how they impact each other. It is important that you are able to see how all of the different parts of a marketing plan work and manage them effectively.
- Technical Thinking
Being tech savvy is another important skill as a marketing manager, especially as technology continues to advance, according to Smart Insights. Customer engagement is shifting more toward technology-based options, so it’s important that you at least be familiar with what consumers want as well as the best way to deliver it.
A marketing manager’s average salary is $132,620.
Becoming a Marketing Manager
Step 1: High School Requirements
High School Courses for Marketing Managers
While most individuals think that college level course are the first that begin preparing them for their future career, preparation can and should actually start in high school. If you are considering a career in the field, there are several courses that you can take in high school to begin preparing, including communications, statistics, and even journalism.
Communications
Communications will help you develop effective communication skills to be able to effectively present information.
Statistics
Statistics is an important course so that you begin learning how to conduct and analyze information effectively.
Journalism
Journalism will help you develop effective skills for writing effectively in order to create strong ad campaigns.
Formal Education Requirements
Most marketing managers hold a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in one of several areas, such as advertising or business administration.
An undergraduate degree will help you learn how to apply marketing theory to real-world situations. Common coursework involves a combination of the study of the fundamental concepts of both business and advertising.
More intensive coursework includes studying the principles of management, business law, mathematics for finance and business, marketing research, advertising principles, and business statistics. A
bachelor’s degree will qualify you for most entry-level positions in the field; however, if you really want to set yourself apart from the crowd, you will need to go a step further and pursue a Master of Business Administration.
This will open up a wider range of opportunities for you and make you a more competitive candidate.
Step 2: Get an Undergraduate Degree
Bachelor of Science in Marketing Degree Program 4 years
Most undergraduate marketing degrees are four year programs that require roughly 120 semester credit hours.
Coursework varies by program but typically includes a combination of communications, economics, marketing principles, finance, business law, and research.
Individuals who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing typically do so with an understanding of the relationship between different agencies and their potential customers as well as the field itself.
Curriculum:
General Education Requirements (45 credits)
- College Writing
- Statistical Concepts
- Understanding Science: Principles, Practice, & Theory
- Introduction to Scientific Analysis & Reasoning
- Introduction to Macroeconomics
- Introduction to Logic & Critical Thinking Skills
- Intro to Ethical Analysis and Reasoning
- World Religions
- Introduction to Literature
- Popular Culture
- Film Appreciation
- Introduction to Spreadsheets
- Introduction to Databases
- Learning Strategies
- Speech Communication
- Interpersonal Communication
- Business & Professional Writing
Core Courses (60 Credits)
- Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making
- International Business and Society
- Business Strategy
- Introductory
- Basic Management Concepts
- Principles of Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Marketing Research
- Marketing Strategy
- Introduction to Business Information Systems
- Supply Chain Management
- Social, Legal, and Ethical Environment of Business
- Legal Environment of Business
- Techniques of Calculus I
- Calculus with Analytic Geometry
- Introduction to Statistics for Business
- Elementary Statistics
- Industrial Organization
- Marketing Techniques for Electronic Commerce
- Advertising and Sales Promotion Management
- Global Marketing
- Sales Management
- Services Marketing Management
- Business-to-Business Marketing
Electives (15 credits)
- Social Media Marketing
- Marketing Internship
- Search Engine Marketing
- Customer Relationship Management
- Digital Marketing Analytics
- Global Marketing
- Special Topics In Marketing
The cost of a bachelor of science in marketing degree program is $57,032 – $187,152.
Step 3: Get a Graduate Degree (Optional)
Master of Science in Marketing Degree Program 2 years
If you choose to pursue a master’s degree in the field, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree and typically two years of relevant work experience.
For many programs, you will also be required to take the GMAT or GRE. Likewise, individuals with a high college GPA are more competitive and have a better chance of being accepted to these programs.
Coursework in this field includes more specialized management courses as well as focus in a particular field.
Curriculum:
Core Courses (18 Credits)
- Mathematical Methods
- Marketing Models
- Multivariate Statistics
- Marketing Research and Analytics
- Strategic Consumer Insights
- Master Thesis
Electives (12 credits)
- Marketing for Organic Revenue Growth
- New Product Development
- Pricing Strategies
- Systematic Creativity in Business
- Digital Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Bayesian Modeling and Computation
- Bridging Behavioral Decision Research and Marketing Science
- Empirical Models I
- Experimental Design and Analysis for Behavioral Research
- Mathematical Models in Marketing
The cost of a master of science in marketing degree program is $47,370 – $189,600.
Step 4: Get Certified
While certification is typically voluntary in this field, getting certified is another effective way to set yourself apart and advance your career. The most widely accepted credentials involves certification through Sales & Marketing Executives International known as SMEI.
Requirements
Take The certification course
Exam
Online
Cost: Application and Course Fee $1,049 + Exam Registration Fee $150
How Long Does it Take to Become a Marketing Manager and How Much Does it Cost?
Option 1 : Bachelor’s Degree
| Degree | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | 4 years | $57,032- $187,152 |
| Certification | – | $1,199 |
| Total | 4 years | $58,231 – $188,351 |
Option 2 : Master’s Degree
| Degree | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | 4 years | $57,032- $187,152 |
| Master’s | 2 years to 3 years | $47,370- $189,600 |
| Certification | – | $1,199 |
| Total | 6 years to 7 years | $105,601- $377,951 |
