Marketing
Job overview?
Marketing is the process whereby a company tries to find out what its customers want and then develops products accordingly.
This entails assessing and creating consumer demand and coordinating the resources of personnel, finance, production and distribution to meet such a demand.
What do people do in this occupation?
Marketing covers a very broad array of business activities.
It is both a concept and a set of techniques covering:-
Today successful organisations:-
General marketing
No individual can assimilate all the necessary knowledge, experience etc ?to be the complete marketer.
The very nature of marketing demands a high degree of specialisation, but, to be effective, the entire marketing effort must be co-ordinated by the marketing director / manager.
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Product and brand management are typical functions co-ordinating the efforts of the various specialists.
Product managers are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of a product.
They must control policy on product packaging, branding, pricing, advertising, promotions and distribution.
A prime requirement for a career in product or brand management is good knowledge of marketing, budgeting and some direct sales experience.
As the product managers are usually held responsible for the success or failure of a product, a high degree of responsibility, capability and experience is necessary.
New product development
Research examines a need and provides ideas and facts concerning the product, but such facts must be converted into a product or service.
Research and product development therefore run parallel.
Product development also entails the collecting of information on competitors?' ?products.
Large organisations, particularly high technology industries where products change rapidly, have staff specialising in new product development.
A career in product development, depending on the industry, can require an aptitude for mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering.
Promotion activities?
Research and development result in a product that has been tested and retested in the? "?laboratory?" ?and in the market place.
Up to this stage a total loss situation exists.
“Nothing happens in business until something is sold?”?.
This is the task of the Marketing Department.
They plan, organize and evaluate promotions.
Advertising
Also referred to as marketing communication, includes advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, sales-directed methods, publicity and public relations.
Advertising, through newspapers, radio, television and cinema, is the mass communication tool of marketing.
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Advertising agencies provide their clients with specialist knowledge to ensure effective advertising.
Opportunities in the advertising business are varied, from the specialist who decides on the best media to use, to the artist, writer, production staff and accounts executive whose function it is to co-ordinate the programme and generally look after the client.
Another form of advertising in a more personal manner is by direct mail, using letters and pamphlets.
It is important to note that there do not exist as many career opportunities in advertising as in marketing itself.
Sales promotion?
Even at the point of sale, efforts are made to influence the buying decision of the consumer.
The consumer-products industry particularly uses sales promotions, competitions and special offers to convert customers' purchasing power into effective demand.
Opportunities in this field are usually found within the marketing departments of the consumer products industries.
Advertising agencies usually have specialists who provide clients with the necessary know-how.
Public relations?
The function of public relations is to build bridges of understanding, goodwill and awareness between a company and the public.
Although it is important for the public relations officers to obtain as much editorial comment as they can, this is only a part of their activities.
Under the overall umbrella of marketing, the public relations function is expected to make its contribution towards effective marketing.
Public relations must not only keep the firm's? "?public?" ?informed of new products, policy changes and staff changes, but it must keep top management informed on public reaction to the company and its products.
This therefore necessitates close contact with the upper level of management.
The qualities needed for a successful career in public relations are the ability to communicate and socialise at all levels, integrity, organisational ability and a creative, alert mind.
Selling
The personal selling activity is one of the oldest professions, and still the most effective in most industries.
Selling as a profession is a very demanding, but extremely rewarding one.
Salesmen usually rank among the top earners in most companies.
A selling career usually begins behind the counter, as a sales clerk, a merchandiser, a sales representative or door-to-door salesman.
Many companies insist that their salespeople work in the factory, credit control and sales offices before being sent out? "?on the road?"?.
The important aspect is that no salesperson should be sent out without the necessary knowledge and training.
Sales management
The task of the sales managers is to forecast and budget, organise the sales force, recruit, select and train the sales force.
Career advancement is made through various levels from supervisor to area manager, field sales manager, national sales manager and sales director.
Organisations today expect their sales management to have at least a reasonable knowledge of marketing.
Most organisations run regular sales training courses for their staff, but there are many organisations that specialise in sales training.
Sales experience is often regarded as essential before one can enter other aspects of the marketing function.
Distribution?
The moving of products to the final consumer is known as distribution.
It is essential for the success of a product for it to be available to the consumer at the right time and place.
A career in distribution can involve a great deal of varied experience from sales to buying to wholesale, transport and many other business activities.
Marketing research?
One of the most vital functions of marketing is establishing facts upon which management can base its decisions, thus reducing the risk.
This fact-finding activity is called market research.
Market research is used to determine facts concerning the consumer, the consumer's awareness of the products or service and effectiveness of advertising.
The uses of market research are vast.
A number of companies specialise in research and conduct projects on behalf of their clients.
Some of the larger organisations have their own marketing research specialists within their marketing department.
As most research is based on sampling the population and applying findings to the population, an aptitude for subjects such as statistics, economics, sociology and psychology? (especially concerning consumer behaviour?) ?is necessary.
What kinds of people are suitable for these careers?
People who wish to continue using their minds intelligently and independently after school or after completion of further studies, especially those who are versatile and have the ability to communicate with people on any level, should consider a career in the vast field of marketing.
Either alone or as part of a team, marketing workers must be able to analyse problems objectively and apply various techniques to their solution.
Rational thinking is a prerequisite.
What qualifications are needed?
Good school-leaving results with emphasis on the various subjects indicated above, and in some cases tertiary study or a university degree in subjects such as economics, psychology or sociology.
