I want to work in Marketing & Market Research

Find out how you can start a career in Marketing & Market Research. Here we list potential job roles and some of the leading companies in that sector.

Job roles

Introduction

The Chartered Institute of Marketing defines it as “the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably."

Marketing is concerned with identifying consumer demand relative to a product or service and developing ways in which customers (consumers or other businesses) can purchase these in the optimum amounts to make your company profitable. This involves analysing market research, distribution, design of the product, place (i.e. where to sell it), pricing and promotion – also known as the 4 ‘Ps’. (Monster.co.uk)
This means that the ideas, the brand, how you communicate, the design, print process, measuring effectiveness, market research and the psychology of consumer behaviour all count as part of the bigger picture of ‘marketing’.

Marketing is a broad field, including specialisations such as brand management, marketing communications and digital marketing.

Marketing Executive

Marketing executives develop marketing campaigns to promote a product, service or idea. It is a varied role that includes planning, advertising, public relations, event organisation, product development, distribution, sponsorship and research.

Most graduates will start their marketing career as a Marketing Executive. Sometimes described as Assistant Brand Managers/Product Managers/Marketing Coordinators, the precise responsibilities of the Marketing Executive vary from company to company and are largely determined by the size of the organisation by which you are employed and the importance of marketing within the company. (Monster.co.uk)

Marketing Communications

Marketing communications (also known as MarCom) includes advertising, direct marketing, branding, packaging, online presence, printed materials, PR activities, sales promotion, sponsorships, trade show appearances and more.

Direct marketing involves a direct approach to the consumer, through channels such as directly-addressed communications delivered by post, inserts in newspapers and magazines, catalogues, coupons and flyers.

While these print-based channels are still important, electronic media has not only offered new methods of direct marketing but allowed campaigns to be monitored and analysed much more closely and accurately. This approach to direct marketing is usually referred to as digital marketing.

In simplistic terms, digital marketing is the promotion of products or brands via one or more forms of electronic media. Digital marketing differs from traditional marketing in that it involves the use of channels and methods that enable an organisation to analyse marketing campaigns and understand what is working and what isn’t – typically in real time.

Digital Marketers monitor things like what is being viewed, how often and for how long, sales conversions, what content works and doesn’t work, etc. While the Internet is, perhaps, the channel most closely associated with digital marketing, others include wireless text messaging, mobile instant messaging, mobile apps, podcasts, electronic billboards, digital television and radio channels, etc.

Digital marketing is a rapidly expanding area, as it enables products, services and events to be promoted to a closely targeted audience.

Market Research

What is market research?

Market research is about listening to people, analysing the information to help organisations make better decisions and reducing the risk. It involves the systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organisations using the statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied sciences to gain insight or support decision making. (ESOMAR)

Market researchers plan, co-ordinate and manage market research projects, collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative information and communicating it to clients.

Interviewing millennials in Vegas, creating a bar concept in Berlin or researching ‘fandom’ on social media – the data, research and insights industry is vast and varied.

Companies

Getting Into Marketing

Marketing is one of the most popular graduate careers, which makes entry highly competitive. While many employers recruit graduates from any degree subject into marketing, others may ask for a business-related or marketing-related degree (which helps to cut down the numbers applying!). Graduates in other subjects may want to consider a postgraduate course as a back-up plan - in marketing, export marketing or in business studies with a marketing option.

Qualities required include:

Many major graduate recruiters run graduate training schemes in marketing. These include banks, food and drink, other manufacturing companies, energy and telecommunications companies and IT services.

Apply for these very early in your final year but don’t just rely on graduate schemes. Smaller employers offer many opportunities in marketing and, although they may advertise directly, also recruit through professional bodies such as the IDM or use specialist recruitment agencies (see below).

Find out more

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