Marketing executive positions are available in every type of company, from small businesses to large corporations. They are required for managing the marketing strategy and other promotional activities undertaken by an organization’s marketing department. Marketing executives can manage the marketing budget, and they are responsible for coordinating marketing activities and projects with other departments within an organization. They work as part of a team of marketers, and they are required to possess excellent leadership skills and be skilled at influencing decision-makers within a corporation.
These individuals also can plan activities, evaluate marketing trends, help design marketing strategies, and implement marketing plans to meet their organization’s marketing needs. They should be able to compete with rival businesses that are able, through the advent of social media, to gain large audiences. Thus marketing specialists now also need to be able to get Instagram followers, Facebook likes, and TikTok views.
A strong marketing executive background includes a wide range of technical skills such as computer skills, web, and graphic design, social media marketing, search engine optimization, pay-per-click, affiliate marketing, and viral or brand marketing skills. It also typically involves experience working with marketing departments and consultants as well as working with public relations departments. Strong interpersonal skills and creative problem-solving skills are also common. Marketing executives may also have expertise in the areas of finance and accounting, strategic planning, health care, and entertainment. Typically, marketing executives will have bachelor’s degrees in business, marketing, or advertising and master’s degrees in social media marketing, consumer behavior, or marketing.
The marketing executive may choose to specialize in one or more specific areas depending upon the specific goals of the organization. They are often involved in strategic planning sessions, providing leadership advice to executive management, and assisting other marketing professionals. A strong understanding of comprehensive marketing principles, business development, marketing strategy, customer behavior, and marketing analytics can help these professionals achieve their goals.
There are several job roles that a marketing executive may hold. Many individuals find that their skills lend themselves nicely to planning and helping to design advertising and marketing campaigns for companies. Other individuals may have technical skills that make them excellent networkers and are excellent problem solvers. Still, others possess managerial skills and leadership qualities that lead them to be excellent leadership and management consultants.
Market research and evaluation are crucial components of many marketing positions. This includes evaluating customer service, product features, price, and target markets. The importance of market research is especially true for marketing executives who spend a lot of time in the field. Market research executives are typically in charge of implementing marketing plans, collecting data, analyzing that data, and drawing various conclusions based on that data. Market research executives may be involved in reviewing executive training programs, financial forecasts, advertising campaigns, and marketing strategies. In some cases, they may even make suggestions about improving products or services.
While these professionals often handle the day-to-day tasks of the marketing manager, they also have several responsibilities that are not related to running a particular department of the company. For example, some marketing executives oversee marketing campaigns in international markets. Others oversee marketing campaigns for smaller companies, as well as those in high-end niche markets. Still, others may be responsible for analyzing advertising strategies, reviewing the profitability of certain products, and evaluating merger and acquisition opportunities.
In addition to overseeing marketing campaigns, marketing executives also need to take care of the overall organization of the company. A majority of the job description of this position requires a certain creative streak. Because these professionals often work with several other specialists and departments at any given time, they often have to think creatively to pull off various marketing campaigns and strategies. In this regard, they must also be extremely organized and detail-oriented. A majority of marketing executives will be required to develop marketing campaigns, implement them, and evaluate their results.
Marketing executives may work in a variety of fields, but the most common areas in which they can typically be found are advertising agencies (including Ketchum and Weber Shandwick), fashion houses, consumer product manufacturers, and medical or pharmaceutical research and development. Typically, these professionals will be hired on a part-time basis and may work as needed. They may also be able to find full-or part-time positions through various marketing franchises, where they may act as marketing managers. The position can be lucrative and allow you to develop the kinds of skills that are necessary to develop into a successful part-time marketing executive.
