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What is Marketing?
Marketing majors often combine marketing with general business, so graduates end up with a more well-rounded education. Advanced marketing degrees in Delaware or anywhere in the country can be attained in marketing alone or, for those who want to become career academics, a doctorate degree in marketing and/or business is also available. The most important thing to remember is that, whether you choose a private college of business school or go to a public college or university, you should make sure the school holds accreditation that is recognized by the US Department of Education.
Companies may either choose to do their marketing in-house or they might hire an agency to fulfill their marketing needs. Either way, there is usually one point person that a company works with. This person has studied the company, understands its needs and goals, and creates campaigns that foster the meeting of those needs and goals. And companies’ needs can vary greatly. An approach or technique that works with one company might be the worst possible idea for another. Because the field and the needs of the customers are so specific, there is always a need for qualified and talented marketing professionals to help businesses share what they have to offer.
Products and services usually don’t sell themselves. Even the greatest product in the world will remain on the store shelves or in the warehouse if people don’t know it exists. That’s where marketing comes in. When a business has a product or service it wants to present to the world, they employ different vehicles to get the word out. This process is called marketing and, as you might already know, it takes a huge variety of different forms. For example, companies might choose to present their products or services at conventions (this is usually big in tech and computers), attend career fairs and industry seminars or even local events depending on the size of the company, they make use of all the oldies such as news and magazine print media and TV ads, and they quickly found their way online after the advent of the internet with banner ads, email ads, etc.
All of the planning and much of the presentation of these advertisements is coordinated and executed by the marketing department. They are tasked with finding the target market for the product or service and getting it in front of them using any means available and feasible. Marketing professionals are expert researchers, especially where customer needs and preferences are concerned. They use this information as well as more general information such as demographic, geographic, and generational quirks to create a marketing campaign the reaches and speaks to the target market.
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Marketing Education in Delaware
Delaware is a small state, but it holds substantial financial power. It is a financial hub in the country as many companies are headquartered or incorporated in the state. Because of this, as well as its proximity to both New York and Washington DC, jobs in business and finance are in high demand. For those interested in marketing careers, Delaware has some good opportunities and is a good place to seek employment. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Delaware employs roughly 2,300 people in the marketing field, with an average salary of $89,000. There are around 1,000 marketing managers in the state, and they earn a mean annual salary of $165,000. All industries use marketing, so having marketing skills is a desirable trait and will be considered an asset for new college graduates. And those who choose to earn degrees in marketing can set themselves up as experts pretty quickly. Because of the need for qualified marketing professionals, most colleges and universities offer programs in marketing. That said, marketing has several specializations, and each require their own techniques and skill sets, so, if you are considering a particular area of marketing, you’ll want to make sure to choose a school that focuses on that particular area.
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There are degrees a person can achieve in the marketing industry at every level. Like many industries, your level of education can dictate how far you can progress in the industry. For the most part, the more education you have the higher you can advance, but experience and talent also play key roles in a marketing career path. Below are the more common degrees in the marketing fields.
Associate Degree in Marketing (AS)
An associate degree in marketing is a good way to get the experience to work in lower levels of direct marketing and call center work. Most associate degrees lay the ground-work for a bachelor’s degree, so the courses are mainly general business classes as well as a marketing course and perhaps some selling technique courses. These programs aren’t very common because most people pursue a four-year degree instead. However, the associate degree can help you complete the necessary general education you will need for a bachelor’s anyway, and it can cost you much less.
Bachelor's Degree in Marketing (BS)
A bachelor’s degree in marketing is where the majority of potential marketing professionals start. This degree is a combination of general business and marketing courses that set a person up to run marketing campaigns as well as step into lower-level management positions.
Some of the courses covered in a four-year marketing program include:
- Accounting I and II
- Principles of Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Marketing Research
- Promotion and Advertising
- Marketing Management
Many programs also assist students with completing marketing portfolios so that they have something to present to potential employers to showcase their abilities. Students may also gain practice in giving marketing presentations so that they can arrive at any employer prepared for the task of not just creating a campaign but presenting one as well.
Master's Degree in Marketing (MS or MC)
Most marketing professionals who choose to pursue a graduate degree earn a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. This degree is more versatile, in many ways, than a regular marketing master’s degree, and it still showcases advanced education and knowledge in the area of marketing. This degree typically takes two to three years to complete, but there are accelerated programs that students can complete in 18 months. Students often have the choice of either taking a comprehensive exam at the end of their program or completely a capstone, a project that solves a problem.
These programs cover many of the same areas as an undergraduate degree, just at a deeper, more analytical level. The course path will depend on which areas of marketing you choose to pursue, and each college or university will have the option of offering its own tracks or concentrations.
Some of the courses in graduate programs may include:
- Marketing Management
- Consumer Behavior
- Digital Marketing Techniques
- Other marketing courses depending on your track or specialization
PhD Degree in Marketing (PhD)
A doctorate degree in marketing is different from any other degree you may earn. The degree is often based in business with a highly specialized marketing path. The path taken will depend on the marketing direction of the student and the school where they earn the degree. Most people who pursue a terminal degree do so to set themselves up as subject matter experts and possibly pursue a career in academia at a later date, after they have attained practical work experience. A doctorate degree can take from seven to 10 years by the time coursework, the completion of a dissertation, and its defense are completed.
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Become a Marketing Manager in Delaware
There are no specific licenses or requirements to work in the field of marketing in Delaware, except for the requirements of specific businesses in the state.
Marketing professionals in Delaware must attain a specific skill set that they will use throughout their careers. Many of these skills can be self-taught but earning a formal education in marketing will make you much more attractive to those seeking marketing professionals.
Some of the required skills for successful marketing professionals include:
- Identifying markets
- Knowing how to research different demographics
- Familiarization with marketing trends
- Communication skills
- Writing skills
- Knowledge of what SEO is and how it works
The ability to identify markets for a company’s services and products is quintessential to be successful in the industry. Companies can spend thousands if not more on marketing campaigns, so the target of this large dollar spending needs to be as accurate as possible. Knowing who the market is, where they are, and the types of marketing they respond to is a must. As a marketing professional, it is your responsibility to provide this information to your customers and then help them create a marketing campaign that will not just reach the market, but also urge them to make a purchase.
This means you need to recognize the specific needs of any target market. For example, you wouldn’t market to teens in the same manner as older customers, nor would you market to women in the same way you would men. Knowing what works with each demographic will give you a greater chance for a successful career in marketing.
Honing your writing skills is also a good idea for anyone seeking to become a marketing professional, especially one in management. Marketing requires a lot of writing, so having a command of grammar and proper sentence structure is a valuable skill to possess. The ability to write compelling copy is a plus.
Combining your marketing expertise and writing skills with general business management knowledge will make you even more attractive in this industry and make it more likely that you will gain access to higher-level positions. You’ll also want to hone your communication skills. After working in marketing for a period of time, you should already have at least adequate communications skills, but the most successful marketing professionals have the ability to talk with CEOs as well as potential customers.
With these skills in hand, you are ready to pursue professional positions in the marketing field. Depending on your experience and track record, you could qualify for middle management positions. The more experience and education you have will also determine what types of management of professional marketing positions you could attain.
Careers for Marketing Graduates
There are many career options for those who want to become marketing professionals. Below are some of the more common positions that are often available in Delaware. This is by no means a complete list as there are positions in every area of marketing and in practically every industry.
- Marketing Director
Marketing directors run marketing teams and are responsible for executing marketing plans and campaigns. This person communicates with the client to ascertain their needs and then relays the information gathered to the marketing team tasked with creating the campaigns and marketing materials. The director is also often the person who presents the campaign, especially if they are the point person for the team. Some marketing directors run one team, while others often oversee several teams and have under-directors who run point for each one. This is a high-profile position that required excellent communication and written skills, as well as management experience. - Marketing Specialist
Marketing specialists focus on one area of marketing and often work on one campaign at a time or a single type or angle of a campaign. For example, a digital marketing specialist creates digital marketing campaigns using technology and graphic design experience. These professionals might work in other areas of marketing as well, but when a specific idea is called on in their specialization, these people are the ones called to do the work. -
Special Events Manager
Special events are often one of the most popular places for businesses to reach their target markets. A special events manager is tasked with planning these events and making sure the right customers are drawn in to attend the event. The manager matches the audience with the companies and then creates an event that brings them together and pushes knowledge of the product/service and, sometimes, actual sales.
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One type of special event might be the rollout of a new product that a certain group of people would be interested in. In this case, the events manager would create an event that would be of interest of these people and then use it as a launching pad for the new product. A good example is the meeting Apple has every year. iPhone users are always eager to hear about the newest phones and gadgets, so Apple holds a major event each year and makes presentations targeted to these people.
- Social Media Manager
These days, every business needs to have a social media presence. The social media manager runs the social media accounts and campaigns for businesses. They make posts and encourage audience engagement to keep the business at the forefront of potential customers minds. - Media Buyer
Media buyers analyze the needs of the client, take into consideration the best type of marketing which will be best for their business to reach their target demographic, and initiate the purchase of the media buy. For example, if a business’ target demographic spends its time on Instagram and Facebook, the medial buyer will purchase ad space on those platforms targeting the geographic region or demographic that they think will be most interested in the product. If the target demographic spends a lot of time in their cars, the media buyers could purchase ad time on the radio and streaming services. Knowing the type of medial the target market consumes is important in ensuring that the clients get the most bang for their buck, and it’s the medial buyer’s responsibility to make sure those funds are spent wisely.