Significant Points |
- Keen competition for jobs is expected.
- College graduates with related experience,
a high level of creativity, strong communication
skills, and computer skills should have
the best job opportunities.
- High earnings,
substantial travel, and long hours, including
evenings and weekends, are common.
- Most advertising, marketing, promotions
and sales management positions are filled
by promoting experienced staff or related
professional personnel. For example, many
managers are former sales representatives,
purchasing agents, buyers, or product,
advertising, or promotions
specialists.
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About the Positions |
- The objective of any firm is to market
and sell its products or services profitably.
In small firms, the owner or chief executive
officer might assume all advertising, promotions,
marketing, sales, and public relations
responsibilities. In large firms, which
may offer numerous products and services
nationally or even worldwide, an executive
vice president directs overall advertising,
promotions, marketing, sales, and public
relations policies.
- Advertising, marketing, promotions, public
relations, and sales managers coordinate
the market research, marketing strategy,
sales, advertising, promotion, pricing,
and product development:
Advertising managers oversee advertising
and promotion staffs, which usually are
small, except in the largest firms. The
account executive manages the account services
department, assesses the need for advertising,
and, in advertising agencies, maintains
the accounts of clients.
Promotions managers supervise
staffs of promotion specialists. These
managers direct promotion programs
that combine advertising with purchase
incentives to increase sales. In an
effort to establish closer contact
with purchasers—dealers,
distributors, or consumers—promotion
programs may use direct mail, telemarketing,
television or radio advertising, catalogs,
exhibits, inserts in newspapers, Internet
advertisements or Web sites, in-store
displays or product endorsements, and
special events. Purchasing incentives
may include discounts, samples, gifts,
rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, and
contests.
Marketing managers develop
the firm's
marketing strategy in detail. With the
help of subordinates, including product
development managers and market research
managers, they estimate the demand for
products and services offered by the firm
and its competitors. In addition, they
identify potential markets—for example,
business firms, wholesalers, retailers,
government, or the general public. Marketing
managers develop pricing strategy to help
firms maximize profits and market share
while ensuring that the firm's customers
are satisfied. In collaboration with sales,
product development, and other managers,
they monitor trends that indicate the need
for new products and services, and they
oversee product development. Marketing
managers work with advertising and promotion
managers to promote the firm's
products and services and to attract
potential users.
Sales managers direct
the firm's
sales program. They assign sales territories,
set goals, and establish training programs
for the sales representatives. Sales
managers advise the sales representatives
on ways to improve their sales performance.
In large, multiproduct firms, they
oversee regional and local sales managers
and their staffs. Sales managers maintain
contact with dealers and distributors.
They analyze sales statistics gathered
by their staffs to determine sales
potential and inventory requirements
and to monitor customers' preferences.
Such information is vital in the development
of products and the maximization of
profits.
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Job Outlook |
- Advertising, marketing, promotions, public
relations, and sales manager jobs are highly
coveted and will be sought by other managers
or highly experienced professionals, resulting
in keen competition.
- College graduates
with related experience, a high level of
creativity, and strong communication skills
should have the best job opportunities.
In particular, employers will seek those
who have the computer skills to conduct
advertising, marketing, promotions, public
relations, and sales activities on the
Internet.
- Employment of advertising, marketing,
promotions, and sales
managers is expected to increase faster
than the average for all occupations through
2014, spurred by intense domestic and global
competition in products and services offered
to consumers. However, projected employment
growth varies by industry.
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Employer Requirements |
- A wide range of educational backgrounds
is suitable for entry into advertising,
marketing, promotions, public relations,
and sales managerial jobs, but many employers
prefer those with experience in related
occupations.
- For marketing, sales, and promotions
management positions, some employers prefer
a bachelor's or master's degree
in business administration with an emphasis
on marketing. Courses in business law,
economics, accounting, finance, mathematics,
and statistics are advantageous. In highly
technical industries, such as computer
and electronics manufacturing, a bachelor's
degree in engineering or science, combined
with a master's degree in business
administration, is preferred.
- For advertising management positions,
some employers prefer a bachelor's
degree in advertising or journalism. A
course of study should include marketing,
consumer behavior, market research, sales,
communication methods and technology, and
visual arts—for example, art history
and photography.
- For all these specialties, courses in
management and the completion of an internship
while the candidate is in school are highly
recommended. Familiarity with word-processing
and database applications also is important
for many positions. Computer skills are
vital because marketing, product promotion,
and advertising on the Internet are increasingly
common. Also, the ability to communicate
in a foreign language may open up employment
opportunities in many rapidly growing areas
around the country, especially cities with
large Spanish-speaking populations.
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(2005). Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved
November 11, 2006 from the www.bls.gov website.
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