Nature of the Work
The American Marketing Association defines marketing as the activity, set of institutions, and process for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Professionals agree that marketing is an integrated process through which companies build strong customer relationships and create value for their customers and for themselves. Graduates of the Marketing program are eligible for a variety of careers in the marketing industry.
Marketing specialists work with marketing, advertising, and promotion managers to promote the firm's or organization's products and services. This team estimates the demand for products and services offered by the firm and its competitors and identifies potential markets for the firm's products. Marketing specialists also aid in developing pricing strategies to help firms maximize their profits and market shares while ensuring that the firms' customers are satisfied. They also help to monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.
Public relations specialists — also referred to as communication specialists and media specialists, among other titles-serve as advocates for clients seeking to build and maintain positive relationships with the public. Their clients include businesses, nonprofit associations, universities and colleges, hospitals, and other organizations. Public relations specialists draft press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks of public relations specialists. These specialists also arrange and conduct programs to maintain contact between organization representatives and the public.
Advertising sales agents — also referred to as account executives or advertising sales representatives — sale or solicit advertising primarily for newspapers and periodicals, television and radio, web sites, telephone directories, direct mail, and outdoor advertisers. Because such a large share of revenue for many of these media outlets is generated from advertising, advertising sales agents play an important role in their success. More than half of all advertising sales agents work in the information sector, mostly for media firms, including television and radio broadcasters, print and Internet publishers, and cable program distributors.
Sales representatives are an important part of manufacturers' and wholesalers' success. Regardless of the type of products they sale, sales representatives' primary duties are to make customers interested in their merchandise and to arrange the sale of that merchandise. The process of promoting and selling a product can be extensive, at times taking up to several months. Whether in person or over the phone, sales representatives describe their products, conduct demonstrations, explain the benefits that their products convey, and answer any questions that their customers may have. Sales representatives stay abreast of new products and the changing news of their customers.
Sales worker supervisors oversee the work of sales and related workers, such as retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and order fillers, sales engineers, and wholesale sales representatives. Sales worker supervisors are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees. They also may prepare work schedules and assign workers to specific duties. Many of these supervisors hold job titles such as sales manager, department manager, or shift supervisor. In retail establishments, sales worker supervisors ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods. They also answer customers' inquiries, deal with complaints, and sometimes handle purchasing, budgeting, and accounting.
Purchasing agents buy a vast array of farm products, durable and nondurable goods, and services for companies and institutions. They attempt to get the best deal for their company-the highest quality goods and services at the lowest possible cost. They accomplish this by studying sales records and inventory levels of current stock, identifying foreign and domestic suppliers, and keeping abreast of changes affecting both the supply of, and demand for, needed products and materials. Purchasing professionals consider price, quality, availability, reliability, and technical support while choosing suppliers and merchandise. To be effective, purchasing professionals must have a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
Entrepreneurs possess a new enterprise, venture, or idea and are accountable for the inherent risks and the outcome of a product. They work for themselves. Entrepreneurial activities are substantially different depending on the type of organization and creativity involved. Entrepreneurship ranges in scale from solo projects to major undertakings creating many job opportunities. Many "high value" entrepreneurial ventures seek venture capital in order to raise capital to build the business. Many kinds of organizations now exist to support would-be entrepreneurs including specialized government agencies, business incubators, science parks, and some NGOs.