Marketing career advice – Live Q+A – Friday 1 Oct – 12-2pm
Wednesday 29th September 2010, 9:00AM BST.
This discussion has now finished. To see all of the expert’s advice on a career in marketing, see the comments section of this article.
Are you interested in a career in marketing, but not sure of the best road to go down? Would you like to know how to ace that marketing interview or what skills are considered most important to employers?
Now could be your chance to ask, with our panel of experts on hand to answer all of your questions about the world of marketing, be it the course you should choose, the jobs to apply for or the best way to impress.
They’ll be online from 12-2pm on Friday so put your questions to them in the comments section.
Our expert panel so far includes:
Sarah Ralph DipM MCIM MSc Marketing CIM Chartered Marketer
Having worked in the National department of Midlands News Association for three years and, before that, specifically in the Marketing team, Sarah brings a lot to the panel.
With a strong academic background – including a CIM Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing and a Masters of Science Marketing – Sarah is highly qualified and has plenty of advice to share.
Elizabeth Wheeler, Quay Marketing
Elizabeth has spent the past 15 years working in multiple marketing fields from PR, marketing strategy, branding and advertising through to the new world of social media marketing.
She currently heads up Quay Marketing’s small team of specialists in marketing consultancy provides strategic marketing advice and support to clients.
Andrew Walton, PR and Marketing Officer, Sandwell Homes
Andrew recently completed a Diploma in Public Relations following study at Birmingham City University.
He has worked in PR and marketing roles for the Ministry of Defence and currently Sandwell Homes where he takes responsibility for media relations, PR and marketing campaigns, and digital marketing activity.
Andrew is also a full member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Drawing on his eight years experience in the marketing industry Andrew is now in the process of setting up his own advertising and PR consultancy as a side project.
Susan Rennie, Head of Marketing and Enterprise Department, University of Wolverhampton Business School
Sue has many years of International Marketing experience in both consultancy and practitioner based marketing.
She moved in to academia in the last few years and is now responsible for the delivery of all undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses(CIM) in marketing, enabling her to bring together her work experience, knowledge and education.
This discussion has now finished – see our expert advice in the comments section:
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Just to kick off the discussion, I’d be interested to know what effect social media has had on marketing – is it something that everyone either working in or wanting to work in marketing should be active on and confident using?
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The rise of social media has added to the promotional element of the marketing mix. Marketeers now have an additional communication opportunity to attract and retain targeted consumers often relatively inexpensively.
Social media can be used by marketeers to create awareness about products, news, and other business related issues, it can be utilised to lift the profile of a campaign and change the perception of a brand.
As brand loyalty is becoming increasingly fragmented and often easily lost, social media offers a further opportunity to build a relationship with consumers as it should encourage online discussion where users are able to exchange views and gain further information from what the user considers to be a trustworthy source. It could be said that as well as increasing brand loyalty, social media gives marketeers the ideal opportunity to gain opinion from today’s youth which has always been seen as the most difficult target audience to reach.
Studies have shown significant increases in sales via social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. Although measurement of the social media element of a campaign is difficult it can be argued that qualitative information gained from consumers online comments will give an immediate indication as to the success of any campaign.
Social media is still in its infancy and developments such as the iphone places application for facebook continue to provide further opportunities for marketers to communicate with their target audience virtually at a personal level.
Marketeers should take full advantage and add social media to any marketing campaign. Social Media is King right now, and everybody should be involved.
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Hi Sarah. What are your thoughts on guerilla marketing? Is is effective and what are the legal implications?
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Hi Sam, Guerilla marketing is deemed an exciting and unconventional approach to marketing and very similar to viral marketing.
I have read a little on this method and it seems that it is often more successful in smaller organisations as they are closer to the consumer compared with larger organisations where their consumers are more fragmented.
As the investment level is often minimal smaller organisations with the right employees have the opportunity to take advantage of this. The focus is very much on gaining information from individuals other than making sales.
Therefore i do think that guerilla marketing is effective, when used by the right client with the right campaign.
There are of course legal implications I believe there have been arrests for various counts of trespassing. I do recall someone being arrested and sentenced at an Olympic game whilst guerilla marketing an on-line gaming site. I believe he jumped into the Olympic pool??
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Social media is rapidly having a massive impact on marketing by both the way in which customers can engage with an organisation, build relationships and enable organisations to distribute information in a new, fast and interactive manner. It’s also propelling the market’s increasing ability to influence our customers in the decision making process which is leaning more and more towards reference as opposed to the old marketing days of deference and every organisation will have to have a Social Media Strategy to both build and protect their brands.
In the UK we are beginning to see more and more organisations incorporate social media as a key element in their marketing strategies. If we look at the US, we see that already social media is an absolute vital element in virtually every business and it will not be long before the UK reaches this level.
For anyone entering marketing it’s really important to understand how social media fits in to marketing today and commerce as a whole. It is not just about tweeting witty comments and trivia. It’s about how an organisation uses multiple social media platforms from Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, U-Tube and Flickre etc. to establish a strong online presence, communicate with different people, engaging in positive conversation, establishing trust, extending market reach and building brand awareness online.
Just as PR has played a pivotal role in marketing over the last 20 year or so, Social Media will become an important discipline in marketing communications and one that any marketer needs to grasp.
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To put the power of social media into perspective, computer giant Dell generated around $6.5m of revenue through its use of social networking site Twitter alone last year. The company currently has 1.5 million followers. This shows how integral social media can be to a brand’s marketing strategy.
The majority of today’s employers are now looking for expertise in digital communications and specifically in the use of social media as it is the fastest growing medium in the world. For instance, around half a billion people worldwide are now members of Facebook, giving marketers an enormous captive audience to target and monitor.
Traditional marketing channels like the press, TV, internet and billboards are still key components in a marketer’s armoury but it can only help your chances of getting into the profession to become social media savvy.
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I have just started my last year at school and am aiming to go to university next year to study for a marketing degree? Is it better to combine marketing with another subject – if so any suggestions?
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I think you need to think about what you want from the end of your course here. Combining a marketing degree with a language could be helpful if you want to work on an international or pan-European level. Also, I’ve had a few marketing graduates on work experience over the years and one of the big areas missing is always the communications and writing element and understanding of the media which in many marketing jobs, especially at executive level, plays an important role. If there was an option to combine some kind of new media, journalism etc course this could be useful.
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I would suggest that if you were to combine a marketing degree with anything it might serve you well to think about a journalism qualification. Experience of working and thinking like a journalist will help you appreciate how to write good press releases and what sort of thing editors are looking for in a story/ photograph etc.
If you are doing a marketing degree it should cover the majority of principles but perhaps another possibility is combining it with a business qualification as this will give you insight into the sort of things that marketers might take for granted like budgets, pricing, competition and return on investment.
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This is a personal decision, although there is a thought that the more academia gained the easier it will be to diversify once you are established in an organisation.
I have noticed that many marketing roles are asking for digital or online knowledge, i believe there are marketing courses that include specific elements such as social media, mobile marketing, emailing marketing etc.
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What is the best course to take to begin the move from my current career to a more marketing-led role?
Would an employer even look at someone with a PgCert or does it need to be a PgDip qualification or higher?
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The Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma is a good starting point if you are looking to change your career into marketing. It will give a good foundation and it is recognised by the marketing industry. You can also do this through E-Learning or in night classes.
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Obviously the higher level qualification that you have the better you are going be from a knowledge based perspective. Here at UWBS we offer both qualifications and the current students come from a variety of differing backgrounds and previous work experiences.
If you haven’t studied marketing before or have been away from a university or college environment then I would generally suggest that you start with the CIM professional certificate level and then move on to the CIM professional Diploma level once you have passed it. If however you have some good experience in marketing and/or have recently left university then the CIM professional Diploma probably would be useful.
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How has the effect of the recession changed what employers demand in prospective candidates?
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Yes the recession will have had an impact on how employers at this moment in time are recruiting. Many are cutting back from senior level executives and wanting cheaper junior people to carry out the day to day marketing activities. I suspect may potential employers will be requiring people in marketing to have a multi-skill base so they can carry out more of the marketing tasks of the organisation too. These may include everything from writing press releases, sales letters, tele-marketing, managing online media through to event management. People are looking to shave costs where ever they can. But at the same time they need high caliber, proactive marketers and graduates that can demonstrate a strong hands on role beyond theory are likely to do well.
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I wonder what is your opinion on “unconventional” ways of job hunting – for example, visual CVs (http://www.slideshare.net/kwiles/rethinking-resumes-1124248 ) or something even crazier like my campaign http://helpandreafindajob.com . Are they seen as bold and creative or rather as unprofessional?
Thank you,
Andrea
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I love your different approach and it will certainly help you stand out whilst showing your enthusiasm. It might also be useful to include a traditional CV though when emailing people so they can file it easily and print it.
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Hi Andre, i think this is fantastic! Congratulations on your approach to finding work. I personally believe that employees would find this approach refreshing especially at the moment where there are more candidates than usual applying for fewer jobs.
It highlights your motivation, imagination and most of all determination – Keep up the good work, I’m sure you will be successful.
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Hi Andre
This is fantastic. If I were an employer I would seriously consider you for a job as this shows the sort of ‘out of the box’ thinking a marketing agency should be looking for.
However, agree with Elizabeth that it needs a good CV to go with it.
Good luck!
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I have a degree in English and various work experience, but I’m eager to find experience in a marketing environment. Do you know of any temp/agency work I can pursue to compliment my qualifications with practical experience that I can gain while being paid?
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There are number of recruitment agencies out there but it’s highly competitive and don’t forget the potenial employer has to pay the recruitement company. I would suggest you contact businesses direct and follow up with a phone call, rather than just relying on recruitment agencies. Offering your services for free for six months is also appealing for many employers – I came out of university in the last recession and this approach really did put me ahead of the game and I gathered far more useful skills then just taking any junior marketing role.
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Hi Ross, I can only suggest you view jobsites that specialise in Marketing, such as marketing weekly also most of the mainstream jobsites have marketing categories such as guardian jobs.
Sorry i cant help further.
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Dave asks the experts a question on Marketing Forums. He says:
“How long will it take before the masses of conventional businesses truely understand internet marketing?”
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I think it will take a long time. If you look at SME businesses, most do not really understand marketing as it is and it will take a while before many senior decision makers are truly 100% behind internet marketing.
You also have the problem that the online world moves very quickly and organisations need to be able to adapt and adopt quickly.
In the corporate sector, internet marketing is being taken very seriously and more and more marketing budget is being devoted.
However,there are so many niches and strands to internet marketing I do wonder how many of the senior marketing decision makers in organisations really have the knowledge at this time to maximise on their internet strategies.
With even the simple things such as blog marketing (which IBM has done very effectively) being ignored by many busineses, I think it will be awhile until we see wide adoption of really good, intergrated internet marketing.
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Firstly thank you for putting this Q&A together, I look forward to it and heard about it on Marketing Donut by the way.
I have recently been quite fortunate to get a marketing position at a small company having worked in this particular industry before and through having done media and communications work in the past. This is a new position for the company and I can do what whatever I can prove is worthwhile so is a great job to learn various aspects of marketing which I hope to do before moving into agency work. I really like the job and spend a lot of spare time reading about marketing.
Having been here for two months I have worked out the main selling points, prioritised SEO, aim to get a monthly PR story (two for two so far), a direct mail/ email campaign, joined associations, begun networking and will move into adwords and an advertising campaign soon. Are there any areas I should focus on that I have missed?
And what advice would you give to me about what I should be doing that would build my CV for future employers? I hope to eventually move into a consultancy or manager role in a different industry.
Many Thanks,
James.
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I’d need to know a little more about the market you’re operating in but certainly there are some other key areas you should be looking into including your social media platforms, developing a blog (which amongst other things, will help your SEO peformance) and tele-marketing to support your direct mail whilst helping to build a qualified database.
Every busines should be doing at least thre,preferably six forms of marketing but in fact there are normally about twenty things people could do. It’s all about your objectives, audience and resources.
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Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your reply.
I work at a courier and passenger car firm so the audience varies hugely. Clients include, architects, consultants, photographers, legal, etc. So approaches and platforms for doing so would also vary.
I don’t think social media is applicable to this industry. I have seen another firm’s attempts with this and while they are very good, I can’t see them as being productive. In regards to blogs, again, I don’t this this would work as who would want to read a blog written by a marketer in the back room of a courier firm? I have thought of a way around this in the form of a picture submission competition which would mean the website could be updated on a daily basis and would hopefully have a viral effect.
What are the 20 methods you say anyone could use and what would be the six most important?
Many Thanks,
James.
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You need to get your head round social media before you rule it out as it’s very important in raising your overall awareness and communicating to new people as well as people you already know. I had a client in a similar business a while ago and I think what you need to establish is a clear marketing strategy that works to both build your brand awareness and trust and also generates leads for you.
As part of this strategy you need to work to establish workable campaigns that use multiple promotional channels. As well as thinking about just marketing for instant sales you need to think about generating positive awareness over the long term so people always think of you first when looking for a courier or passenger transport. For example, you could work with a children’s care home at Christmas and ‘piggy back’ there campaign to get donation christmas presents for there children and deliver them. You can then sponsor their initative and actively promote their cause in your name using social media, email marketing, direct mail, PR, networking etc. This way you can get people talking about you which is important.
Whilst this ‘soft’ branding approach is great for getting your name out there you will still need to conduct promotional campaigns that have a clear call to action to purchase of you. This could be in the form of special offers delivered through again a multi-marketing platform, through to introducing and promoting new value added services.
It’s all about thinking about the bigger picture.
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I agree there are a lot of uses of social media that you could take advantage of for your business.
At the Science Park in Wolverhampton in the next couple of weeks there is an evening event about just this subject for small businesses which may give you a better insight. Its run by UKITA.
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I left college more years ago than I care to remember with an HND in Business Studies and Marketing.
I’m working in marketing leading a small team that is involved in multi-channel marketing, but with a focus particularly around online.
I’m interested in brushing up my marketing knowledge through evening classes, perhaps ending with a qualification.
Can the panel recommend anything suitable?
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I would suggest that you consider the Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications as your first port of call. Most CIM centres offer either a combination of online or part time courses in the evening and you could join almost any time. The assessments for these have moved away from examinations and are much more work related so it enables you to link your day to work with the actual theory.
The other option for you may be to top your HND up to a full BA in Marketing which you should be able to do on an evening/part time basis.
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That’s really useful, thanks.
I hadn’t considered a top up of my HND to BA. I’ll make some investigations for part-time courses.
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In addition to the CIM courses, I would also read as many blogs and other online sources of information prepared by experts in online marketing and look at alternative courses too. I read a lot of material and find this really helpful in keeping up to speed with what’s going on, new ideas and new approaches.
There are also some very good, hands on, American internet and social media marketing courses which I know a few UK business people and marketeers have found invaluable in giving them the know how to understand internet marketing and roll it out. The Americans are ahead of us in understanding the internet and role of social media in business and much of there material is very useful and adaptable for the local market.
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Hello and welcome to the Express & Star careers live Q+A on working in marketing. Our experts are now online and will be answering all of your questions.
We’ve already got quite a few questions on the board, but can I also ask the experts why they decided to go into marketing and what they find most rewarding about their line of work.
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We’ve got half an hour left of this discussion, so if you want your question to be answered then post it now!
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I posted a reply to the reply in my earlier post!
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Hi James, I’ve had a few problems in trying to submit my reply to you. Hopefully you have it now.
Happy to talk about it some more if you like.
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What are the 20 marketing methods you say anyone could use and what would be the six most important?
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Im currently working in a Marketing Administrators role and have been for 6 years with a local University – full time. I very much enjoy my job, but not sure if this area of marketing is where I want to be in teh future. I very much enjoy statistics. I have done A level Maths where I did statistics. My degree was Business Admin with Marketing where I completed stats/maths moduels where possible as electives. I also have CIM diploma where i took a Market research module
I ultimately want to go into Market research as I love figures and finding out what makes people make the decisions they do.
Could you offer advice on how I can get into this area. I have limited experience of market research and I guess I am worried that I will have to take a salary drop.
I have also found many jobs are not local to me – I live in the Wton area.
What advice can you offer me.
Is there a way for me to get experience as even research executive roles seem to want experience which I dont have apart from a couple of projects I have done in terms of gatehring info and analysing it.
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You might find it useful to have a chat with the Market Research Society and try to identify the types of role that are possible with in market research and if there are any agencies or organisations that are close to Wolverhampton.
Other suggestion would be to try to approach local businesses and see if they need any market research done on a freelance basis or adhoc basis which would give you an understanding of the type of work that is required.
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It is now 2pm and this live Q+A is now over. A massive thank you to our panel of experts for giving up their time and sharing some great advice with us today.
The comments will remain open in this discussion until tomorrow morning, in case anybody wants to add anything further.
Thanks for taking part and we’ll see you again soon.
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