How to Become a Marketing Manager Who Can Foster Growth

Every business requires sophisticated marketing machinery to communicate its business objectives to customers. With the increasingly short attention span of the average person and rampant banner blindness, there is a need for talented marketing managers to engage audiences. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to increase by 10 per cent from 2021 to 2031, which is faster than the average growth in all other professions. If you’re interested in marketing and have the skills for the job (or are willing to learn them), here’s a guide on how to become a marketing manager.

What is a Marketing Manager?

Marketing managers are responsible for planning, executing, tracking, and reporting the various marketing campaigns launched by a company. These campaigns help spread awareness and boost sales of their products and services. Marketing managers lead teams and coordinate with other departments to ensure that these campaigns fulfill marketing objectives. 

How to Become a Marketing Manager

Here is a step-by-step approach to how to become a marketing manager:

1. Get the Education Needed

While a Bachelor’s degree is enough to get your foot in the door for an entry-level marketing position, you will need to consider doing an MBA with a marketing concentration to be able to secure a marketing manager role. 

2. Develop Skills Needed

Just education is not enough to be successful in this role. You will also need the right combination of hard skills and soft skills to meet most organizations’ requirements.

The hard skills include:

• Campaign planning
• Search engine optimization
• Paid search marketing
• Display marketing
• Brand marketing
• Tracking and reporting
• Content creation and evaluation

The soft skills include:

• Leadership
• Communication
• Cross-team coordination
• Problem-solving

3. Consider Online Courses and Bootcamps

Online courses are an excellent way for professionals looking to upskill. They can also make your resume stand out to recruiters. Not only do they boost your abilities, but they also showcase your willingness to improve yourself to perform better at your job. Here are some of Emeritus’ best online sales and marketing courses for you to choose from.

4. Build On-the-Job Experience

Just studying theory from books isn’t enough. One of the best teachers is an honest day’s work. Nothing will make you more proficient at marketing than holding a marketing position. Even if you don’t immediately achieve this position, consider starting off in an entry-level marketing position. You will need at least three to five years of marketing experience to achieve a marketing manager position.

5. Connect With Others in the Industry

Networking with people across the industry is essential to discover new manager-level roles that you can apply for. Building a network of loyal industry connections is also a good way to get recommended for the best positions. Ensure you continue networking, no matter where you are. 

6. Ask for Someone to Mentor You

Mentors are invaluable for someone seeking to enter a management position in marketing. They not only provide you with insights that help you meet the requirements of the role, but they also share their experiences, which can help you avoid the mistakes they made. 

ALSO READ: What is a Mentor? How Can Mentors Boost Your Career Growth?

Do You Need a Degree to be a Marketing Manager?

Most marketing manager positions will require you to have an MBA degree with a specialization in marketing. One option is to start by exploring an entry-level position in marketing. If you enjoy the field, consider taking up an MBA with a marketing specialization. 

Most Important Marketing Manager Skills

To help the company’s marketing strategy succeed, every manager requires a particular set of skills. While learning how to become a marketing manager, learning the following skills will come in handy:

• Understanding customer needs
• Problem-solving 
• Critical thinking
• Creative writing 
• Cross-team coordination 
• Leadership 
• Design thought
• Marketing knowledge

You can take up courses in marketing or listen to marketing podcasts to slowly learn more about the field and build up your skills as a marketer. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is a Marketing Manager a Good Job?

Being a marketing manager can be an extremely fulfilling job. This is especially true if you enjoy communicating with audiences and love working with people.

2. Do Marketing Managers Make a Lot of Money?

Marketing jobs are extremely lucrative. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for marketing managers in the US was $135,030 in May 2021.

3. How Fast Can You Become a Marketing Manager?

Apart from the time you need to complete your MBA, you will also need three to five years of marketing, sales, or advertising experience to become a marketing manager.

4. Can a Marketing Manager Work From Home?

Marketing managers did not typically work from home, but with more and more jobs becoming remote after the pandemic, there are a number of new remote and hybrid positions opening up for marketing managers. 

Marketing is clearly an extremely lucrative and engaging field to enter, and the position of marketing manager is in high demand. If you have taken the time to read about how to become a marketing manager, you should also consider taking some of the best sales and marketing courses from Emeritus.

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