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What is Marketing?
If you like blue skies and white beaches, and don’t mind having to prepare for hurricanes once in a while, then Florida is a great place to live. The weather is warm most of the year and getting to a sandy beach at best only takes a couple of hours at most. Florida is also a big tourist state, so there are always new people to meet. For those who work in marketing, Florida is a great place to start or grow a career, especially for those who are interested in working in tourism or real estate because people constantly want to either visit or move here.
A marketing professional can work in any industry. Whether it’s real estate, tourism, or banking, all industries use marketing to reach potential customers. So, this means that the daily activities of a marketing professional can vary as much as the industry in which they work. Some marketing professionals create marketing materials, while others plan and facilitate marketing functions, such as conventions and fairs. Others still might give marketing and sales presentations to potential clients. Marketing professionals work with the public, either as a representative of a company that has products and services to sell, or with business leaders who need marketing expertise. The one thing you can say about the industry is that it’s never dull.
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Marketing Education in Florida
There are currently 45,000 people working in the marketing industry in the state with a mean annual salary of $62,000 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. And this number doesn’t include sales staff or general managers that have marketing backgrounds. The demand for market professionals is expected to increase faster than average in the country, which means that if you are interest in becoming a marketing professional in Florida, this is a great time to get your education and make your move. And, if you already live in Florida, there are many schools in the state that offer an education in marketing. Many of these programs are included in the business education department, but there are some standalone marketing programs as well. And there are several areas of marketing that you can consider when getting your start. Examples include direct marketing, digital marketing, and marketing research.
As is the case with most industries, the more education you have in marketing, the further you can go in your career. But work experience as well as self-taught skills can serve you well, too. If a career in marketing interests you, then below you will find information about the education needed, the education levels that are available, and a roundup of different careers in the marketing industry.
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Like many industries, marketing has several degree levels available. The more education you achieve, the further you can move through your career. Below are degree options for those who are considering entering into the marketing field.
Associate Degree in Marketing (AS)
A two-year degree in marketing can get your foot in the door for an entry-level marketing position, but if you want to move into management or senior level positions more education will likely be required. An associate’s in marketing will give you a base education in marketing and business so that you’ll be prepared to tackle many of the tasks that will be presented to you at the entry level in this field. Some of the courses you will study while pursuing the degree include general business courses such as management, principles of marketing, and accounting. Associate degrees typically take two years of either four semesters or eight quarters to complete for those who attend full-time.
Bachelor's Degree in Marketing (BS)
A bachelor’s degree in marketing is where many marketing professionals start their education. This is a four-year degree that often combines general business education with specialized classes in marketing as you approach the end of your degree. Many schools help their students get a good handle on what the industry is like by teaching them about marketing campaigns and staging mock presentations during their courses. Schools may also equip graduating students with portfolios made up of the presentations and campaigns they were required to complete during their education.
Some courses that are often included in marketing programs include:
- Accounting I and II
- Principles of Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Marketing Research
- Promotion and Advertising
- Marketing Management
Bachelor’s degrees typically take four years to complete for those who attend full-time, or six years if you attend part-time. With this degree, a person can seek entry-level to lower management level positions depending on the industry and experience of the graduating student.
Master's Degree in Marketing (MS or MC)
Although graduate programs for marketing specifically do exist (Florida State and the University of Florida both have programs), most students opt for the more popular and well-recognized master’s in business administration with a specialization in marketing. This degree offers students an education in advanced business concepts and allows them to further explore what direction in business they are truly interested in. Graduate degrees can take from 18 months to three years to complete and students typically choose between a capstone project or a comprehensive exam, though some colleges only offer one or the other.
Some of the courses a student enrolled in an MBA program might take include:
- Marketing Management
- Consumer Behavior
- Digital Marketing Techniques
- Other marketing courses depending on the specialization
Upon completion of a graduate degree, mid-level or upper-level management positions could become available, depending on work experience.
PhD Degree in Marketing (PhD)
Doctorate degrees in marketing are quite rare, however, many people opt to earn doctorates in business and leadership. This makes sense because, at this educational level, people are seeking the tools to enter upper-level management positions or earn tenure if they are working in an academic career. Doctorate degree programs are quite specific, often created based on student’ areas of interest. The coursework portion typically takes three years to complete, but there is also a dissertation that must be completed and defended to a dissertation committee. Altogether, doctorate degrees can take as long as seven years to fully complete.
Those with completed doctorate degrees are ready to take on senior management positions. They may also be recruited for teaching positions at colleges and universities.
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Become a Marketing Manager in Florida
As with other positions outside of counseling or accounting, there are no licensure requirements for those who wish to enter a marketing career in the state of Florida. There may be certifications that will help you advance or other experience that could move your resume to the top of the proverbial pile, but the only requirements you need to worry about are the ones each company will have for their specific marketing positions.
However, marketing professionals in Florida have special skills that they will have honed throughout their careers. Some of these skills can be self-taught, but a formal education makes a person more attractive in the workforce.
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 how what SEO is and how it works
One of the most important skills a marketing professional can possess is the ability to properly target a market. Companies spend a lot of money on marketing, so the information on where and how to market their products and services has to be as accurate as possible. As the marketing professional you are expected to know how to find this information and then, once the market has been identified, how to best reach them.
But it doesn’t stop there. Once you know your target market and have determined the best way to reach them, the message has to be effective enough to turn potential customers into paying customers. You have to know how to approach your market, and not all markets are the same. How you would market to a middle-aged man is different from how you would market to a twenty-something female. Honing these skills is the best way to progress in a career as a marketing professional.
Making sure your writing skills are excellent is also a good idea for those who desire to become marketing professionals, especially if a career in management is a goal. There is a lot of writing in marketing, so a solid command of grammar and proper sentence structure is a valuable skill to possess. The ability to write compelling copy is also a plus.
Careers for Marketing Graduates
There are a variety of marketing jobs in every industry. After all, every business needs to find a way to reach their potential customers. Some of the more popular careers are listed below.
- Marketing Director
The director of marketing for an organization is responsible for the entire marketing operation. This person oversees all the marketing campaigns, puts together marketing teams for each client, and meets with clients to ascertain their needs and passes that information to the team charged with creating the campaign. In some cases, the director also gives presentations, but usually for large or otherwise special clients. Marketing directors typically have five or more years’ experience working in marketing and are knowledgeable about all aspects of marketing. Excellent communication skills are required, as is a firm command of writing as well as the ability to write effective and compelling marketing copy. - Business Development Director
A large element of business development is in identifying needs in the market and creating ways to meet those needs. A business development director oversees both the identification and creation parts of this process. The director oversees other business development professionals and makes sure the identified needs are being met. They also work with other businesses and individuals in the community to help ensure that their needs are being met. These directors must have excellent management and leadership skills and know how to follow and research trends in the industry so that gaps in information or services can be identified and met. -
Media Buyer
Media buys are when a business purchases time on television or the radio, or space in a newspaper or magazine. With that purchase, they advertise their business and talk about the product and services they are offering. The person in charge of obtaining that space is called a media buyer. This person researches the needs of a community or specific demographic, determines where they get most of their information, and bases their media purchases on that information. And it is important that they correctly match the media with the potential customer because media buys can be expensive.Search Programs Offering Marketing Majors
- Digital Marketing Manager/Director
Digital marketing is the newest form of marketing to be introduced to the industry. Because an increasing number of people get their information from the internet, finding ways to reach them as potential customers has evolved to include websites and social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Digital marketing managers and directors are tasked with finding out which sites those within a target demographic frequent when online and creating campaigns that will most interest them. Since this is a form of targeted marketing, choosy businesses only put effort into the platforms where their market is instead of doing a blanket marketing campaign. The manager oversees those who find markets, where they’re located, and the best way to reach them. - Brand Manager
A brand manager makes sure that a businesses messaging and advertising match the goals and purpose of the business. Managers make sure the company stays “on brand” and that nothing representing the company strays from the information the company wants to convey. Brand managers may also meet with a management team on a frequent basis to ensure that needs are met.