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What is Marketing?
One of the most important roles within a company is a marketing professional, especially for companies that produce products or services. Without marketing professionals, a company isn’t able to promote brand awareness, which ultimately affects its bottom line.
Regarding the responsibilities of marketing professionals, they are often expected to wear many hats. Depending on the company, the job description for a marketing professional can vary greatly but, generally speaking, marketing professionals communicate with clients, work closely with the marketing team, create a marketing plan, develop marketing campaigns, oversee budgets, make presentations, and stay abreast of marketing trends.
Marketing professionals are likely to find work in professional and business services industries such as marketing research, retailing, internet marketing, public relations, content management, brand management, marketing technology, sports management, and global supply chain management. In order to succeed as marketing professionals, they need to have excellent communication and marketing skills.
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Online Marketing Education in Mississippi
Mississippi is known as an extremely affordable place to live, and the state has a variety of top industries where professionals can make their living. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state’s professional and business services is a top five industry based on its GDP.
The fact that the professional and business services is a top five industry in Mississippi has led schools in this state to offer excellent marketing degrees for students looking to get into the field. Many community colleges and four-year universities in this state offer a marketing degree that focuses on technology and management, preparing students for many different types of marketing technology careers and allowing them to quickly climb the ladder to a management position in the marketing field.
In addition, several schools in this state also give students many internship opportunities so that they’ll be competitive in the workforce. Marketing students have interned at the following companies in Mississippi: Jackson Academy, Baptist Health Systems, Trustmark Bank, and many more.
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By offering the most locally useful marketing degrees and many internship opportunities, the state is able to prepare marketing degree recipients to meet the increasing demands of the professional and business services industry.
Online Associate Degree in Marketing (AS)
An online associate marketing degree is highly recommended for future marketing professionals who want to get their foot in the door sooner rather than later. Many associate marketing degree recipients are able to pursue a career as a marketing specialist, marketing research assistant, or a media specialist.
Many associate marketing degree programs feature coursework such as principles in marketing, digital marketing, retail management, and human resource management. Most of them also gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the marketing field through internships with local companies.
An associate marketing degree program typically takes two years to complete and associate marketing degree recipients will be able to enroll in a bachelor’s marketing degree program.
The best marketing schools in Mississippi for an associate marketing degree include East Mississippi Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Southwest Mississippi Community College, Northwest Mississippi Community College, Meridian Community College, Hinds Community College, and Jones College.
Online Bachelor's Degree in Marketing (BS)
An online bachelor’s in marketing is specifically designed for students who want to obtain an entry-level position in the marketing field. With many years of marketing experience, students will eventually be promoted to a managerial position.
Depending on the school, students may be able to enroll in a bachelor’s marketing program with any one of the following emphases: sales, marketing analysis, global supply chain management, or digital marketing strategy. Whatever the emphasis, the marketing program will most likely present students with key topics such as internet marketing, consumer behavior, marketing strategy, integrated marketing communications, marketing analysis, and many more.
A bachelor’s marketing degree also provides students with critical hands-on experience. Not only will marketing students get to complete class projects, but they’ll also have the option to participate in an internship or research opportunities.
Future marketing professionals who want to receive a bachelor’s marketing degree should consider attending any of the following schools in Mississippi: Mississippi College, The University of Mississippi, and The University of Southern Mississippi.
Online Master's Degree in Marketing (MS)
An online master’s in marketing degree or MBA is perfect for prospective students who would like to pursue an advanced position in the marketing field. While a master’s marketing degree and an MBA are both great degrees, the master’s marketing degree will most likely result in a management position in marketing or advertising, while an MBA could lead to a leadership position in virtually any industry.
Along with completing courses in the academic curriculum, most master’s marketing degree and MBA programs require marketing students to gain practical business experience. Students who graduate from one of these programs should have excellent critical thinking and management skills.
The top school in Mississippi for a master’s marketing degree or MBA is The University of Southern Mississippi.
Online PhD Degree in Marketing (PhD)
An online PhD or doctorate degree in marketing primarily focuses on preparing students for teaching and researching positions.
During the course of these programs, students will have the opportunity to research an extensive array of topics such as supply chain, social media, non-profit, and more. These research opportunities will equip students with the necessary skills to publish research in prominent academic journals and program faculty should be available to support student research.
Mississippi State University is one of the only schools in Mississippi that offers a PhD/Doctorate degree in marketing.
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Become a Marketing Manager in Mississippi
- Step 1: Enroll in a Marketing Degree Program at a Mississippi School
Once future marketing professionals graduate from high school, the next step is to enroll in an undergraduate marketing degree. The options for marketing degree programs at this level include an associate or bachelor’s degree. While an associate could gain you quick entry to the workforce, a bachelor’s will give you more options and make you more hirable. - Step 2: Explore the Marketing Field Through Practical Internship Experience
During or after a marketing degree program, you should take advantage of internship opportunities. There are many careers that fall under marketing: social management, online engagement, public relations, SEO, and content management, art director, research/analysis, brand management, etc.; and an internship will help marketing students decide where they want their career to take them. - Step 3: Obtain Professional Certifications
Depending on the career that future marketing professionals pursue, they may need to obtain professional certifications. Here are just a few options.- Mississippi State University offers a marketing design certificate for future marketing professionals who want to learn exactly how to create marketing materials for small and big companies. The 12-month course will cover key topics such as graphic design, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, branding/identity, and marketing.
- The University of Southern Mississippi offers certificate programs for future marketing professionals. These such programs include Professional Selling, Casino and Resort Management and Marketing, and Retail Merchandising.
- Step 4: Become a Member of a Professional Organization
Every marketing professional should consider joining professional organizations because they can offer many benefits. The following are a few excellent organizations for professionals in the marketing field.- The American Advertising Federation Mississippi Gulf Coast
This organization is on a mission to support professionals in the advertising field. It gives members access to educational resources, networking opportunities, events, job listing, and discounts. They also recognize members with The American Advertising Award every year and allow professionals to serve on several committees. - The American Marketing Association
This organization describes itself as the “place for marketing professionals’. They offer professional training, certifications, awards/scholarships, sponsorship opportunities, exclusive discounts, and more.
- The American Advertising Federation Mississippi Gulf Coast
Potential Careers for Marketing Graduates
Regarding careers, marketing professions have many options. Here are some of the top marketing careers.
- Marketing Specialist:
When it comes to marketing specialists, these professionals are primarily expected to ensure that a marketing project or advertising campaign goes smoothly. They can often be seen executing marketing plans, creating innovative marketing campaigns, performing competitor research, communicating with clients, interpreting marketing data, and collaborating with the marketing team. These specialists work closely with a wide variety of professionals such as marketing directors, market analysts, and projects managers. - Special Events Manager:
As special events managers, these professionals are supposed to ensure that events run smoothly. The duties of these marketing professionals often include communicating with clients, monitoring event staff, and handling logistical details. Special events managers must have excellent communication and organization skills. - Senior Project Manager:
The main responsibility of senior project managers is to oversee the execution of projects. Whether the project is big or small, they are typically expected to set deadlines, resolve conflicts, monitor team members, hire project staff, lead team meetings, make sure the project remains under budget, and stay abreast of industry trends.Search Programs Offering Marketing Majors
- Business Development Director:
The overarching goal of business development directors is to ensure that a company reaches its full potential, which ultimately improves its bottom line. The most common ways that they accomplish this goal is by creating strategic plans, overseeing business projects, cultivating relationships with clients, running down leads for business expansion, discovering great business opportunities, and monitoring sales and marketing staff. - Brand Manager:
Brand managers take great pride in protecting a company’s public image. The key responsibilities of brand managers might include creating marketing campaigns, managing teams, overseeing the marketing budget, meet with clients, promoting brand awareness, and staying abreast of marketing trends. They will also be expected to deal with unexpected blows to a company’s image. They may do this on their own or work with a PR manager. - Advertising Coordinator:
Regardless of the company, most advertising coordinators are expected to juggle many important responsibilities. They may communicate regularly with clients, manage advertising projects, monitor marketing staff, gather market research, and promote advertising space. - Marketing Research/Analyst:
Whether they’re referred to as marketing researchers or marketing analysts, these professionals perform the same job. As their job title suggests, marketing researchers/analysts perform market research for a company to ensure that marketing campaigns can be targeted where they are likely to do the most good. During a typical workday, they may conduct surveys, gather data, examine findings, write reports, cultivate relationships with clients, make presentations, interview study participants, and much more.