CAREER IN SALES & MARKETING

2 mins read7.1K Views Comment

Updated on Jun 8, 2011 04:27 IST

A career in Marketing broadly means ensuring a product is ‘SOLD’ i.e. understanding the dynamics of the target audience and making decisions and formulating strategies to increase sale and brand value of a product.

The Prospect

Marketing in its broadest sense is getting people and products together. The opportunities in Sales and marketing are vast. However most organizations prefer their trainees to have sales experience before joining product management/ marketing.

The companies that recruit on campus are usually from industries such as:
FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods): Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Glaxo-Smith Kline, Pepsi, Nestle, Johnson and Johnson, Marico, Heinz, etc.

Consumer Durables: BPL, Blowplast, Godrej and Boyce, Maruti Udyog Ltd, Whirlpool etc.
Also there is a huge demand for sales and marketing personnel from Market divisions in corporate houses, Market research firms, advertising agencies, industrial houses, consultancy firms, banks, financial institutions, government/non-government organisations offer employment scope to marketing professionals.
The Job

Marketing

Identifying target market of a product – working wit market researchers to understand the demographics and dynamics of the target market group.
Build the Marketing strategy of the product – pricing strategy, branding, advertisements, promotions, tie-ups, press releases etc.
Continuously keep track of changing trends and tastes of the consumer and conveying the same to the product development team
Liasioning with external agencies such as – advertising, market research, event management, public relations etc.
Tracking competitor movements and strategies for the their products

Sales

Sets sales targets for the products
Appoints distributors / retailers for the sale of its products
Works the market / field – ensures the retailers are pushing their products and are placing / promoting the product in a favorable manner in their shops / showrooms
Ensuring the product is readily available in the market and there is no shortage of supply
Acts as a point of control for the company – has direct interaction with the consumer and can therefore best understand their pulse or needs and issues.
Ensures retailers pay their dues on time
Translate the promotional schemes into reality
Ensure all sales targets are met.

Personality Traits

Creative & Innovative
Aptitude for hard work
Excellent communication / selling skills
Good Convincing powers
Good inter personal skills
Organised approach
Ability to work under stress & pressure

Salaries

Starting Salary – RS. 3-4 lacs per annum after a PG degree
Head Marketing / Sales – Rs 40 – 60 lacs per annum

Study Routes

After XII (any stream), graduation in any stream can be done
PG Degrees - MBA in Marketing or any other marketing qualification.

Places to Study

Diplomas in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing

Indian Institute of Management Studies (IIM), Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow, Khozikhone,
FMS, New Delhi
XLRI, Jamshedpur
Jamnalal Bajaj (JBIMS), Mumbai
SP Jain, Mumbai
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
Symbiosis, Pune
XIM, Bhubhaneshwar
MDI, Gurgaon
IMT, Ghaziabad
IMI, New Delhi
IIFT, New Delhi