subject: Career In Sales And Marketing [print this page] 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 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
1.)Identifying target market of a product working wit market researchers to understand the demographics and dynamics of the target market group.
2.)Build the Marketing strategy of the product pricing strategy, branding, advertisements, promotions, tie-ups, press releases etc.
3.)Continuously keep track of changing trends and tastes of the consumer and conveying the same to the product development team
4.)Liasioning with external agencies such as advertising, market research, event management, public relations etc.
5.)Tracking competitor movements and strategies for the their products
Sales
1.)Sets sales targets for the products
2.)Appoints distributors / retailers for the sale of its products
3.)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
4.)Ensuring the product is readily available in the market and there is no shortage of supply
5.)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.
6.)Ensures retailers pay their dues on time
7.)Translate the promotional schemes into reality
8.)Ensure all sales targets are met.
Personality Traits
1.)Creative & Innovative
2.)Aptitude for hard work
3.)Excellent communication / selling skills
4.)Good Convincing powers
5.)Good inter personal skills
6.)Organised approach
7.)Ability to work under stress & pressure
Salaries
1.)Starting Salary RS. 3-4 lacs per annum after a PG degree
2.)Head Marketing / Sales Rs 40 60 lacs per annum
Study Routes
1.)After XII (any stream), graduation in any stream can be done
2.)PG Degrees - MBA Sales or any other marketing qualification.
Places to Study
Diplomas in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing.
1.)Indian Institute of Management Studies (IIM), Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow, Khozikhone,
2.)FMS, New Delhi
3.)XLRI, Jamshedpur
4.)Jamnalal Bajaj (JBIMS), Mumbai
5.)SP Jain, Mumbai
6.)Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
7.)Symbiosis, Pune
8.)XIM, Bhubhaneshwar
9.)MDI, Gurgaon
10.)IMT, Ghaziabad
11.)IMI, New Delhi
12.)IIFT, New Delhi
Colleges Overseas
Australia
1.)Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Perth
