Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

A dozen categories with which Marketing students should at least be familiar ...

Strategy: Positioning, defining the target audience, benefits vs. features, objectives, trial, repeat, personas, B2B/B2C, tracking performance, KPIs, branding, not-for-profit organizations, push/pull

Advertising copy: strategy, development, pre-testing, tracking, post-audit

Media: broadcast, print, outdoor, online, email, PPC, search/SEO, trade press; determining the media mix

Understanding customers and influencers: market research, analytics

Packaging: functional, graphics/communication, brand identity, added value

Product: identifying and meeting consumer needs, launching new products, product life-cycle, managing a product portfolio, product mix, leading R&D

Trade shows: objectives, follow-up strategies, measuring effectiveness

Promotion: sampling, couponing, price vs. non-price, tie-in, premium/gift-with-purchase

Sales support: spiffs, quotas, contests, training, trade practices, forecasting, distribution channels, category management/leadership

Pricing: price elasticity, bundling, discounting, EDL, price-volume analysis

PR/Publicity: When/how to use, setting objectives

Financial: ROI, payout, breakeven analysis, budgeting


Which of these they need to *master* will depend on what they want to do for a living. At a minimum they need to be very familiar with all the terms and concepts above, as well as basic business subjects (e.g., human resource management, entrepreneurship, business law, accounting, etc.).

Note: There are probably a half dozen more areas that escape me right now. Perhaps others will chime in.

To add to Michael's great list:

Familiarization with technology: HTML/CSS, databases, and social media.

Soft skills: how to perform informational interviews, how to facilitate groups, how to work well in teams, how to lead a team, how to actively listen.

Entrepreneurial experience: how to develop/market something with limited resources.