So, you want to build a successful career in marketing? Most likely, you are working on obtaining a bachelor’s degree in a marketing-related subject. It can be either Bachelor of Science in Marketing or Business Administration. Both of those degrees give you enough skills that guarantee a successful career. Mainly, you are going to learn the following:
- Principles of Marketing
- Principles of Management
- Strategic Marketing
- Marketing and Digital Media
- Introduction to Social Media
And if you sink your teeth into your studies and search for help with some of your homework by googling something along the lines of “do my homework for me,” you can surely graduate with everything you need. Well, almost. Don’t you think that just having a proper degree is enough? It’s always some skills that add to your prospective success.
Thus, if you are studying marketing, it doesn’t mean that you should major strictly in marketing. There are some additional things that you can learn that will come in handy when you start working. So, what are the subjects that you can try majoring in to be more successful in your career? Let’s check them out without any further ado.
Graphic Design
What is the best way to attract someone’s attention to a product or service other than through visuals? Aside from a catchy text, what is another crucial aspect of a branding message? Correct, it must be visually appealing. It’s way easier to market something with visual representation. And if you know a thing or two about visualizing a branding message, you are winning.
Now, what fuses text with illustrations? Graphic design! When it comes to marketing, being strategic is important. But it’s also important to be creative. And the best way to use your creative side for your future in marketing would be to major in graphic design. This major will bring you a lot of benefits.
You will learn how to draw and how interactive media works. You will also learn two-dimensional design and multimedia programming. But, most importantly, you will get a deeper understanding of how to create visually appealing branding messages. Thus, not only can you create a marketing strategy, but you can also design visuals to accompany it.
International Business
Getting a bit close to Business Administration, but majoring in International Business can give you a lot of valuable insights. You will surely learn about global trade and international finance. You will also learn operations management. And that’s quite valuable if you’re planning to work in a marketing company that has gone or planning to go global.
But that’s far from everything you will learn in your International Business courses. The most valuable thing that you are going to learn is cultural communication. And if you spend some extra time learning about the cultural peculiarities of the emerging markets, you will have no problem finding the proper marketing strategy that will work on the other side of the globe.
Being able to reach clients overseas is a precious skill. Think of being able to create a marketing strategy that will be appealing in Japan, Morocco, or Indonesia. IB courses can open new horizons for your marketing career. Besides, international marketing service spending rose to $500 billion in recent years, and it’s unlikely it will go down any time soon.
Social Media Analytics
Social Media has become an essential tool in marketing. But, as it turns out, only 20% of B2B markets report that their social media channels have a positive impact on their revenue. It means that 80% are unsure if their social media presence generates revenue. Considering that, on average, 70% of adults have accounts on two or more social media, that seems strange.
But that happens because of the lack of social media analytics specialists. Marketing graduates that majored in social media analytics are in high demand. You will get valuable knowledge that will help you master the tactics for measuring digital media return on investment.
You are going to learn everything from Google Analytics to survey research. You will have courses in eMarketing, eCommerce, and mobile communication. A major in Social Media Analytics makes you a hot property for marketing companies. And you will surely benefit from this knowledge if you want to start your own business.
Organizational Communication
In many respects, Marketing is one of the means of, although a specific one, but nonetheless, communication. Marketing a product means convincing the prospective consumer that they need it. And if you want additional skills that will help you stand out in it, then look no further than majoring in organizational communication.
It will help you delve into the means of businesses to convey information. A major in organizational communication is not only about marketing. It’s broader than just that. It will master your ability to communicate. You will get not only crucial knowledge on how to write and speak – but it will also improve the way you use body language to communicate.
Organizational communication courses will provide you with the knowledge of group dynamics, team building, and how corporate culture works. You will learn how to debate, resolve conflicts, and, most importantly, how to influence people’s opinions. This knowledge may come in handy in designing a marketing strategy, as well as political campaigns.
Consumer Psychology
To be successful in marketing, you need to know what you’re going to market and your target audience. Understanding the latter is impossible without knowing a thing or two about consumer psychology. Creating a marketing slogan is not only about the product; it requires you to be capable of envisioning how the prospective consumers will react.
Consumer Psychology courses will provide you with important insights into buying habits, knowledge of which helps companies to increase their profits. You will learn social cognition, psychology, and economic anthropology. And it all will help you to ensure that marketing strategies connect with prospective buyers.
Final Thoughts
Majoring in the subjects mentioned above will help you in your marketing career. But don’t forget that regardless of your major, you need to have strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills. After all, most companies that are going to hire you will be more interested in your expertise than in your major.