What is a marketing manager? Definition and examples
A marketing manager is a manager in the marketing department. They control all the promotional and market research/study activity of the company.
Unless the business is very small, the marketing manager is in charge of an internal team. Together with the team, they focus on making sure consumers know about their products or services.
If a marketing manager is in charge of a single product or brand, he or she is a product manager.
What does a marketing manager do?
A marketing manager researches, determines, examines, and assesses demand for a product or service. They aim to increase sales by developing promotional campaigns and strategies.
Before launching their campaigns, they need to know who their target consumers are. They must also know what those consumers want, need, and what their expectations are. It is their job to determine whether the company’s product can meet that demand.
The marketing manager is responsible for establishing and maintaining a product’s brand. They need to make sure that the brand complies with the business’ vision and values.
Regarding a brand’s image, marketing managers oversee and monitor the different stages of marketing efforts – from package design and logos, to pricing strategies and ad campaigns. They also monitor all activites related to brand awareness – product placement, endorsements, email campaigns, contests, and newsletters.
Marketing mix
The marketing manager needs to make sure the company has adopted the right marketing mix. The marketing mix is the planned mix of elements that make up a marketing plan.
Four elements make up a marketing mix. They all start with the letter ‘P’: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Hence, we call it the 4Ps Marketing Mix or 4Ps Marketing Matrix.
The marketing manager needs to adjust the 4Ps until the combination is just right for the product. In other words, it must both satisfy customers’ needs, wants, and expectations, and generate the most profit.
Marketing manager vs. sales manager
Although sales and marketing managers are in charge of teams of employees, their roles are quite different. In a small business, one person may assume both roles. This is not the case in medium- or large-sized companies.
Sales manager
Sales managers are responsible for selling a product or service. The sales manager and his/her team develop relationships with customers. They may also develop relationships with channel partners.
Sales involves knocking down doors, overcoming customer objections or doubts, and negotiating prices and terms.
Marketing manager
The marketing manager’s job is to understand the marketplace. Specifically, where demand for the product exists, what influences that demand, and how it may change with time.
The marketing manager does not sit with prospective customers and negotiate prices or terms. That is the job of the sales manager.
Breaking into a new market
Before deciding whether to break into a new market, the marketing manager investigates. They may carry out market research, and get as much data as possible.
Launching new or improved products
The research and development (R&D) department in a large company will consult with the marketing department regarding which new products to create.
Let’s suppose you are a scientist and you have the idea of creating a new self-driving car. Who do you go to to find out whether there might be a market for that? You talk to the marketing manager.
When the self-driving car is ready, and on the market, the sales manager and the sales team try to sell as many as possible.