Life As a Marketing Manager

Occupation Description Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm’s profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm’s customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

Life As a Marketing Manager: What Do They Do?

• Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
• Direct the hiring, training, or performance evaluations of marketing or sales staff and oversee their daily activities.
• Recommend modifications to products, packaging, production processes, or other characteristics to improve the environmental soundness or sustainability of products.
• Integrate environmental information into product or company marketing strategies, policies, or activities.
• Negotiate contracts with vendors or distributors to manage product distribution, establishing distribution networks or developing distribution strategies.
• Confer with legal staff to resolve problems, such as copyright infringement or royalty sharing with outside producers or distributors.

Marketing Manager Needed Skills

Marketing Managers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Other Marketing Manager Job Titles

• Brand Manager
• Product Marketing Manager
• Commercial Lines Manager
• Pricing Specialist
• Product Manager

Is There Job Demand for Marketing Managers?

There were about 218,300 jobs for Marketing Manager in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22,100 new jobs for Marketing Manager by 2026. The BLS estimates 21,300 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Marketing Manager are Washington, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Maine, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Marketing Manager Salary

Marketing Managers make between $69,840 and $208,000 a year.

Marketing Managers who work in New York, Virginia, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.

How much do Marketing Managers make in different U.S. states?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$118,200
Alaska	$101,750
Arizona	$117,700
Arkansas	$155,020
California	$167,910
Colorado	$169,630
Connecticut	$154,810
Delaware	$163,090
District of Columbia	$165,640
Florida	$119,450
Georgia	$143,660
Hawaii	$112,800
Idaho	$105,210
Illinois	$130,110
Indiana	$108,750
Iowa	$109,450
Kansas	$142,740
Kentucky	$116,140
Louisiana	$97,540
Maine	$99,450
Maryland	$150,830
Massachusetts	$143,400
Michigan	$137,900
Minnesota	$139,440
Mississippi	$93,930
Missouri	$128,810
Montana	$125,860
Nebraska	$101,520
Nevada	$142,730
New Hampshire	$141,630
New Jersey	$177,330
New Mexico	$100,320
New York	$187,860
North Carolina	$145,180
North Dakota	$111,880
Ohio	$133,730
Oklahoma	$117,940
Oregon	$116,020
Pennsylvania	$154,700
Rhode Island	$159,400
South Carolina	$111,460
South Dakota	$145,400
Tennessee	$118,740
Texas	$146,640
Utah	$115,230
Vermont	$123,910
Virginia	$171,870
Washington	$155,580
West Virginia	$95,380
Wisconsin	$125,100
Wyoming	$100,000

What Tools do Marketing Managers Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Marketing Managers may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Hypertext markup language HTML
• JavaScript
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Web browser software
• Python
• Microsoft Access
• MySQL
• Data entry software
• SAP
• Microsoft Project
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Structured query language SQL
• The MathWorks MATLAB

How do I Become a Marketing Manager?

Individuals working as a Marketing Manager have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Marketing Managers Are Employed

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those thinking about becoming a Marketing Manager might also be interested in the following careers:

• Radio and Television Announcers

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Nick Youngson via Creative Commons 3 - CC BY-SA 3.0

More about our data sources and methodologies.