There is a special kind of person who loves the game of persuasion so much they will take any amount of abuse and rejection to finally make that sale. Marketing is the art of changing minds and hearts, and for those who love it, the drudgery is all worth it. Here is my list of the best five jobs in marketing.
Telemarketer - Not many would agree with me on this one, but it's where many marketers get their first taste of the action. It teaches how to deal with rejection, how to read people's voices, and how to think on your feet to turn a no into a yes. The Heller Group in Houston, TX employs many call center marketers, but only a few of them catch the bug and decide to spend their lives in marketing. But those who get their start in the trenches of telemarketing turn out to be some of the best marketers around.
Trade Show Exhibitor - This is another front lines kind of gig. For most marketers, trade shows only come around every few months at best.
This makes them very exciting when they do, and companies invest a lot, and make a lot of money at them. Insight Exhibits builds custom exhibits for trade shows and they have to be eye catching and inviting. The marketer in the exhibit has to be on his toes all the time and be able to know in a few seconds who the serious customers are and who is casually browsing. It's hard work with a lot of rejection, but it can be one of the most exciting jobs around.
Website designer - This may not sound as exciting as the jobs mentioned earlier, but it's just as much on the front lines. Today a large portion of sales are completed, or at least started, online. A company's website is its marketing arena. And the effects of every little tweak to the site can be tracked to see almost immediate changes in visitor behavior. Web design companies, like Infogenix in Utah, put great effort into figuring out who the target visitors are and the psychology behind their decision making, and then design websites to capitalize.
Company spokesperson - This is the person who speaks for a company publicly. It's who reporters look to for explanations during a crisis, and who gets to announce the big wins. Whoever is assigned this job has to be quick on his or her feet, incredibly knowledgeable about the company, and understand how news writers think. Even the White House has it's own press secretary. It's a job with a lot of potential dangers, where public opinion of the organization transfers to the person. But those who are strong enough and who have a gift for persuasion are idolized.
Advertising executive - These are the movers and shakers on shows like Mad Men who assess a company's needs, analyze data, and come up with ingenious marketing campaigns.
The lifestyle may not be as glamorous as the TV shows portray them, but there is a reason they are portrayed so often. They are like the field generals of an ad campaign - responsible for the success or failure of multimillion dollar promotions. They must be creative, competitive, and tireless to succeed. It's a hot burning and rigorous lifestyle, but very rewarding for those who can manage it.
For some, marketing is a way to make a good deal of money, and in that case, they wouldn't choose jobs like telemarketer or web designer. But for true marketers, whose main payoff is the thrill of the hunt, you'll at least understand why I picked the jobs I did as the best in marketing.
Originally posted here.