The goal of product marketing managers is to continually improve the marketing of new and existing products.
A product marketing manager organizes the marketing of new and existing products. Manufacturing companies, information technology companies, and financial firms often hire a product marketing manager to supervise employees who are primarily engaged in advertising or outside sales. In most companies, the marketing team works closely with the product development team so that sales strategies can be developed to bring new products to market before those products are officially launched.
A product marketing manager may meet regularly with copywriters, designers, and other staff.
Most companies require marketing managers to have a college degree in marketing, advertising, business, or a related field. While in college, many college students work for marketing companies during summer internships, and these internships often lead to permanent job offers. Members of the marketing team may need to contact advertising companies or arrange outside visits to potential clients. Successful members of the marketing team often move on to the position of manager. Some small businesses have minimal marketing budgets, in which case a product marketing manager may work alone.
The manager of a product marketing team must work within a specific budget to market the products.
When a new product is about to launch, the product marketing manager must meet with the product development team to determine which segment of the public or commercial world the new product is intended for. The marketing manager must have extensive knowledge of the product’s features and benefits, because customers and members of the marketing team will primarily rely on the manager for information related to the product before it is released. In addition to determining ways to market the new product to potential customers, the manager must also develop ideas for marketing the product to the company’s existing customer base.
The manager of a product marketing team must work within an allocated budget to market products. Typically, the marketing budget should cover both advertising costs and expenses incurred by employees during outside sales calls and seminars. Some managers have an annual budget that must cover the costs associated with marketing all of the company’s new products, while others receive a budget per item. In many cases, managers receive bonuses based on sales, but staying within the marketing budget is often one of many factors that can influence the size of the bonuses received by the product marketing manager and the rest of the team. of sales.
Marketing managers assign different tasks to advertising employees and different sales territories to outside sales representatives. Regular meetings are held between the manager and the team to discuss sales results and marketing strategies. The marketing manager of a large company must report to a regional marketing director or executive who oversees a wide geographic area. Successful managers often hold executive positions within the same company.