Sales and Marketing Bachelor’s Degree Online
Is a Sales and Marketing Degree for You?
Most higher education institutions combine the concepts of sales and marketing into one bachelor's degree program. Bachelor's degrees in sales normally focus on the basics of providing prospective buyers with a quality product or service through the art of persuading a customer into buying. Most bachelor's degrees in marketing focus on the basics of market research, branding, advertising, and public relations. Students in a sales and marketing bachelor's degree program will be trained to handle the multifaceted tasks that arise throughout various business situations. Students should be able to gain an understanding of buyer and seller behavior within the context of the overall market environment.
Advice for Earning Your Sales and Marketing Degree Online
It is important to realize that while an education is undeniably essential to creating a successful career in marketing or sales, experience is endlessly important as well. Many marketing and sales degree programs incorporate some form of hands-on experience within the field. Some courses may require mock business building or sales pitches, while others may require real-life application within the world of business. It is common for marketing and sales degree students to enter business internship programs through their school or elsewhere. It is also important for students to keep up with trends in the field by studying industry-related articles, networking within the field, and attending marketing and sales workshops or classes.
Required Courses
Sales and marketing students typically take classes from multiple departments within an institution. A marketing and sales degree combines the mathematics courses of an accounting degree with the organizational focus of a business degree, while also focusing on human behavioral studies. Therefore, students can expect to take classes in principles of finance, business law, statistical analysis, college writing, communications, management theory and practices, basic computing, market research, consumer behavior, logistics strategies, and many more.
Common Career Paths
Although sales and marketing fields uniquely different in terms of execution, both go hand-in-hand in modern business models. Together, they combine to form the disciplines to drive every single product and service we use in everyday life. Both jobs play an extremely crucial role in the business world since they are responsible for the success of almost all businesses and corporations. Here are some common career paths for those with a sales and marketing degree:
- Advertising Sales Agents
Advertising sales agents, sometimes referred to as advertising sales representatives, are responsible for selling and soliciting advertisement space in media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, television, and the Internet. Typically, sales agents solicit by phone, email, or in person. Some travelling may be required, but only with higher level positions. Some persuasive tactics and techniques can be learned through formal education, but in most cases, successful sales representatives need to be naturally charming, have great communication skills, and have a strong personality to win a client over. Salaries vary tremendously because, in most cases, sales agents work on commission. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for advertising sales managers was $43,480 in 2008. The lowest 10% earned less than $22,620, and the highest 10% earned more than $93,600 annually.
- Market Researcher
A market researcher is responsible for researching and analyzing a particular market or industry to determine the demand for new and existing products and services. This research is completed by analyzing competitor activity and determining how the new product will be better. It also includes gathering statistics and data on customers' demographics and interests and well as their buying habits. The demand for market researchers is expected to grow by 28% through 2018, adding 77,200 new jobs in the workforce, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS also reported the median annual wages of market researchers was $61,070 in 2008. The lowest 10% earned less than $33,770, while the highest 10% earned more than $112,410 annually.
- Public Relations Manager
A public relations manager is responsible for ensuring that their employer or client is always viewed in the best light imaginable. Typically, a public relations manager chooses to write press releases or host events to showcase or even improve their client's image, but other techniques can be used. They also are in charge of solidifying their client or employer's purpose, communicating that purpose to the client's main audience, and getting messages and new endeavors across to the public. The demand for public relations managers should increase by 12% through 2018, adding 7,300 new jobs into the market, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Salaries are relatively high. According to the BLS, public relations employees earned a median annual salary of $51,280 in 2008. The lowest 10% earned less than $30,140, while the highest 10% earned more than $74,660.
