In two days my marketing class will be over. Our last project is a week-long group project analyzing the marketing efforts of the company we’re studying. Now that we’re just about done, I have some mixed feelings about marketing in general. As someone who has never really had a job in marketing, I do touch it some in my current position. I find marketing fascinating. I think it should be fun. By the end of this class, I am not sure that my perspective has changed, but ultimately, I am not sure what to think.
When this class started, I was looking forward to learning more about the subject, and as a graduate-level class, we were bombarded with new information. Just when I wanted marketing to be “fun”, I learned that it can be as complex as some of the most difficult math classes. Marketing is very “numbers-driven”. It’s not just about selling things or making the customer feel like they are getting a good deal. Numbers rule. Looking back, I probably learned more than I wanted to. One thing is certain: I don’t think I want to do it for a career. I am torn.
The amount of information we received in the class was good, but it didn’t “hook” me into wanting to jump into the marketing field. Furthermore, I have considered the activities of the marketing departments at the various companies I have worked at and I can’t muster a lot of respect for them. In my perspective, they don’t maximize their opportunities and really embrace the whole concept. If I were to jump into marketing, I would want to get my hands in anything and everything. But then again, maybe I am wrong.
At the end of the day, I am glad I took this class. I have a better understanding of marketing as whole and can apply a lot of the conceptual ideas that we learned. As someone who has never really done this, I am comfortable in my current position where I only dabble in marketing. I think it’s a good training ground for future efforts.
Marketing should be fun and I will be spending some time trying to make it that way again.
Do you have any questions about distance education or anything in this post? Feel free to contact Scott anytime!