Description:
Determine 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.
Tasks
- Develop pricing strategies, balancing firm objectives and customer satisfaction.
- Identify, develop, and evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
- Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, and return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
- Formulate, direct and coordinate marketing activities and policies to promote products and services, working with advertising and promotion managers.
- Direct the hiring, training, and performance evaluations of marketing and sales staff and oversee their daily activities.
- Negotiate contracts with vendors and distributors to manage product distribution, establishing distribution networks and developing distribution strategies.
- Consult with product development personnel on product specifications such as design, color, and packaging.
- Compile lists describing product or service offerings.
- Use sales forecasting and strategic planning to ensure the sale and profitability of products, lines, or services, analyzing business developments and monitoring market trends.
- Select products and accessories to be displayed at trade or special production shows.
Knowledge
- Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Clerical
- Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
- Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Skills
- 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.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- 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.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Fluency of Ideas
- The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Originality
- The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Work Activities
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Thinking Creatively
- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Developing and Building Teams
- Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Interacting With Computers
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Developing Objectives and Strategies
- Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Work Context
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Letters and Memos
- How often does the job require written letters and memos?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
- Spend Time Sitting
- How much does this job require sitting?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Time Pressure
- How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Interests
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Work Style
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Leadership
- Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Persistence
- Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Value
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Related Occupations
- Advertising and Promotions Managers
- Sales Managers
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
- Public Relations Specialists
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
Common Lay Titles
- Account Supervisor
- Assistant Marketing Manager
- Brand Manager
- Bridal Consultant
- Business Developer
- Business Development Director
- Business Development Manager
- Business Development Specialist
- Category Manager
- Channel Manager
- Commercial Director
- Commercial Lines Manager
- Commercial Marketing Specialist
- Community Relations Director
- Director of Business Development
- Director of Sales and Marketing
- Director of Sales Marketing
- Fashion Coordinator
- Fashion Marketer
- Fashion Stylist
- Head of Marketing
- International Trade Specialist
- Internet Marketing Manager
- Market Development Manager
- Market Research Manager
- Marketing Administrator
- Marketing Agent
- Marketing Assistant
- Marketing Communications Manager
- Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing Director
- Marketing Executive
- Marketing Manager
- Marketing Officer
- Marketing Planner
- Marketing Representative
- Marketing Sales Supervisor
- Marketing Vice President
- Media Buyer
- Media Marketing Director
- Media Planner
- Pricing Analyst
- Pricing Manager
- Pricing Specialist
- Product Development Manager
- Product Line Manager (PLM)
- Sales and Marketing Manager
- Sales Officer
- Sports Marketer
- Strategic Planner
- Strategist
- Supervisor of Sales
- Trade Specialist
- Vice President of Marketing
- World Trade and Maritime Division Manager