Consumers love a deal or special offer. More often than not, it encourages them to buy a product from a company. The brains behind these promotions are advertising professionals known as promotions managers. These individuals are responsible for promotions that a company, advertising agency or organization runs to encourage consumers to buy its product or service. To break into this dynamic position, prospective promotions managers will need to educate themselves, network with professionals in the industry and accrue work experience to impress employers.
Instructions
1. Complete an undergraduate degree in marketing or business administration. Either discipline will teach you many of the valuable skills needed to become a promotions manager. A bachelor's degree with decent grades can do wonders for your employment prospects, even if you don't have direct experience as a promotions manager.
2. Secure an internship. Internships, even unpaid ones, are a huge leg up for those entering the job market. If you can secure an internship as a promotional assistant to a promotions manager, all the better. However, if these types of internships are unavailable, look for marketing or advertising internships that will expose you to the industry and give you access to marketing professionals. These professionals can teach you valuable skills and become useful contacts for finding full-time employment.
3. Earn your master's degree, if possible. Those with master's degrees earn higher pay and have a better shot at getting the best promotions manager positions. Some employers in the marketing and advertising industries prefer candidates who earn a graduate degree. Like undergraduate work, focus on marketing, advertising or business administration.
4. Network with professionals in relevant industries. During school, establish and maintain relationships with your classmates; when you graduate, chances are some of your classmates will secure advertising or promotions management jobs. They may help you out later on. Attend trade events and industry events after you graduate to meet professionals who might be able to help you out when it comes to employment.
5. Apply for a range of advertising and marketing jobs. Focus first on promotions management, but don't despair if few positions are available in your area. Getting your foot in the door at a company or advertising agency with a strong promotions department can be more important than getting a promotions manager job right away. Find the companies that will help you grow into a promotion management role, then secure employment with them any way you can, even if that means taking a position that is not a promotions management role.
Tags: marketing advertising, promotions management, promotions manager, advertising agency, business administration, company advertising