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Marketing
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The Marketing concentration requires 15 hours from the following:
Business 331 (3), 332 (3), 335 (3), 336 (3), 338 (3), 405 (3), 435 (3), 437 (3), Sport Management 337 (3)
Why concentrate in Marketing?
Individuals learn sales, retailing, advertising, researching, and marketing management. In addition, the student will complete a least one internship in marketing at which they would seek employment after graduation.
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All marketing courses are augmented with projects that allow the students to apply textbook theories and concepts to the real world. For example:
- In Marketing Research (BS 338), individual students actually develop, administer, analyze, and report findings, along with recommendations to businesses and organizations in the Asheville/Black Mountain/Montreat area.
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 MARTHA PINAIRE
CLASS OF '04
East Lansing, Michigan
“The professors in the Business Department are probably some of the best in their field. They don’t just teach the material, they give you insight and understanding. In my marketing classes, we always are given real-world projects that reinforce the classroom. Teaching is not a job to them; it is what God has called them to do.”
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- In Sales (BS 331), each student is given an assignment of completing a sales objective for a company. They apply the concepts of the course by selling a particular company’s product to the target market.
- Students in the Advertising course (BS 336) create an advertisement in a medium of their choice for an organization.
- Students in the International Marketing course (BS 405) have traveled to Europe to analyze businesses in the European Union countries, comparing and contrasting strategies to those of American companies. In addition, they have the opportunity to be exposed to the history and arts of other cultures.
In all marketing courses, the development of oral and written communication skills is emphasized.
What can you do with a concentration in Marketing?
Career possibilities include:
Advertising
Advertising involves communicating with a target market about a product or possible line of products. It could be about designing newspaper ads, dreaming up the copy of radio ads, or maybe putting together your favorite billboard ad. The last time you went to the dentist, optometrist, or family doctor, your probably browsed the stack of magazines while you waited. While flipping the pages, a few advertisements most likely caught your attention. Have you ever thought about who put those ads together? It was perhaps someone just like you!
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Companies either have their own internal advertising department or they outsource to advertising companies for part or possibly all of their advertising needs. Sometimes it might be for just one project, and other times it could be for their entire advertising campaign or marketing plan.
Today, many companies employ the services of marketing and advertising consultants. Where do you think the consultants got their start? How about in their college advertising classroom.
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In 1997, a student named Mitch Glenn was in his advertising class one day listening to a guest speaker who owned an Asheville-based advertising company. Mitch told his professor after the presentation, “That’s what I want to do.”
Today, Montreat graduate Mitch Glenn is living in Charlotte, NC and is responsible for all marketing and advertising for the fourth largest RV dealership in the United States.
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Sales
Did you know that there are over 14 million sales positions in the United States? Wow. It sure seems like there should be just the right one for you if you want it. Selling falls into basically two large categories: Business-to-Business (also referred to as B2B) and Retail Sales.
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Professional selling can be dynamic, challenging, and rewarding. Research supports that high performance salespeople often make more than their supervisors. Of course, the earnings are dependent upon the company’s compensation plan. Sales careers are generally attractive to men and women who desire the opportunity to be independent. Because of the flexibility, this requires a great deal of self-motivation and self-discipline.
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Nick Sparks, a 1999 graduate, works for Prudential Financial Services and helps people plan for financial security. He is not driving around neighborhoods knocking on doors to see if anyone might be interested in insurance, but he does meet with executives in their offices to discuss their financial needs, meet with couples in his company’s conference room, and he also meets with people in their homes if they desire, in order to determine how to best meet their financial needs.
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Market Research
Why do consumers buy what they buy? Have you ever thought about what motivates you to make the purchases that you make? How did retailers know what to buy last summer prior to the winter clothing styles becoming popular? Market researchers are sort of like psychologists; they try to understand social behaviors so they can anticipate purchasing behaviors. They try to get inside your mind to determine exactly what you might want, need, or desire. What type of person buys what type of automobile?
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Market researchers collect, organize, analyze, and apply data to their understanding of consumer behavior in order to help marketing managers make informed decisions. Some market researchers develop, conduct, and interpret surveys, conduct focus groups, and test new products. Others take that information and develop statistical data packages that also assist marketers in making the best decisions for their companies.
Students in Montreat College’s marketing research class apply their classroom theories and concepts to the real world by working with actual companies in the Montreat, Black Mountain, and Asheville communities in research projects.
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At the Montreat exit on I-40, there is a Shell gas station and food market. Right across the street, there is an Exxon station. Jason developed and conducted a survey to determine why customers preferred one over the other. Another student developed and conducted a customer satisfaction survey for the local Food Lion grocery store in Black Mountain.
Both students presented their findings and made recommendations to the managers upon completion of their studies. Both students did in a class what consultants do for a living.
It doesn’t get any more realistic than that. It also strengthens a resume.
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Some job positions in this field include conducting marketing research for a corporation, possibly doing research for an advertising agency, or maybe even having your own consulting practice.
Retail
Retail is a huge and dynamic part of the world economy. Careers in retail are people-oriented, fast-paced, challenging, and exciting. Retailing is worth taking a good look at, particularly if you are looking for a service-oriented, entrepreneurial profession.
The options are many, including store management, buying, merchandising, and central management.
There's also the booming area of e-tailing (online retail). If you have an interest in technology, marketing, and retail, this may be the area for you.
Public Relations
What is that about? Public Relations (PR) can be about a lot of things. “Public" is about a lot of different groups. For corporations, it includes all of its stakeholders, to include employees, shareholders, environmental groups, or the government. For an individual, it could mean voters, fans, or an entire community. PR professionals deal with perception, representation, and effective communication.
For example, they help employers communicate with employees, customers to understand the companies that serve them, and citizens to understand the politicians who serve their communities.
At the same time, PR agents analyze trends, study existing social attitudes, and advise their clients about how they can win the support of the "publics" they answer to.
In some cases, the PR agent tries to shape the attitudes of the general population so that they will respond in a positive way. At its best, PR presents a true image of reality to the public and facilitates an effective, honest dialogue.
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Product Management
Product managers are responsible for the marketing and development of products such as automobiles, insurance policies, and sporting goods. Product managers are found at both strategic and tactical levels.
– Strategic product managers responsible for positioning their products, assessing the competition, and thinking about the future.
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 MATT CRAFT
CLASS OF '04
Greenville, SC
“There are many great learning opportunities in the Montreat Business Department. One of the most important skills I have developed at Montreat is my public speaking skills. My marketing business projects demand professional presentations. All these presentations have given me the confidence I will need to succeed in sales.”
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– Tactical product managers are in the field developing appropriate promotional campaigns, talking to representatives about what customers want and think, then implementing and monitoring day-to-day sales that's required for any major product category.
Product management professionals are responsible for managing and strengthening their brands. They sustain the company life because their decisions directly affect the success of a business.
Non-profit Marketing
If you are interested in something that's very meaningful, then the field of non-profit may be just for you. Non-profit organizations such as the United States government account for over 20% of the economic activity in the United States. One of the most interesting aspects of non-profit careers is the experience you will gain early on. The non-profit career can require the individual to perform all functions found in other marketing careers.
The opportunity to make "traditional" marketing decisions at an early age intrigues and draws many individuals to the non-profit field. Non-profit is your chance to make a difference, a real chance to contribute to society and grow while you're at it.
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