How to become a Marketer

Marketing is one of the most exciting businesses you can get into. Whether you are freelancing, consulting, or running your own marketing agency, getting to work on major campaigns with big brands is always highly motivating. With the rise of digital marketing, businesses need more and more professionals to help them reach their target audiences and create marketing solutions that work. So where do you start? Let’s take a look at what it takes to enter this exciting industry and start your own marketing business.

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‍Step 1: Get your marketing degree

It’s recommended that you get a degree in marketing, advertising or a related field. In the industry, it’s generally expected that you have obtained your bachelor’s degree or higher if you want to work with major clients. Degrees in marketing usually take 3 years for your undergraduate and can include a year of industry based learning (IBL) in between. Many major brands also have graduate programs that include intakes for marketing students. So keep an eye out and make sure to apply when heading into your last year of study.

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‍Step 2: Join the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI)

Whilst studying or post completion of your degree, many clients will look highly upon marketers that have joined an industry association or undertake further development. The best association to join as a marketer is the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI). AMI is a professional association for marketers that has over 5,000 members across various sectors. AMI provides a range of benefits to its members, including access to industry events, networking opportunities, professional development resources, and exclusive member discounts. AMI also provides additional certifications and qualifications, including the Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM) and the Diploma of Marketing.

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‍Step 3: Get on-the-job experience

In addition to your formal education, many clients will look for candidates who have top notch experience. With marketing being such a highly competitive field, you may be competing with other agencies who have worked with major brands, including businesses who have international experience. To be able to compete, you’ll need to build up your body of work.  Look for roles or companies that are pushing the boundaries in marketing, either creatively, or with new technology. Work with leaders that inspire and can help take your career to the next level. Finally, apply for awards, so that you can recognised by your peers for the work you have done.

Step 4: Start your own marketing business

Now that you have the training and experience, it’s time to start your own marketing business. This will allow you to be your own boss and set your own hours, as well as giving you the opportunity to work on a variety of different marketing campaigns. As you gain more clients, you can start to advance your business by pitching for bigger contracts or larger firms. There are many different paths you can take in marketing, so it is important to find one that best suits your goals and aspirations. If you need assistance with naming your business, take this business name quiz.

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‍Step 5: Pick your marketing niche

To help grow your business, you’ll want to focus on your strengths or pick a niche to exploit. To identify what this is, define your target market by focusing on the areas you have got experience in, and observing where there might be gaps in the market. This will help you tailor your marketing services to meet their needs and differentiate your business from competitors. Once you have this, you can develop a business plan that executes on this strategy, and you should then focus your own marketing and sales efforts on clients that need assistance in the services you provide.

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‍Step 6: Open a business bank account

The final step to setting up your marketing business is to set up a business bank account so you can get paid. With Thriday, you can open a business bank account* in minutes online. Once registered, you can then create up to 8 additional sub-accounts to track income, expenses, salaries, tax and whatever else you want to budget for. Thriday is a smart financial platform that then takes all the data that flows through your account and automates your banking, accounting and tax – saving you time and headaches as you expand your business.

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It is important for aspiring marketers to obtain the right educational qualifications, such as a bachelor's degree or higher in marketing or a related field and potentially certifications from professional organisations such as AMI. Additionally, having some on-the job experience prior to applying for jobs can give applicants an edge over those with limited practical knowledge of the field. Finally, networking through attending events and joining online communities can provide access to opportunities not available elsewhere while allowing individuals to stay current with industry trends and news. Following these steps should put aspiring marketers on the path towards success.