Marketers would like to develop specific areas, particularly those in the new areas of new media and brand strategy, while preferring to learn the core activities of advertising, direct marketing and promotion through on-the-job training. Marketing teams must develop new skills and operate in different ways if they are to deliver this role in an effective manner. We still have some way to go to convince the business we are as effective as we might be. It is essential that marketing teams earn the respect of business so that the whole business becomes market-led.
DEVELOPING SPECIFIC MARKETING AREAS
Another report conducted by Elliott Maltz University of Southern California looked at the relationship between the frequency and quality of contacts made by marketers with their non-marketing colleagues, the impact on the credibility of the marketing function and the subsequent market orientation of the business. This study strongly suggests that marketers who interact with their non-marketing colleagues less than ten times a week tend to have their work undervalued by other departments. Marketing is a revenue generator for companies. Recent research from CIM showed that whereas nine out of ten British firms have a finance director on their board, only half have a marketing director. If we accept the role of marketing as a wealth creator then the lack of board presence for marketers is scandalous.