Written by Kiara March, Master of International Marketing, London campus, Class of 2016
Ever since I started my Masters in International marketing at Hult, my attention has turned to how every decision we take will inevitably change our lives.
While living in beautiful Vienna, a good friend of mine decided to visit me. We took advantage of these days to catch up, submerging in long and exciting conversations about our lives, leaving myself and my partner at the time thirsty for new experiences in that amazing city that she kept bragging about, London. A few days after, we found ourselves deciding to search for opportunities in the UK. After going through very long list of decisions to make, we finally landed and I arrived to Hult, to start a new life journey.
Making the decisions
I cannot even count the amount of times in our daily lives where we have to make decisions. If you invest a few minutes in analyzing it, the result would be the thought of endless products, services and life decisions being made every day – some of them without even much thought;
- What should I wear?
- What should I eat?
- What am I going to do today?
- What school should I choose?
- Will I be buying my coffee from Starbucks, McCafe or at my local coffee shop?
In particular, product and services related decisions have turned to be routine answers made automatically every day, they help move the economy of cities, countries and ultimately the world.
Role of marketing
During my first two modules at Hult, I had the great opportunity to attend Professor David James classes, allowing me to understand and conclude that both marketing and advertising accomplish three main functions;
- Firstly, we have the transmission of information and idea, which is predominantly cognitive or rational. This specific type of advertising is found in the launch of new products or ads; using techniques that are worth to mention such as slogans and sticky jingles – Sing along… Parapapapaaaa I’m loving it!.
- Secondly, we have the creation or consolidation of attitudes and feelings of sympathy and preference. Persuasive and image advertising, as well as comparative advertising, surrounds it.
- The last function is the induction of the action, which explains the purchase of the product and is, for this reason, behavioral.
In simpler words, I am suggesting that no matter if we are interested in marketing or not, marketing is a part of almost every minute of our lives. Which leaves us the question: If marketing is so important in our daily lives, is there some way we can use and apply it positively? Simple answer: Yes, yes, yes! Learning to think and even to operate like a salesman is becoming increasingly important, especially in the times we live in, where basically everything you do will shape and determine your personal brand.
Why you need to learn marketing
The magic trick is how you are perceived and how far you can go while playing with these factors (Ta-da!). So let’s take a short cut and go directly to the main reasons why learning about marketing will help us in our daily lives and driving how we want to be perceived. We become good listeners; salesmen and retailers are constantly listening to consumers, producers, partners looking for ways to maximize opportunities and connect with people. We begin to really listen to what others need from our environment or from us.
[Tweet ““We’re all learning here; the best listeners will end up the smartest.” Josh Bernoff”]
So what will the outcome be? We will make better decisions, if we keep our eyes wide open and are aware of our surroundings. We will find a way to identify and find the data of the groups to which we belong. Therefore, we will start to recognize their interests and what these mean to them. Then, and only then we will find the way to get the greatest possible advantage to this information, slowly becoming more sensitive when approaching people. At the end of the day, marketing is all about finding ways to reach and communicate with different audiences. In fact, good salespeople are constantly dealing with different crowds, from different environments and fields. In this sense, if we continue the line, we will learn and understand different personality types and to take different approaches to engaging and participate with them following what motivates them. So what is the outcome? We become more attentive, in order to be “on-guard” – marketers need to be aware of what is happening in the industries and so do all of us in our daily life.
Investigate what is going on in your environment, you will be very well informed of the situations you want to be a part of or the people you want to bond with personally and professionally. Take advantage of these skills to make the best out of every situation. If used wisely, you will project the best version of you!
Learn more about Master of International Marketing program
Explore the complexities and challenges of the marketing world with Hult’s Masters in International Marketing. To learn more, take a look at our blog 5 tips On How To Get A Head Start In Today’s Marketing Industry, or get into broader business with a Masters in International Business instead. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself.