How Do I Become an Area Marketing Manager?

Area marketing managers commonly are highly experienced, well trained marketing professionals who oversee marketing teams in all facets of the marketing field. These professionals commonly oversee the development of products and brands in specific geographic markets. To become an area marketing manager, it is almost always essential to have an undergraduate degree in marketing, if not also a master's degree in a related field. A person who wants to become an area marketing manager should also plan on getting at least five years of experience working in a similar industry and in a similar market. For example, a person who wants to become an area marketing manager for a supermarket chain in an urban area should get experience doing marketing work for food retailers in big cities.

In most cases, area marketing managers are responsible for analyzing market research to determine how products and services best can be sold in certain regions. These professionals might pay attention to the income brackets and spending habits of local demographics to determine which kinds of slogans to use, how to design packaging and logos, and in which venues to advertise. Area marketing managers also help to determine pricing and budgets for product development.

An individual who wants to become an area marketing manager should plan on getting an undergraduate degree in marketing. Aside from learning how to analyze markets and create effective marketing campaigns, it is essential that an aspiring marketing manager also learns important principles of business finance. Many aspiring marketing professionals rightly are attracted to the creative aspects of this industry, though they might overlook the important financial aspects of the marketing field.

While it might not be necessary to have a master's degree to become an area marketing manager, many people find that earning this kind of degree is a great way to start a career. Many graduate programs give students opportunities to participate in internships and apprenticeships in which they work alongside established marketing professionals. Not only are these great opportunities for learning about the field, but they also are great ways to establish important professional references and to learn about job leads.

An individual who wants to become an area marketing manager should find a product and a region in which he or she is interested. A person who acts as an area marketing manager for a certain magazine in New York City, for example, might be required to know which residents of this city read a magazine and where to advertise it. This kind of professional should be familiar with how many issues of a magazine are sold in the city, when the greatest number of issues is sold, and which kinds of covers generate the greatest sales numbers.