Marketing combines many more skills than being a good writer and creative thinker. You also need to be a strategic planner, highly organized and confident working with data. Developing a varied repertoire of skills requires a strong educational and professional background, especially if you’re ready to pursue an upper-management career such as marketing director.
“I love marketing because of the creative side, but marketing doesn’t go without having data to back it up, so my specific goal while earning my MBA was really to become more comfortable with this thing that I’ve always felt handicapped within my life,” says current Arizona State University Online MBA student Evelyn Sabino. “I really ran away from math, so this was how I got more comfortable with it.”
It’s important to have holistic business skills because marketing directors work with art directors, sales agents, financial staff and other professionals to plan, manage and direct programs that generate interest in products or services. Overseeing marketing staff, creating concepts and budgets for successful marketing campaigns and serving as the communication hub between clients, vendors and co-workers takes a vast array of skills as well as a deeper understanding of business that can be enhanced with an MBA. Additionally, moving into higher-level roles and acting as the subject matter expert in your field typically requires you to have a solid professional and educational background both in marketing and general business strategy.