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Top skills for marketing professionals

Written by King's College London | Jun 10, 2024 10:56:00 AM

Marketing is an integral part of what makes organisations succeed, and with new and emerging technologies transforming this industry, there has never been a more exciting time to dive in.  

Today’s marketing professionals use data to predict the future and make smart business decisions. If you want a career in business that’s built to last, marketing is a solid choice. 

To put it simply, there’s an expanding world of opportunity out there, and now’s the time to explore it. If you can handle the pace, thrive with variety, and live for innovation, marketing can offer a long and fulfilling career path with an impressive trajectory and diverse prospects. 

Are you looking to shift your career trajectory towards marketing, or take your industry knowledge to the next level? Wherever you are in your professional journey, an online Marketing MSc is the ultimate way to give yourself a competitive edge without putting your career on hold. 

Read on to find out exactly how the King's online Marketing MSc will equip you with the future-proof knowledge and skills sought after by employers worldwide. 

Gain the skills employers want 

In two years, you’ll build a remarkable portfolio of skills – both hard (think; analytics, brand management, and social media marketing) and soft (critical thinking, consumer psychology, and curiosity to name just a few). 

And whilst you’ll have plenty of opportunity to hone your specialism, there are a few non-negotiables. Master these and you’ll not only stand out in the job market, but also position yourself for long-term career success.   

1. Strategy 

Strategy, marketing strategy, or digital strategy. You’ll find it on almost every marketing recruiter’s wish list, yet according to LinkedIn, it has the biggest shortfall in talent. 

Marketing doesn’t operate in isolation – the performance of your department is integral to the success of your wider organisation. By taking a top-level strategic standpoint, you’ll see how marketing interacts with other business functions to meet long-term objectives. You’ll learn the failsafe frameworks and develop the strategic mindset to create actionable campaigns that give your organisation the competitive edge.  

With modules like Marketing Strategy and Planning, International Marketing, and Marketing Theory and Practice, you’ll develop a trained eye for opportunity and finely tuned strategic prowess. We’ll also help you cultivate the global outlook required to help multi-national companies thrive. 

2. Marketing analytics  

Whether you’re gathering market insights, monitoring an email campaign’s performance, or evaluating the competition, being able to understand and analyse data is essential in any marketing role. You’ll use it as evidence when making judgement calls, planning strategies, and winning over stakeholders.  

Expert marketing analysts are in high demand, with web analytics and Google Analytics named as two of the most requested digital marketing skills in recent years. Using the latest industry-standard tools, you’ll learn how to ethically collect and organise data from a variety of sources. You’ll learn the statistical and visualisation techniques needed to identify trends, and the best reporting methods to communicate your findings and make evidence-based recommendations. 

3. Social media marketing and communication 

With more than 4.9 billion social media users around the world, it should come as no surprise that multi-channel communication is now the most in-demand marketing skill. We’ll explore the major concepts and essential theories of communication, consumer psychology, and the ways in which technology can influence a buyer’s relationship with a business. You’ll then be prepared to create innovative and engaging social campaigns that connect audiences across new mediums and channels, working towards your organisation’s overall goals.  

4. Market research 

Market research is a vital part of every successful business strategy. It involves actively gathering information on your target customers and markets. Who are they? What are their main concerns? What challenges do they face? What are the main things they look out for when they search for ways to overcome these challenges? With this information, you can then tailor your marketing campaigns to suit your target audience. Our Research in Marketing core module empowers you to not only perform your own effective market research, but also interpret research outputs from external organisations. 

5. Consumer behaviour 

As technology transforms the way we shop, consume and do business, consumer behaviours shift dramatically. As a marketing specialist, it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve and adapt your strategies accordingly. Understanding consumer behaviour involves adopting a cross-disciplinary approach that explores all the factors influencing buyer decisions, and our Consumer Behaviour module is designed to do just this. We draw upon a wide range of research into psychology, buyer habits, culture, public attitudes and much more to sharpen your understanding of consumer behaviour. 

6. Brand management 

Brand management is the backbone of effective marketing, and plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer perceptions. This multifaceted discipline requires a blend of strategic foresight, creativity, and analytical acumen. As a marketing professional, you must possess a nuanced understanding of market trends and competitive landscapes to craft compelling brand narratives.  

What does your market look like, and where does your organisation sit within it? What differentiates your company from its competitors? On top of answering these high-level questions, you’ll need to navigate the complexities of brand positioning, remaining relevant, and ensuring consistency across all the platforms you’re active on.  

Our Brand Management module empowers you to convey brand essence effectively and forge emotional connections with audiences. You’ll also foster the adaptability and keen eye required to respond swiftly to evolving market dynamics, safeguard brand equity, and maintain long-term growth. 

Master the marketing fundamentals, future-proof your career 

In the world of marketing, few things stay the same for long. Products change. Technology evolves. Consumer behaviour fluctuates. But the marketing principles remain. For long-term success, you need to be ready for whatever comes next.  

So prepare to be pushed intellectually, with leading academic theory designed to spark your curiosity, challenge your preconceptions, and enhance your critical thinking. All whilst providing a solid foundation for practical application.  

The tools, platforms, and technologies will always change. But master the marketing fundamentals, and no matter what the future holds, you’ll have the knowledge and mindset to take it on.  

Take your marketing career anywhere 

This fully online course offers the freedom to study from anywhere in the world. We take a distinctly global approach to marketing, drawing on diverse case studies, as well as the expertise of our international body of staff and students.  

As a King’s student, you’ll be encouraged to connect regularly with your peers via discussion forums on the KEATS learning platform. On top of being a social platform to connect with like-minded professionals, these forums also act as a fantastic springboard for sharing fresh, new perspectives. 

By engaging like this with your international cohort, you’ll expand your professional network on a worldwide scale. This may open doors to lasting friendships, international partnerships and collaboration, business opportunities, and career advancement.  

Plus, the widespread adoption of remote and hybrid working brings its own set of challenges. From communicating with colleagues to self-direction and time management, distance learning is the ultimate way of preparing for the virtual workplace.  

A world-class Marketing MSc from King’s College London 

Our 100% online Marketing MSc is delivered by King’s Business School, which is proud to be among the 1% of triple-crown accredited business schools in the world. This status reflects the high calibre of our course content, research, and teaching standards.

Best of all, this programme is designed to fit around your life – not the other way round. This means you can focus on your personal and professional growth without putting your career on hold. To find out more about our course and the modules we offer, visit our course page: