Marketing Communications Today Blog

Social Media Specialist. Media Coordinator. Paid Search Manager.

Do any of these professional roles appeal to you?

If so, then you definitely have an interest in the field of digital and social media. You also probably know that today's marketing industry is multifaceted and complex. If you're dedicated to boosting your career in marketing communications with a focus on digital and social media, you need to know about what matters in today's dynamic field.

It's an understatement to suggest that data is critical to an organization's sales and marketing work. It's vital. That said, I'm here to discuss what your relationship with data needs to look like in order for you to be successful using data to make decisions.

Simply put, salespeople and marketers need to  treat data as a member of the team. Assuming, of course, you provide members of your team with respect, kindness, emotional intelligence, and mentorship.

You also need to remember that data is not the same as analytics — data is the raw metrics, and analytics is the analysis or the interpretation of data. They should work together and inform one another, but they are different things. But these two words are often used interchangeably. I’ve seen this seemly small mistake negatively impact research projects, purchasing of enterprise SaaS technology, and so on.

My marketing and sales work has always included the collection, analysis, and presentation of data. But my understanding is limited when you compare it to what a marketing analytics professional tackles every day. So, for the overview below, I’ve tapped into the extensive knowledge and deep experience of  Michael Lynch. Michael has over 20 years of experience in marketing and business analytics and is a professor of the  Data Marketing Communications at WVU's Reed College of Media.

Are you a creative professional dedicated to innovative thinking?

Are you passionate about the marketing industry?

Are you concerned that you don't have the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly-changing field like marketing communications?

Making the decision to start your journey toward a graduate degree in either Integrated Marketing Communications or Data Marketing Communications can be challenging — especially when you are working a full-time job, juggling your personal responsibilities, and trying to maintain a social life. However, committing to graduate school does not mean giving up on the other parts of your life. It does mean, though, that you need to acknowledge the challenges that are about to come your way and come up with a game plan to overcome them.

We talked with a few IMC and Data students and got their perspective on how they went about managing their time.

The marketing communications field continues to recognize the need for professional communicators who can apply data, analysis, and creative thinking to marketing campaigns. This recognition has led to more and more careers emerging for marketing professionals who understand the importance of data-driven marketing in all facets of marketing communications.

With this in mind, here are 13 career options for marketing professionals who aren’t afraid to harness the power of data and who understand the importance of creating integrated marketing campaigns.

Bill Jones brings value to his students, consulting clients, and customers through his combination of skills and experience in sales, sales management, engineering, product development, team building, and innovation. Through WMTJ Consulting, Jones consults on product development, industrial process improvement, sales, and marketing. He develops and delivers in-house and manufacturer’s representative sales training courses, which include role playing and negotiation strategies.

As an entrepreneur and an innovator, we're excited that we had the opportunity to interview Jones on our weekly Marketing Communications Today Podcast. Here's what he had to say.

Cyndi Greenglass: Can you talk about the state of B2B marketing?

When most people hear summer, they think about days spent at the pool and nights under the stars. For me, summer hasn’t actually been like that since 2016. Since the summer after my freshman year of college, I have worked full-time whenever school is out, I even worked over Christmas vacation my sophomore year.

While some students may cringe at the idea of spending sunny days 9-5 in an office, I loved my summer jobs. Each year I had a different internship, sending me back home to Philadelphia and even to a shoe box apartment in New York City (that I miss every day!). During these three-month experiences, I learned almost as much as I did in a full semester in the classroom.

Larry Stultz, Ph.D., has been a part of the  Integrated Marketing Communications faculty community since 2007. He served as department chair for the Bachelor of Arts in Advertising program at The Art Institute of Atlanta, where he taught courses in conceptual thinking and campaign development for twenty years. Prior to entering the teaching phase of his life, he operated design and advertising firms in New Orleans and Atlanta with clients in hospitality and tourism, commercial real estate, corporate communications, health care, and social services.

As an expert professional in the field of marketing communications, we're excited that we had the opportunity to interview Stultz on our weekly Marketing Communications Today Podcast. Here's what he had to say.

Nathan Pieratt: How are you able to help  WVU IMC students understand conceptual thinking and strategy development?

At the beginning of your college journey, four years seems like a long time away. That question of what “life is after undergrad” doesn’t need to have an answer. You barely have to have an answer to what your major is for the first year and a half. For my first two years of undergrad, I had no clue where my future was going to take me.

During my sophomore year, the news of being on track to graduate a year early made me realize just how close the “great unknown” was. I had a few options, pick up another major or minor and continue my undergraduate education, get ready to start looking at jobs or look at my options for graduate school.