Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Read about what marketers do, how they think, and what tools they use. A starter book list can be found here: https://bit.ly/9bnxbr

Follow this forum and see if you can learn from the contributors. After a little while you will begin to see certain patterns and be able to generalize from them. You can even contribute yourself when you feel comfortable doing so.

If you can find a mentor, that would be ideal. Perhaps you can approach someone in a marketing job at a company near you. Barter your services as an assistant for the education and exposure a mentor can offer.

Take a few courses at a school near you or online. At least it will familiarize you with the "language" of marketing and help you focus on a particular area of marketing that interests you.

What type of marketer? Working on what types of projects?
What skills & interests do you have now that would help you in marketing?

What mgoodman said.

Also consider a sales position. Pick a product or service you're interested in and one that has growth potential. As you are making sales, think of the bigger picture ... the target buyer, the known competitors, why customers buy, etc.

Good advice above. But your question reminds me of the following:

A golf instructor priced lessons as follows: 10 lessons for $500. One lesson for $2000. His reason: if people want a miracle, they should be prepared to pay for one.

I can't write everything you need to know in this little itty-bitty box. I would suggest that you read, read, read. I would also encourage you to actively participate in this forum. I have not only learned many things here, but over the years I have met experts with specialized knowledge are willing to share that knowledge and point me in the right direction.

Regarding considering a sales position: I think that is good advice.In my career, I have alternated between sales and marketing positions. I have made more money in the sales positions, and the experiences help me understand the types of tools that salespeople need.

Regarding which books to read, I would suggest a mixture of currently popular authors and time-tested classics. If I were you, I would read a minimum of one book per month, and preferably one book per week. Good luck.

Many people start with some form of marketing education, such as a degree or certificate in marketing. This provides the basics of marketing in a formal education format ensuring you are exposed to the basics.

But this is not always needed. Others go into marketing after working in other areas, and their natural skills and what they can learn on their own works for them. Sales was mentioned as a possible route, as it lets you learn a lot about the customers and to see marketing in action (though I personally don;t like sales as an entry, but went the education route myself). For technology products, marketers often come from technical/engineering backgrounds.

Couple of things:

1. Which is it? Are you going to start? Or are you going to become? Pick one.

2. Initially, I suggest you go back over the last eight years or so in this forum and read every question and answer by every top ten contributor.