Why a Marketing Certificate is a Great Investment in Your Future!

"Marketing is a core part of anything you do." — Keith Belling

Defining Marketing vs. Advertising

Marketing, as a concept, informs every aspect of what we do in life, from our attitudes to our actions. It is so ever-present that we often don’t give it much thought. Or, if we do think about it, we often narrow its meaning to our concept of advertising. In fact, people often assume that marketing and advertising are equivalent terms. Therefore, it is important to first clarify the difference between marketing and advertising before discussing how important an understanding of marketing can be for anybody who works for a living, regardless of their job title.

An article in businessballs.com summarizes the difference between marketing and advertising:

Marketing and advertising are different.
Marketing is an extremely broad area that includes advertising, not vice-versa. Marketing also includes PR, online presence/activities, customer service, selling/sales admin (methods and structure/strategy), branding, exhibitions, sponsorship, new product development, merchandising, surveys and market research, political lobbying, and even extends to ethos, culture, training, and organizational constitutional issues, since all this affects the image and trading style of an organization or product/service provider. 
Advertising is far more specific than marketing; advertising is a function of marketing, and basically encompasses methods of communication with audience designed to produce sales inquiries, and/or improve awareness/perceptions of product/brand/organization…Advertising (when properly executed) is the statistically driven and measurable implementation of marketing strategy, via carefully selected communications methods, targeted at predetermined audiences. Advertising is one of several instruments/means by which marketing operates. We might also regard advertising as one means of tactical implementation of the strategic aims of marketing.

Today’s Marketing Builds Lasting Relationships

An article in hbr.org further clarifies the goal of a marketing strategy:

Marketing today is not a function; it is a way of doing business. Marketing is not a new ad campaign or this month’s promotion. Marketing has to be all-pervasive, part of everyone’s job description, from the receptionists to the board of directors. Its job is neither to fool the customer nor to falsify the company’s image. It is to integrate the customer into the design of the product and to design a systematic process for interaction that will create substance in the relationship.

In other words, marketing should be about building relationships, not just selling products.

So, it seems like understanding marketing is paramount to most things we all do in today’s fast-paced and changing world. And, you can see how marketing needs to be part of everyone’s job description – including your own. But, how do you find out more? How do you foster your knowledge of marketing and make it work for you? How do you give yourself an advantage in business today? One answer might be to earn a marketing certificate.

The Benefits of a Marketing Certificate

At California Coast University, our marketing certificates are designed to be flexible, time efficient, and a short route to acquiring a body of knowledge in the field of marketing including:

• A greater understanding of what motivates others.
• An increased ability to communicate effectively.
• A greater awareness of how to present yourself to others.
• The potential to broaden your career path.
• A competitive edge.
• The ability to apply your certificate toward a degree program.

Earning A Marketing Certificate From CCU

To explore how a marketing certificate from CCU might help you, let’s take a closer look at the programs.

First, CCU offers an undergraduate certificate program in the Fundamentals of Marketing. This program is designed to assist students in developing skills that will allow them to understand modern marketing practices and apply the techniques they learn to their profession. Students will be introduced to a variety of theories related to marketing such as consumer behavior, advertising, promotions, and marketing management. Courses include:

• MKT 102 Introduction to Marketing
• MKT 230 Consumer Behavior
• MKT 310 Advertising and Promotions
• MKT 333 Marketing Management

The Graduate Certificate Program

The graduate certificate program in Marketing Studies is designed for the student who already has a bachelor’s degree who wants to learn more about the field of marketing. Students in this program will learn the fundamental concepts of marketing and how to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios. Students will complete courses in marketing and sales management, as well as, global and value marketing. To earn the graduate certificate, students complete the following courses:

• BAM 511 Marketing Management
• MKT 512 Sales Management
• MKT 542 Global Marketing
• MKT 552 Value Marketing

Is a Certificate in Marketing in Your Future?

As we’ve seen, marketing today is an integral part of all aspects of doing business. In both certificate programs offered at California Coast University, you will learn new concepts and apply them to business interactions and gain an understanding of what motivates people and how that understanding might help you in your career. In turn, you will develop a knowledge base to help you make viable and valuable contributions to your organization!

If you find the field of marketing to be an exciting one and one that is about building relationships, not just selling products, we encourage you to contact CCU to explore one of our certificate in marketing programs.