Marketing professionals maintain the company's image.
A company's marketing department serves as the face of the organization, coordinating and producing all materials representing the company. It is the marketing department's job to reach out to potential customers, investors and the community, and create an image that represents the company in a positive light. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing departments often collaborate with other divisions within the company, such as advertising, promotions, sales, product development and market research.
Produce Promotional Materials
The marketing department writes and designs promotional materials like brochures, catalogs, direct mail pieces and advertising for print media, television, radio and the Internet. It may produce these materials entirely in-house, or it may hire professional copywriters, designers, photographers or advertising consultants to handle certain aspects. The marketing department may also put together presentations for conferences and booths for trade shows and job fairs.
Media Relations
The marketing department is a liaison between the company and the media, including newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio stations, blogs and websites. The department sends press releases to these media outlets in the hopes of obtaining media coverage, or may even call reporters or bloggers to talk to them about featuring the company. The company's marketing representatives may also be the designated contact person for any journalist wanting to set up an interview with someone from the company or obtain information material for use in their story.
Conduct Market Research
Marketing departments often conduct research to evaluate customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of advertising and promotional campaigns. The department may send out surveys, organize focus groups or solicit feedback through its website or blog, or on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
Oversee Internal Communications
The marketing department may also produce informational materials for use within the company, such as employee newsletters or informational materials about policies, changes or programs at the organization. The department may also put together reports and similar materials for distribution to shareholders or investors.
Monitor Social Media
As social networking sites play a larger role in many organizations' communications strategies, many companies are assigning one or more members of their marketing department to monitor and update these accounts. In fact, just by investing an hour every other day in social media, companies can effectively engage consumers, says researcher Peter Wylie in the "Entrepreneur" article "Unleash Your Inner Guerrilla Marketer." A company's marketing representatives may search sites like Twitter for mentions of the organization, answering customer questions and addressing any concerns or problems they have. They may also keep their account updated, posting news, special offers or other items that might be of interest to their target audience.
