The economy in Northeast China is experiencing something of a resurgence, as companies are recruiting more people, expanding existing operations, and establishing new businesses.

This is great news for those looking to enter the workforce in this part of China, which has one of the best economic climates in the country. Students can earn a decent living from day one, with average starting salaries around £20k plus benefits.

This is a highly attractive proposition, especially as some of the region’s most reputable universities now offer an excellent online marketing degree, which is open to applicants around the world. Students can enrol on the course and graduate with a professional degree within six months. In fact, with average tuition fees of around £500 a year, the total potential cost of earning a degree is only around £1100.

What Is Marketing And Why Do You Need To Learn About It?

The purpose of Marketing is to attract, retain, and motivate customers to purchase your products and services. In simpler terms, it’s about getting people to think about you and your offerings, and then acting on that initial interest. If you’re new to the field, you’ll probably wonder what sets professional marketers apart from the rest of us internet marketers, affiliate marketers, and social media enthusiasts.

The answer is a combination of both. First, let’s discuss what sets professional marketers apart:

Attention To Detail

Attention to detail is the key to a successful marketing strategy. Your audience is only going to give you so much attention, so you need to make sure that whatever you do, it’s going to be done well. To give you an idea of how much attention your marketing material needs to capture, the average person now spends 4 hours and 45 minutes each day consuming media, according to HubSpot.

Your attention to detail starts with the content you create and continues through to the packaging, design, and delivery of that content. Everything from your website to your social media accounts needs to reflect your brand values and embody your vision for the business. When done well, detailed marketing can be very effective, bringing in customers that would have never considered buying your product or service.

Creative Thinking

As we’ve established, attention to detail is important, but so is having a creative mind. It’s no coincidence that Google, Apple, and Amazon are some of the largest companies in the world, and some of the most innovative and creative industries out there. Designing, producing, and disseminating creative content, such as infographics, videos, and podcasts, allows you to reach potential customers where they are, engaging with them to build a relationship, and eventually gain their trust. In turn, this means you can ultimately sell them what you’ve got to offer. If you can demonstrate to them that you think creatively, and can come up with unique ideas to promote what they want, then they’re more likely to believe in your offering and become a customer or partner of your business.

Analytical Thinking

The ability to think critically and analytically is essential to being a successful marketer. Essentially, you need to be able to break down each step of the marketing process and determine which part is working and which part needs to be adjusted. To that end, you’ll be using tools such as Google Analytics and Hootsuite to examine the strengths and weaknesses of your current marketing strategy, and then use that analysis to formulate a more effective approach.

The Role Of Technology In The Future Of Marketing

Above all else, the role of technology in the future of marketing is going to be in facilitating and automating some of the tasks that today’s marketers do. From real-time bidding to programmatic advertising, targeted content to digital marketing analytics, and social listening to social media management, technology is going to play a key role in the way we interact with customers and one another online.

With the right tools, software, and training, today’s marketers can take on huge responsibility, using automated email campaigns, landing pages, and websites to gain customers and grow a business. Using tools like Google Docs, Marketo, HubSpot, and Salesforce, among others, a marketer can build automated email campaigns, landing pages, and digital stores, and gain full oversight of their performance, all while maintaining a pulse on the pulse of their industry.

A common question students ask when pursuing an online marketing degree is if a degree is required to be a successful marketer. And the answer is an emphatic no. Earning a degree is neither necessary nor sufficient for being a marketer. What’s necessary is the talent and determination to become one.