Description

Industrial marketing involves the planning, sale, and service of products used for commercial or business purposes. These products may be simple, familiar products like office supplies or complex products such as computer systems, machine tools and commercial aircraft. Industrial products for purposes of study are usually categorized into supplies, capital equipment, installations, raw materials, and component parts. 

Some industrial products are purchased on a new or one-time purchase basis, but most are purchased on a modified or straight re-buy basis from one of several acceptable suppliers. This is done to get an assured source of supply at the most favorable prices the competitive process offers.  Therefore, the buying/selling process involves knowing supplier capabilities as well as buyer needs.  Building relationships with customers is essential. 

Industrial marketing requires the ability to understand the customers’ requirements, and to propose the purchase of a product that best fits the customer's needs.  In this type of endeavor, the marketing person often acts as a consultant to buyers, to assist them in determining the most suitable products for their needs. The successful industrial marketing person (B2B) is self-reliant and able to present the product line to the customer in the most favorable light.

Career Opportunities

There are many industrial marketing positions with leading companies. Only a few of these companies actively recruit on college campuses. They often seek people who know the industry and hire those with experience. Therefore, students seeking a career in industrial marketing should be prepared to search out job opportunities on their own, as well as interview on campus.  An excellent source of information on available opportunities is the "positions available" section of the Times and Wall Street Journal, as well as your local newspaper.

Entry Level Positions

The following are the most common entry-level positions:

• Sales representative

• Market research administrator

• Assistant product manager

• Pricing administrator

• Product administrator

• Assistant marketing manager

• Sales administrator

• Assistant sales manager

• Sales service administrator

Required Personal Qualities

Most industrial marketing activities involve a continuing relationship between supplier and customer. In this circumstance, the selling relationship is not really selling as it is commonly thought of, but one of maintaining and enhancing an on-going business relationship. This means that the industrial marketing person must be able to serve the needs of a wide variety of industrial and commercial customers on a continuing basis. The requirements for a successful career in industrial marketing are that a person be energetic, self-motivated, and knowledgeable about products and customers who buy the products. Thus, good basic work habits, the ability to acquire product and industry knowledge, and human relations skills are important.

Academic Preparation

Many jobs in industrial and commercial marketing require broad knowledge rather than specific or narrow technical knowledge. Therefore, a broad background of subjects is generally better than concentrating on just one area. A technical degree may be important or even required in high tech areas; however, many industrial marketing positions do not have this requirement.  A good foundation in marketing fundamentals is essential.  A course in Personal Selling and a course in Marketing Strategy are also very helpful in that they provide the knowledge and background that will shorten the learning time required to become proficient in an industrial marketing position. As in any business career, there is no substitute for good skills in accounting, finance, personal relations and written and oral communications.