Author Bio:
Shikha Bhatt (An alumnus of IIM Visakhapatnam and Creative Marketer working with technology-based products.)
MA: Shikha, how did this journey begin? Were you always inclined towards the role of a creative marketer?
Shikha: Frankly when I arrived at IIM V, I did not know what
my field of interest would be. In the beginning, I was quite interested in
operations management. It was only in 2nd term, when I studied consumer
behavior, that I got into marketing. My professors have a huge role in
sparking my interest in the field. As I continued to take more subjects in this
field, I became confident that I want to pursue this as my career.
MA: Did the things you learned in your b school helped you in your professional life? How are things taught at b school different from actual work environment?
Shikha: Of course, the courses and electives taken in B school is something that was very important to understand the basics and to open your mind as to how to think in this direction. Our classes were dotted with real-life case studies and group project work which taught us to work as a team. Classes were never one was lecture monologue but discussions among the students and profs.
The actual work environment is different for sure. There
is no one to hold your hand and there are major responsibilities and
accountability. I feel that learning is immense when you actually apply the
concepts in real-life scenarios. It’s a place where not everything goes
textbook-concept style. You have pivot constantly in your strategy to fit the
situation. But you can only learn those concepts and applications in a B school.
So, B school is the foundation for professional life and prepares you for
it.
MA: Can you give more insights into your job role? What does one require to have in themselves to secure a job in this field?
Shikha: I work as a Marketing Manager for a product Innovation-focussed Technology Company in Bengaluru. My topmost priority job at the moment is to structure & lead the go-to-market strategy for an exciting product in the market. This includes Market research, Product feature Designing, Gap-Analysis, Pricing Strategy, Go to market strategy, and Digital marketing.
I believe, there is no one mantra for a secure job in this field. Adaptability and the ability to understand the customer’s frame of mind and, the speed of the response is prime. While making such a strategy, we have to conceptualize every possible scenario in the entire customer journey map, however small, and be prepared for it.
MA: Any specific quality or skill that can make you stand out in this field?
Shikha: Well, there is no end of the skills that you can
acquire in this field, but from my experience most important skill - Listen to the customers, beyond what they are saying.
MA: What are the new trends in this industry? And how does the future look like?
Shikha: Well, the future certainly looks digitally inclined and is expected to be fulfilling for everyone.
- Increased Focus on Omni-Channel marketing
- Wide Information Availability
- Connected World and Single Source of Truth
(Blockchain? :P)
- Influencing Customer will get difficult
- Marketing Teams coordinate better with Insights and Information from other Function in an Organisation.
As of, “How the Future looks like?”, I would like to believe, that the future is already
happening!
MA: Any advice for the B school students who want to make a career in this field?
Shikha: Please read.
Keep yourself updated with the latest happening in the industry, what are
companies doing to market their products, and how they are thinking one step
ahead of their consumers. That directs the future strategy of product
development as well. But most importantly, go for the role of your interest and be
ready to learn.
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