Image Source: (Growthnation.com, 2014)
BUS 306 Marketing has been one of the most difficult classes I have taken in awhile. In addition to becoming very familiar with the concepts of marketing, I was also tasked with exercising those concepts to create something tangible, and then presenting my final product to an audience of “potential investors.” There are many things I have learned and changed about myself this semester because of the time I have spent in BUS 306.
The first thing that changed for me in BUS 306 Marketing was my conception of marketing and the functions that it serves. Before I began this class, I assumed marketing was about fabricating products, advertising products, and becoming more comfortable with speaking in front of people. While these were certainly areas that were covered in this course, they represent only a very small portion of the knowledge required to fully understand the importance of marketing in business. Through the textbook, quizzes, essay assignments, and in-class lectures my knowledge of marketing expanding from an incorrect preconception to a full understanding of marketing concepts and how they relate. Through the final blog and market planning assignments, my knowledge of marketing concepts was tested and I was tasked with producing real, professional results.
The next change I noticed this semester was my attitude towards marketing practices, advertisement and media in particular. Before this class, I had a general anarchic teenaged viewpoint that advertisement was only meant for rich corporations trying to subliminally persuade you into being a consumerist. One thing I learned during this course is that marketing can be effective tool for businesses both small and large. Sometimes a small business will need to rely on a good marketing program in order to garner the attention necessary to gain market success. Another thing I learned during BUS 306 is that ethical marketing practices and sustainable marketing have become very important within the last decade. The average consumer viewpoint that corporations are evil and advertise ruthlessly characterizes a time in marketing that has past. Today, more and more firms are seeing the benefit in creating ethical marketing practices and are making the change to environmentally sustainable marketing.
The final growth I experienced in BUS 306 was the growth in my abilities to lead and organize a team. When I began this semester, I considered myself a dedicated worker, a knowledgeable student, and an abhorrent leader. I knew that leading and organization were my key faults and I was hoping that I could join a team that would be able to cover for these mistakes. Instead, the team I found looked to me for leadership, in spite of how hard I had tried to avoid being in such a position. I am glad, to some extent, that I had this chance to improve my leading abilities. I know that if it had been up to me, I probably would have chalked my poor leadership skills up as a weakness and tried to move on, however this class tested me and for that I can be grateful. I feel more comfortable now going forward in my ability to lead and organize a team of people. I feel this skill will be very useful for me next year when I am in Capstone, and further on down the road when I am looking for a career. This strengthening of my leadership skills, coupled with the knowledge I have gained of making good business decisions in an ethical framework are a few of the many skills I have acquired in BUS 306 that will prepare me for a future career in business.
Chad Sorensen - Marketing Portfolio 