Marketing Manager Review

I look after the marketing for S J Dixon & Son Ltd, a wallpaper and decorating sundries wholesaler and online retailer in the West Midlands. This involves the marketing for their two websites; Beautiful Walls and Decorating Supplies Direct, and also the marketing for the wholesale side of the company. I take care of email marketing, social media, google ads and SEO as well as customer service and some traditional marketing.

I have both developed existing skills and learnt new ones doing this job and during my apprenticeship. I had some previous experience with customer service and using social media for business but have learnt more about email marketing, advertising with Google and the benefits of SEO. I have also learnt more about ecommerce.

My programme was enjoyable and challenging. It was enjoyable learning new skills and learning to use new new resources such as Canva, Mailchimp, Hootsuite and more. It was also enjoyable getting to hear about the other apprentices different roles and how they use marketing skills differently in their job role.

My programme was very well organised despite some issues with tutors leaving half way through the programme. I had a good understanding of what was expected of me during the programme and how this could be achieved through exams and through my projects. Revision for exams and preparation for the projects was well structured.

My employer was quite supportive during my apprenticeship, they allowed me time out of my day to day duties to complete any apprenticeship tasks and were supportive when it came to exams and projects. I struggled slightly because there is no-one within my company with any marketing experience for me to ask questions of, so I relied quite heavily on the course material.

My training provider was very supportive whilst I was working toward my qualifications. They provided all the necessary materials for exam revision and project preparation and they were also supportive with any questions I had. Apart from the slight issue with my tutors I felt very supported by my training provider.

The qualification has provided me with knowledge and skills that I would have had to learn and develop independently which would have taken much longer. It helped me develop a better understanding of social media and how it can be used to generate interaction and sales and also other skills like email marketing.

My company exhibits at an Interior Design trade show three times a year and have asked me to work on the stand. Here we get to meet other similar companies and also customers and get a better understanding of who we are targeting with our marketing efforts and how we can improve.

Yes

The company provided me with knowledge and skills that I otherwise would not have gained. It allowed me to expand on my previous skills and develop new ones that are beneficial in my day to day duties. It also gave me insights into how others use marketing and how different types of marketing are useful.

Tips and advice i would give would be to show initiative, to go above and beyond the task given to highlight skills and knowledge. I would also advise to be well organised and prepared for the role and tasks. Good communication between the different members of the team is also useful.