Description
The Marketing & Sales Career Cluster focuses on promoting products, understanding consumer needs, engaging with communities, and driving sales. It integrates digital marketing, data analysis, brand promotion, customer relationship management, strategic communications, human-centered design, and retail strategies to build strong customer connections and support business growth. This Cluster is essential in all industries for creating value, effectively reaching and engaging target audiences, and achieving commercial success in a competitive marketplace.
This Career Cluster is a Cross-Cutting Cluster as the skills gained through this Career Cluster are applicable across all Career Clusters.
Sub-Clusters
MARKET RESEARCH, ANALYTICS, & ETHICS
Careers focused on gathering, analyzing, and interpreting market data and consumer behaviors to inform strategic decisions and enhance business relationships. Professionals in this field use data analysis to understand market trends, competition, and customer interactions. This field aims to optimize customer retention and drive sales growth through informed strategies while maintaining awareness of ethical advertising practices, particularly those affecting the health and financial well-being of underserved populations.
Example Programs of Study
Marketing Research
Social Media & Analytics
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Careers focused on using digital technologies and traditional strategies to promote products and services to engage customers and maintain brand identity. This Sub-Cluster includes leveraging online platforms, social media, and email marketing to communicate with audiences digitally. Professionals in this field design and manage brand advertising campaigns and promotions to enhance brand image and market position.
Example Programs of Study
Marketing
Marketing Management
RETAIL & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Careers focused on the essentials of retail operations and the delivery of outstanding customer experiences. This Sub-Cluster covers both physical and online store management, visual merchandising, inventory strategies, and customer service enhancement. Professionals in this field are prepared to drive retail success and customer satisfaction by creating engaging and personalized shopping experiences and enhance customer protection by educating consumers on correct product usage and unfair practices in the marketplace.
Example Programs of Study
Merchandising
STRATEGIC SALES
Careers that help businesses grow and achieve goals. This field covers setting targets, refining sales processes, leading teams, and prioritizing excellent customer service in direct sales. Professionals in this field specialize in business development, partnership building, and customer engagement, adapting to the dynamic demands of today’s marketplace.
Example Programs of Study
Business Communications
The career information and data on this page incorporates information from Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work, O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.