Lawyers Finding Jobs in the Marketing Industry

This area is the cornerstone upon which the company bases its whole existence. Without the sale of its products or services, the very reason for the existence of the company, profits, disappears.

The marketing strategy used will vary widely depending upon whether the customer is individual, corporate or governmental, the cost of the product or service, and even such factors as geography (snowmobiles don't sell well in the South). Nevertheless, all marketing involves several basic functions.


The first of these is analyzing the market. Who are the customers for the company's products or services? Are there other consumers, not yet identified, for whom the company's products or services might be useful or desirable? What are the customer's specific needs and how do the company's products or services meet that need? Answers to these and related questions must be developed.

The next step is to decide upon the best approach or approaches to both the present and potential market. This may involve a study of competitor strategies, keeping aware of new developments within the company that may be of interest to the customer, developing a media advertising program or close contacts with key personnel in the offices of potential customers.

The third and final step is developing and monitoring staff support for the strategy or strategies decided upon. This may involve employing an advertising agency, development of a field sales force and sales training programs.

Until very recently, only a handful of lawyers had chosen to work in the marketing area, possibly because of an over-simplified idea of the responsibilities involved. Now, however, many companies are eagerly seeking legally trained persons for this area in an effort to avoid antitrust or regulatory compliance problems. One recent illustration may serve to indicate the reasons for this new attitude.

An advertising agency contracted with a Federal department to produce some films, a type of account they had not had previously. Industry custom and union contracts dictated that those involved in the filming would be flown to the site first class. However, the government contract specified that first-class air travel was permitted only in highly exceptional circumstances. The conflict was not noted and upon the completion of the assignment, the advertising agency billed the government department in line with its customary commercial account practice. It took more than a year to get the matter straightened out. A legally trained account executive might well be expected to be alert to a potential conflict, such as this, so that the problem could have been cleared before it developed.

To know more about the numerous marketing jobs available right now, go to www.marketingcrossing.com.