Technical marketing managers are high level marketing professionals who sell products such as hardware, software, and information systems. Like most marketing managers, these professionals are responsible for gathering and applying market research to their marketing strategies, guiding various marketing departments, such as graphic design, web design, and media communications, and conveying messages about company image to employees, clients, and media contacts. Unlike other marketing specialists, however, technical marketing managers must have a strong technical understanding of software and hardware, including a knowledge of trends and developments in these industries and how they are applied to real world scenarios.
To become a technical marketing manager, it is essential to earn a degree in a field such as computer science or computer engineering, as well as a graduate degree if you plan on moving into senior management positions. Anyone person who wants to become a technical marketing manager also should acquire a strong understanding of how products are marketed and how to communicate with the public about software features and benefits. This might require formal education in fields such as marketing or journalism.
In order to become a technical marketing manager, it is important that you earn a degree in a field such as computer science so you can learn the basics of computer programming and network architecture. It also is important, however, that you get some background in marketing, particularly when it comes to gathering and analyzing market research. Many people take courses in subjects such as data mining and statistical analysis. It also is common for aspiring technical marketing managers to take courses in business writing, since it is essential to be able to communicate complex ideas in clear, concise language that can be understood by those who do not have highly technical knowledge.
A person who wants to become a technical marketing manager has to become familiar with contemporary markets and competitor strategies and products. Many technical marketing managers accomplish this by joining professional organizations that allow them to network with others in their fields and to attend trade shows where they observe new devices and programs and even test out some new software. It is common for these organizations to offer eligibility for certification to software industry professionals who have been in the field for a number of years.
An individual who wants to become a technical marketing manager should spend the first years of his or her career learning about how computer products are developed, marketed and released. It is important to pay attention to how products are marketed to specific demographics and how key features are determined based on needs in a market. A good technical marketing manager understands why certain products fail and why others succeed.