Marketing is an ever expanding and thriving industry in the world of business, a service that businesses have always needed to get their products into the minds of people all over the world. A career in marketing can be both exciting and lucrative, but there are so many options available that some ambitious future marketing professionals may be unsure of which direction they should choose. The key in making this difficult choice is understanding the options available and making a personal choice about which path is best for you. Learn as much as possible about the different possibilities in marketing and choose the one that best suits your personal strengths.

Among the most important fields in marketing is brand management. A great concern in marketing today is nurturing and developing a brand, as this is often what sells a product more than anything else. Great brand managers understand both their company’s image and public awareness, and they use their knowledge to develop a company’s image in a way that will make it sell. There are no small potatoes or little fish for brand managers–they focus on the big picture. The most popular brands in the world gained their status not only from product quality and customer service, but from ingenious brand management.

Advertising is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most glamorous fields in the world of marketing. As a professional in advertising, you will be charged with the development and execution of marketing strategies. Advertisers work on the conceptualization of ad campaigns from the very beginning, as well as managing accounts on the business side and buying media space for actual implementation of ad campaigns. This is a great field for both creative minds and business oriented individuals. There are a number of options available for careers in the sub-industry of advertising, so keep your eyes open for exciting opportunities.

Of course, every business needs a face–someone to talk to the people, someone with unparalleled speaking skills and a smile that reflects the spirit of their company. Public relations professionals work in the management of communications with the media, consumers, investors, and any other individuals or groups involved in company affairs. They act as spokespeople, writing press releases, pitching stories, talking to journalists, and updating investors on the company’s state of affairs. If you excel in public speaking, have an outgoing attitude, and consistently make people your friends, then a promising career in public relations could very well be the path for you.

In the world of business, information is the most valuable commodity of all. Market researchers make it their business to gather information and use it to optimize brand awareness, ad campaign success, and of course, sales. By analyzing and accounting for the consumer’s needs, market researchers become instrumental in the marketing process because they find the best ways to fit the consumer’s needs. As you move forward in your career, put your MBA in marketing to work and find your place in one of these exciting fields.