Chats With Sonal💭

By Sonal, a brand-new marketing grad—armed with a degree and too many open tabs

When I told people I was pursuing a Master’s in Marketing, the responses were pretty predictable.

“Oh, so you want to work in advertising?”
“You must be really creative!”
“Marketing is just posting on social media, right?”

At first, I nodded along. Honestly? I wasn’t entirely sure what marketing really was either. After four semesters, countless assignments, and group projects, I’ve learned a lot. Deep dives into customer behavior have shown me that marketing is way more complicated. It is also way more human than I ever imagined.

Here are a few truths I learned—some the hard way—that no one quite prepared me for.

Marketing Is More Strategy, Less Aesthetics

If you’re picturing mood boards and color palettes… yes, those things matter. But before the visuals come the why, who, and how. I used to think the creative part led everything. Yet, it turns out the questions you ask before a campaign are what shape its success.

Who’s the audience?
What do they need, not just want?
What problem are we solving for them?

Once you start thinking this way, you realize that good marketing is never about “selling” to everyone. It’s about making one person feel, this is for me.

You Won’t Always Get It Right—And That’s the Whole Point

In my recent project, PawPal—a health-tracking collar for dogs with an integrated app—we thought we nailed the features. The project included GPS. It also featured biometric tracking and real-time alerts.

But after surveying real dog owners, we discovered key concerns. Many questioned the collar’s fit across breeds or how anxious pets will react. Others suggested helpful features like vet reminders or breed-specific health alerts—things we hadn’t considered.

It was a clear lesson: what we assume isn’t always what the user needs.
Marketing isn’t about getting it right on the first try—it’s about listening, learning, and improving.

Data Isn’t Scary—It’s Your Best Friend

Coming into this program, I was nervous about anything involving spreadsheets or analytics. But once I started using tools like Google Analytics and Power BI, I realized that data tells a story.

It’s not about crunching numbers—it’s about finding patterns. Why are users bouncing from this page? Which campaign brought in actual leads? How did changing the CTA increase clicks?

The numbers aren’t the end—they’re the beginning of better decisions.

The Most Underrated Skill? Listening.

We often focus so much on what we say as marketers—our slogans, pitches, captions—that we forget the value of listening.

In one class, we had to create a campaign for a product by interviewing potential customers first. That changed everything. Hearing real pain points, habits, and frustrations helped us build something real instead of guessing in a vacuum.

Marketing is a conversation. The best marketers are the best listeners.

A Note to My Fellow Students

If you’re in school, overwhelmed with deadlines, worried about the job hunt, or questioning if you’re “cut out” for this—breathe. You’re learning. You’re showing up. That counts.

Start small. Write that blog. Make a campaign for your favorite cafe. Volunteer to help a friend’s small business. Everything is practice. Everything adds up.

Marketing isn’t just a job—it’s a mindset. And you’re already on your way.