Marketing directors are in charge of a company’s marketing efforts and strategies. The job’s focus may largely be concerned with market segments, overall groups of consumers who are defined by a common interest, income, age, ethnicity, or other factors. Marketing directors ultimately seek to discover which of those market segments would buy their organization’s products or services and how to best present those products and services to the selected target market.
Most marketing director postions require a degree in marketing or a related field. These credentials can greatly enhance a marketer’s career prospects and lead to a higher starting salary and great employment opportunities. Check out the programs below which offer free information to prospective students:
Associate – Marketing and Sales by Rasmussen College
B.S. in Business Administration – Marketing by Kaplan University
Bachelor of Science in Business / Marketing by University of Phoenix
Marketing Director Job Responsibilities
Marketing directors promote the company’s products and services by working closely with advertising and other marketing managers who report directly to them. Others who may report to the marketing director are market research managers and product development managers. Overall, the marketing director is responsible for estimating the demand for the corporation’s products and services and discovering new market segments that would be interested in buying from the company. The job may also include the need to develop a strategy for product pricing based on the market demand and similar products offered by competitors. They keep an eye on trends that indicate a need for emerging products and services and oversee new product development.
This position typically works in close proximity to other directors and top-level executives. There also tends to be a lot of pressure to meet deadlines and goals, so marketing directors are often required to work long hours. More than 80% of marketing directors report working more than 40 hours a week. Considerable travel may be necessary in order to attend meetings with others in the field or to conduct research into emerging market trends.
Marketing Director Training and Education Requirements
Due to the level of prestige, pay, and responsibility, there tends to be considerable competition for these highly sought-after jobs. Most positions require a marketing or business-related degree. At minimum, a bachelor’s degree is required. However, most positions are awarded to those with a master’s degree or higher. Due to the high visibility and importance of this position, marketing directors are often strong candidates for higher executive positions.
The formal education required may vary based on the industry of the company. Most employers require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Although degrees in business are common, other courses of study may include finance, accounting, economics, business law, management, statistics, and mathematics. In technology-related industries, like electronics manufacturing, it is common to find marketing directors with an undergraduate degree in engineering combined with a master’s in business administration.
Most marketing director positions are hired from within the company via promotions of those with a competitive level of experience and performance. Due to the marketing director’s and other marketing manager’s level of responsibility, advancement is typically strong with a record of performance and familiarity with the company’s business practices and goals.
Computer skills are often required in order to oversee record-keeping, statistical analysis, and data management. Familiarity with the internet is becoming more important because more promotions and advertising are beginning to take use of the emerging medium. Communication skills are also a vital element to success. The ability to persuade others is central to the position’s nature, both inside and outside the company.
Marketing Director Salary and Wages
The salaries for marketing directors can vary widely. Some may make upper six-figure salaries with extensive corporate benefits packages. However, the median salary for the position is just over $138,000 a year. Industries in technology sectors, such as computer systems and manufacturing, tend to earn slightly higher salaries than other industries due to the level of knowledge required and a smaller supply of qualified applicants. Benefits packages include health insurance, paid vacations, retirement plans, and may include corporate perks such as expense accounts and use of company vehicles.
Although marketing directors are often significantly rewarded with bonuses based on the sales growth of the company, it can also work the other way. Because marketing directors are responsible for sales growth and there can be an unpredictable impact from new marketing efforts, marketing directors must deal with the reality that a lack of financial results may lead to a short tenure in the position.
Marketing Director Certifications
These high profile positions don’t have one specific program of certification. However, certification in industry-related skills may be a competitive advantage for applicants, especially those industries in technology. The level of those seeking certification is projected to increase. Advancement can also be accelerated via management training programs offered by larger corporations. Other companies may provide employees with opportunities and reimbursement for continuing education, in-house or at nearby colleges and universities. They may also encourage attendance in seminars and conferences held by professional societies.
Marketing Director Professional Associations
The American Marketing Association (AMA) is a general marketing organization. There are numerous associations that specialize in particular areas of marketing. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) specializes in marketing that can directly measure consumer response. The Business Marketing Association (BMA) has a focus on businesses that market to other businesses. Other associations include the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), the Internet Marketing Association (IMA), and the Promotion Marketing Association (PMA). In general, the trend in marketing tends to revolve around joining associations with a particular specialty.
