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The Marketing Director manages all elements of a company’s marketing activities with the goal of generating leads and increasing sales. To become a marketing director, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or another business-related field. Individuals interested in continuing education may also consider an MBA or other certification. If you have both creative and analytical skills, becoming a marketing director may be a great career choice for you.
What does a marketing director do?
When researching marketing director careers, it’s not uncommon for job responsibilities to overlap between marketing directors and marketing managers. The terms marketing manager and marketing director are often used interchangeably. While these roles may have similar responsibilities in some cases, there may be significant differences between the two roles at some companies. Responsibilities of a Marketing Director or Manager may include:
- Use research-based data to develop marketing campaigns and strategies to attract customers and generate leads
- Determine potential markets for the company’s products
- Guide the work flow of marketing department personnel
- Work with other managers and employees on issues such as budgets, contracts, and marketing plans
- Generate marketing reports
- Develop a marketing plan for new products or services
- Collaborate with Sales, Public Relations and Product Development
A marketing director is a senior executive who typically oversees all aspects of a company’s marketing activities. Depending on the size of the company, this may include different levels of responsibility.
In larger companies, a marketing director may supervise a marketing manager, who handles some or many of the day-to-day responsibilities listed above.
In very large companies or businesses, a marketing director may be responsible for performing hierarchical tasks, such as overseeing multiple mid-level marketing managers.
Small companies typically have fewer employees, which may mean that a marketing manager may be responsible for day-to-day marketing activities and have an executive-level role like a marketing director.
Marketing Director Job Outlook
Job prospects for marketing directors and managers are excellent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in marketing management positions is expected to increase by 7% from 2022 to 2032, with approximately 34,000 openings in marketing, advertising and promotions management positions.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing managers will earn a median annual salary of $140,000 by 2022. This salary is well above the median wage for all workers of $46,310.
Key Skills of a Marketing Director
As you work toward becoming a Marketing Director, you’ll develop important skills through education and work experience. Top skills for a marketing director include:
- communication skills
- creative skills
- Analytical and research skills
- Strategic thinking and decision-making skills
- interpersonal communication skills
- Organizational skills
Steps to Become a Marketing Director
Obtain a bachelor’s degree
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or another business-related field to become a marketing director. Earning a bachelor’s degree will help you gain important knowledge in the areas of leadership, marketing, interpersonal relationships, and communication.
Cumulative experience
A marketing director is far from an entry-level position. You will need relevant work and management experience to achieve your goals. Marketing directors typically gain experience by working in advertising, sales promotions, or other common marketing careers.
Consider pursuing an MBA
Most marketing director positions do not require an MBA, but it is common for those who want to advance to higher-level management positions, such as vice president of marketing. A master’s degree in marketing delves into ethics, statistics, strategy, and business management.
View additional certifications
If you want to increase your marketing knowledge, you may want to consider a certification program. There are many certification programs for marketing professionals available online from universities and professional organizations across the country. Here are some factors to consider:
American Marketing Association (AMA) and Digital Marketing Institute (DMI)
AMA’s Certified Professional Marketer® courses will help you improve your knowledge in one of two distinct areas of study. PCM in marketing management focuses on topics such as marketing strategy, customer behavior, data analysis, and product positioning. PCM in content marketing covers topics such as lead generation, storytelling, editorial calendar design, metrics and measurement.
American Marketing Association
AMA’s Certified Professional Marketer program will help you improve your knowledge in one of two distinct areas of study. The PCM Marketing Management certification focuses on topics such as marketing strategy, customer behavior, data analysis, and product positioning. The PCM content marketing certification covers topics such as lead generation, storytelling, editorial calendar design, metrics and measurement.
Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP)
Applicants for the OMCP® Digital Marketing Certification must have extensive experience to be accepted into the program. Participants require 5,000 hours of related work, which they can reduce by completing a degree or boot camp. Topics covered include content marketing, conversion rate optimization, email marketing, social media marketing, digital analytics, pay-per-click marketing (PPC) and SEO.
Google Digital Garage
The Google Digital Marketing Fundamentals Certification is a free certification that includes 26 modules covering dozens of topics such as building your online presence, planning your online business strategy, social media promotion and building an online store.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long does it take to become a marketing director?
There is no set amount of time required to become a marketing director, but you should spend at least a few years earning a bachelor’s degree and working in the marketing field before taking on the role.
What skills do you need to become a marketing director?
In addition to excellent communication, creative, analytical, research, interpersonal, organizational and strategic thinking skills, marketing directors need a thorough understanding of all aspects of marketing.
Are marketing directors and managers welcome?
Yes, demand for management-level marketers is expected to increase 7% from 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Companies will continue to need marketing professionals to manage marketing campaigns, develop pricing strategies and generate new sales leads. Marketing directors and managers will continue to play a vital role in handling these activities.
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