Marketing specialists help organizations identify the best ways to promote their products and services. This could include assisting in the development, execution and measurement of the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Below is an overview of the marketing specialist job description, qualifications, essential skills, work experience and advancement.
Job Overview: What Does a Marketing Specialist Do?
Part of the marketing specialist job description involves helping companies and brands understand what sells, and in that case, what doesn’t sell. A marketing specialist achieves this through analyzing marketing data on a local, regional, and even national level. Some things that a marketing specialist will look at to analyze marketing data include: determine what people are buying, figuring out gaps within the market, what types of people buy which products, and how much money they are willing to spend on those products that they might buy.
Additionally, a marketing specialist will analyze buying and shopping habits of individuals, analyze demographic data and look at their competitors to analyze their pricing. This will help them understand the best way to market their company’s products and help generate a profit.
Marketing Specialist Job Duties
- Collect information on consumer opinions
- Find out the performance of a company’s marketing campaigns and strategies by analyzing key performance metrics
- Gather information about the competition, consumer demographics, pricing, distributions, and other relevant information that would help a company know its position on the market
- Prepare performance reports and illustrating findings to senior management
- Work together with the creative team and staff from other departments to create useful promotional materials while adhering to brand guidelines
- Develop innovative marketing strategies and campaigns based on robust data, and communicate the recommendations to management
- Identify effective marketing and promotional channels, including the media channels to be used to deliver the product message to customers
- Create and manage a digital media strategy
- Work closely with the sales staff on executing lead generation programs and campaign execution
Marketing Specialist Job Essential Skills
Creative thinking and problem-solving skills. A marketing specialist should be able to analyze a market situation and a large pool of data when developing the best marketing strategies. He or she should also have a mindset geared toward solving business problems.
Communication skills. Excellent communication skills come in handy when interacting with internal teams and customers. They help put across valuable insights for senior management.
Interpersonal skills. The majority of the duties of marketing specialists involve working with customers and other staff. So, interpersonal skills will help build the necessary rapport with clients who can provide vital information helpful in designing strategies.
Ability to work under pressure. This field is not devoid of stress, so people who want to work in it should be prepared to keep their cool even when pressured.
Motivation to succeed in a competitive landscape. There are many people interested in becoming marketing specialists, since this is such a lucrative profession. As a result, the field is quite competitive, and you have to be motivated to succeed in it.
Job Titles of a Marketing Specialist
There may be several different titles of a marketing specialist, but they all generally mean the same thing. They just may vary based on levels of experience, supervisory title, specifications of the position, etc. Some examples are:
- Junior Marketing Specialist
- Marketing Specialist
- Marketing Specialist (Part-Time)
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Marketing Communications Specialist
Becoming a Marketing Specialist
The minimum requirement of the marketing specialist job description is a bachelor’s degree in business or a marketing management related course. Candidates with a working knowledge of marketing research, communications, and sales are more likely to secure a marketing specialist job.
Though certification is voluntary, it is necessary if a marketing specialist wants to demonstrate professional competence. On top of this, digital marketing is essential, especially now, when most businesses are conducted in the digital marketplace.
Qualifications and Training
Most employers prefer marketing professionals who have a degree in marketing, advertising, or business administration. But, if one has a background in marketing research, communications, social sciences, or multimedia, as well as experience in marketing, they will stand a better chance.
Some senior-level jobs require a master’s degree as a minimum qualification. A master’s degree is also suitable if one wants to progress in this field. Master’s courses in finance, statistics, computer science, business, law, and economics are ideal for anyone with a marketing related bachelor’s degree. For instance, statistics would help one analyze data to mine useful insights, while computer science is helpful for e-commerce or internet marketing.
Besides university degrees, there are professional exams which, though not mandatory, can elevate your professional competency. These certifications are mainly offered by professional associations such as the American Marketing Association (Professional Certified Marketer) and the Marketing Research Association. Most of these associations will certify candidates with at least two years’ experience.
In addition to the above training and certification, one also needs above average knowledge of Microsoft Office, Search Engine Optimization, social media marketing and other digital marketing strategies.
Generally, here is a good list to go by to figure out the skills and training that you may need to become a marketing specialist:
- 2-3 years experience in marketing
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field
- Proficient in Google Analytics or other web analysis tools
- Strong organization and prioritization skills
- Detail-oriented
- Strong understanding of Microsoft Office
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Excellent communication skills
- Strong analytical skills
- Comfortable with presenting
Working Experience
To be a marketing specialist, one needs different qualifications and some level of experience. Most employers prefer candidates with at least two years’ experience in marketing or sales. New graduates can take up internships, especially in a marketing or sales department, to improve their profiles.
This practical experience will build one’s foundation and provide them with an understanding of the intricacies of marketing in a commercial setting. One can also start out with other marketing related roles such as marketing assistant or research assistant to gain experience.
Working Hours
Most marketing specialists work on a full-time basis. More than 40% of them work for over 40 hours a week. So, it is typical for a marketing specialist to work on weekends or past normal working hours in order to meet deadlines.
Generally, marketing specialists work both in a team environment and individually. The team might include sales representatives, creative professionals, market analysts, and more. Since their work has a direct impact on the company’s revenue, their job might involve working with top company executives. In addition to this, they may also travel to meet with customers, partners, and other company representatives.
Job Outlook & Advancement Opportunities
The job market outlook for advertising, marketing, and promotion professionals is expected to grow at a minimum rate of 9% from 2014 to 2024. The growth is mainly driven by the need for informed marketing and creative marketing methods. Today, companies put more emphasis on research on consumers, competitors, operating landscape and performance of marketing strategies. The rise is also attributed to the continued importance of marketing or promotional campaigns for organizations, as they seek to expand their market share.
The rising influence of the internet, specifically electronic media, will create new and better-paying opportunities for marketing specialists with digital marketing skills. The use of the internet means that organizations can scale up their campaigns to the worldwide market, which requires more customized marketing strategies. So, a marketing specialist with relevant skills and experience will continue to be in demand as companies look for ways of marketing their products or services to a unique set of consumers in different places.
Sample Marketing Specialist Job Description
Looking to put together a job posting or job description for a marketing specialist for your company? Here is a handy template to go off of.
Job Description
[Company] is a fast-growing [industry] company relying on market research and consumer understanding. We are seeking an experienced marketing professional to join our expanding team. Ideally, this candidate will translate data accurately and heavily research marketing plans that will involve our branding and campaigns. You should feel comfortable doing a heavy amount of research, as well as working with consumers and the rest of our team to ensure we collect accurate and informative data.
Role Objectives
- Develop a thorough understanding of our brand and products
- Develop strategies aimed at increasing communication and brand awareness
- Analyze data to determine buying trends
- Document findings
- Assist with marketing campaigns, produce content for marketing projects and presentations
- Analyze all marketing materials
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Comfortable with presenting
- Experience with marketing — 2+ years
- Working knowledge of product research
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Analytics
- Experience in leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing projects
- HTML and Adobe Acrobat proficient
Our Final Thoughts: Marketing Specialist Job Description
The job prospects are suitable for anyone who intends to become a marketing specialist. Demand for marketing specialists has been on the rise over the last few years and it is expected to continue the same trend in the future. This might, however, attract the attention of more candidates which, in turn, might create competition.
In general, according to the marketing specialist job description, marketing specialists with relevant skills, qualifications and job experience will remain desirable for potential employers.
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