Career Definition of a Marketing Support Specialist
Marketing support specialists perform tasks that are related to marketing and promoting products. Their specific duties may vary depending on the company they work for, but it's typical for them to be involved in producing written and visual content that will be presented on flyers or other printed materials. They may also be involved in producing website content or online promotional materials. Some marketing support specialists may also upload that content.
In some cases, marketing support specialists may be responsible for arranging for photographs to be taken or producing other visual materials that can be used for marketing purposes. They may distribute promotional materials via email or may be responsible for uploading materials to a Cloud or another type of storage system so that sales staff can access the materials. They are responsible for collaborating with other marketing professionals and sales staff and may be involved in shaping the brand message for the company or for specific products.
| Educational Requirements | High school diploma; associate's degree or bachelor's degree preferred |
| Job Skills | Computer literacy, teamwork, written communication, editing, organizational, time management, multi-tasking, photo editing |
| Mean Salary (2022)* | $45,770 |
| Job Outlook (2020-2030)** | 22% (market research analysts and marketing specialists) |
Sources: *Glassdoor.com; **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Required Education
It is possible to begin a career as a marketing support specialist with a high school diploma; however, many employers prefer applicants who have an associate's or bachelor's degree. Those interested in this career should consider studying marketing or related disciplines, such as communications or graphic design. Completing courses that involve developing strong written communication skills, editing skills and graphic design skills may particularly appeal to employers.
Required Skills
Marketing support specialists perform a range of duties and may provide direct support to sales staff, so they need good time management and organizational skills to ensure that they complete required tasks. They also need to be able to work as part of a team effectively. Since they must produce promotional materials, they need to have strong written communication skills and the ability to edit their written material. Photo editing skills are important for preparing visual images that will be used on flyers and websites to promote products. They perform many tasks on computers, so they need good computer skills and should be familiar with photo editing software and MS Office programs.
Career Outlook and Salary
Marketing support specialists are included in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) category for market research analysts and marketing specialists. According to the BLS, this group of professionals will experience a job growth rate of 22% from 2020 to 2030. This is considerably higher than the national average growth rate for all occupations during the same time period, which is projected by the BLS to be 8%. According to Glassdoor.com, as of 2022 marketing support specialists earned a mean salary of $45,770.
Related Careers
There are a number of different career options that involve producing written or visual content that will be used for promotional purposes online or in print. Links to more information about some of these careers are provided here.
