Direct Marketing
Text messages from companies promoting a sale, mailers with a restaurant coupon, and social media ads about an upcoming event…are all examples of direct marketing.
Direct marketers may communicate to millions of consumers at a time, but they do so directly through channels like email, social media, and SMS. They’re skilled at connecting with audiences in a way that gets their attention and persuades them to take a specific action, which could be anything from clicking a link to walking into a store.
Whether you’re looking to add a full-time team member or someone to help with a project, here’s how to find the ideal direct marketer for your business.
The role of a direct marketer
Direct marketers boost sales by increasing revenue from existing clients, attracting new clients, and keeping clients loyal. Their job is to promote your products and services to get a sale, or at the very least, move potential customers further down the sales funnel.
Common direct marketer tasks
Some people may think of direct marketers as telemarketing agents and door-to-door salespeople, but those are sales roles. Direct marketers are usually behind the scenes creating campaigns and analyzing data. Here are some of their tasks:
- Audience segmentation. Analyze data to identify specific audience segments that are most likely to respond to a specific offer or message.
- Content creation. Personalize emails, direct mail pieces, and ads to resonate with the beliefs, preferences, and behaviors of each segment.
- Design offers. Craft irresistible offers—like free trials and time-limited discounts—that encourage people to take immediate action.
- Manage channels. Choose the most effective channels to reach the target audience and monitor and adjust them to maximize response rates.
- Design and execute campaigns. Work with cross-functional teams to ensure a cohesive and effective campaign that supports business goals.
- Measure performance. Track key performance indicators (KPIs), return on investment (ROI), and campaign effectiveness.
- Analyze and report on results. Understand what worked, what didn’t, and how future campaigns can be improved.
Popular projects for direct marketers
Direct marketers, as freelancers or employees, handle a range of typical projects. Consider these examples:
- Create welcome emails. Craft an automated email series for new customers and upload them into the email marketing tool.
- Plan and execute a postcard campaign. Send promotional offers to targeted audiences, tailoring messages by audience and channel to optimize conversions.
- Craft sales letters. Write a sales letter to premium-level clients offering a subscription upgrade.
- Develop an SMS holiday campaign. Send exclusive offers and special updates to high-value customers for the holiday season.
How to write a direct marketer job description
You don’t need to write a full job description for engaging a freelancer as you would when hiring an employee, but you should be clear about who qualifies for the project. Here’s how to write a solid job post that attracts the right direct marketing professional.
Job post title
Use a title that describes exactly what you’re looking for, like these examples:
- Direct marketing specialist. Develop, execute, and optimize targeted marketing campaigns across various channels to drive conversions.
- Email marketing coordinator. Manage all stages of a campaign from ideating to analyzing performance.
- Lead generation specialist. Generate qualified leads for the sales team through email and social media campaigns.
Project description
Give enough information to determine if candidates are a good fit. Bonus: Doing this well reduces the number of unqualified submissions you have to sift through.
- Scope of work. List all the deliverables and timelines. Example: Ensure the cleanliness of a mailing list and segment target audiences for a direct mail campaign.
- Project length. Indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project that may last a few weeks, have a chance to go full time, or actually start as full-time employment.
- Background. Mention the level of experience you prefer and knowledge of certain industries and marketing channels and tools.
- Remote or on-site. Direct marketers can work 100% remotely, so if that’s an option for your team, you’ll be able to significantly widen your talent pool.
- Budget. Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Job responsibilities
Direct marketers are often tasked with job responsibilities like these:
- Identify target audiences. Analyze data to segment audiences based on relevant demographics and buying patterns.
- Strategize campaigns. Set goals and create plans to achieve them.
- Create content. Select the optimal marketing channels and develop the appropriate message for target audiences
- Collaborate with creatives. Work with designers, media specialists, and vendors to create and execute a campaign.
- Track performance. Use analytics tools to monitor campaigns, feedback, and effectiveness.
- Report findings. Provide campaign insights and suggestions for improvements to teams and upper management.
- Test messages. Conduct A/B tests to determine which messages perform better.
Qualifications
Be specific about asking for everything you need in the candidate’s background. Be clear on what’s a must-have versus a nice-to-have. Sample qualifications include:
- A few email campaign successes in the CPG industry
- Familiarity with Hubspot CRM and email marketing tools
- Experienced marketing to 20- to 25-year-olds in South Asia
Job outlook for direct marketers in 2024
No matter what’s happening to the economy, companies need direct marketers to cut through a noisy world and convince customers to buy. Perhaps this is why the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) projects that marketing jobs will grow six percent from 2022–2032. That’s compared to an average of three percent for other jobs.
That prediction is reflected in customer behaviors on Upwork. Several direct-response competencies, such as lead generation and social media and email marketing, rank among the most in-demand skills within the sales and marketing category.
How much it costs to hire a direct marketer
Costs vary depending on several factors including demand, where the professional is located, and niche skills. Here’s what you may pay direct marketers on average, according to Salary.com:
Entry-level
Entry-level direct marketers often have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field. They may be recent graduates, have completed an internship, or have up to two years of experience. They have a basic understanding of marketing principles, generative AI, and digital marketing like social media. They usually offer administrative support including gathering data, coordinating activities with vendors and other functions, maybe some basic copywriting, and preparing reports.
- Hourly. $20–$27
- Full time. $42,000–$55,000
Intermediate
Intermediate-level direct marketers have a deeper understanding of marketing and perhaps marketing certifications in addition to their bachelor’s degree. They have three to five years of experience creating and executing marketing campaigns. They’re adept at analyzing data to pull strategic insights that will optimize future campaigns. They may be in management roles and responsible for developing junior marketers.
- Hourly. $50–$66
- Full time. $105,000–$138,000
Advanced
Advanced-level direct marketers may have more than seven years of experience and a proven track record. They may also have advanced college degrees and certifications. They usually focus more on managing multiple campaigns and executing complex marketing strategies. They collaborate with other functions to design and support a larger marketing vision. They often lead large teams and mentor intermediate-level direct marketers.
- Hourly. $68–$86
- Full time. $142,000–$178,000
Find your ideal direct marketer now
Hiring a direct marketer can boost your sales and generate leads through targeted and personalized campaigns. Direct marketers are skilled at persuasively communicating with your audiences and delivering ROI on your marketing efforts. Their effectiveness is clearly measurable and directly translates to your bottom line.
Find your ideal direct marketer now. Join Upwork and get immediate access to the world’s largest network of freelance professionals for free. It just takes a minute. Most clients say they find their ideal match within three days.