How Do I Become a Marketing Communications Coordinator?

While technology has radically changed marketing methodologies, basic practices and procedures remain the same, especially high-quality communication. Enter the marketing communications coordinator, whose responsibilities span everything from public relations and promotions to internal, external, and strategic communications. As communication coordinators work across multiple teams and organizations, collaboration is key, but so is an independent, self-driven work ethic. Further, because workflow and project deadlines vary, communication coordinators must be willing to keep flexible schedules, and long hours come with the territory.

Still, successful comm coordinators earn decent salaries, and long-term career opportunities include several lucrative marketing roles. Let’s take a closer look at communication coordinators’ responsibilities as well as job projects, salaries, and the education, skills, and experience you’ll need to become a communications coordinator.

Marketing Communications Coordinator Job Description

• Creates communications programs that describe and promote the organization and its products including all relevant marketing content, graphics, logos, or other promotional products
• Works with outside vendors and agencies to design and execute advertising campaigns, trade show exhibitions, mail campaigns, and seminars
• Aligns public relations strategies and communications
• Identifies and develops relationships with media personnel, potential partners, and agencies to promote services and events
• Coordinates media requests and serves as liaison
• Writes and publishes website, blog, and newsletter to develop brand identity and generate inbound marketing opportunities
• Manage and curate organization’s social media accounts

Salary and Job Prospects

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing manager jobs are expected to grow 10% over the next decade, while market research analyst positions are projected to skyrocket 23%. Altogether, these account for some 150,000 new jobs through 2026.

Though neither directly corresponds to the communications coordinator role, each points to a promising employment trend in marketing and the industry’s overall health. From 2012 to 2018, worldwide marketing services spending jumped nearly $100 billion to $460 billion, 35% of which came from the United States. Since the turn of the millennium, revenue for U.S. PR agencies has doubled, reaching $13.5 billion in 2016. As the Digital Revolution continues to disrupt business and communications, demand for marketing professionals will follow suit – increasing salaries, as well.

Median annual pay for an entry- to mid-level role like communications coordinator generally falls around $45,000. That’s a reasonable salary, but long-term career routes offer superior compensation. A marketing communications manager can earn $98k-114k per year, and a director can earn $125-145k. At the C-suite level, the median salary for a marketing executive is over $220k.

Point being: marketing communications coordinators sacrifice short-term modest pay for several long-term career routes with excellent salary potential.

Using Your Education to Become a Marketing Communications Coordinator

Over 75% of professionals in similar entry-level marketing roles have a bachelor’s degree. If you’re relatively certain you want to pursue a career in the field, the bachelor’s in marketing is an obvious choice that covers the basics, for example:

• Principles of Marketing
• Introduction to Economics
• Financial and Managerial Accounting
• Business Ethics
• Consumer Behavior
• Promotions and Advertising
• Marketing Research
• Marketing Management
• Operations Management
• Strategic Management

Still, plenty of other tracks are available, as well. Depending on your circumstances, you may only need an associate’s degree, or maybe you want a specialized bachelor’s in communications or public relations.

Thanks to the rise in affordable online education, many professionals prefer pragmatic marketing bootcamps or MOOCs, which combine expert instruction from industry leaders with skill-oriented coursework and professional development.

Using Your Skills and Experience to Become a Marketing Communications Coordinator

At the same time, plenty of marketing communications coordinators have no formal academic training. Marketing is very much a learn-on-the-go industry; even the most prominent professional marketers on social media have to adapt their strategy constantly. So if you don’t have a degree in marketing, don’t fret.

The most important factor will be intangibles: do have the soft skills needed for a successful career in marketing and communications? Some of these we’ve covered:

• Critical thinking
• Written and verbal communication
• Public speaking
• Leadership
• Organization
• Creativity
• Collaboration

Stress these skills to potential employers, and provide sample work if possible. “Unteachable” traits can set you apart from the competition, and, as important, pave the way for long-term professional growth.

From there, develop and hone some of the most in-demand marketing skills; ideally, you’ll have proficiency in at least a few relevant marketing tools and technologies, as well. While most of these can be picked up on the go, as with any job, the more you can demonstrate immediate qualification, the better your chances are for landing the position. To become a communications coordinator, you’ll likely need to have working knowledge of:

• CRM: Salesforce, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, SAP, etc.
• Social Media Management: Canva, Mention, Commun.it
• Content Creation: Blog Topic Generator, Content Idea Generator, Feedly
• Email Campaigning: MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, Benchmark Email, Constant Contact
• SEO
• Content Management Systems

… and more. For additional ideas, explore the site for helpful features like “A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketer”, or how to build a unique personal brand online — especially of use if you’re trying to stand out in the job market.