The different types of direct marketing jobs can roughly be divided into the categories of creative, information technology (IT), list services, accounts and printing. Within these main categories, there are many levels of positions that relate to reaching a target audience directly through different media to get the desired response. The IT department maintains databases for mailings, while list services provides the data of who direct marketing campaigns should target. The creative department is responsible for writing and designing direct marketing materials, while account executives focus on bringing in and maintaining clients. Printers create coupons and other direct mail pieces either in-house or as an outsourced service.
Marketing agencies or companies identified as "full service" typically have their own in-house mail and letter printing capabilities. In this case, the direct marketing jobs involving printing may be classified as "production." The production department produces the marketing materials that the creative team originates. These direct marketing jobs often include a print shop foreperson and people who work under him or her to manage the workload as well as operate the machinery.
Account executives spend most of their day communicating with clients. They typically work under a client services manager or other top executive such as a vice president of marketing. The focus is on acquiring clients as well as maintaining the ones the company has through good customer service and a record of providing profitable direct mail, email or other marketing projects. List department personnel may also be account executives depending on how an agency or firm is organized. They work on acquiring and/or producing lists of mailing or emailing names to use for clients' direct mail or email marketing projects.
The IT department of a marketing agency is usually responsible for ensuring that each employee's computer is operating efficiently and that every department has the software it requires. Typically, there is an IT manager who supervises a team of people with computer skills who not only troubleshoot problems for employees but work with the list department to establish databases for marketing mailings. IT-based direct marketing jobs also often involve search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and website creation for the company as well as clients.
Web and direct mail designers are usually part of a direct marketing creative team. They choose colors, images, fonts and other details for client projects that may be print or web based. Copywriters provide the designers, or graphic artists, with the written copy for projects such as client websites, informational brochures, promotional offers and direct mail packages. A creative director usually oversees the entire department with both an art director and senior copywriter reporting to him or her. Graphic artists or designers as well as copywriters of different experience levels are direct marketing jobs that often report to those holding art director and senior copywriter positions.
