When to Hire an Email Marketing Consultant Versus an Email Marketing Coordinator

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Email marketing consultants and email marketing coordinators are two very different roles that can be easily mixed up. 

It’s not uncommon for a company to hire an email marketing coordinator when they really needed a consultant. Or hire a consultant when they really needed a coordinator.

This mistake can lead to costly implications for the business when execution happens before a strategy is developed or there is a lack of execution completely.

Unfortunately, this can leave a business in a bind with a system that is completely unusable or ineffective. Even worse, one that has gaps that leave sales falling through the cracks.

This can be frustrating to a business owner. When investing in a tool and talent, you expect to see results. However, if the tool or talent is ineffective, those results can be a big disappointment.

In this post, I’m going to help you understand the difference between an email marketing consultant and an email marketing coordinator so that you can determine what skills you need on your team in order to make the most out of your email marketing.

The Big Difference Between an Email Marketing Consultant Versus an Email Marketing Coordinator

Email marketing consultants and email marketing coordinators have one very big difference; an email marketing consultant focuses on high-level strategy, while an email marketing coordinator focuses on the execution of the defined strategy.

In more detail, a consultant is an expert in a given field that acts as an advisor to a business or client (Entreprenuer.com). They often provide oversight and direction to a business. In general, consultants are external (a contractor) to the business they are working with.

You hire an email marketing consultant because:

  • You are setting up a new system and you are not sure how to set it up in the best way for your business.
  • You have an existing system set up, but you are not getting the results you expected from it.

On the other hand, an email marketing coordinator is responsible for the upkeep and reliable operations of a system (Indeed.com). They manage the day-to-day function of the tool and maybe internal (an employee) or external to the business they are working with. 

You hire an email marketing coordinator because:

  • You need help to manage the day-to-day tasks in the system.
  • You need someone who can execute tasks within your company’s workflow.

Email marketing consultants and email marketing coordinators have key responsibilities, qualifications, and skills and competencies that are unique to their individual roles.

Qualifications

Qualifications are background experience and expertise that make someone suitable for a particular role.

As an email marketing consultant is more focused on high-level strategic thinking, their background will be comprehensive in education as experience.

An email marketing coordinator may have limited education and experience with skills in other areas that make them suitable or easily trainable in an email marketing coordinator role.

Consider the following qualifications for an email marketing consultant versus an email marketing coordinator:

Email Marketing Consultant

  • Master’s degree in marketing, communications, business or related course of study
  • Additional certifications in relevant education such as copywriting, email marketing, digital marketing
  • Partnerships with relevant industry leaders and companies, particularly with the software tool you are hiring for.
  • 10+ years of relevant experience (digital marketing, email marketing, digital operations)
  • Project management experience
  • Process Excellence (Six Sigma) experience

Email Marketing Coordinator

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business or related course of study
  • 2-3 years of relevant (digital marketing, email marketing, administrative assistant, virtual assistant)
  • Superior Microsoft Office skills (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Ability to work in a project management framework (such as Asana or Basecamp)
  • Experience with HTML, and CSS a plus

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities are the key tasks that someone will complete as part of their role. 

An email marketing consultant is focused on tasks that promote a larger, big-picture goal. An email marketing coordinator is focused on tasks that execute the big picture goal but on a daily basis.

Consider the following key responsibilities for an email marketing consultant versus an email marketing coordinator:

Email Marketing Consultant

  • List and segment strategy
  • Engagement management strategy
  • Newsletter, promotion and customer-only communication strategies
  • Tech stack selection and integration recommendations
  • Reporting structure and metrics tracking
  • Provide recommendations for campaign enhancements to increase open and click rates

Email Marketing Coordinator

  • Set up and schedule email campaigns
  • Set up and test marketing automations
  • Report on key metrics and measures on email campaign performance
  • Monitor system processes and workflows
  • Test campaign and automations to ensure accuracy
  • Provide recommendations for campaign enhancements

Key Skills and Competencies

Key skills and competencies are the characteristics and an individual needs to fulfill their job responsibilities. 

An email marketing consultant’s key skills and competencies will include leadership, problem-solving and presentation skills. An email marketing coordinator will be more focused on the ability to complete and execute work on time and efficiently.

Consider the following key skills and competencies for an email marketing consultant versus an email marketing coordinator:

Email Marketing Consultant

  • Ability to manage and lead a team
  • Problem solver
  • Strategic thinker
  • Ability to manage multiple responsibilities
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to facilitate workshops and training programs
  • Identify and present findings and research to stakeholders

Email Marketing Coordinator

  • Strong attention to detail
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
  • Excellent organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple tasks on deadline
  • An ability to get things done with excellent execution

Compensation

Compensation is the amount of money that a consultant or coordinator receives from their client or employer.

Compensation can vary greatly; in general, consultants and coordinators work externally from a company as a contractor. This means, that when they receive money from their client, they then have to pay taxes, business & health insurance, retirement-savings accounts, as well as other necessities that are often covered by employers for a full-time person.

You may be able to find contractors that work out of different countries for a variety of rates. For the purpose of this article, we are looking at the compensation of US-based consultants and coordinators.

Email Marketing Consultant

  • $200-300/hour

Consultants will generally charge project- or retainer-based fees.

Email Marketing Coordinator

  • $50-150/hour

Coordinators will generally charge a project- or hourly-based fees.

Professional Development

Professional development allows both email marketing consultants and email marketing coordinators to further develop their knowledge, skills, and competencies.

However, based on where each is in their career, professional development activities may vary.

Here is an example of what an email marketing consultant and an email marketing coordinator may complete continuing developing their knowledge, skills, and other competencies:

Email Marketing Consultant

  • Six Sigma/Process Excellence certifications
  • Human Performance/Behavior analysis certifications
  • Advanced project management certifications
  • Mastermind groups geared toward your specific level of business

Email Marketing Coordinator

Make the Best Decision for Your Team

Remember, all companies may need both consultants and contractors during different phases of their business. Knowing which you need and when is critical to your growth.

If you are still struggling to make this decision, check out Considerations for Hiring a Technical Consultant for further suggestions.

What will your next hire be? Let me know in the comments below!

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