Salary Guide: Circulators Report 3-14% Average Hikes in '98 - Brief Article

Circulation Management, June, 1999

Salary increases for consumer and business-to-business circulation executives ranged between three and 14 percent in 1998, on average, according to data compiled by New York-based executive recruiting firm Crandall Associates, Inc.

Crandall compiles the direct marketing salary guide annually, based on discussions with presidents and HR executives at companies across the country, personal interviews with direct marketing contacts, and analysis of information collected from potential candidates. Salaries for presidents and vice presidents are not included, since compensation beyond their base salaries makes up a significant portion of their overall earnings.

Among circulation professionals, managers at B-to-B titles with more than seven years of experience saw the highest average increase--14.2 percent-- ranking seventh among the 52 direct marketing industry functions analyzed. However, the average raise for consumer circulation managers with the same experience level was not nearly as generous: 4 percent.

Both consumer marketing directors and B-to-B circulation directors with over seven years' experience saw significant jumps in 1998: 9 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively. (In 1997, consumer marketing directors saw one of the largest average increases of all groups studied--nearly 11 percent.) Consumer circulation promotion managers with the same experience level reported an average 4.1 percent increase.

The study found that salaries across all direct marketing functions rose by 6.7 percent, on average. Healthy increases were expected as a continuation of the upward pressure on salaries from 1997, when direct marketing salaries showed the greatest one-year increase since 1973, according to the firm's president, Hal Crandall.

Corporate list managers with over seven years' experience (responsibilities include list recommendations for internal marketing decisions as well as pricing, positioning, and marketing house lists), reported a 7.8 percent average increase. Overall, average corporate list manager salaries ranged from $35,100 (one to three years' experience) to $50,000 (over seven years' experience), with the highest reported salary at $80,000.

Fulfillment managers with over seven years' experience (responsibilities include budgeting, maintaining the integrity of the subscriber list and directing the caging, order processing and timely delivery of magazines) saw a 2.9 percent average increase. Fulfillment managers' salaries ranged from a low of $35,600 (one to three years experience) to $51,900 (over seven years' experience), with a highest reported salary of $80,000.

Salary ranges for some key circulation titles, as reported by Crandall, along with job descriptions used in the survey, are summarized below:

CONSUMER MAGAZINES

* Consumer marketing director: Marketing professional with P&L responsibilities. Determines circulation budget and long- and short-term strategy, serves as advisor/consultant to the publisher and editor. Responsible for identifying target audience; planning circulation acquisition/retention, marketing policy and pricing adjustments; and overseeing creative strategy and implementation, fulfillment and audit statements.

# Years' Experience Salary Range
1-3                 $62,000-70,200
4-7                 $67,700-74,100
7                   $72,800-86,300

Highest Reported Salary: $160,000

* Circulation manager: Usually responsible for one large title, or two or more smaller titles. Budgets, plans and executes direct mail tests and rollouts; supervises renewals, billing, magazine and package inserts, gift donor mailings, and other source promotions from creative to finished products. Evaluates and chooses lists, oversees production staff to ensure timely mailing, and supervises fulfillment.

# Years' Experience Salary Range
1-3                 $47,100-55,200
4-7                 $52,900-62,100
7                   $59,300-65,000

Highest Reported Salary: $77,000

* Circulation promotion manager: Works with circulation director and/or manager to implement acquisition and retention programs. Plans and executes promotions across sources. Tests and analyzes promotions, works with vendors to develop premiums, involved in list promotions.

# Years' Experience Salary Range
1-3                 $38,200-43,900
4-7                 $40,400-47,300
7                   $42,800-50,900

Highest Reported Salary: $63,000

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MAGAZINES

* Circulation director: Marketing professional working within established target business or institutional universes. Carries P&L responsibilities, including budgeting, short- and long-term planning, and, at paid titles, determines pricing policies within competitive marketplace. Develops and oversees implementation of direct marketing campaigns for acquisition and renewals, ensures proper verification standards, supervises fulfillment operations, and directs preparation of audit statements.

# Years' Experience Salary Range
1-3                 $42,600-48,100
4-7                 $46,400-54,300
7                   $52,700-61,200

Highest Reported Salary: $125,000