Become a Music Marketing Representative

Career Description

A record company (purchase a record business names and contacts list here) Marketing Representative’s main responsibility is to develop strategies and tactics to market and sell the record label’s albums. The Marketing Representative may work locally or regionally. Locally, a Marketing Representative will oversee specific territorial markets (like a specific city), while a Regional Representative will oversee an entire region (like a part of the country).

In order to successfully market albums, the Marketing Representative must work closely with the Director of Marketing to plan and implement strategies. This will include delivering and setting up promotional displays, and concocting radio station giveaway contests. A popular strategy involves a promotion between a radio station and record store; where the Artist makes promotional appearances at record stores while the radio station gives away that artist’s album.

The Marketing Representative is also responsible for calling and/or visiting record stores in a specific area to ensure the stores have enough product on hand to keep up with demand. This is especially important after something like a positive album review, award show, or a successful concert. The Marketing Representative also gathers album sales reports from the various stores in a specific market and will then pass these sales numbers along to radio and TV stations, major trade publications, and others in the industry.

In most cases, the Marketing Representative reports directly to the Director of Marketing, but may also report to the Regional Director of Marketing. As with many of the promotional/marketing positions within a record company, there will be irregular hours and a lot of travel required to be a Marketing Representative.

Salary

Marketing Representative salaries will vary depending on the size of the record label and the level of experience and responsibilities of the individual. Salaries range from $27,000 to $50,000 or more annually.

Employment

This is one record company position that seems to always have many openings. With that said, obtaining a job is never easy, and you might have a better chance landing a job as a Marketing Rep if you start as an Intern or Campus Rep in the department.

Advancement

As a Marketing Representative, you can advance your career by becoming a Regional Marketing Representative or Marketing Director. You can also be promoted to the position of Marketing Director for a distinct genre of music like hip hop or country. At the top level of this career, you can become a National Marketing Director.

Education and Training

Educational requirements depend on the size of the label. Smaller companies may only require their Reps to hold high school diplomas; while larger labels might prefer or require a college degree (we offer a full list of music schools here). Preferred college majors include advertising, marketing, or communications; a few colleges offer music business or music merchandising degrees.

Experience, Skills, and Personality

Experience as an Intern might be the best way to land a position as a Marketing Representative because the applicant will already have hands-on real world experience with the company. The Marketing Rep must be very articulate and comfortable with math and numbers, and creativity is always a plus. It is imperative that he or she has a general understanding of the music business and a complete working knowledge of the record industry.

Unions and Associations

The Country Music Association (CMA) and the Gospel Music Association (GMA) are a couple of associations the Marketing Representative in a record company might belong to. He or she might also be an associate member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).

Suggestions for Getting Started

• An internship in the marketing department of any record company would be ideal. Keep checking with the record labels and your college or university for any available internships.
• If you already employed by a record company, try and volunteer to work in the marketing department in order to get a feel for the business.
• Consider getting a job in a large record store in order to meet and get to know Marketing Reps who regularly visit the store. This could eventually lead to a job interview if you remain persistent.
• Keep an eye out for positions that are often advertised in trade publications like Billboard magazine.
• Continue to check with record label websites for opportunities as a part of your daily routine.