How To Become a Creative Strategist: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn about the steps important to pursuing a career as a creative strategist, including education, skills, salary and more.
A creative strategist is a professional who helps businesses develop and execute creative marketing campaigns. This can be a very rewarding career for those who are interested in both the creative and strategic aspects of marketing. If you want to become a creative strategist, it is important to understand the job responsibilities, skills and education requirements. In this article, we discuss what a creative strategist does, how to become one and what the average salary is for this profession.
What Does a Creative Strategist Do?
A creative strategist is a professional who helps businesses develop and execute creative marketing campaigns that align with their overall business goals. Creative strategists work with a variety of teams within an organization, including the sales, advertising, public relations and product development departments. They are responsible for developing the big-picture vision for a campaign and then working with the other team members to ensure that all of the details fall into place.
Some common duties of a creative strategist include:
- Conducting market research to understand the needs of target consumers
- Developing creative brief templates for use by the team
- Brainstorming potential campaign ideas with the team
- Evaluating creative concepts against business objectives
- Working with designers, copywriters, developers and other team members to bring the campaign to life
- Managing the budget for the campaign and ensuring that all costs are accounted for
- Overseeing the execution of the campaign and making adjustments as needed
- Analyzing the results of the campaign and preparing a report for upper management
Creative Strategist Salary and Job Outlook
The average salary for a creative strategist is $128,750. This figure can vary based on the level of experience, education, industry and geographical location of the strategist.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job prospects for creative strategists to grow at an average rate over the next decade. This is due to many factors such as the growing importance of creativity in marketing. Companies often need the expertise of a creative strategist to develop effective marketing campaigns that stand out from the competition.
How to Become a Creative Strategist
Here are several steps you should take to become a creative strategist.
1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, communications or a related field
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education requirement for a creative strategist position. Most employers prefer candidates to have a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Advertising or Communications. Some schools offer specialized programs in advertising, marketing and public relations that can help students develop skills specific to those fields.
While in school, take as many courses as you can related to advertising, marketing and communications. Courses such as consumer behavior, economics, statistics, research methods, copywriting, media planning and brand management are all helpful when pursuing a career as a creative strategist.
2. Gain experience working in advertising, marketing or public relations
Most creative strategists have at least five years of experience in advertising, marketing or public relations before they can work independently. Entry-level positions such as account executive, project manager and assistant account executive are common for people who want to become creative strategists. These roles allow you to gain hands-on experience working with clients and developing campaigns.
Working for a large agency is ideal because it gives you the opportunity to learn from more experienced strategists. You may also consider internships, which provide valuable training and networking opportunities.
3. Develop strong writing and communication skills
Creative strategists need to be able to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. They often work with clients to develop marketing campaigns, so strong communication skills are essential for building a positive relationship between the client and agency.
In addition to writing copy for advertisements, creative strategists also write reports and presentations that detail their strategies and plans for an upcoming campaign. Strong writing skills are important for conveying complex information in a clear and concise manner.
4. Understand the principles of advertising and marketing
Creative strategists must have a solid understanding of the principles of advertising and marketing. Understanding these concepts will help you develop effective strategies for your clients. You should be familiar with topics such as branding, target audiences, sales techniques, research methods and more.
You can gain this knowledge by taking courses in college or through independent study. Many creative strategists also take continuing education classes to stay up to date on industry trends.
5. Be creative and have an eye for detail
Creative strategists must be able to come up with creative solutions for clients. They need to have a good sense of what will appeal to their target audience and how to reach that audience through different channels. Creative strategists also need to pay attention to the details when it comes to things like branding, messaging and design.
6. Stay up to date on trends in the industry
The advertising and marketing industry is always changing, so it’s important for creative strategists to stay up to date on the latest trends. This can be done by reading trade magazines or attending conferences and seminars. Attending these events will help you learn about new developments in your field and keep you informed about what’s happening in the industry.
7. Join professional organizations such as the American Marketing Association
The American Marketing Association (AMA) is a professional organization that offers networking opportunities and educational resources to marketing professionals. The AMA provides members with access to the Marketing Education Foundation, which offers courses in areas such as digital marketing, social media and analytics.
The Creative Circle is another professional organization for creative strategists. Membership in this organization gives you access to job listings, career development tools and networking opportunities.
