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The differences between promotion managers and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a promotion manager, becoming a director of special events takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a promotion manager has an average salary of $76,152, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.
The top three skills for a promotion manager include powerpoint, facebook and press releases. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.
| Promotion Manager | Director Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $76,152 | $63,671 |
| Hourly rate | $36.61 | $30.61 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 8,515 | 23,252 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A promotion manager plans and directs campaigns to promote products and services they are selling through contests, giveaways, or coupons. He/she is responsible for the development and implementation of promotion schedules to attract more customers by coordinating with finance, sales, legal, and marketing departments. Having strong project management and interpersonal skills and previous experience in sales promotion, he/she can increase short-term sales and improve their results through other marketing programs.
A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Promotion managers and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Promotion Manager | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $76,152 | $63,671 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $116,000 | Between $35,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | eBay | NRDC |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Professional |
There are a few differences between a promotion manager and a director of special events in terms of educational background:
| Promotion Manager | Director Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between promotion managers' and directors of special events' demographics:
| Promotion Manager | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 16% |