Survey data indicates Sales and Marketing personnel realized equal or greater salary increases than previous sample group, Watson Wyatt Data Services Reports

Bonus payments for Direct Sales group averaged 45.8 percent of base pay. Health Care and Services workers realized highest salary increases among all industry sectors.

ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., (October 16, 2007) – Watson Wyatt Data Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Watson Wyatt Worldwide, today announced the publication of its 2007/2008 Survey Report on Sales & Marketing Personnel Compensation, now in its fifty-second edition. On average, salaries and total cash compensation for sales and marketing personnel rose 3.3 percent and 5.0 percent respectively, within organizations responding both to this and last year’s (2006) survey. This compares to the 3.3 percent and 2.7 percent increase in both salaries and total cash compensation experienced in 2006 vs. 2007.

A total of 18 individual positions (within the overall sample) received salary and/or total compensation increases that exceeded the overall salary/total cash compensation increase by 25 percent or more.  A total of 14 positions received salary increases of 4.0 percent or more, as listed below:

• Advertising Coordinator

• Editor

• Marketing Communications Manager

• Media Manager

• Meeting and Special Events Manager

• Print Production Manager

• Public Relations Manager

• Sales Analyst

• Top Advertising Executive

• Top Marketing and Sales Executive

• Top Marketing Executive (excluding Sales)

• Top Product Development Executive

• Top Public Relations Executive

• Top Sales Executive (excluding Marketing)

Moderate industry differences existed regarding salary increases, as the Health Care and Services industry sectors (at 3.8 percent and 3.7 percent respectively) showed the highest salary increases among the eight industry sectors. Salary increases in all other industry sectors were 2.7 percent or greater. The largest total pay increase (6.5 percent) was realized by the Durable Goods Manufacturing sector. Salary increases experienced this year match or exceed last year’s increases for two of the five regions surveyed: North Central Region (3.2 percent vs. 3.0 percent) and West Coast Region (3.7 percent vs. 3.3 percent). Small regional differences existed regarding salary increases, as the West Coast (3.7 percent) showed the highest salary increase among all five regions.  The South Central Region experienced the lowest salary increases (3.1 percent). 

For the entire sample combined, more than half (53.0 percent) of the survey’s incumbents within the Direct Sales job group received awards from one or more variable pay plans. The incidence of awards was greatest in the Insurance Sector where 76.8 percent of Direct Sales incumbents received awards.Overall, awards averaged 45.8 percent of base for Direct Sales incumbents. Wide differences exist in how salary groups compensate Direct Sales employees.  Incumbents in the lowest salary group (salaries less than $30,000 per year) received awards that averaged 61.8 percent of base, the highest average award size of all salary groups examined.  This contrasts to workers in the highest salary group (salaries of $100,000 or more), who received bonuses that averaged 28.8 percent of base.More than half (52.9 percent) of Non-Direct Sales incumbents received bonuses. The percentage of incumbents receiving awards ranged from 41.7 percent (annual salaries of $30,000 to $39,999) to 77.9 percent (annual salaries of $200,000 or more). Overall, awards averaged 22.3 percent of salary. Employees with salaries ranging from $30,000 to $39,999 received bonuses averaging 9.1 percent of salary and incumbents with salaries of $200,000 or more averaged bonuses of 44.7 percent of their salary.

This report is based on responses from 1,151 organizations encompassing 5,979 locations reporting data on 72,356 incumbents. A total of 119 geographic areas, including 137 metropolitan areas, are reported in this year’s edition.The report covers a full range of sales and marketing personnel, including executive, direct sales-consumer products/services, direct sales-industrial products/services, direct sales-general, channel sales, international sales and sales management, product/brand management, advertising, creative services, direct marketing and market research, sales/marketing administration, training and public/trade relations.

The 2007/2008 Survey Report on Sales & Marketing Personnel Compensation is available online, on CD or in a printed book format.

About Watson Wyatt Data Services
Watson Wyatt Data Services (WWDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Watson Wyatt Worldwide, is a leading provider of compensation, benefits, and employment practices information to the global employer community.  From offices around the world, we solicit, analyze, and publish an extensive library of printed, interactive and online survey reports. Our compensation databases are recognized worldwide as the most reliable source of current data for compensation planning.Global scope, local knowledge …Covering more than 95 countries across six continents, our data centers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America annually compile reports on the remuneration, benefits, and employment practices of local and multinational companies.  Our “in-country” experts apply their local knowledge of the varied employment markets, practices, and customs to deliver a complete compensation picture that can be used to create sound, market-based pay programs for entire organizations. Our international databases contain compensation information covering millions of employees based on the annual survey participation of organizations ranging from emerging growth companies to many of the world’s largest conglomerates.  In addition to compensation surveys, WWDS also publishes references that help HR practitioners attract, retain, and reward exceptional employees. These guides cover a wide variety of subject areas, including variable pay, performance management, and personnel policies on a local, regional, and global basis. For more information, visit our Web site at WWDS.com.
For more information, contact:MaryBeth IannacconeWatson Wyatt Data ServicesTel: (201) 843-1177, extension 3480E-mail: Marybeth.iannaccone@watsonwyatt.com