How to become An Advertising Sales Representative

• Advertising Sales Agent
• Advertising Account Representative
• Advertising Agent
• Advertising Consultant
• Advertising Representative

What do Advertising Sales Representatives do?

An Advertising Sales Representative would typically need to:

• Sell airtime during radio or television broadcasts or space in print publications, on websites, and outdoor media to companies that want to advertise their products
• Build a customer base; locate and contact potential clients to offer their firm’s advertising services
• Gather background information on current and prospective clients, their products, and the geographic area of the target market
• Be the client’s primary point of contact; inform clients of available options for advertising art, formats, or features and provide samples of previous work
• Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services; answer or address problems the clients may have with the proposal
• Generate and deliver creative, results-focused marketing concepts to a diverse existing and new client base
• Explain client needs to the copywriters; recommend appropriate sizes and formats for advertising
• Interact with various internal departments to fulfill client requirements such as scheduling advertising
• Develop sales tools, promotional plans, sales literature, media kits, and sales contracts; deliver advertising or illustration proofs to clients for approval
• Maintain and oversee client accounts; analyze sales statistics and prepare reports about the accounts; process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts
• Maintain working knowledge of marketing space openings, including their benefits, to provide this information to clients quickly and accurately
• Manage and generate revenue from the developmental sales list; keep up to date on industry trends by reading about current and new products
• Monitor the sales, prices, and products of competitors; walk door-to-door and solicit business; attend sales meetings, meet sales quotas, and fulfill administrative tasks

Advertising Sales Representatives may spend much of their time traveling to and visiting prospective advertisers and maintaining relationships with current clients. They may work in their employer’s offices and handle sales for walk-in clients or for those who call or email the firm to ask about advertising. Some may also make telephonic sales calls to contact prospects, attempting to sell the media firm’s advertising space or time, and arranging follow-up appointments with interested individuals.

The professional dress code consists of clean, pressed clothing with no rips, tears, or stains. Choose attire that suits your body type and is neither too tight nor too revealing. Avoid heavy application of cologne or perfume and make an effort to appear well-groomed and professional at all times.

Most Advertising Sales Representatives work full time. Many of them need to put in overtime, and 40-hour workweeks are a regular feature. Some maintain irregular hours and work on weekends and holidays.

Self-employment is a possible option.

Advertising Sales Representatives are generally employed by:

• Advertising Agencies
• Newspaper Publications
• Radio Broadcasting
• Television Broadcasting
• Internet Publishing

Professional associations and organizations are vital for Advertising Sales Representatives interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Income and job security depend on the ability to keep and expand the client base
• Considerable pressure to meet the monthly sales quota set by the company
• Excessive time spent on the telephone

For prospective Advertising Sales Representatives who have a proven record of successfully selling other products, educational requirements are not likely to be strict. If you have been involved with university activities or have relevant work experience, so much the better.

Although a high school diploma is typically the minimum educational requirement for an entry-level advertising sales position, some employers prefer applicants with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, advertising, or communication.

Academic qualifications are less important than attitude and ability. Publishing companies with large circulations and broadcasting stations with a large audience typically prefer Advertising Sales Representatives with a college degree. A high school diploma is typically the minimum educational requirement for an entry-level advertising sales position. In general, academic qualifications are less important than attitude and ability.

However, some employers prefer applicants with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, advertising, or communication. In particular, publishing companies with large circulations and broadcasting stations with large audiences typically prefer Advertising Sales Representatives with a college degree.

You may well find it advantageous to have work-based qualifications in sales or qualifications from professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA).

Individuals with proven leadership ability and a strong sales record may advance to supervisory and managerial positions, such as Sales Managers, Account Executives, and Vice President of Sales. Successful Advertising Sales Representatives may also move to jobs in other industries, such as corporate sales.

Most companies have a promotion structure you could progress through, moving from Sales Executive to Sales Manager, Area or Regional Sales Manager, and eventually Sales Director. Promotion is based on results, and rapid progress is a real possibility in sales. If you specialize in an area such as vehicle sales, you could become the Manager of a dealership.

You could move out of sales into training and education or recruitment. You could move into an advertising or marketing agency. It is also common to move companies for promotion or a higher salary.

Applicants with experience in sales and those with a bachelor’s degree and knowledge of digital advertising techniques, such as search engine optimization (SEO), should have the best opportunities.

Demand will be most substantial for Advertising Sales Representatives familiar with the dynamics of targeted advertising for smartphones, tablets, and online radio stations. Job candidates who know how to build client relationships and manage the pressure of a quota- and commission-based role are likely to have tremendous success in advertising sales.

Most training takes place on the job and can be either formal or informal. Training includes role-play exercises. In most cases, an experienced sales manager instructs a newly hired Advertising Sales Representative who lacks sales experience. In this one-on-one environment, supervisors typically coach new hires and observe them as they make sales calls and contact clients. Supervisors then advise the new hires on ways to improve their interaction with clients.

Employers may bring in consultants to lead formal training sessions before representatives sell to a specialized market segment, such as automotive dealers or real estate professionals. As a trainee, you will usually spend a short period gaining experience without being under pressure to achieve sales, after which you will be expected to progress rapidly.

Consolidated Packages Given consolidation among media industries, Advertising Sales Representatives are increasingly selling several ads in one package. For example, representatives may sell ads found in print editions and online editions of a particular publication, such as a newspaper. Persistence sans Botheration Advertising Sales Representatives should be confident when calling potential clients (making cold calls). Since potential clients are often unwilling to commit on a first call, agents frequently must continue making sales calls, even if rejected at first. Marketing is at the heart of the Advertising Sales Representative position. That translates into persistence sans botheration.

Email marketing has a return on investment (ROI) two times higher than cold calling, networking, or trade shows.

Pretend that every person you meet has a sign around their neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, but you will also grow in life.

The most unprofitable item ever manufactured is an excuse.