People in sales careers often talk about the thrill of “closing a deal”— that point when customers commit to buying whatever they’re selling. Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to businesses and individuals to expand the public’s awareness of products and services. They sell ads for online and print editions of publications such as newspapers and magazines, radio, television, billboards, and more. Because their income and job security both depend on it, these sales agents invest a lot of their time building relationships with their customers. They research and analyze clients’ needs, and prepare creative, persuasive materials to encourage them to buy advertising. Many need to meet sales goals, so are continuously on the lookout for sources of new clients, making phone calls and office visits to interest them in advertising. Agents need to keep detailed contact and communication records, and be prepared to draft advertising contracts for clients. They also need to represent their employer reliably and answer any questions a client may have. Good communication skills are essential for the field. Most advertising sales agents work full time, but many work weekends and holidays, or irregular schedules. Most entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree in a field such as marketing or communications, and a proven record of success in sales.
What they do:
Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.
On the job, you would:
Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.
Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.
Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.
Business
sales and marketing
customer service
Arts and Humanities
English language
Communications
multimedia
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Basic Skills
talking to others
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Social
talking people into changing their minds or their behavior
looking for ways to help people
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
come up with lots of ideas
create new and original ideas
People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Initiative
Persistence
Integrity
Achievement/Effort
Dependability
You might use software like this on the job:
Desktop publishing software
Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
Microsoft Publisher
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Electronic mail software
Email software
Microsoft Outlook
bachelor's degree or high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.