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What is an advertising sales executive and how to become one
An advertising sales executive is a professional who sells advertising space or air time on behalf of an advertising agency, newspaper, magazine, or broadcasting company. They persuade clients to acquire advertising products and services by identifying their needs and preferences. They evaluate advertising services to ensure they meet client requirements and respond to inquiries through meetings, calls, and emails. Advertising sales executives also maintain account history and activity reports, analyze client needs, and deliver value-added solutions. They often manage sales territories and develop marketing campaigns to help clients achieve revenue and market share goals. A bachelor's degree in media studies or a related field is typically required for this role, along with strong communication, relationship-building, organization, selling, and computer skills.
What general advice would you give to an Advertising Sales Executive?
Kaustav Misra Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Central Connecticut State University
How long does it takes to become an advertising sales executive?
It typically takes 4-6 years to become an advertising sales executive:
- Years 1-4: Obtaining a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as marketing, advertising, or business. During this time, students will learn about market research, consumer behavior, sales techniques, and advertising strategies.
- Years 5-6: Accumulating the necessary work experience in sales or advertising. This can include roles such as sales representative, account executive, or marketing coordinator. During this time, aspiring advertising sales executives will learn about client management, negotiation, and strategic planning.
Avg. Salary $51,718
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate -8%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39%
Asian 4.65%
Black or African American 6.24%
Hispanic or Latino 13.91%
Unknown 4.13%
White 70.69%
Genderfemale 60.90%
male 39.10%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Advertising Sales Executive career paths
Advertising sales executives often move into roles like account executives, sales managers, and account managers. They can also work as directors of sales, senior sales directors, or in strategic accounts management. Some may transition into marketing roles, such as marketing coordinators, consultants, or analysts. Others might move into business development, market management, or advertising management.
Key steps to become an advertising sales executive
Explore advertising sales executive education requirements
The educational requirements for an advertising sales executive typically include a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as business, communication, marketing, journalism, or management. According to Fred Hoyt Ph.D., Associate Professor of Business Administration at Illinois Wesleyan University, "Many career centers tell students to put 'proficient' on a resume. 'Certified by Salesforce' is a more powerful statement." Therefore, in addition to a degree, obtaining certifications in relevant areas such as Certified Sales Professional or International Accredited Business Accountant can help set an advertising sales executive apart. Top schools for this field include the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Bentley University, SUNY Farmingdale, and New York University.
Start to develop specific advertising sales executive skills
Advertising sales executives need a mix of hard and soft skills. They must be able to research and analyze market trends, develop strategic marketing and advertising programs, and maintain excellent customer service and account management skills. According to Ashley Strausser, a Career Coach at Denison University, "Graduates need to do their research, know their worth and negotiate their job offer. They must be able to make a strong case as to why they are deserving of more money."
Skills Percentages Real Estate 21.19% Outbound Calls 8.36% CRM 8.17% Business Development 7.25% Digital Marketing 6.57% Complete relevant advertising sales executive training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New advertising sales executives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an advertising sales executive based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real advertising sales executive resumes.Research advertising sales executive duties and responsibilities
Advertising sales executives primarily focus on generating new business through cold calls, in-person presentations, and researching territories. They also develop integrated marketing campaigns to help clients achieve their goals and maintain a strong relationship with past advertisers to secure new business and revenue. As Cynthia Krom, Associate Professor and Department Chair at Franklin and Marshall College, states, "Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will."
- Manage and creaat multiple PPC advertising campaigns, generating conversions for companies selling everything from gumballs, cleaning services to motorhomes.
- Initiate sales calls to prospective or current clients and document all sales efforts via call logging system and/or CRM module.
- Receive advanced education in SEO, SEM solutions for customers and expand an overall advertising solution for customers through digital solutions.
- Update and maintain all account history and activity reports through CRM database.
Get advertising sales executive experience
Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an advertising sales executive. The most common roles before becoming an advertising sales executive include account executive, sales representative team lead and sales manager.Prepare your advertising sales executive resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your advertising sales executive resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an advertising sales executive resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
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Apply for advertising sales executive jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an advertising sales executive job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Advertising Sales Executive Job
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Average advertising sales executive salary
The average Advertising Sales Executive salary in the United States is $51,718 per year or $25 per hour. Advertising sales executive salaries range between $39,000 and $67,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do advertising sales executives rate their job?
Advertising Sales Executive reviews
Marketing products from a traceable companies to consumers and providing a good service to the clients .
Working with many different types of people. The outside adventure and communicating with the people
Sales Managers that have been given the opportunity and not earning The title
The challenge to bring in new business and exceed monthly sales quota. To have the freedom to not be micromanage is reward enough. However the commissions and sales recognition make both rewarding and fun.
Updated June 25, 2024
