What Does an Advertising Agent Do?

Advertising sales agents, also known as advertising sales representatives, are responsible for selling advertising space to businesses and individuals. They make contact with potential customers, present sales pitches, and manage customer accounts. Advertising agents are like tailors. They create ads, plan how, when, and where they should be delivered, and then deliver them to the customer.

Advertising agencies

The sales agent then meets with the customer to explain how certain types of advertising can help promote the customer's products or services in the most effective way. Advertising sales agents may occasionally work outside of the office, calling customers and prospects at their workplaces. They work in a variety of industries such as Internet publishing, radio, television, and advertising agencies. Others work for planning firms and media representatives who are hired to represent media companies to solicit advertisers on behalf of the company. It is important for agents to help potential customers understand how their company can help them by showing them their advertising options, providing cost estimates, drawing up the right paperwork, making recommendations, and keeping open communication between them and their customers about all decisions made during the process. Media buyers strategically buy optimal advertising for their customers; companies with a product, brand, or service to advertise. As advertising sales agents gain experience, they move from smaller local customers to larger domestic customers.

Online banner ads attract attention and marketers are getting better at tailoring advertising to individual users. For example, ads that display social messages, financial advertisements, drug-related ads, etc. Some advertising agents may be known as account executives or account managers, especially those who focus on ad production. Advertising degree programs include courses on the principles and objectives of media teams that sell ads, agencies that create ads, and companies that buy advertising. These agents provide cost estimates for their advertising to the customer and ensure that they process all paperwork and account-related correspondence. Sales agents can also work in their employer's offices and handle sales for walk-in customers or those who call to ask about advertising.

Getting new accounts is an important part of the job; agents can spend much of their time traveling and visiting potential advertisers and maintaining relationships with current customers. They communicate specific types of advertising to the customer that can effectively increase or promote their services or products. Many need to meet their sales goals so they are continually looking for new sources of customers; making phone calls and office visits to interest them in advertising.