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Advertising sales agents—often referred to as account executives or advertising sales representatives—sell or solicit advertising, including graphic art, advertising space in publications, custom-made signs, or television and radio advertising time. More than half of all advertising sales agents work in the information sector, mostly for media firms, including television and radio broadcasters, print and Internet publishers, and cable program distributors. Other agents work for firms engaged in direct mail advertising or display and outdoor advertising, such as billboards and signs. Because most revenue for magazines, newspapers, directories, and broadcasters is generated from advertising, advertising sales agents play an important role in their success.

Outside sales agents call on clients and prospects at their place of business. They may have an appointment, or they may practice "cold calling," arriving without an appointment. Inside sales agents work on their employer's premises and handle sales to customers who walk in or telephone the firm to inquire about advertising. Some also may make telephone sales calls—calling prospects, attempting to sell the media firm's advertising space or time, and arranging follow-up appointments between interested prospects and outside sales agents. Advertising sales agents should not be confused with telemarketers, whose duties are limited solely to soliciting orders for goods or services over the telephone and who work primarily in call centers that provide telemarketing services on contract.

Within the advertising and related services industry, media representative firms sell advertising space or time for media owners, including print and Internet publishers, radio and television stations, and cable systems. Media representative firms maintain offices in major cities and employ their own teams of advertising sales agents. These agents work exclusively with the executives at advertising agencies, called media buyers, who purchase advertising space for their clients. Media representative firms may represent any number of publications and radio or television stations, selling space to advertising agencies with clients who want to initiate a national advertising campaign or place advertisements outside their local market. Sales agents employed in media representation normally do not cultivate new advertisers but maintain contacts with existing advertisers through the advertising agencies. A local television or radio station or publication would have a national sales manager to promote its best interests and coordinate the efforts of all the media representative firms on its behalf.

Local sales agents are employed by local publications or radio and television stations and are responsible for sales in a local territory. For these sales agents, obtaining new accounts is an important part of the job, and they may spend much of their time traveling to and visiting prospective advertisers and current clients. During a sales call, they discuss the client's advertising needs and suggest how their products and services can meet those needs. A critical part of building a relationship with a client is to find out as much as possible about the client and its products. Sales agents inquire about the client's current customers, prospective customers, and the geographic area of the target market.

During the first meeting with a client, sales agents gather background information and explain how specific types of advertising will help promote a client's products or services most effectively. Next, the advertising sales agent prepares an advertising proposal to present to the client. This entails determining the advertising medium to be used, preparing sample advertisements, and providing clients with estimates of the cost of the proposal. Consolidation in the media industries has brought the sale of different types of advertising under one roof. Sales are increasingly made of integrated packages that include advertisements to be placed in print, online, and with a broadcast subsidiary.

After a contract has been established, advertising sales agents serve as the main contact between the client and the firm. They handle communication between the parties and assist the client in developing sample artwork or radio and television spots. They also arrange for commercial taping sessions and may accompany clients to the sessions.

Beyond selling, advertising sales agents have other duties as well. They analyze sales statistics, prepare reports, and handle the scheduling of their appointments and work hours. They read about new and existing products and monitor the sales, prices, and products of their competitors. In many firms, the advertising sales agent handles the drafting of contracts specifying the advertising work to be performed and its cost, as well as the billing and recordkeeping for their customers' accounts—which may include customer service responsibilities such as answering questions or addressing any problems the client may have with the proposal. Sales agents also are responsible for developing sales tools, promotional plans, and media kits, which they use to help make the sale.

Task	Level of Importance	Frequency
Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs, and to protect and increase existing advertising.	4.47	Daily (34.28%)
Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible.	4.45	Daily (38.48%)
Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.	4.34	Daily (43.37%)
Process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts.	4.33	Daily (42.91%)
Deliver advertising or illustration proofs to customers for approval.	4.21	Weekly or more (63.80%)
Draw up contracts for advertising work, and collect payments due.	4.10	Weekly or more (33.40%)
Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services.	4.10	Daily (48.87%)
Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.	4.05	Weekly or more (37.40%)
Recommend appropriate sizes and formats for advertising, depending on medium being used.	4.01	Daily (47.22%)
Inform customers of available options for advertisement artwork, and provide samples.	3.97	Several times a day (29.97%)
Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance.	3.92	Daily (37.43%)
Determine advertising medium to be used, and prepare sample advertisements within the selected medium for presentation to customers.	3.81	Monthly or more (34.96%)
Consult with company officials, sales departments, and advertising agencies to develop promotional plans.	3.79	Weekly or more (47.30%)
Identify new advertising markets, and propose products to serve them.	3.75	Daily (54.34%)
Prepare promotional plans, sales literature, media kits, and sales contracts, using computer.	3.75	Daily (34.28%)
Write copy as part of layout.	3.75	Daily (46.69%)
Attend sales meetings, industry trade shows, and training seminars to gather information, promote products, expand network of contacts, and increase knowledge.	3.34	Yearly or more (41.20%)
Gather all relevant material for bid processes, and coordinate bidding and contract approval.	3.26	Monthly or more (30.91%)
Arrange for commercial taping sessions, and accompany clients to sessions.	2.98	Monthly or more (47.82%)
Write sales outlines for use by staff.	2.76	Monthly or more (40.36%)

Importance Selling or Influencing Others [ ? ]  4.71 Getting Information [ ? ]  4.66 Communicating with Persons Outside Organization [ ? ]  4.56 Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships [ ? ]  4.53 Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work [ ? ]  4.22 Performing for or Working Directly with the Public [ ? ]  4.13 Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates [ ? ]  4.12 Making Decisions and Solving Problems [ ? ]  4.11 Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others [ ? ]  4.10 Thinking Creatively [ ? ]  3.85 Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge [ ? ]  3.85 Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events [ ? ]  3.75 Interacting With Computers [ ? ]  3.74 Performing Administrative Activities [ ? ]  3.67 Developing Objectives and Strategies [ ? ]  3.59 Provide Consultation and Advice to Others [ ? ]  3.43 Analyzing Data or Information [ ? ]  3.38 Processing Information [ ? ]  3.37 Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others [ ? ]  3.17 Developing and Building Teams [ ? ]  3.02 Scheduling Work and Activities [ ? ]  2.98 Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People [ ? ]  2.94 Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others [ ? ]  2.84 Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings [ ? ]  2.78 Documenting/Recording Information [ ? ]  2.77 Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment [ ? ]  2.60 Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information [ ? ]  2.52 Assisting and Caring for Others [ ? ]  2.23 Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates [ ? ]  2.18 Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards [ ? ]  2.16 Coaching and Developing Others [ ? ]  2.03 Monitoring and Controlling Resources [ ? ]  1.97 Controlling Machines and Processes [ ? ]  1.80 Handling and Moving Objects [ ? ]  1.75 Performing General Physical Activities [ ? ]  1.74 Staffing Organizational Units [ ? ]  1.69 Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material [ ? ]  1.64 Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment [ ? ]  1.43 Training and Teaching Others [ ? ]  1.42 Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment [ ? ]  1.05 Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment [ ? ]  1.05

Level Selling or Influencing Others [ ? ]  6.29 Communicating with Persons Outside Organization [ ? ]  5.41 Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships [ ? ]  5.26 Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work [ ? ]  5.19 Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others [ ? ]  4.83 Getting Information [ ? ]  4.70 Thinking Creatively [ ? ]  4.54 Provide Consultation and Advice to Others [ ? ]  4.47 Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates [ ? ]  4.46 Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge [ ? ]  4.35 Performing for or Working Directly with the Public [ ? ]  4.33 Processing Information [ ? ]  4.32 Making Decisions and Solving Problems [ ? ]  4.26 Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events [ ? ]  4.22 Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others [ ? ]  3.88 Developing Objectives and Strategies [ ? ]  3.83 Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People [ ? ]  3.60 Analyzing Data or Information [ ? ]  3.53 Interacting With Computers [ ? ]  3.51 Scheduling Work and Activities [ ? ]  3.43 Performing Administrative Activities [ ? ]  3.26 Developing and Building Teams [ ? ]  2.89 Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings [ ? ]  2.80 Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others [ ? ]  2.75 Assisting and Caring for Others [ ? ]  2.75 Coaching and Developing Others [ ? ]  2.47 Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information [ ? ]  2.11 Documenting/Recording Information [ ? ]  1.99 Monitoring and Controlling Resources [ ? ]  1.83 Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates [ ? ]  1.72 Handling and Moving Objects [ ? ]  1.66 Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards [ ? ]  1.62 Staffing Organizational Units [ ? ]  1.42 Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment [ ? ]  1.37 Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material [ ? ]  1.19 Performing General Physical Activities [ ? ]  1.15 Controlling Machines and Processes [ ? ]  1.13 Training and Teaching Others [ ? ]  0.79 Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment [ ? ]  0.67 Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment [ ? ]  0.10 Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment [ ? ]  0.09