Media Sales Representative Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

What Does a Media Sales Representative Do?

Companies need to advertise to reach potential customers, so they buy advertising space on radio, television, billboards, and in print publications. Media sales representatives work with these clients to place advertisements where they can reach their target audiences. Selling advertising involves cold-calling, networking, and deep knowledge of the demographic information about the media outlet’s audience.

A media sales representative must be skilled at compiling audience data and research and presenting it to clients. Also, it’s essential to possess skills like relationship-building and verbal and written communication. Media sales representatives must be able to develop and maintain a network of clients as well as find new prospects to gain the best return on investment for their company. 

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National Average Salary

Media sales representative salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

The average U.S. salary for a Media Sales Representative is:

$62,200

Media Sales Representative Job Descriptions

When it comes to recruiting a media sales representative, having the right job description can make a big difference. Here are some real world job descriptions you can use as templates for your next opening.

Example 1

If you have a winning attitude and are highly motivated, ABC Company has an exciting media sales representative position selling integrated, multi-media advertising plans. This position is responsible for generating revenue through the sale of all our print and digital advertising products.

The successful candidate will enhance relationships with current accounts and target potential advertisers to acquire new accounts. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected to develop advertising programs that address client needs and grow revenue. Well-developed organization and planning skills will ensure your success in servicing the account including managing the order, complying with Company deadlines for ad copy, handling the credit and billing processes, and preparing layout and artwork specifications for advertisements. This is a collaborative team based position that requires a solid knowledge of competing media, marketing, and industry practices.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or communications or commensurate work experience
  • 1 year of media experience, preferably digital marketing is required
  • Prior experience with digital and print advertising sales experience preferred
  • An understanding and passion for digital marketing including paid search, paid social, streaming radio, CTV, email marketing, and YELP
  • Experience in consultative selling process, including pre-call discovery and setting appointments, completing a comprehensive needs analysis with potential clients, creating proposals, and presenting and closing business
  • Ability to use a CRM to track sales activity and revenue
  • The ability to use research materials and data to create marketing solution proposals using PowerPoint
  • The ability to assist clients with advertising copy and coordinating the production and scheduling of advertising in collaboration with other departments

Skills, experience, and attributes:

  • You must think and act like a sales hunter. Aggressive sales activity is expected
  • Strong client and agency contacts; well networked
  • Strong desire to bring positive energy and strong sales activity to the team
  • Keen ability to identify and present big picture concepts, yet pay attention to detail
  • Flawless written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to multitask and balance the needs of multiple departments within the company
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Suite of products, CRM, and other internal systems
  • Outstanding customer service skills required
  • Desire to be proficient in ABC Company products and services across digital, print, and event categories
  • Reliable car transportation and valid driver’s license required

Example 2

ABC station in city, state, is seeking a Media Sales Representative who can take us to the next level. The Media Sales Representative will develop new business by recommending marketing solutions that produce measurable results, with both television and digital marketing. The candidate will have full access to a suite of the most effective and efficient Broadcast Television advertising and Digital Marketing products and services.

Television Advertising & Production solutions include:

  • Commercial Spot Advertising Campaigns
  • Paid Programming & Infomercials
  • Local & National News Sponsorships
  • Sponsored Content & Segments
  • PSA/Cause Marketing Partnerships
  • Video Production – commercial & long form

Digital Agency Marketing Services include:

  • Website Services: Design, Hosting, Domain, Security, Updates & Maintenance
  • Content Services: Social Media Management, Database Management, Blogging, SEO
  • Advertising Services: SEM, Targeted Display, YouTube, Social Media Ads
  • Software Services: Contesting, Directories and Reputation Management, Conversion Tracking

Television Station Digital Assets include:

  • News Website: Display Ads, Video Pre/Post Roll, Deals, Content Sponsorships, Native Advertising
  • News Mobile App: Display Ads, Video Pre/Post Roll, Content Sponsorships, Native Advertising
  • Non-Traditional: Event Marketing, Outside Media Partnerships, etc

Responsibilities:

The candidate must demonstrate experience developing and cultivating new and existing leads through cold calls, telephone prospecting, request for proposals, etc. The Media Sales Representative candidate must have quantitative evidence of sales success as well as digital marketing knowledge. Knowing the many digital marketing products and how they work together to create a strategy is paramount to the candidate’s success.

If this describes you and you’re looking for a position that will allow you to leverage your talent and make an impact on business and your own career, the role of Media Sales Representative is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Example 3

Position responsibilities:

  • Ability to “hunt” – search for and develop new broadcast and digital business and grow existing digital and traditional radio business
  • Generate new business through persistent focus on new client development and strategic sourcing
  • Prospect and identify marketing revenue opportunities, create broadcast and digital sales packages, present to clients, and close the sale
  • Develop and maintain effective relationships with key decision-makers
  • Create holistic digital marketing solutions with the ability to manipulate and calculate pricing structures utilizing CPM (cost per thousand) and CPC (cost per click)
  • Create fully integrated marketing campaigns to deliver strong ROI for clients utilizing both traditional radio and digital extension
  • Meet and exceed individual quarterly and annual budgets
  • Fully participate in CRM (Client Relationship Management) system
  • Participate in training to enhance professional skills and overall understanding of new and evolving media

To be successful in this role, you will need:

  • Ability to successfully execute the sales process whether working remotely or onsite
  • Demonstrated success in outside advertising sales (three years experience preferred)
  • Ability to organize, analyze, and interpret statistical data to draw conclusions from findings
  • Self-starter and a Team player
  • Capable and willing to resolve issues as they surface
  • High level of proficiency with computers, software, and new technologies
  • Advertising enthusiast, from ad copy to social posts, you embrace it all
  • Enthusiastic, positive and creative perspective with new business development
  • A commitment to personal growth through continual training
  • Excellent oral, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills
  • A high level of proficiency with computers, software, and new technologies

Physical demands:

  • Receive, process, and maintain information through oral and/or written communication effectively
  • Substantial physical movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
  • Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction with good eye and hand coordination
  • Lift, move, and carry up to 50 pounds on occasion

Sample Interview Questions

  • What is your experience in media sales?
  • What do you do to stay on top of industry trends?
  • What are your methods for prospecting and finding new customers?
  • What is the best way to determine which media platforms are most effective for a specific client?
  • When you work with a client, what is your typical sales process?
  • When potential clients raise objections or pushback, what do you do?
  • What is an example of a successful media campaign you have worked on and how did you contribute to its success?
  • What is your sales pipeline management strategy?
  • What is your method for measuring and reporting sales success?
  • What is your strategy for ensuring repeat business with clients?
Pete Newsome

About Pete Newsome

Pete Newsome is the President of 4 Corner Resources, the staffing and recruiting firm he founded in 2005. 4 Corner is a member of the American Staffing Association and TechServe Alliance and has been Clearly Rated's top-rated staffing company in Central Florida for the past five years. Recent awards and recognition include being named to Forbes’ Best Recruiting Firms in America, The Seminole 100, and The Golden 100. Pete also founded zengig, to offer comprehensive career advice, tools, and resources for students and professionals. He hosts two podcasts, Hire Calling and Finding Career Zen, and is blazing new trails in recruitment marketing with the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Connect with Pete on LinkedIn

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