Advertising Sales Agents: Job Description
Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.
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What Do Advertising Sales Agents Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of advertising sales agents span:
- 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.
- Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services.
- Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible.
- Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance.
- Prepare promotional plans, sales literature, media kits, and sales contracts, using computer.
- Process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top advertising sales agents rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Advertising Sales Agents Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Account Planner
- Account Specialist
- Advertising Account Representative
- Advertising Agent
- Advertising Assistant
- Advertising Consultant
- Advertising Coordinator
- Advertising Representative
Employment and Demand
There are about 1,034,497 advertising sales agents working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +11.9% over the projection horizon.
Advertising Sales Agents Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $63,488 |
| Hourly median | $30.52 |
| 10th percentile | $39,318 |
| 25th percentile | $51,403 |
| 75th percentile | $75,573 |
| 90th percentile | $87,658 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Advertising Sales Agents Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $94,990 |
| Colorado | $82,050 |
| Massachusetts | $78,120 |
| Washington | $75,260 |
| South Carolina | $74,840 |
| District of Columbia | $74,170 |
| Idaho | $74,100 |
| Rhode Island | $74,090 |
| New Jersey | $73,260 |
| Utah | $70,790 |
| Illinois | $66,350 |
| Michigan | $62,420 |
| Minnesota | $60,810 |
| Wisconsin | $60,680 |
| Nebraska | $60,570 |
| California | $60,470 |
| Indiana | $58,990 |
| Ohio | $58,650 |
| Florida | $58,590 |
| Delaware | $57,810 |
| Iowa | $57,510 |
| North Carolina | $57,050 |
| Vermont | $57,020 |
| Connecticut | $56,850 |
| Missouri | $56,490 |
| Arizona | $54,760 |
| Maine | $53,870 |
| Alaska | $52,380 |
| Oklahoma | $52,360 |
| Virginia | $52,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,570 |
| Hawaii | $49,450 |
| Montana | $49,410 |
| South Dakota | $49,200 |
| New Hampshire | $48,950 |
| North Dakota | $48,920 |
| Kansas | $48,520 |
| Tennessee | $48,080 |
| Alabama | $47,570 |
| Mississippi | $46,790 |
| Louisiana | $46,690 |
| Georgia | $46,410 |
| Kentucky | $46,280 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 |
| Oregon | $45,090 |
| West Virginia | $44,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,020 |
| New Mexico | $42,670 |
| Wyoming | $42,560 |
Where Advertising Sales Agents Earn the Most
Compensation for advertising sales agents vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $81,136 | 26.4% | 2.11 |
| Rocky Mountains | $74,084 | 3.5% | 0.85 |
| New England | $67,447 | 4.4% | 0.86 |
| Great Lakes | $62,557 | 15.5% | 1.07 |
| Far Western US | $59,909 | 15.6% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $56,408 | 8.0% | 1.16 |
| Southeast | $54,031 | 23.0% | 0.90 |
| Southwest | $52,814 | 3.0% | 0.79 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $97,810 | 15,730 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $95,530 | 380 |
| Ogden, UT | UT | $93,430 | 70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $92,310 | 1,100 |
| Lincoln, NE | NE | $83,830 | 510 |
| Boise City, ID | ID | $81,160 | 120 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $80,210 | 2,460 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $79,130 | 140 |
Top Industries Employing Advertising Sales Agents
The bulk of advertising sales agents are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 50,720 | $63,980 |
| Information | 40,940 | $58,650 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,280 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,030 | $63,370 |
| Wholesale Trade | 700 | $55,270 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 560 | $50,040 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 430 | $81,760 |
| Retail Trade | 350 | $41,130 |
Advertising Sales Agents work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Canva (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of advertising sales agents is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Entry-level advertising sales agents positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (Supplemental)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Search Marketing Strategists (Primary-Short)
- Online Merchants (Supplemental)
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers (Supplemental)
- Public Relations Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Writers and Authors (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future advertising sales agents commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-3011.00 (Advertising Sales Agents).
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