8 mistakes to avoid when beginning a career in marketing and media sales

Photo by bongkarn thanyakij

So you’re thinking about a career in marketing or media sales. Sales can be an extremely rewarding career that allows for a great deal of freedom for professionals. In many cases, you can make your own schedule, are free from remaining in an office every day and have a great deal of earning potential. When it comes to marketing and media sales, whether selling advertisements for a radio station, television station, or a newspaper or working for an agency to sell marketing services to clients, there is an additional level of freedom to strategize new creative ways to help the client reach new customers, and ultimately giving you a feeling of satisfaction of helping them grow.

These are the positives of working in media and marketing sales. It can also be extremely challenging at times. Aside from gaining the trust of new clients and keeping them happy by consistently providing results for their business, marketing and media sales professionals may get frustrated and create additional hurdles for themselves when balancing their existing book of business and prospecting for new clients.

Here are eight mistakes to avoid when beginning a career in marketing and media sales.

Getting impatient and discouraged

Like any sales position, persistence and patience are two non-negotiable traits that any marketing and media sales professional should buy into and bring to the office each and every day. Business is great when you are making sales and it can be miserable when you are having an off month. The key is to stay positive and not be discouraged in challenging times. It takes time to build a book of business.

Selling short term “one offs”

At times, it might sound like a good idea to sell a “rock bottom deal” for a “one off” advertising campaign to add some additional revenue toward your July budget (a traditionally slower month in the media business). Consider staying far away from “one offs” unless they are built into a long-term strategy. Whatever you do, do not approach a brand new client with a “one off”. Why? Two things could potentially happen. The new client will always want the “sale price” that you offered to them or they will be underwhelmed with the result of the campaign and they will never want to do business with you again. Stick with long-term campaign strategies if you want to get results for your clients and keep earning commission checks that will make your wallet happy.

Not filling your prospect funnel 

Let's say you land two or three solid clients that bolster your book of business to a level that makes your management team happy and satisfies your lifestyle. While you might be tempted to go into cruise control mode, be mindful of what can happen if one of your tent pole clients decides to stop working with you. This is why it is important to always prospect for the next big client and keep your funnel as full as possible. This way if one or two clients back out, it won’t completely destroy your quota.

Minimal communication with your clients

No matter how busy you get managing your larger accounts, it is important to always communicate consistently with your smaller clients as often as you do with your premier clients. Poor communication can lead to your clients dropping you for a sales rep that will give them attention. Good relationships are a critical element to succeeding and maintaining success in marketing and media sales.

Overlooking omni-channel campaign strategies

Today’s marketing landscape is complicated. Your client’s customers are most likely on multiple platforms. To connect your client’s brand to their core consumer and generating maximum results, consider integrating multiple avenues to your marketing campaign. If you are selling radio or print advertisements, consider adding targeted digital ads or an email campaign series into your marketing plan. 

Not doing a thorough client needs analysis

If you develop a marketing campaign without customizing it to answer the needs of your client, it will be difficult to generate a positive ROI for your client and they will most likely stop doing business with you. 

Not understanding the client’s core consumer profile

If you do not take the time to understand your client’s customers, it may be difficult to reach them right people with the appropriate messaging.

Overlooking emerging market trends

The marketing industry is constantly evolving. New platforms have come to market while others have faded over the past few years. Consumer buying habits have also evolved in a big way. It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends that pertain to your client’s customers. 

Do you work or have worked in marketing or media sales? What advice do you have to share? Let us know at @MarketWren with the hashtag #MarketingSalesTips