Account Executive Job Description
Overview

The Account Executive is a salesperson usually responsible for serving the needs of existing customers and closing sales deals to create new customers. Their role is to analyze customer requirements, maintain effective relationships, develop new business prospects, design and maintain account plans for customers, manage inventory of products and services, and assist the customer by explaining various strategies for new businesses. Their responsibilities are managing customer contacts, preparing records for all sales in the processing system, preparing and maintaining financial contracts, managing all customer communication, administering efficient payment process, coordinating with various ...
Steps to take to start your career as an Account Executive and other jobs like it
- If you're considering a career in sales, focus on developing strong communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills. For roles like advertising sales, gaining experience in digital marketing, social media platforms, and data analytics can be particularly valuable, as the field increasingly emphasizes online and digital channels.
- While having a degree in marketing, business, or communications can be an advantage, it’s not a strict requirement for a sales position. A degree provides a solid foundation with courses in advertising, public relations, and media studies. However, if you don’t have a degree, you can still excel by developing strong communication and interpersonal skills, being persuasive, understanding the sales process, and being adaptable to clients' needs. Networking, persistence, and hands-on experience can be just as valuable in building a successful sales career.
- Begin your sales career by working in general sales positions, such as retail or inside sales, to learn prospecting, pitching, and closing deals. Pursue internships or junior roles at advertising agencies or media companies to gain industry insight. Apply for entry-level positions like Sales Assistant, Sales Associate, or Business Development Representative, and use these opportunities to build foundational skills in customer relationships and sales processes.
- Create a portfolio showcasing successful sales or marketing campaigns you've worked on, detailing your role and the results you achieved. Highlight your impact on driving sales or boosting brand awareness. As you gain experience, aim to move into more advanced roles like Sales Manager, Media Planner/Buyer, or Account Executive, and work your way toward leadership positions such as Sales Director.
Advertising Sales
There's kind of a ladder. You start as a sales assistant, then a sales planner if you're taking the direct sales route. Another way is working on the agency or client side of things and then moving over to the sales side.
Sales Requirements
It really requires a personality where you're interacting a lot with clients, so you have to be social. You have to be able to entertain your clients and understand them on a personal level so that they want to do business with you regularly.
What It’s Like in Sales
An average day for an account executive in ad sales involves going through your list and looking ahead to the next quarter. For example, if I sell TV and I’m targeting a kid-focused channel or movie, I’d aim at clients with kid products. Then you work with your marketing team internally to create a custom package. For instance, offering a promotion for a new show for a budget, like a hundred thousand dollars. You present that to the client and their representing agency.
You have a territory you work with, which sometimes involves traveling to meet clients. Some days you’re in the office working on proposals and pitches. Every day is different, which makes the job exciting and not mundane. Sometimes you’re entertaining clients, like taking them to dinner or a baseball game, to keep relationships and conversations ongoing for future campaigns.
Advertising Sales Account Executive Salary
The salary for an account executive in advertising varies depending on the medium. Starting salaries can range from $100K to $150K, with commission potentially adding another 50%, bringing the total up to $300K.
Pros and Cons of Sales
The job's pros, especially early in your career, include experiencing entertainment and networking. The industry is flexible, offering various career paths if you decide to pivot.
A key part of sales is meeting your quota. Missing your sales goal can affect your job status and commission. However, the connections you make are invaluable. There’s a strong community of people you work and grow with in the industry.
Getting Started in Sales
To get into the industry, it’s essential to understand that you can’t just jump into an account executive role. It’s rare. Be prepared to start lower and work hard, being open to different paths, whether agency or client side.
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Education you need to become an Account Executive
These are the most common degrees or certificates earned by Jobtrees users prior to becoming an Account Executive
There may be other required degrees or certifications needed for this job. The below info shows you the most commonly desired education level from employers when hiring for this job.
- Bachelor of Arts (b.a.) in Physics Education
- Bachelor of Science (b.sc.) in Marketing
Annual Pay Estimate for Account Executive and Other Important Info
See how many years Account Executive's are in their job, how much they make, how long it took to get there and how available this job is in terms of open positions.
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Career Paths for Account Executive
Find data driven insights on the path to get to this role and where it can lead
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