subject: How To Cross Over To Digital Media Sales [print this page] Based on the briefs weve been receiving from our clients recently, its apparent that there is a greater emphasis and demand for media sales candidates with an understanding of digital. Whilst the core principals may be the same, clients have begun to expand their digital offering and as such need candidates who can sell in such spaces effectively and have a clear understanding of the medium. So here are a few pointers on how to cash in on online advertising sales
Core skills
First off, there are some core transferable skills that youll need as well as some new ones to learn. If youre already working in the industry you will probably already have strong presentation, communication and negotiation skills. Youll also be incredibly media savvy and of course have exceptional sales skills. If youre a little unsure of yourself in these areas then its wise to approach your current employer for additional training or take an external course. One of the most renowned courses for negotiation training is Scotwork , they aim to develop your negotiation skills helping you to create more structured and efficient deals. For general sales training there are the industry recognised DIPADA and AIDA models; youll find an array of courses offering sales training based upon these methods.
Grasp digital
To take that step into the digital sales space youll need to develop a good working knowledge of the mechanics behind websites, understanding the worth and impact of advertising through various formats, such as banners and skyscrapers. Youll also need to read up on the value of digital advertising; the ROI is much higher than that of traditional advertising due to the rich data it offers, enabling companies to target consumers more directly. Which is where currencies start to come into play; CPM, CPA and PPC, as well as an understanding of how they are influenced by external factors such as Ad Networks.
Another flourishing area of advertising where sales is seeing huge benefits is mobile advertising, apps and targeted GPS ads have really opened up the scope for creativity. Whilst privacy laws in the UK are currently restrictive the third screen is a new and promising area that anyone wanting to move into digital should be aware of.
Industry knowledge and awareness
Employers will want you to not only show that you understand the technical side but also demonstrate your knowledge of what competitors are doing, that youre up to date on the latest digital campaigns and show a passion for digital in general. So, its a good idea to play around on competitor websites and get a feel for how adverts impact upon consumers what works and what doesnt work. That way you can understand from a clients perspective what makes commercial sense
Contacts
A major part of moving into a different medium always requires strong contacts which could potentially be of value somewhere down the line. Interacting with people in the digital space through the various forms of social media, e.g. LinkedIn allows you to build and develop strong relationships which would give you the edge over other candidates and shows great initiative, which in turn is equally important.
