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Advertising Consultant Duties and Responsibilities

Advertising consultants work for digital, print, radio, and television outlets to sell marketing space to potential clients. Regardless of media type or employer, advertising consultants perform several specific job duties on a regular basis, including the following:

Strategic Selling Advertising consultants sell ad space to clients through persuasive sales techniques, offering examples and explanations for why space is needed and advising clients on how long their ads should run to make the biggest impact on potential buyers.

Networking Advertising consultants use cold calling, face-to-face meetings, and other networking techniques to find new clients and promote marketing services to new buyers.

Develop and Implement Marketing Strategies Advertising consultants create marketing strategies for clients and put these strategies into action to develop successful marketing campaigns.

Attend Regular Training Sessions Advertising consultants attend regular training sessions and meetings to stay up-to-date on marketing strategies and marketable products and services.

Communicate with Clients Advertising consultants regularly communicate with existing clients to maintain relationships by providing frequent marketing reports and presenting various advertising options.

Create Cost Estimates Advertising consultants use spreadsheets and other presentation programs to create regular marketing campaign cost estimates for clients.

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Advertising Consultant Skills and Qualifications

Advertising consultants are good at talking to and meeting with people. They use persuasive selling techniques to convince clients that they need marketing space and services to generate more profits and opportunities for their companies. Businesses that hire advertising consultants look for professionals who present the following essential skills associated with this career:

  • Negotiation skills – advertising consultants are sales professionals who are good at meeting people and convincing them to buy services they may or may not actually need, which takes strong people skills and networking know-how
  • Time management – marketing campaigns run on strict schedules, so successful advertising consultants know how to work within tight deadlines and manage their time well to accomplish tasks within a specific time frame
  • Computer skills – advertising consultants create ad mock-ups and write marketing reports, which require at least basic computer skills and familiarity with word processing and presentation software
  • Communication skills – because advertising consultants talk to potential clients over the phone and face-to-face, people with strong verbal communication skills are more likely to succeed at this career
  • Organization skills – advertising consultants manage multiple marketing campaigns simultaneously and keep detailed lists of potential contacts and clients, so people pursuing this path need strong organization skills
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Advertising Consultant Education and Training

Advertising consultants need to have a four-year degree in advertising, marketing, communications, business, or a related field of study. Most employers seek candidates who also have previous work experience in sales or business development in addition to a formal degree. Candidates who can show past work experience with digital marketing are particularly desirable to potential employers. Advertising consultants receive little to no job training and know how to develop client relationships and sell marketing space immediately upon being hired. After a week or two of close supervision under a marketing manager, advertising consultants generate their own leads, make their own sales, and create new marketing campaigns for clients.

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Advertising Consultant Salary and Outlook

The median yearly pay rate for advertising sales agents, which includes advertising consultants, is $50,380, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth for this career is projected to fall by 4 percent through 2026. Advertising consultants receive commission bonuses in addition to a base salary. Other benefits of this career include health insurance with dental and vision coverage, as well as life insurance and retirement benefits. Some employers offer additional incentives and monetary bonuses for advertising consultants who exceed monthly sales quotas.

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Helpful Resources

Find success pursuing a career as an advertising consultant by using the tools, strategies, tips, and other information contained in these books and websites:

Sales and Marketing Executives International – the SMEI website provides advertising consultants and sales professionals of all types with information about education courses and certification programs, career opportunities, and upcoming networking events

Selling 101: What Every Successful Sales Professional Needs to Know – master the fundamental skills of selling and making persuasive arguments to potential clients with the tips in this guidebook, which was written for marketing and sales professionals of all kinds

National Association of Sales Professionals – find sales training tips and career opportunities, as well as helpful articles on brand building and professional networking, at the NASP website

The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life – read this book to discover tricks and tips for successful networking and learn how to build and maintain strong client relationships, skills every advertising consultant and sales professional needs to know in order to succeed in their chosen career