There’s a massive gap in digital media talent right now. Digital media is growing at a staggering rate, yet the ability to sell digital isn’t as widespread. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, revenue in Q2 2014 was $264 million higher than in Q1 2014. But finding qualified (and affordable) digital media talent is more complicated than the technology being sold. A study of Fortune 500 companies and ad agency execs found that more than one-third of all survey respondents haven’t hired in the past year because they haven’t figured out who to go to for talent
You probably had one of two responses to those stats. If you’ve been in digital media for years, you may feel relieved to be ahead of the curve. But if you’re on the other end of the spectrum, lacking digital sales experience, or you just don’t feel confident in digital space, your palms probably just started sweating.
Don’t panic. You know how to sell; you just need a boost when it comes to proving yourself in the digital space. Here are four ways to help you get hired for your digital sales position:
Get Certified to Sell
In digital advertising, you need to stay on top of your game. But years, perhaps even decades, of sales experience does not equate to even a glimpse of digital sales experience.
A great way to stand out from the crowd of sales job-seekers is to get certified to sell digital media. You prove to the hiring sales manager that you understand the in’s and out’s of a successful campaign, and that you’re qualified to vend digital ad space. Just like a doctor gets a medical degree and lawyers pass the bar, you too need proof of your expertise in the industry.
Luckily, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has created a certification program that is unlike any other offering in the industry. They launched the IAB Digital Media Sales Certification in 2012, and since then, over 3,500 sales professionals from over 250 companies have applied to the program, to ready themselves to sell in the ever-changing environment of digital media. Companies like AOL and IDG have required their entire sales staff to take the program.
Andy Stein, Adroll Agency Sales Lead, left the world of TV sales and was able to venture into the world of digital sales with the help of the IAB Certification. “The IAB program was instrumental in opening doors that were closed to me before. Having the IAB Certification on my resume helped me get interviews that I never would have gotten without it,” says Stein “IAB not only prepared me to speak to the digital world with confidence, but obtaining the certification on my own also showed initiative and perseverance, which definitely helped me sell myself. As a result, I landed a job at AdRoll, one of the fastest-growing, most-exciting companies in digital advertising.”
The program also helped him beyond the interview. “In my day-to-day work, the continuing education classes are essential in keeping me ahead of the curve and remaining knowledgeable about an industry that evolves daily. It’s important for salespeople to have our thumbs on the pulse of the industry to provide clients with up-to-date expertise.”
Sales managers are looking for professionals who can understand client needs, and then transform those needs into a realized ROI. So you can bet hiring managers are looking for professionals who already possess this competency.
Prove You Can Sell
You can take the IAB Certification program to prove your digital sales aptitude, but a hiring manager needs to see that you can listen to, understand, and convert prospects into customers. Lifelong customers.
How do you do this? Show them the money. According to CareerBuilder, there are a few ways to prove your sales know-how through the words you use on your resume. Rather than stating you’re “results-driven” with a proven “track record”, prove it with metrics. Say you improved monthly goals by X% over the last year. Or you decreased client turnover by XX%. If you sold the most product for a specific quarter, include that accomplishment. Support your selling know-how with tangible, bottom-line facts.
Network and Attend Conferences
Attending conferences and networking events are also great avenues for staying current on digital media best practices.
According to a 2012 ABC News report, over 80% of jobs are secured through networking. This idea seems obvious. But where do you start? Attend direct marketing conferences, along with events involving the latest trends in digital advertising, technology, social media, and PR. Mashable rounds up the top events in the industry and shares them with digital people. Check them out here.
Attended events can be great talking points during interviews and initial hiring discussions. Show them your continual desire to learn the newest technology and ad products so you can sell with confidence and satisfy digital media buyers. Become a thought leader in the industry.
Consider Relocating
Certain cities are booming in the digital media space and the demand for marketing gurus is high.
Research from Geoffrey James of Inc.com and LinkedIn found that certain cities are at high demand for sales people. They found that West Coast job-seekers should look to Seattle and San Francisco. People on the other coast should start perusing Washington D.C., job sites while those in and around Texas should search for positions in San Antonio and/or Austin.
Preparing yourself, and your resume, for a lucrative career in digital sales can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Take it step by step and you’ll be selling digital in no time.
Learn more at iab.com/topics/certification/
