Salary by Category: Sales Person, Account Executive or Manager

SALES PERSON, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE OR MANAGER

In terms of total compensation, ad sales people, account executives or managers in consumer publishing—at $85,000—made $5,000 and $6,000 more respectively than those in b-to-b and at associations. This is despite the fact that b-to-b ad sales people made the most in average commission.

For ad sales people, the gap between male and female base salaries was widest of all in 2007, with male ad sales people’s base salaries at almost $15,000 higher than females and with their total annual compensation at $18,000 higher.

As usual, working in the New York City area continues to be a factor as well—at $58,972, ad sales people there brought in $14,100 more in base salary than those outside the area.
Many ad sales people, account executives or managers love the variety of their jobs. “Doing something different every day. Opportunities to be creative in a lot of different ways,” wrote one. “Ad education in adjacent industries. Marketing, fulfillment systems, logistics, USPS,” wrote another. Like their higher-ups, they also seem to enjoy the flexibility and client relationships. “Leading people through challenges and succeeding,” one cited as a most rewarding aspect.

Not surprisingly, verbatim comments showed that ad sales people are worried about how the economy will affect their compensations. However, unlike 16 percent of directors and 24 percent of managers, only 6 percent of ad sales people expect a decrease in 2008.

Fifty-eight expect an increase; 25 percent expect an increase of 20 percent or more. They seem to be excited about new media. “Shift to new media buys will boost compensation because we are well positioned to handle this shift,” one wrote. “Mixed media (net, print sponsorships) and the fact that I used Folio:’s salary survey of ‘07 to negotiate a huge increase in commission percentage. I now receive 20 percent on sales and 25 percent on bonus.”

Others, though, are not quite so optimistic. “Commodities pricing is affecting many of my clients’ ad budgets so my revenue will be down.”