Account Executive

Job Description

WGNO-TV, the ABC affiliate in New Orleans, and WNOL-TV, the city's CW affiliate, are looking for a qualified salesperson to join the local sales team.

The Sales Account Executive is responsible for attaining the greatest share of available local advertising dollars for the station group through the sale of commercial television spots, specials and sports as well as all available digital assets to advertising agencies or local advertisers.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Plans and organizes a sales strategy. Monitors and tracks sales plan and assigned strategies.
• Prepares quarterly sales revenue budget and target goal and is responsible for achieving budget and sales quotas established with management. Evaluates performance results against goals.
• Prepares sales presentations to sell advertising utilizing available in-house ratings research materials and sales tools, knowledge of the agencies and their advertising needs, knowledge of the local marketplace competition and available inventory.
• Makes in-person presentations to agency buyers and planners or local advertisers. Books orders and negotiates spot placement and rates based on the parameters for rate negotiations set by sales management and the advertiser parameters for each advertising campaign.
• Serve agencies/clients as a market expert by providing information on the respective platform and the competition. Serves station management as a market information source by gathering competitive rates, programming and advertiser plans.
• Post orders, verifies accuracy of clients' scheduled dates and times on a monthly basis; verifies client's billing based on quoted audience delivery; handles preemptions/make goods in a timely fashion to client and station satisfaction.
• Analyzes client needs and interests. Establishes and maintains a positive working relationship with assigned/designated agencies and clients through frequent contact in person or electronic communication and promotes the station and sells available inventory. Resolves client's issues or complaints.
• Other duties and tasks as assigned by Local Sales Manager, General Sales Manager or VP/GM.

REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's Degree, preferably with a focus on advertising, sales and/or marketing. Prior sales experience is preferred.
• Establish credible relationship with existing businesses and strong emphasis on developing new business
• Demonstrable knowledge of the local market, rating services, qualitative research and available sales and research tools.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate, negotiate and influence internal and external contacts.
• Excellent business development skills, including but not limited to prospecting and cold-calling, lead qualification, handling objections, conceptual selling, client needs analysis, rate negotiation, closing and client relationship management.

REVENUE/BUDGETARY/STAFF RESPONSIBILITY
• Responsible for generating revenue. Decisions on the maximization of station revenue through sales of commercial television spots, other platform inventory, specials and sports at the highest attainable rates will have a major impact on the profitability of the station and overall operation of the business. Management determines account executive revenue responsibility based on the market shares, demographics and client base.
• Responsible for a budget.
• Indirectly supervises a sales assistant in order completion, sales package preparation and other administrative duties.
• Daily contact with sales management regarding rate structure, selling strategies and problem resolution. Daily contact with agencies and clients to sell airtime, handle scheduling changes, make goods and billing problems. Frequent contact with traffic, research and programming regarding sales-related matters.
Occasional meetings with station credit manager regarding client-billing discrepancies and first time advertisers, and with promotions department regarding special promotional needs.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rojz01-3-149-234-141-42 in your application.