The Changing Role of Digital Media Sales People

By: Alan Cutter | ClickZ

The rise of programmatic buying has impacted not just delivery and pricing, but the sales process itself. Publishers are scrambling to adjust their sales teams and processes. A year ago, many large publishers were adamantly refusing to sell their inventory through exchanges. Now, most of them have jumped on the bandwagon, albeit kicking and screaming. The latest to fall was Turner, which this week announced it was starting its own in-house exchange.

The ad sales model is being disrupted and it's impacting the role of the digital salesperson. The traditional sales force, selling premium advertising using the direct sales, relationship model, is being edged out of the picture. Media sales people, who spent their time coaxing media planners and entertaining clients, find that trying to build custom ad solutions is becoming a tough sell. Now, part of their job has been replaced by a machine--one that is more efficient, more data driven, and less complicated.