"The evolving aspects of an Outstanding Account Executive"

2. Courage – Rather than incorporating a highly assertive or verbally tenacious sales posture, their courage is often aligned with the shear will of determination or persistence. They are not apt to back away from resistance or conflict.

3. Achievement – They possess an unrelenting drive to achieve. They continually expect more and more from themselves and are rarely content with their performance.

4. Focus – They are goal directed and have the ability to subscribe to realistic goals and stay on track over-time to achieve them. They always seem to know where they are and what they need to do next to further their own progress.

5. Relator – They can initiate and cultivate trusting and open relationships, so as to convey care and concern throughout the customer experience. They are able to secure a viable “partnership” with the customers, as the customer recognizes their true desire to contribute to their success.

The prior success factors of Media Account Executives are still relevant today. The evolution of the success model has brought additional trends to these standards of success. Nowadays, the best Account Executives are likely to be more strategic and creative in how they work with their customers. They factor the possible future needs of their customers with innovative solutions which separate them from the conventional approach. To service future needs, relationships are even more critical than before. Some of these trends and subsequent talents that emerge when studying today’s successful Account Executives are:

1. Stronger Motivation – Today, the competition is fierce, which demands the Account Executive to be more motivated, confident and hungry as ever. The primary motivational themes of Achiever, Competition and Ego will be more significant to move the Account Executive forward and face an ever increasing and diverse competition. Never being content and always driven to do more seems to resonate in the hearts and minds of today’s successful Account Executive. In addition, they will likely be able to find greater intrinsic value (Customer Values) in partnering and making a difference with their customers.

2. Strategic Sales Approach – Successful Media Companies and Account Executives are placing a greater emphasis on a long-term, strategic (Strategic Planning) view of their clientele. Rather than being focused only on the immediate needs of the customer, Account Executives must also forecast and unlock future needs. Thus, they need to adapt their sales solution(s) that not only impact the customer’s immediate need, but incorporate a long-term strategic sales plan that might require many different and unique solutions. Without a successful strategy, the Account Executive will only be able to respond to the customer’s present needs, which automatically puts them behind the curve of the digital competition.

3. Creativity – While creativity has always been a sought after talent, the ever increasing competition for the advertising dollar demands that Account Executives bring evermore unique and innovative solutions to their customers. Account Executives need to draw from a wide array of ideas and products and create new combinations of solutions for the customer. The Innovation theme measures the capacity of the Account Executive to think “outside the box” and break away from conventional approaches in their work.

4. Adaptability – Some Account Executives lost their edge and could no longer compete, simply because they could not adapt with the new technology and methods that have changed media over the last 20 years. With the advent of technology and greater diverse competition, media companies have been changing their products/ services, structure, sales techniques and approaches. Rather than ignoring or rejecting the changes that have occurred, today’s successful Account Executive needs to dispense of some of their prior ways of conducting business and enthusiastically accept new ideas, concepts and technology.

5. Relationship – The ability to form strong, trusting relationships with customers is still a key ingredient to today’s successful Account Executive. Furthermore, Account Executives’ ability to initiate and develop mutually supportive internal relationships, has become of greater significance to their success. They will need to create internal partnerships with key resource people (Market Managers, Digital/Web designers, other Account Executives) in order to maximize the customer’s advertising dollar.