Advertising Sales - Graduate Scheme

Advertising Sales - Graduate Scheme

Student Aid is a young innovative student media company that is looking for a talented sales person to help with its rapid expansion. The only media channel to provide brand/product placement direct into student rooms, Student Aid provides an exciting opportunity for an experienced media sales person wishing to be part of a successful business from the early stages and profit from it.

The successful candidate will be selling a unique ‘below the line’ marketing solution to Marketing Directors, Managing Directors, Media Planners and Brand Managers of major FMCG, blue chip, leisure companies and their respective agencies. The role requires a self starter with a sound understanding of marketing and the creativity to apply our concept to client needs.

Salary: £18 - 25K basic (depending on experience) - OTE £42K. Up to 10% uncapped commission
Location: London

Main duties:

• You will develop new business relationships, generate and negotiate new income for Student Aid to an agreed annual target, to increase year on year per project.
• Presenting Student Aid to potential clients through direct communication in telephone calls + emails and face to face meetings when required.
• Responsible for your own lead generation and appointment setting
• Actively and successfully manage the sales process: lead generation; credentials pitch; asking questions; solution pitch; negotiation; close; handover to the account management team
• Possess drive, motivation and acute attention to detail in ensuring all sales opportunities to Student Aid are captured and explored.
• Managing and maintaining a pipeline and ensuring all sales administration is current.
• Create and be accountable for all client proposals, contracts and any further documentation.
• A thorough understanding of clients marketing objectives including their Return On Investment (ROI) objectives.
• Responding to tenders and requests for information in a timely manner.
• Keeping abreast of issues affecting below the line marketing companies and the industry and collecting competitor intelligence.
• Ensuring Student Aid remains proactive and responsive to prospective clients.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience required:


• Capable of hands on problem-solving, with ability to generate ideas and solutions
• A positive and determined approach to researching and analysing new business opportunities
• Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail
• Ability to cope with competing demands and to prioritise tasks.
• Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• A positive attitude to dealing with people
• Capable of working independently, and having responsibility as an individual



Estimated time allocation:

• 85% new business pitches and generating new outbound business leads.
• 15% developing proposals and strategy.

Company Information:

Student Aid is the only media channel to provide product/brand placement direct into student rooms. In 2008 Student Aid was a new concept which rolled out across the UK’s leading Universities as their official welcome parcel. In its first year Student Aid has worked with brands such as Colgate, Lynx, Orange, Bebo + I-tunes, IKEA, Heinz, Ryanair, Megabus, Blockbuster, Mentos, Gumtree and Holland + Barratt with over 80% of brands wishing to work with Student Aid in 2009.

A Student Aid parcel is placed on a fresher’s bed to greet their arrival, containing product samples, vouchers, a university guide and branded student essentials to ease students into university life. Students now equate to 42% of 18-24 years old and currently there is no major market presence from large media groups to tap into this market.

Student Aid follows a proven model successfully implemented in a different sector by Bounty, who were recently acquired for £70m and provide parcels to expecting mothers via a network of hospitals. Bounty’s target market is 750,000 annual births in the UK compared to Student Aid’s 2.4m student population.

Currently the market doesn’t feature any large media owners. Student Aid’s aim is to grow into the UK’s largest student media group, by growing additional on + offline channels and exit within 5 years. Equity is an option for the right person who exceeds targets and develops the product.