About the Role
An established and growing national trade publication serving the construction, plumbing, artisan and broader trade markets is looking to appoint a highly driven Sales & Business Development Executive. This is a genuine new-business development role for someone who enjoys prospecting, opening doors, building relationships and converting commercial opportunities into revenue. The publication is approximately two years old and has already demonstrated strong commercial potential without previously having a dedicated salesperson or formal sales function. Advertising sales of approximately R155,000 have been achieved in a single month, despite sales historically being handled by existing team members alongside their primary responsibilities. The business is now investing in a dedicated sales function for the first time and is looking for someone who is excited by the opportunity to build, structure and grow the commercial side of the publication. This is not an account-management role where the successful candidate will inherit a mature book of business. The successful candidate will be expected to proactively generate opportunities, develop a pipeline and help build a professional, structured sales process.
The Opportunity
The successful candidate will have access to:
- An existing prospect and contact database.
- Historical sales information.
- Active and warm opportunities already in the pipeline.
- An established advertising rate card.
- Existing industry contacts and market intelligence.
- Sales and marketing material.
- Support from management, editorial and the wider team.
However, proactive prospecting, cold outreach and building a personal pipeline will remain fundamental to the role. The business believes there is significant untapped opportunity within the market and is looking for someone who sees the potential in building towards meaningful long-term revenue growth.
Key Responsibilities
New Business Development
- Proactively identify and develop new advertising and commercial opportunities.
- Conduct cold calling, outbound prospecting and direct outreach to prospective advertisers.
- Build relationships with companies operating within construction, plumbing, manufacturing, trade, industrial and related B2B markets.
- Engage with marketing managers, business owners, commercial leaders and other relevant decision-makers.
- Convert prospects into new advertising clients.
- Develop new relationships with industry partners and commercial stakeholders.
- Identify new sectors and advertiser categories that align with the publication's audience.
Pipeline Development & Management
- Build and maintain a healthy, qualified sales pipeline.
- Work existing prospect and industry databases while continuing to generate new leads independently.
- Maintain consistent follow-up with prospects.
- Manage opportunities through the full sales process from initial contact through to close.
- Maintain accurate information relating to:
- Prospects.
- Opportunities.
- Follow-ups.
- Expected revenue.
- Forecast close dates.
- Conversion activity.
- Help establish a more structured and professional sales process within the business.
- Contribute towards developing reliable data around sales cycles, conversion rates and pipeline performance.
Advertising & Commercial Sales
- Present advertising opportunities and commercial packages professionally.
- Clearly communicate the value and reach of the publication to prospective advertisers.
- Understand client objectives and recommend suitable advertising solutions.
- Prepare and present proposals and advertising options.
- Negotiate professionally while protecting commercial value.
- Close new advertising business.
- Identify opportunities for repeat campaigns and longer-term advertising relationships.
Account Development
While new business is the primary focus, the successful candidate will also:
- Maintain strong relationships with customers once business has been secured.
- Encourage repeat advertising.
- Identify upselling and additional commercial opportunities.
- Maintain regular contact with advertisers.
- Develop long-term relationships that contribute to recurring revenue.
Sales Reporting & Forecasting
- Maintain disciplined records of sales activity.
- Produce accurate sales forecasts.
- Track conversion and pipeline progression.
- Report regularly on:
- New prospects.
- Meetings.
- Proposals.
- Pipeline value.
- Sales closed.
- Expected revenue.
- Identify market feedback, competitor activity and commercial opportunities.
Ideal Candidate Profile
We are looking for a genuine new-business salesperson, rather than someone whose experience is predominantly account management or servicing existing customers.
The ideal candidate will:
- Have a strong hunter mentality.
- Enjoy cold prospecting and opening new doors.
- Be commercially minded and results-driven.
- Have proven ability to generate their own pipeline.
- Be confident engaging with business owners and senior decision-makers.
- Be highly organised and disciplined with follow-up.
- Demonstrate strong relationship-building capability.
- Be comfortable working independently.
- Take ownership of commercial outcomes.
- Be motivated by uncapped earning potential.
- Be excited by the opportunity to help build a sales function rather than simply inherit an established portfolio.
Experience
Relevant experience could include:
- B2B sales.
- Media sales.
- Advertising sales.
- Sponsorship sales.
- Exhibition or event sales.
- Business development.
- Construction industry sales.
- Plumbing or trade-sector sales.
- Manufacturing or industrial sales.
- Other commercially focused B2B environments.
Experience in media or publishing would be advantageous, but strong sales ability and proven new-business development capability are the priority.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Proven new-business development ability.
- Cold calling and outbound prospecting.
- Lead generation.
- Pipeline management.
- Strong closing ability.
- Commercial negotiation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Relationship management.
- Proposal presentation.
- Strong administration and follow-through.
- Forecasting and reporting.
- Ability to work independently.
- High levels of resilience and persistence.
- Strong commercial judgement.
- Comfortable working towards clear revenue targets.
Working Arrangement
The role operates on a four-day working week, Monday to Thursday.
Fridays are generally kept free for personal administration and appointments, providing an attractive additional benefit alongside the basic salary and uncapped commission structure.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will help establish a structured and sustainable sales function by:
- Growing monthly advertising revenue.
- Building a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities.
- Generating consistent new business.
- Converting existing warm prospects.
- Increasing repeat advertising revenue.
- Developing new industry relationships.
- Introducing disciplined pipeline management and follow-up.
- Establishing reliable forecasting.
- Tracking conversion rates and sales-cycle performance.
- Helping the publication materially grow its commercial market share.
Why This Role Will Appeal
This is an opportunity to join a young and growing trade publication at a point where it is investing properly in sales for the first time. The successful candidate will have an existing foundation to work from, including market traction, active prospects, historical sales information, a rate card, industry contacts and management support. At the same time, there is significant opportunity for the right salesperson to build something meaningful, establish a professional sales function and directly influence the commercial growth of the business. It is particularly well suited to an ambitious salesperson who wants ownership, uncapped earning potential, a four-day working week and the opportunity to build rather than simply maintain an existing sales portfolio.
***Salary - R25,000 CTC + Commission (Negotiable - Based on experience, skill & in relation to your current package)
