Sales Executive - Paid Media

SmartBug Media is the most decorated HubSpot agency, recognized as a leader in crafting digital solutions that empower organizations to thrive across the entire customer lifecycle. From marketing and sales to revenue operations, customer success, and e-commerce, we combine sound strategies, cutting-edge AI, and digital innovation to deliver solutions that de-risk the future and drive sustainable growth.

With a fully remote team of over 250 professionals, we excel at creating intelligent web and digital ecosystems—from corporate websites to complex web applications—seamlessly integrated with AI-powered solutions. By aligning SmartBug's expertise with our clients' unique business realities, we build scalable, innovative tools that become engines for growth, setting the course for long-term success.

The Sales Executive - Paid Media is a specialized growth role responsible for driving new business revenue specifically through our Paid Media and Advertising services. This role requires a hybrid mindset: part consultative "hunter" and part technical strategist. You will manage the full sales lifecycle - from prospecting franchise networks as well as B2C and B2B organizations to conducting technical audits of ad accounts and closing complex contracts.

You will serve as the internal Subject Matter Expert (SME) for paid media, closing your own self-sourced leads while also partnering with the broader sales team to attach media services to existing opportunities. You will act as a trusted advisor to C-Level executives and Franchise Owners, diagnosing their ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) challenges and prescribing SmartBug’s management services as the solution.

Responsibilities:
• Develop and execute a comprehensive outbound prospecting plan targeting specific Ideal Client Profiles (ICP) and high-value Franchise Networks.
• Design and write high-volume, multi-channel outreach sequences (email, phone, social) that leverage specific paid media pain points to generate self-sourced pipeline.
• Collaborate with other Sales Executives to identify cross-selling opportunities within their pipelines, acting as the co-pilot to close paid media components of larger digital transformation deals.
• Monitor changes in the ad-tech landscape to adjust sales messaging and maintain a competitive edge in pitch meetings.
• Conduct discovery calls and preliminary technical audits of prospects’ existing ad accounts (most notably Google, Meta, Microsoft, and LinkedIn) to identify wasted spend and optimization opportunities.
• Manage the full sales funnel from qualification to close, responding to inbound inquiries with urgency and executing aggressive outbound hunting.
• Navigate complex multi-location sales cycles, presenting solutions that appeal to both corporate (compliance/branding) and individual Franchisees (lead generation/ROI).
• Collaborate with the internal Paid Media delivery team to scope profitable engagements, ensuring clear alignment on media budgets vs. management fees.
• Draft detailed Statements of Work (SOWs), lead pricing negotiations, and articulate the specific ROI of professional media management to VPs of Marketing and Business Owners.
• Champion the expansion of SmartBug’s services by mastering and selling emerging offerings - ranging from Local SEO to Connected TV (CTV) and beyond - to ensure clients benefit from a holistic, future-proof growth strategy.
• Drive full-cycle revenue generation against a personal annual quota of $1M+, consistently meeting monthly and quarterly bookings targets.
• Maintain a pristine pipeline in HubSpot, ensuring all deal stages, close dates, and deal values reflect reality to support accurate company forecasting.
• Actively monitor conversion rates and lead velocity; pivot strategies based on data to maximize efficiency.
• Ensure a seamless transition from "Sales" to "Service" by documenting clear client goals (ROAS, CPA targets) for the delivery team.

Required Skills & Experience:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or relevant professional experience.
• Experience: 3+ years of experience specifically selling Paid Media Services (PPC, Social Ads, Programmatic) or Digital Agency services to or with Franchise Networks.​​
• Media Fluency: Deep understanding of the paid media landscape, including Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn Ads, and attribution models. You must be able to discuss CPA and ROAS confidently.
• Sales Methodology: Proven experience using a consultative sales methodology.
• HubSpot Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of HubSpot CRM for pipeline management and sales enablement tools.
• Business Acumen: Ability to explain complex digital advertising concepts to non-technical C-Suite executives in terms of bottom-line business growth.
• Hunter Mentality: A hunger and discipline to grow a self-sourced pipeline in a remote environment.
• Communication: Superior written and verbal communication, with the ability to "rock the future customer experience" during video presentations.
• Resilience: High tolerance for rejection and the persistence required for high-activity prospecting.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Google Ads Search/Display Certification.
• HubSpot Inbound Sales Certification.
• Meta Certified Media Buying Professional.