ADD ADVICE TO FAVMedia planner / buyer
Media planners / buyers work for advertising agencies and media independents who specialise in planning and buying.
What media planners / buyers do
- take campaign briefing from client and build the business strategy by liaising with creative team, client and consumers
- identify the target audience
- identify the best media for advertising a particular product or service
- set advertising budgets and oversee costs
- liaise with media sales staff and arrange for the advertisements to be seen and heard by the highest possible number of the target audience at the lowest possible price
- assess the effectiveness of the campaign
- in some agencies, planning and buying are separate functions and carried out by different individuals.
Key skills
- excellent communication skills – a good telephone manner is particularly important
- ability to assimilate information quickly
- negotiation skills
- ability to get on with and maintain relationships with a wide range of people
- good organisational skills
- ability to work under pressure
- good numerical, statistical and data-handling skills
- excellent understanding of the industry
- good computer skills.
Training to be a media planner / buyer
Training is usually on the job, with the larger agencies running more structured schemes. Training is offered by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising among others. Qualifications are available from the Communication, Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation.
Salaries
Starting salaries are around £18,000. There is the potential for high earnings depending on experience, location and size of agency.
