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Advertising Sales vs SaaS Sales
Which one is better for you and which one makes the most money?
Good Morning! New research from 250K participants proved that exercise increases your memory and thinking skills. Suddenly, that sales rep doing pushups between calls is looking smarter. It’s called “optimizing objection handling capabilities”. Now let’s get into today's Follow Up. 😁
Responding to ‘send me a case study’ 📜
A breakdown of ad sales vs SaaS sales ✍️
7 cold call mistakes reps are still making ☎️
Sales jobs & a meme 😂
Sales Tip of The Day 💡
When a prospect says, “Can you send over a few case studies?”, put it back on them.
Dig into what they actually want to understand.
❌ Sure! Here are three PDFs and a customer quote wall.
✅ Happy to. Quick question though: what would you want to see proven before this feels like a no-brainer?
This question does two things:
It reveals the specific doubt they’re still wrestling with
It gives you a chance to tailor proof that actually moves the deal forward
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Ad Sales vs SaaS Sales
I've sold both ad space and software, and here's the truth: Both have pros and cons.
A great ad sales rep might close a $50K deal in one call, or walk away with nothing when the ads don’t perform.
That same rep might close a SaaS deal because a new director loves it, or spend 9 months on a deal that dies in legal.
I’m not here to say one is better than the other. They’re different games that are better for different people.
Today, we’re breaking down what you should know about the two. Advertising sales vs SaaS sales.
Let's get into it.
The Deal Cycles ⚙️
In advertising sales, it’s pretty common to be running a series of sprints.
Deals move quickly, often tied to campaign schedules or quarterly marketing budgets. Your prospects likely already have the budget set aside for advertising, and your job is getting a piece of it.
The cycle typically looks like: Discovery → proposal → insertion order → ads go live.
It’s less likely to have a long-term lock-in, so clients can dip in and out between campaigns.
Meanwhile, SaaS sales is closer to running a marathon.
The sales cycle can stretch over months (sometimes years for enterprise deals).
You're often finding need and budget, rather than tapping existing spend. This requires demos, trials, security reviews, and building buy-in from multiple stakeholders.
But... once the deal is closed, clients are typically locked in for the long term.
Ad sales = quick wins, constant deal flow, and shorter-term contracts.
SaaS sales = longer-term strategic selling.
The Buyers 🤝
Media buyers want results yesterday. (kinda)
They run campaigns and measure success through metrics like impressions, clicks, or direct sales. ROI is calculated per campaign.
As a media seller, you're constantly under pressure to deliver quick wins. If a campaign bombs, the client simply moves their budget somewhere else.
But if the ads deliver, buyers won’t hesitate to continue spending.
SaaS buyers think a bit differently.
They're making investments that might not fully pay off for months or years. And the payoff is measured through efficiency gains, cost savings, or revenue growth.
They scrutinize dollars against long-term value and business cases that can deliver ROI over multiple years.
The Pitch 🗣️
In Ad sales, the pitch is all about creative, marketing, and ROI.
You're selling access to an audience, brand exposure, or lead gen opportunities. Success comes from crafting proposals with compelling ideas that make the client's marketing team look like geniuses.
Media sellers also like to throw in ‘added value’ extras like free ad placements, extra impressions, or creative services.
SaaS sales is different. It's more consultative and problem focused.
You're not selling eyeballs, you're selling a tool that solves business problems. The pitch involves diagnosing pain points, then showing how your software fixes them.
SaaS companies avoid the "free extras" model. If a client wants additional features, they typically have to pay for them.
The Compensation Breakdown 🤑
Let's talk cash.
Ad sales and SaaS sales compensate differently because the deals look different.
In ad sales, you're typically earning a straight commission on the advertising spend you secure.
Sell $100K in ads? You might pocket 8-15% of that immediately.
The instant gratification is real. Close a deal today, see it in your next commission check.
Some companies also offer residual commissions on long-term advertising contracts, which incentivize building relationships with advertisers who control budgets.
The SaaS compensation game is played by different rules.
In SaaS, you're typically earning based on Annual Contract Value (ACV) or Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR). That $100K deal typically isn't just a one-time hit. It's a subscription that keeps paying.
SaaS companies love multi-year contracts, and they'll pay sales reps more to get them. Many offer ‘accelerators’ or higher commission rates for longer commitments.
Close a 3-year deal instead of 1-year? Your commission might jump from 10% to 15%.
The TLDR:
Neither role guarantees more money. There are six and seven-figure earners in both camps. You’ve just gotta choose what suits you best, and crush it.
Have you sold advertising or SaaS before? |
