Selling has a bad rap in some circles. It’s often dismissed as manipulative, intrusive, or, worse, sleazy. But let’s get real: selling is the lifeblood of advertising. Without it, ideas don’t move, campaigns don’t launch, and brands don’t grow. Selling is oxygen—essential, powerful, and transformative.

Don’t just take it from me. Listen to two of advertising’s greatest minds:

Bill Bernbach once said,
“Our job is to sell our clients' merchandise…not ourselves. Our job is to kill the cleverness that makes us shine instead of the product. Our job is to simplify, to tear away the unrelated, to pluck out the weeds that are smothering the product message.”

David Ogilvy was equally blunt:
“Your role is to sell. Don’t let anything distract you from the sole purpose of advertising.”

If Bernbach and Ogilvy—literal legends—embraced selling as the cornerstone of great advertising, why do so many agency leaders today treat it like a dirty word?

Why Selling Feels "Sleazy" (And Why It’s Not)

Let’s clear up a misconception: selling isn’t about slick-talking someone into buying something they don’t need. That’s bad selling. Great selling is about helping. It’s consultative and empathetic. It’s about having real conversations to deeply understand a client’s challenges and then offering solutions that genuinely solve their problems.

Selling is about creating value, not extracting it. It’s about trust, collaboration, and shared goals. It’s not just “part of the job” in advertising—it is the job.

The Real Problem: Agency Leaders and the "S" Word

Here’s the irony: many agency leaders are brilliant at selling ideas to their clients but recoil at the thought of “selling” as a function. Instead, they dress it up as “business development” or pass it off to someone else entirely. According to an RSW/US report, only 32% of agencies employed a dedicated new business position in both 2021 and 2022.

That’s right—two-thirds of agencies don’t even have someone focused solely on bringing in new business. And that hesitancy comes at a cost. Without a dedicated sales mindset, agencies risk complacency, slower growth, and missed opportunities.

Why Sales Professionals Matter More Than Ever

To thrive in 2023 and beyond, agencies need to embrace the value of skilled sales professionals. These aren’t just people who “close deals.” They’re strategists, connectors, and educators. They drive demand and help clients see the possibilities that advertising can unlock.

The best salespeople don’t just sell—they collaborate, listen, and educate. They focus on becoming trusted advisors, guiding clients toward decisions that create real impact.

Selling Is Creativity in Action

Advertising is inherently about selling—selling products, services, and ideas. Let’s not shy away from that. In fact, let’s lean into it. Let’s de-stigmatize the “S” word and recognize selling for what it is: a creative, collaborative process that drives our industry forward.

It’s time to stop avoiding the hard work of sales and start embracing it. When done right, selling isn’t just part of our job—it’s the highest expression of our creativity and expertise. It’s how we build agencies that deliver value for our clients, their customers, and the future of our industry.

So let’s put an end to the myth that selling is sleazy. Let’s make it clear: selling is the oxygen of advertising, and we’re all breathing it.