I started out in Classified...
Sam Finlay, head of digital sales
When did you start at IPC Media? And what was your first role?
I joined IPC in April 1996, working on the sound and vision pages of NME, selling to all record shops.
Why did you originally choose a career in Media Sales?
It was the highest paid job in the Guardian that I was qualified for at the time.
How did you progress within IPC Media?
Starting as a classified sales exec, I progressed through classified senior sales executive, classified manager and single sites manager. I then moved to display senior sales executive, display ad manager, display trading director, group ad director, and now I am head of digital advertising.
How long did it take you to get to where you are now?
16 years.
What has been your most memorable achievement at IPC?
I'd say that is either being the launch manager on Nuts, the company's most successful print launch in a decade, or more recently centralising all digital sales at IPC. We moved from sixth to the number one ranked cross platform publisher at the IPA Digital Media Owners survey after our first year and grew the business by 35% over our first two years.
What advice would you give to anyone who is looking to start a career within Classified?
You should listen and learn from the people around you. There are great people at IPC who will support you and help you understand the business you're working in. The other thing is to learn how to build rapport with customers by understanding their business needs and this then forms the basis for sustaining long-term commercial relationships. Repeat business is easier to secure than new business.
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