In the fast-paced world of digital advertising, success isn't just about algorithms and automation, it’s about the people who bridge the gap between a brand’s goals and a platform’s potential.

At Gumtree, our Third-Party Advertising team is at the heart of these connections. Today, we’re sitting down with Sam, one of our Agency Sales Managers, to talk about what it really takes to manage some of the world’s biggest agency patches, why "sales" isn't a dirty word, and how the "Nike effect" inspired his career in media.

The Agency Sales Manager: What’s the Role?

"The agency sales manager role is all about evangelising Gumtree’s advertising offering and solutions. We sell display advertising through direct IOs and programmatic, which is simply the automated buying and selling of digital ads. When some people hear the word sales, they picture a car salesman or someone sitting in a tiny office smashing out cold calls. This role is nothing like that. Being an agency sales manager is very consultative and strategic, but it’s also very proactive. It’s about staying ahead of your clients’ needs, bringing new ideas to the table, listening carefully, understanding their challenges, and helping them find the right solutions to hit their objectives. A big part of the role is also building strong relationships, growing the patch I manage, which includes PHD and Dentsu, and consistently hitting our quarterly targets. We also get to do some occasional entertaining, which definitely isn’t a bad thing."

The Journey: Why Media and Advertising?

"Growing up, I only really associated media with broadcast TV and the news, things like the BBC or Sky News. As I got older, I started getting excited by seeing big brands on TV and the ads they created. One of my favourite brands has always been Nike, and one of my earliest memories is that Nike advert with the Brazilian football team playing in an airport. I loved the storytelling behind it.That’s when it clicked that I wanted to work with big brands and help them sell their products. I realised the best way to do that was through media, advertising, branding, and sports marketing. From there, I set out to find my way into the industry, eventually stumbling into digital advertising, and I haven’t looked back since."

Essential Skills for an Agency Sales Manager

"The essential skills for an agency sales manager are being a strong listener, knowing how to collaborate effectively, and being able to build genuine relationships. Being proactive and comfortable asking the right questions is also key to really understanding client needs. It’s important to feel confident asking for the business, but in a way that feels natural and not overly direct or pushy."

Staying Ahead of the Curve

"Staying ahead of the curve is really important in digital advertising because it’s an ever changing industry. Understanding up and coming channels like CTV and retail media helps you start more informed conversations with clients and keeps you learning as the market evolves. It’s also important to understand how things like AI are changing and impacting the industry, as well as the cookie situation and what that means for targeting and measurement, and to see how all of this can be applied and implemented into our offering at Gumtree. In life, it’s always good to be constantly learning and staying curious."

Why Clients Should /Choose to Partner with Gumtree?

"Clients should partner with Gumtree because our platform is built around real intent and a transactional mindset. Our users aren’t just browsing, they’re actively in buying mode, which gives brands the chance to reach people at the right moment, when they’re already considering a purchase. Gumtree also offers a trusted, brand safe environment with scale across key categories like motors, property, jobs, and services. This puts us in a strong position to help brands and clients reach highly relevant audiences, drive performance, and ultimately sell more products or services using smart data and meaningful insights."

Making Partnerships Work: Sam’s Top Tips

"Make sure you’re aligned on goals from the start so both you and your clients know what success looks like. Keep communication open and regular, whether things are going well or not, and don’t shy away from honest conversations. Take the time to really understand your clients’ or customers’ business, what they care about, and the challenges they’re facing. Be collaborative and flexible, as the strongest client relationships tend to grow and evolve over time. Do what you say you’re going to do, and if something isn’t working, be upfront and work through it together. Most importantly, invest in the relationship, not just the deal, because trust and consistency are what turn clients and customers into long term partners."

Sam’s approach perfectly mirrors the Gumtree ethos: staying curious, acting with integrity, and focusing on the long-term partnership rather than the short-term win. Whether he’s navigating the complexities of a cookieless future or chatting football over a client lunch, Sam’s focus remains on helping brands find their home within our community.

As the digital landscape continues to shift toward retail media and high-intent audiences, having experts like Sam in your corner ensures that your brand isn't just seen it's acted upon.