Account Executives Are a PR Firm’s Most Important Salespeople

Dustin Siggins

If there’s one thing PR professionals hate, it’s the idea that they’re on the “sales” team. Like most people, they view themselves as practitioners of their craft, not used-car salesmen trying to browbeat you into buying something you’ve said you don’t want.

But here’s the thing: great public relations account executives “sell” the company by being great practitioners of the art.

Proof is in the profit

For most agencies, the sales lead is the owner, or perhaps a couple of partners. At the agency I own, for example, virtually all new sales come through me.

Now, let’s say my company made a million dollars in 2025 and grew by 25 percent in 2026. That means I, the lead salesman, will bring in $250,000. Good for me. But the account executives keep the original million coming in—80 percent of the year’s revenue—just by doing their job.

Jen Corletta at Water & Wall sees this scenario play out all the time. “Account executives are absolutely the backbone of PR agencies,” she told me. “As a Vice President at an independent PR agency, I may be responsible for driving new business, but even a strong growth year is meaningless if the rest of the team isn’t retaining and expanding existing revenue. That recurring trust we have in AEs in particular is what actually keeps the lights on!”

Like in every other industry, the most important sales work happens after signing, with every call, idea and media placement informing clients about whether to continue the relationship. Senior leaders may bring clients in the door, but account executives convince them to stay.

Sales tip 1: Identify pain points and ask natural questions

The easiest way account executives contribute to agency revenue is also the most natural: identifying client pain points and offering solutions.

For example, one of the most common services my company provides is finding third-party voices who can represent a client’s narrative. When a client asks for the author, though, we don’t just say “yes.” We also ask, “Do you want us to write and place the piece, or just find the author?” At least half the time, the client hands off the work—and the extra revenue—to us, because we’re saving them a lot of time and effort.

Most agencies run on retainers, not projects. But the service model is the same. Asking these questions shows the client that you’re creating more value for each PR effort—not just throwing garbage at the media and seeing what lands.

The key is that the conversation starts with the client’s problem, not the agency’s revenue target.

Sales tip 2: Catch what clients miss

Another powerful sales moment comes when account executives watch how messages land with reporters, how spokespersons perform in interviews and how stories evolve in the media ecosystem.

In other words: doing what you love.

For example, when a client is excited to do a TV or podcast interview, you notice where more preparation is needed or when a different spokesperson would work better—either because the current one isn’t resonating or because a new one would reach a niche audience. You can address these issues early, avoiding both hurt feelings and a disastrous interview.

Or take a client who mentions in passing that he’s announcing a small partnership. You can see—even if he doesn’t—how it will elevate the brand in the trade press and create more value for company newsletters, social media and conference handouts.

“Great AEs are relentlessly organized, which allows everything else to work,” Jen said. “Because they sit closest to the day‑to‑day reality of the client (strategy, execution, constraints and opportunities), they’re often the ones who surface the most precise, actionable ideas. They don’t just manage accounts; they protect revenue, deepen relationships and create the conditions for growth.”

In every case like this, the result is the same: Additional expertise means a better-prepared client and a stronger overall campaign.

Tip 3: Do PR

The clearest example of performance-driven sales is the core function of public relations. Yes, every single pitch you send is a “sales” pitch, but for media coverage.

A well-placed op-ed, an effective television interview, a series of articles that establishes a spokesperson’s credibility—these moments remind clients why they hired an agency in the first place.

Trish Nicolas has been Chief Communications Officer for global brands. She said the best agency relationships are built on the strength of account executives. “They don’t just run meetings; they lead the mandate. They show up with a clear point of view grounded in a deep understanding of business priorities, audiences, and the competitive landscape ... and they proactively bring forward insights, ideas and emerging risks we need to be thinking about, often before they are on my radar.”

Sales-phobic account execs will do well to remember this. No one says, “This placement convinced me to buy more.” Instead, and better: “We should keep working with this team.”

As Trish put it, “the pitch may win the work. Strong account executives grow the engagement by consistently reinforcing their value.”

With that value established, your firm now has the financial stability to hire staff, invest in new capabilities and weather industry downturns. Consistent performance means retention, and it speaks for itself. The “sales” conversation never has to happen.

Welcome to the sales team

Successful sales look nothing like what most people think it does. This is the mindset shift many early-career communications professionals need to make. Instead of assuming that selling happens elsewhere, they should know that they are the agency’s most powerful sales engine. And it’s all because the AE is doing what they do best—driving impactful PR results—the thing that attracted them to our profession in the first place.

Adam Kawut has been a public affairs professional for several years. Now entering his late twenties, he told me that he’s eager to learn the business side of PR, including sales.

“Sales and business development are a vital cog in the wheel for public affairs/relations agencies. For me, the business of the business is the natural next capability to hone and harness.”

But the learning curve isn’t as steep as you might think. “Junior and middle-level staff are your clients’ point of contact, first pen for content and likely the person placing your quote or op-ed,” Kawut said. “In other words, fulfilling and bolstering key performance indicators for continued business development and client retention.”

Welcome to the sales team. Make sure you ask for a commission at the end of the year.

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Dustin Siggins is Founder of Proven Media Solutions.