When I landed my first job selling advertising for a small group of newspapers about 20 years ago, like many salespeople I was given two things—a territory that had been unattended for a while and an apology for there not being enough time to train me.

"I wish we had more time", my manager told me, "but your territory has already been without a salesperson for too long, we've got a big special section due at the end of the week, and I'd really like you to sell some of the businesses in your territory into it".

I was completely overwhelmed. "Sell advertising?" I thought. "How can I even think about selling anything when I have no idea how to read a rate card, what sizes advertisers can run, how to reserve the ad, how to design and produce the ad, when the deadlines are, and why businesses should be running in our paper in the first place?"

Like most new ad salespeople, I fended for myself and after a a few months and help from patient co-workers (and many, many, mistakes), I finally got good at all the processes as well as how to  sell advertising and began reaching the goals my manager had set for me.

Next: How this course is organized