Job description of sales rep: What Does a Sales Representative Do?

What Does a Sales Representative Do?

A sales representative, quite simply, sells products or services for a company and represents their brand. They manage relationships with customers, serving as the key point of contact, from initial lead outreach to when a purchase is ultimately made. It’s a career that’s largely performance-driven, meaning how well you sell directly impacts how much money you earn, making it ideal if you want to be in the driver’s seat of your career. 

Sales representative jobs are just one of many that you can apply for after obtaining a degree in business. Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about this career path. 

A sales rep interacts directly with customers throughout all phases of the sales process. They’re responsible for identifying a customer’s needs, pitching relevant products or services, and ensuring they have a positive experience from start to finish. In some cases, a sales agent will cold call prospects they find through business directories or client referrals. Other times, “warm” leads that have already expressed interest will be sent to them by their company’s marketing team. Being successful requires a mix of both building and maintaining customer relationships and consistently seeking new business opportunities. 

A sales representative is typically expected to reach a particular sales quota each month. And as we just mentioned, the level of income you make in this career largely depends on your abilities and work performance. If you’re the type of person that wants to “control your own destiny” rather than working for a traditional salary, this is a career to consider. 

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A sales representative’s job description can vary somewhat from company to company. But here’s a list of common day-to-day responsibilities: 

• Selling products or services to customers, and representing the brand. This can include asking questions to pinpoint the best offerings, giving demos or presentations, and maintaining customer relationships.
• Reaching out to potential leads through a variety of channels, such as email, phone, text, and social media.
• Negotiating with leads and using persuasion techniques to overcome objections and landing deals that are beneficial to the company, while also providing customers with optimal value. 
• Submitting and processing orders to ensure customers receive the products or services they request on time. 
• Participating in company meetings with sales managers and other sales reps. This usually involves providing a recap of recent results and accomplishments to show they’re hitting their quotas. 

Note that because the sales industry is constantly evolving, another part of the sales rep job description is sometimes participating in ongoing training and workshops, as well as attending networking events. This ensures a rep’s skill set is up-to-date, they have a firm comprehension of industry trends, and maintain a strong network.

Some sales representative positions may not require employees to have a formal degree, and a basic high school diploma is enough to get hired. However, most experts agree that it’s ideal for prospective sales representatives to have at least a bachelor’s degree in business or marketing as it opens more doors. A marketing bachelor’s degree program, for example, focuses on critical skills such as sales management, consumer behavior, communication, and branding that’s perfect for becoming a sales representative.

If you’re looking for a more advanced degree that can potentially lead to a leadership role at some point in the future, you may want to opt for a master’s degree. A master of business administration or even a master of science management and leadership are two great options to consider, as they can provide access to professional networks, practical experiences working with real-world business challenges and scenarios, and a higher-level understanding of business principles and leadership strategies needed to succeed. 

Marketing – B.S. Business Administration

For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:. ..

For those who want to lead brands and steer…

For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:

• Time: 67% of graduates finish within 36 months.
• Tuition: $3,575 per 6-month term.

Some careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:

• Marketing and PR manager
• Director of marketing and communications
• Director of publications
• Customer intelligence manager
• Marketing sales manager

Marketing is a creative and exciting field—and one where an undergraduate degree will open better opportunities.

Master of Business Administration

The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business…

The flexible MBA program you need, focused on…

The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management, strategy, and leading teams:

• Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months.
• Tuition: $4,530 per 6-month term.

Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:

• President and CEO
• Vice president
• Executive director
• Chief strategic officer

Our competency-based model gives you an innovative learning experience you won’t find anywhere else—and our MBA grads tell us they loved accelerating their program to see a faster ROI.

Management and Leadership – M.S.

An online master’s degree focused on change management,…

An online master’s degree focused on change…

An online master’s degree focused on change management, innovation, and leading teams:

• Time: 62% of graduates finish within 18 months.
• Tuition: $4,530 per 6-month term.

Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:

• President
• Vice president
• Director of operations
• Executive director

Develop a comprehensive suite of leadership skills and your confidence to navigate changing business structures.

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There are a wide array of skills that contribute to the success of sales reps, but here are some of the most important:

• Strong interpersonal skills. Sales reps need a mix of both verbal communication and listening skills and have the ability to articulate how a product or service works to leads.
• Critical thinking skills. They must be able to diagnose a prospect’s problems and quickly come up with relevant solutions for the right price.
• Presentation skills. Product or service demos are often an integral part of this position, and reps must be able to concisely explain the core features and benefits to prospects.
• Negotiation. Sales representatives constantly face objections and concerns from leads and must be well adept at negotiating deals.
• Relationship management. They must also be skilled at building, nurturing, and in some cases, sustaining long-term relationships to ensure a positive customer experience.

How Much Does a Sales Representative Make?

$55,976

Sales reps in the bottom 10% earned $40,536 per year as of April 2021, while those in the top 10% earned $71,307. This should give you a basic idea of the high and low averages. However, most earned somewhere between $47,894 to $64,001 as of April 2021, with the median being $55,976. 

Several factors determine what you can ultimately earn, including:

-Location: Reps in larger markets can generally expect to earn more than those working in smaller ones.

-Level of education: Having a degree tends to lead to higher earnings.

-Certifications: Having certifications like the ones previously mentioned increases your earning potential.

-Years of experience: The more experience you have, the more you can expect to make.

What Is the Projected Job Growth?

2%

There are a few factors that influence the demand and opportunities for individuals working as sales reps, such as market trends, macroeconomic factors, major employers (e.g. government), and sociological changes. According to the BLS, there’s a projected 2% growth in this position from 2019-2029. And by 2028, 20,000 sales representative jobs are expected to open up in the U.S. alone. 

While that number is slower than average, there should still be ample opportunity, especially for those working in inside sales. Research has found that for every one outside sales representative that gets hired, roughly 10 get hired for inside sales. With rapid advancements in technology like CRM platforms and video conferencing software, inside sales reps are most in-demand at the moment, which makes this a particular area of sales to focus on when pursuing this career.  

Where Do Sales Representatives Work?

Varies

A few specific types of organizations and departments where sales reps may work include:

-B2B sales: where they sell to other businesses. These sales representatives help clients find solutions that help them grow and improve their business operations and boost revenue.  

-B2C sales: where they sell to individual customers. These sales agents focus on selling directly to end-users. 

-Inside sales: where a rep works out of their office (either on-site or at home) and sells through email and phone. This type of sales is in high demand and has grown 15 times faster than outside sales. 

-Outside sales: where a rep meets with prospects in person face-to-face. This often involves having a particular territory a rep is responsible for maintaining.

Interested in Becoming a Sales Representative?

Learn more about degree programs that can prepare you for this exciting career.

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Sales Representative Job Description Template

Sample sales representative job description

[Company X] would be nowhere without its successful sales team. We’re seeking a qualified sales representative to help sell the products and services that our customers rely on. The sales representative will have a strong understanding of the sales process and excel at generating leads, building relationships, and closing deals. The ideal candidate will be a quick learner who has strong negotiating skills and an ability to showcase our offerings in a compelling way. Often tasked with giving presentations and attending networking events and trade shows, the sales representative must be both personable and professional.

Objectives of this role

• Represent the company’s products and services, using consumer research as well as deep and comprehensive knowledge of how our solutions meet the needs of customers
• Achieve weekly, monthly, and annual sales quotas by successfully implementing sales and marketing strategies and tactics
• Generate leads and build relationships by organizing daily work schedule to call on existing and potential customers
• Develop and implement territory action plan using comprehensive data analysis, and adjust sales techniques according to interactions and results in the field

Responsibilities

• Maintain working relationships with existing clients to ensure that they receive exceptional service and to identify potential new sales opportunities
• Identify prospects, set appointments, make effective qualifying sales calls, and manage sales cycle to close new business in all service categories
• Possess in-depth product knowledge and be able to conduct demos and handle objections
• Prepare concise and accurate reports, proposals, booking packages, and other required documentation for executive-level presentations
• Achieve sales goals by assessing current client needs and following a defined selling process with potential buyers, often including product demos and presentations
• Coordinate with other sales representatives to ensure that quotas are being met and company standards are being upheld

Required skills and qualifications

• Three or more years of sales experience within a similar industry
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, presentation, and organizational skills
• Proficiency with sales management software and CRM
• Strong ability to balance persuasion with professionalism

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Proven success rate at levels above sales quota
• Ability to travel at least 25% of the time to customer events

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Sales representative job description 2023

We bring to your attention a typical example of a sales representative job description, sample 2023. Do not forget, each instruction of the sales representative is issued on hand against receipt.

The hr-portal site provides typical information about the knowledge that a sales representative should have. About duties, rights and responsibilities.

This material is included in the huge library of job descriptions on our site, which is updated daily. nine0003

1. General provisions

1.1. A sales representative belongs to the category of technical performers.

1.2. The position is entitled to be obtained by a person with an average professional (economic or having received a stock of knowledge in a specialized program) education without a mandatory work experience and only by official order of the head.

The sales representative must have knowledge of:

1.3. In the field of legislative acts, regulations, instructions, instructions of the management and regulatory documents that coordinate the process of commodity sales and the provision of services. nine0003

1.4. In the field of leading methods and techniques of successful trading.

1.5. In the area of ​​prospective development opportunities. He is obliged to know whether potential consumers feel the need for manufactured products and their services.

1.6. Subject to the execution of the necessary trade and commercial documentation.

1.7. In price indexes and price lists.

1.8. In matters affecting the state of the commodity economy in the domestic and foreign markets.

1.9. In matters affecting the range and standard commodity sizes, how the product codes are deciphered, the commodity type of the product, and how it is labeled.

1.10. In the field of what standards and technical norms are required for commercial quality.

1.11. In matters relating to data on the place of residence of potential customers.

1.12. In the field of leading trading skills based on the experience of compatriots and foreign colleagues.

1. 13. In the field of provisions relating to the internal working order of the enterprise and labor protection. nine0003

1.14. If the agent is absent for a good reason, his mandatory terms of action are transferred to the person who is appointed according to the established rules.

2. Responsibilities of a sales representative

A sales representative must:

2.1. Have all the necessary data on all points of sale located in the established area (its type, work schedule, data on the manager and all persons on whose decisions the process of commodity purchases and their payment depends, contact information, information about the product range)

2.2. Have data on the company’s inventory, delivery conditions (price policy, smallest lot), how the documentation is drawn up, sent simultaneously with the goods.

2.3. Build and maintain a customer base. It is necessary to constantly develop the customer base in terms of quantity and quality (expand the range of goods purchased by the client, observe payment discipline, increase the number of outlets).

2.4. Control that payment for goods delivered to TT is received on time. nine0003

2.5. Have data on competitors (variety of goods, mode of operation, positive and negative aspects of their work), investigate the chances of poaching customers from competing enterprises.

2.6. Participate in promotions and collect information about the subject of trade.

3. Rights of the sales representative

The sales representative has the right to:

3.1. To get acquainted with the preliminary decisions of the authorities on issues of their work.

3.2. To a personal request on behalf of the direct supervisor about information and documentation affecting his official duties from specialists. nine0003

3.3. Invite superiors to consider proposals for the modernization of the work included in their duties.

3.4. Report to the immediate superiors about all the shortcomings of their work and express ways to eliminate them.

3.5. Seek support from the administration in his work.

4. Responsibility of the sales representative

The sales representative is responsible for:

4.1. If he does not perform at the proper level or does not perform his official duties at all, which are taken into account by the official instruction. nine0003

4.2. If he violates the law in the course of his activities.

4.3. If it causes material damage.

Sales representative job description – sample 2023. Responsibilities of a sales representative, rights of a sales representative, responsibility of a sales representative.

Job description of a sales representative 2021

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Job description of a sales representative [name of organization, enterprise, etc. ]

This job description has been developed and approved in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and other legal acts regulating labor relations. nine0003

1. General provisions

1.1. A sales representative belongs to the category of specialists, is appointed to a position and dismissed from it by order of the head of the organization.

1.2. The sales representative reports directly to [position title of direct supervisor].

1.3. A person who has [insert required] education and at least [value] years of work experience in the field of trade is accepted for the position of a sales representative.

1.4. The sales representative must know:

– laws and by-laws regulating business and commercial activities;

– fundamentals of marketing and management;

– fundamentals of a market economy and business;

– market conditions;

– rules and principles of successful sales;

– range, classification, characteristics and purpose of goods;

– conditions for storage and transportation of products;

– pricing methods, pricing strategy and tactics; nine0003

– forms and methods of conducting advertising campaigns;

– psychology and principles of sales;

– ethics of business communication, rules for establishing business contacts and conducting telephone conversations;

– procedure for developing business plans, commercial agreements, contracts;

– rules for working with a computer and operating office equipment;

– fundamentals of labor legislation;

– internal labor regulations;

– rules on labor protection and fire safety. nine0003

1.5. During the period of temporary absence of a sales representative, his duties are assigned to [insert as appropriate], who is fully responsible for their high-quality and timely performance.

2. Duties

Sales representative:

2.1. It contributes in every possible way to maintaining a positive image of the manufacturer or wholesaler of goods, provides favorable conditions for promoting goods to the consumer market and high sales volumes in retail outlets. nine0003

2.2. Collects information characterizing the conjuncture of a particular market sector, analyzes development trends.

2.3. Develops a strategy and system for representing the interests of the organization in the territory entrusted to him.

2.4. Negotiates with potential and existing clients on the conclusion of contracts and their implementation.

2.5. Advises clients on the consumer characteristics of products that contribute to the satisfaction of the needs of end customers. nine0003

2.6. Carries out maintenance and development of the existing client base, search for new clients.

2.7. Keeps track of amounts and terms of payment under concluded contracts.

2.8. Controls the timely delivery of goods to retail outlets.

2.9. Promptly responds to customer claims regarding the quantity and quality of the delivered goods in accordance with the terms of the concluded contracts.

2.10. Identifies the causes of violations by customers of the terms of contracts, takes measures to eliminate them and prevent these causes. nine0003

2.11. Coordinates the work of merchandisers, promoters, drivers, freight forwarders, etc.

2.12. Controls the conduct of promotions, tastings at customer points of sale.

2.13. Takes part in conferences, seminars, meetings held by the management of the organization for sales representatives.

2.14. [Specify other job responsibilities].

3. Rights

The sales representative has the right:

3. 1. For all social guarantees provided for by law. nine0003

3.2. Make suggestions to higher management to improve the methods of their work.

3.3. Require the management of the organization to assist in the performance of their professional duties and the exercise of rights.

3.4. Get acquainted with the draft decisions of the organization’s management regarding its activities.

3.5. Require the creation of conditions for the performance of professional duties, including the provision of the necessary equipment, inventory, a workplace that meets sanitary and hygienic rules and regulations, etc.

3.6. Request personally or on behalf of the immediate supervisor documents, materials, tools, etc., necessary for the performance of their duties.

3.7. Sign and endorse documents within their authority.

3.8. To pay additional expenses for medical, social and professional rehabilitation in cases of damage to health due to an accident at work and occupational disease.