Sales professionals sell their firm’s products or services to their customers. Sales people detail out the benefits of the company’s products and services in a way that persuades people to buy.
Sales people sell to individual users or to other organizations depending on who are the users of their products.
When they sell to other companies, sales people have to develop relations with companies that use their products, understand their requirements, and fulfill them.
When the products their company produces is consumed directly by people like you and me, the job changes a little. Sales people in such companies, may do one of the following: One, approach users directly – say a person sells you an insurance policy, either by visiting your home, sending you an email or calling you up. Second, they may have to deal with shop keepers that stock the products their companies sell, for example, the role of a sales person of a company selling TVs would be to deal with shop keepers in a certain area assigned to them.
Find out what it is like to be Working in the Retail Industry.
Typically sales people move up the ladder and become sales supervisors, sales managers, and sales directors. In each of these positions they get to manage a team of other sales people. They get to handle more products in their portfolio, or cover new category of customers, or even expand their geographical territories (from a district, to state, to a region to national or even international responsibilities).
Find out about the Top 7 Careers for Managers.
Some of the sales people also move to Careers in Marketing at some stage of their career.
The two departments, although different in nature, have similar goals and are required to work together. Marketing creates the environment for making a sale – they increase the awareness of the product through actions such as Advertising. Sales, on the other hand, ensures that the product is physically available for purchase.
Any kind of graduation, be it in Arts, Science or Commerce, can help you start your career in sales. An MBA after the graduation can get you hired in a sales supervisor role directly. Keep in mind that in certain industries, even undergraduates are hired for entry - level Sales jobs.
Find out about the Top 7 Careers That Require Little Education.
Good communication & persuasion skills are necessary. Being able to understand and assess the needs of customers, and then inform and impress them with what they have to offer is critical. Ability to network and build relationships becomes an asset in connecting with people and making them buy or recommend your products. Finally, not every sales call is successful; having a confident and positive attitude helps deal with rejection and failure and to continue striving hard.
Types of sales careers
Sales people sell to individual users or to other organizations depending on who are the users of their products.
When they sell to other companies, sales people have to develop relations with companies that use their products, understand their requirements, and fulfill them.
When the products their company produces is consumed directly by people like you and me, the job changes a little. Sales people in such companies, may do one of the following: One, approach users directly – say a person sells you an insurance policy, either by visiting your home, sending you an email or calling you up. Second, they may have to deal with shop keepers that stock the products their companies sell, for example, the role of a sales person of a company selling TVs would be to deal with shop keepers in a certain area assigned to them.
Find out what it is like to be Working in the Retail Industry.
Career Track
Typically sales people move up the ladder and become sales supervisors, sales managers, and sales directors. In each of these positions they get to manage a team of other sales people. They get to handle more products in their portfolio, or cover new category of customers, or even expand their geographical territories (from a district, to state, to a region to national or even international responsibilities).
Find out about the Top 7 Careers for Managers.
Some of the sales people also move to Careers in Marketing at some stage of their career.
Relationship between sales and marketing
The two departments, although different in nature, have similar goals and are required to work together. Marketing creates the environment for making a sale – they increase the awareness of the product through actions such as Advertising. Sales, on the other hand, ensures that the product is physically available for purchase.
Educational path
Any kind of graduation, be it in Arts, Science or Commerce, can help you start your career in sales. An MBA after the graduation can get you hired in a sales supervisor role directly. Keep in mind that in certain industries, even undergraduates are hired for entry - level Sales jobs.
Find out about the Top 7 Careers That Require Little Education.
Soft skills required in Sales
Good communication & persuasion skills are necessary. Being able to understand and assess the needs of customers, and then inform and impress them with what they have to offer is critical. Ability to network and build relationships becomes an asset in connecting with people and making them buy or recommend your products. Finally, not every sales call is successful; having a confident and positive attitude helps deal with rejection and failure and to continue striving hard.
