Sales are one of the most profitable careers available to people today. If you work hard, you can make a lot of money in this field. While the average sales representative makes $65,846 dollars a year, the earning potential is endless depending on the path within sales you take.
If you’re thinking about making the switch from your current career to sales, then there are some things you need to know before jumping in headfirst. This article will talk about what precisely a sales position entails as well as some of the benefits and drawbacks of this profession.
What Exactly Is A Sales Job?
A sales job is a career in which someone is responsible for selling and presenting different services and products to consumers. In these roles, salespeople are generally accountable for meeting sales goal quotas and generating new leads of customers who may be interested. You could be expected to give product demos, pitch your products, or even negotiate prices and contracts with customers.
It’s important to note that there many different avenues within sales. You could be working with medical sales companies, industrial sales, and manufacturing, business-to-business, or general retail and consumer goods sectors. Each role has its own unique responsibilities, which will all vary based on your specific career path. Here are a few of the most common positions you might find in sales, along with the responsibilities and salary included.
Outside Sales Representative
Average Salary: $76,299
You might be wondering, “What does an outside sales rep do?” The responsibilities of a sales representative include cold call sales, finding leads in various ways, and then meeting with them to provide information about the company’s products or services.
Sales representatives may also demonstrate how the product works to people who are interested and make presentations on behalf of their employers. Most employers require either previous sales experience or a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Account Representative
Average Salary: $51,604
An account representative is in charge of coordinating and completing the sales process for a company. They typically have quotas or targets assigned to them, which they are expected to meet on a regular basis.
In this position, an account representative may work with clients at different stages of the purchase cycle – finding leads through various ways, meeting with those people to provide information about a corporation’s products or services (demonstrating how the product works), and making presentations if necessary. An employer will usually require some previous experience in selling before hiring someone into this role or a college degree.
Account Manager
Average Salary: $56,095
An account manager is responsible for managing relationships with clients or customers. They may be asked to research and propose new products, develop promotional material, handle marketing initiatives (such as pricing), oversee the accounts of salespeople who work for a corporation, and monitor their productivity while finding ways to make a product more desirable – such as through packaging changes or developing an advertising campaign.
A bachelor’s degree in business management will usually provide the necessary training required for this position; however, some employers may require previous experience working within sales before hiring someone into this role.
Sales Director
Average Salary: $97,867
A sales director is primarily responsible for overseeing the sales team, managing customer relationships, and developing new avenues of revenue. They typically have a background in marketing or advertising. Sales managers will ususally be involved with other departments such as manufacturing to ensure that existing products are being marketed efficiently while new ones are developed.
This is usually an executive-level position requiring at least five years of experience working within sales before becoming eligible for this role. However, many people who take on this responsibility also pursue formal education courses through graduate school programs (e.g., MBA), which can help them develop their managerial skills further.
Why Would I Want a Career in Sales?
There are many reasons to become a sales professional. Sales are one of the most lucrative careers available. It can be flexible in terms of hours worked, allowing for part-time or full-time work as desired by the company’s needs; it doesn’t necessarily require specialized training as some other positions do, and there may be opportunities for advancement within the organization if you demonstrate consistent success in this area.
If you have the right attitude and personality, sales might be the right career for you. Some of the top benefits of working in the sales industry include:
1. Job Security
Sales professionals are, in general, considered to have a high degree of job security. This is because the nature of their work allows them to do it anywhere and anytime as long as there’s access to customers or potential buyers. Plus, since many different businesses employ salespeople, you’ll be able to work in various industries instead of being stuck in one type of company.
2. Low Barrier to Entry
The barrier to entry for the sales industry is relatively low. You don’t need a degree or any specific skillset in order to perform well in sales, so anyone can get into it and find success. If you’re looking to switch your profession or are just starting your career, sales is a great opportunity.
3. Potential For Advancement
There are many opportunities within an organization for advancement if you demonstrate consistent success in this area. And since there’s no set path of progression, you’ll have more control over your career trajectory than with other occupations that might require years of education before being able to take on a high-level role. You can always take the skills and knowledge you have learned to succeed in other positions or grow within sales.
4. Work-Life Balance
Sales rep jobs often have a lot of variety and are more flexible than other careers. You can usually set your own hours and schedule, especially if you only have to work until you fill a certain quota. And since you’re the one who sets your goals, it’s up to you whether that means working every day and night or just a few days each week.
5. Networking
Sales reps have a unique opportunity to meet new people. You’ll be in charge of networking and making connections with potential buyers. This will give you the chance to make some valuable contacts — and maybe even find your next job!
Why Would I Not Want a Career in Sales?
While there are tons of benefits to a sales career, some parts of the job are usually a hard sell. Here are a few reasons that you may not enjoy a career in sales.
1. Unpredictable Schedule
The hours can be unpredictable, especially if you work with clients from other time zones. With sales jobs, you’ll need to work until you reach your quota or meet specific goals set by your employer. While that might seem easy, it’s not unheard of for sales reps to have 12+ hour days.
2. Constant Pressure
Sales jobs are also stressful in general. There is always pressure from upper management to hit consistent numbers which mean long hours and extra travel time. If you can’t find new clients, you’ll need to make a ton of cold-call sales. This pressure to find the next new lead or big sale can feel overwhelming or stressful.
3. Competition Is Constant
If your job is in sales, there will be a ton of other people selling similar products to your potential clients. It’s always a race to try to win over a client or vendor before your competition takes them away. You’ll need to ensure you’re keeping your current clients happy, so they don’t leave or back out of a contract. There’s also always someone out there willing to work for less and push harder in sales, which can make securing deals feel impossible at times.
4. Irregular Income
Since your salary is usually commission-based with sales, your paycheck might look different every month. You can make a ton of bonuses one week and only make the minimum salary the next. There is also no guarantee that you’ll keep getting the same number of clients each day or year. This may make it challenging to buy things like new clothes, cars, houses, etc.
Is Sales a Good Career?
The short answer is yes. Sales is an excellent career for many people. In fact, there are more than 13 million people in the profession already! It’s a field that is constantly evolving and provides an ever-changing experience. It can be competitive, but it also allows you to make your own success story without any limitations.
Whether you’re looking for a job with medical sales companies or would prefer to work with industrial sales and manufacturing, the best way to become a salesperson is through extensive research on what company or product you’re interested in representing. If possible, try to get involved with some of their marketing campaigns, as this will significantly help when interviewing for jobs because they’ll have seen how passionate about them you are already. This industry thrives off of passion, so don’t let yourself go into it if you don’t feel like it would be something worth doing day in and day out!
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