A sales job involves selling a service to customers, whether new or existing, typically through in-person interactions. Sales is a major component of companies across many different industries. When a business provides a service to its clients, it often relies on salespeople to generate awareness and increase the number of items sold. Working in sales is a career option that many people pursue, as it can offer the potential to earn a high income.
Customer service skills, patience, strong communication skills, and persistence are of primary importance in a sales job.
Sales representatives work with customers to find out what they want, create solutions and ensure a smooth sales process. They foster relationships with potential clients and travel within their assigned sales region. Schedule and attend calls and face-to-face meetings, give sales presentations, maintain documentation of sales leads and closed deals, meet sales goals, and monitor competitors to understand customers’ needs. They also negotiate contracts with clients. In addition, they work closely with the marketing department of the company to raise brand awareness.
Sales representatives may be under intense pressure to meet their sales quota, and their income may be directly dependent on their work performance. At some companies, sales representatives are required to learn specific sales tactics and even train employees on how they want their products sold.
The educational background of sales reps is very diverse. Organizations often prioritize sales experience and competence when hiring for this role, so the specific background may vary. However, it's helpful to have a bachelor's degree in a related field like accounting, business management, or economics. Studying marketing, consumer behavior, and business can help a lot. A major in your product's field may also be an advantage, for example, studying computer science when you sell computer solutions.
