Sales representatives or executives sell their company’s products or services to customers. Their job is to find and win new customers, and to keep existing customers. Depending on their employer, their customers could be individuals, businesses, manufacturers or retail companies.

Their exact duties depend on the sector they work in and their level of experience, but most sales reps:

• keep in contact with existing customers in person and by telephone
• make appointments to meet new and existing customers
• agree sales, prices, contracts and payments
• meet sales targets
• promote new products and any special deals
• advise customers about delivery schedules and after-sales service
• record sales and orders and send details to the sales office
• gather information to understand their customers’ businesses and needs
• feed back information on sales trends to their employers.

There are several types of sales jobs that can come under the general heading of sales representative, such as:

• direct sales reps sell directly to people in their homes – they may demonstrate products or leave catalogues for customers to choose from
• technical sales reps or sales engineers sell high-tech and specialised goods and equipment to businesses in the industrial and IT sectors.

Sales representatives usually work within a defined geographical area. Many specialise in one sector, such as pharmaceuticals (please see the Medical Sales Executive profile for more information).

Hours and Environment

As a sales representative you may work long hours, as you will usually have sales targets to achieve. In most jobs you will work Monday to Friday, but will often finish late in the evening. You will often cover a wide geographical area and may regularly need to stay away from home.

You will spend a lot of time driving to visit customers at their homes or businesses. When not on the road, you could be based in a local or regional sales office, or at home. You may also visit head office and sales conferences and exhibitions. If your company sells overseas, you may also have to travel abroad.

Skills and Interests

To be a sales representative you should:

• have excellent sales and negotiation skills
• have good communication skills and ‘people skills’
• be confident, self-motivated and determined
• be able to develop in-depth knowledge about products and markets
• work well on your own and also as part of a team
• be able to deal with rejection
• be well-organised and able to manage your time
• pay attention to detail
• have good business sense
• be smart and professional
• be able to drive.

Entry

You do not need any set qualifications to become a sales representative. Some employers may ask for some GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) including maths and English, some may prefer A levels/Highers or a degree. However, many employers will be more interested in your sales skills and experience than your formal qualifications.

You may be able to move into sales after working as an administrator in a sales office. You may also find it useful to have experience in retail sales or customer service.

You may find it useful to take an introductory qualification such as the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) Level 2 Certificate in Sales and Marketing, before looking for sales work.

You may be able to enter through an apprenticeship programme. In England, these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3). To find out more about these, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. Apprenticeships may be different in other areas. For further information see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For many technical sales jobs, employers will usually prefer you to have work experience and qualifications in a relevant area such as engineering, science or IT.

Training

You will usually be trained on the job by your employer. Most employers provide in-house training on their products, sales skills and sales administration systems.

If you are working in sales, you may be able to work towards NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Sales, and Level 4 in Sales Management.

You may also be able to gain qualifications from professional bodies such as the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM), the Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA) or the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), including:

• ISMM Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Sales and Marketing
• ISMM Level 5 Diploma in Strategic Sales
• MAMSA Standard Diploma
• CIM Certificate in Professional Sales
• CIM Advanced Certificate in Sales Management.

You can study for these qualifications by distance learning, and also face-to-face at some colleges and training centres. Contact the relevant body for more details about courses (see Further Information).

Opportunities

Sales representatives can work for a huge range of companies all over the United Kingdom. Jobs are advertised in the press, in Jobcentre Plus and through specialist recruitment agencies.

Promotion is usually based on having a good track record in sales. Competition for senior jobs with well-known or large companies can be fierce. Successful sales reps can progress to being responsible for a larger area or more important accounts. They could also progress to managing a team of other reps as an area or national sales manager.

Self-employment and freelance work is possible.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Starting salaries are usually around £12,000 to £18,000 a year.
Experienced and technical sales representatives usually earn £15,000 to £35,000 a year.
National account managers can earn up to £50,000 a year.

Most companies offer a basic salary plus commission based on meeting personal or group sales targets. Jobs adverts may include the commission likely to be earned, shown as OTE (on-target earnings). Salary packages also often include a car or petrol allowance.

Further information

PO Box 11
Sandbach
Cheshire
CW11 3GE
Tel: 01270 526339 Harrier Court
Lower Woodside
LU1 4DQ
Tel: 01582 840001 Moor Hall
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Tel: 01628 427500