Sales Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
Sample of reported job titles:
District Sales Manager, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Sales and Marketing Vice President (Sales and Marketing VP), Sales Director, Sales Manager, Sales Supervisor, Sales Vice President (Sales VP)
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
- Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.
- Determine price schedules and discount rates.
- Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
Technology Skills
- Accounting software:Sage 50 Accounting,Tax software
- Analytical or scientific software:IBM SPSS Statistics,Minitab,SAS statistical software
- Business intelligence and data analysis software:IBM Cognos Impromptu,MicroStrategy,Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition,Qlik Tech QlikView,Tableau
- Calendar and scheduling software:Contact management software,Scheduling software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software:Dropbox,Google Drive,Microsoft SharePoint
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Selling or Influencing Others:Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
- Thinking Creatively:Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities
- Advise customers on technical or procedural issues.
- Advise others on business or operational matters.
- Analyze financial records or reports to determine state of operations.
- Approve expenditures.
- Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.
Work Context
- Telephone:100% responded"Every day"
- Electronic Mail:100% responded"Every day"
- Contact With Others:87% responded"Constant contact with others"
- Level of Competition:68% responded"Highly competitive"
- Deal With External Customers:65% responded"Extremely important"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Persuasion:Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Coordination:Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking:Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Knowledge
- Sales and Marketing:Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Administration and Management:Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Education and Training:Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 65%Bachelor's Degree
- 13%Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
- 9%Master's Degree
- 9%Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension:The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Deductive Reasoning:The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Speech Clarity:The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Interests
- Enterprising:Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Work Styles
- Initiative:Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Adaptability/Flexibility:Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Leadership:Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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