Sales Agent Roles and Profile

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Egbert Haynes

The sales agent It is who sells retail products, goods and services to customers. Work with customers to find what they want, create solutions, and ensure a smooth sales process. You will also work to find new prospects to sell, through business directories, client referrals, etc..

Sometimes you'll focus on inside sales - which generally involves making calls to potential customers while you're in the office - or outside sales, which involves visiting new or existing clients outside of the office. Often times you will work as a mix of inside sales with outside sales.

Companies are looking for a well-rounded, organized, detail-oriented sales agent to join the sales team, as they will play a key role in exchanging information about the company and its products..

In short, this agent will find sales opportunities, offer strategies and sell the company's products..

Article index

  • 1 What does a sales agent do?
    • 1.1 Customer service
    • 1.2 Administrative functions
    • 1.3 Marketing function
    • 1.4 Other functions
  • 2 Profile
    • 2.1 Personal requirements
    • 2.2 Professional requirements
  • 3 References

What does a sales agent do?

A sales agent serves existing customer accounts, receiving orders from them and establishing new accounts in their customer portfolio..

Client service

- Plan and organize your daily work schedule to call and visit existing or potential customers and other business factors, to assess their needs or promote products and services, and answer questions about credit terms, products, pricing and availability.

- Adjust the content of sales presentations, studying the type of customer or business factor to visit.

- Resolve customer complaints by investigating the issues raised. Develops solutions, preparing reports and making recommendations to management.

- Create and maintain a database of potential customers. Focus sales efforts by studying the existing and potential number of distributors for the products.

Administrative functions

- Prepare and send orders, referring to the price lists and the product catalog.

- Keeps a record of calls made through the computerized system.

- Deliver specific and personalized sales strategies. Comply with all established internal and external sales quotas.

- Provides historical records, by keeping records about your area and sales to customers.

- Keeps management informed by presenting activity and results reports, such as daily call reports, weekly work plans and monthly analysis of the assigned territory.

Marketing function

- Coordinates sales efforts with established programs of marketing.

- Check the competition by gathering up-to-date market information on prices, products, new products, delivery times, marketing techniques, etc. Research potential comes from business directories, web searches, or digital resources.

- Recommends changes in products, services and policies by evaluating the results and developments of the competition.

Other functions

- Contributes to the effort of the sales team to achieve the required results, meeting or exceeding sales targets, and works with the sales team to close sales.

- Maintains technical and professional knowledge by attending academic workshops, analyzing technical publications, creating personal networks and participating in professional associations.

Profile

Personal requirements

- Ability to work independently or as an active member of a team.

- Possess self-confidence, positive mindset, with the ability to manage territories effectively

- Reliable, hard-working, enthusiastic and persuasive, with the ability to multitask

- Ability to maintain a neat and presentable personality.

Customer service skills

The most important premise to keep in mind is that the customer is always right. Therefore, you will need to be able to speak in a friendly manner with both existing and potential clients, listening to their needs and helping to communicate the options to them..

You must have excellent skills in interpersonal relationships, including the ability to quickly establish a good relationship with customers and suppliers, always being customer-focused to win sales. Additionally, you must have the ability to meet sales targets.

Communication skills

You must have excellent communication skills, as you must continually talk with customers about the various functions of the items you sell and clarify any questions and doubts that may arise. Likewise, you must have the ability to negotiate and close a sale.

You need to have excellent verbal communication skills to be comfortable making cold calls and talking to new people much of the day. In addition, you must be able to show patience and enthusiasm when communicating with potential clients..

Must have the ability to communicate professionally and confidently with diverse groups of people, as well as the skills to deliver oral presentations both at internal sales goal meetings and for clients.

Constancy

You must understand that not every customer is going to be a sale. Therefore, the sales agent has to have the ability to bounce back from losing a sale and never give up, as this will be essential to his job..

It will be vital to maintain the tenacity to handle rejection and continue with a positive attitude when reaching the next potential customer..

Flexibility

It is very possible that you will have to work long hours, nights or weekends. Therefore, you must have strong sales motivation, as well as the ability to work comfortably and accurately in a fast-paced environment under pressure, to meet competitive deadlines..

Professional requirements

A person can become a sales agent without the need for a high school diploma, although companies often prefer people with at least high school graduates.

The required professional profile is ideally for the sales agent to have a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, economics or other related field.

Sales agents must fully know the company's products to sell, both inside and out, as well as a deep knowledge of the company's services and its position in the industry, which is why most of their training will be done at work.

Other professional requirements of the sales agent to perform their duties efficiently are:

- Understanding of the sales process and its dynamics from inception to closing. It is recommended that you have sales experience.

- Experience in using computers and the Internet for a variety of tasks, such as research and exploration.

- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel).

- Management of the assigned sales territory.

References

  1. Monster Worldwide (2018). Sales Representative Job Description Sample. Taken from: hiring.monster.com.
  2. Betterteam (2018). Sales Representative Job Description. Taken from: betterteam.com.
  3. (2018). Sales Representative Job Description. Taken from: snagajob.com.
  4. Zip Recruiter (2018). Sales Agent Job Description Sample Template.
  5. JD & RE (2018). Sales Representative Job Description Example, Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities.

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