What is an Outside Sales Representative? An outside sales representative is a company’s representative who sells to clients, prospects, and prospective clients in a specified geographic territory. They may solicit new business or respond to solicitations from potential customers.
However, if you’re interested in pursuing this as a career, there are many things you need to know about the profession, along with the various career paths you can take!
So, what Is An Outside Sales Representative?
Outside sales representatives typically sell products such as insurance policies, health care plans, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds. In addition, outside sales representatives work with other departments within their organization, including marketing and customer service, to provide clients with all of their needs. There are many different types of jobs available for those interested in this profession, such as pharmaceuticals, high tech, manufacturing, financial services, retail trade, food industry, and more.
The good news is that most industries have outside sales representatives, so you have a lot of flexibility in the type of sales you’d like to work in.
What is an Outside Sales Representative’s Day To Day Look Like?
If you’re wondering what is an outside sales representative’s day-to-day looks like, you’re not alone. One of the most common questions that potential employees ask is what they will be doing in their role. The answer is that it varies depending on the specific field you choose and what your sales goals are. Generally, outside sales representatives will:
Check Emails
Just like most jobs, outside sales representatives have to check emails daily to answer any questions or respond to requests from clients. This is especially important because email is almost 40 times better at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter.
Set Up Appointments
Outside sales reps also set up appointments for other organization members that may need a face-to-face meeting or a demonstration on a new product. This might include someone from marketing who is looking for some feedback on their ideas for a product launch or someone from customer service who needs some additional training.
Follow Up On Leads
Many outside sales representatives will follow up on leads. They need to know if the potential customer wants their products or services. It’s essential to qualify because 50% of your leads are not a good fit for your company. This may include setting up an appointment, making a phone call, or meeting in-person to qualify the lead. This turns potential customers into paying customers.
Provide Product or Service demonstrations
Outside sales representatives typically provide demonstrations for customers or companies who are interested in their products. During these demonstrations, customers will ask questions, learn more about how a product works, and form a relationship with the sales representative.
Look For New Potential Clients
The job of an outside sales representative is to find new potential clients, They often spend their time on the road or the phone looking for someone to sell to. This means that they also need to know their territory well and have some knowledge about it.
Maintain Relationships With Existing Customers
While some outside sales representatives spend their time finding new customers, others focus on maintaining relationships with existing customers in order to maximize the company’s revenue.
Give Presentations
Whether it’s for a potential client, an existing customer, or the company’s own employees, outside sales representatives will often give presentations. Sometimes they’ll be in front of a group of people, and other times it will just be one person who needs additional information about what you’re selling.
Handle Client Complaints or Issues
Since their primary goal is to sell their product or service, outside sales representatives will need to handle any complaints or issues that their customers may have. You should have open availability, including weekends and evenings.
Travel To Their Clients
Many outside sales representatives need to travel within their territory to meet with clients face-to-face. This may include setting up appointments, giving presentations on the products they are selling, or even simple demonstrations.
Work Trade Shows Or Conferences
Outside sales representatives will often work trade shows and conferences to connect with new and current clients, depending on what they’re selling. They might meet them face-to-face or even set up an appointment for another time and place.
Close the Sale
The end goal of most outside sales representatives is to close the sale and say that they made a sale. This means taking over all of the details with their client, such as delivery dates, size options, payment plans, etc. And once everything is set, they’ll make sure all materials are signed and keep in contact throughout the process until the product is delivered.
Networking
Many outside sales representatives will spend some of their time networking with companies in order to get more business. Whether they’re setting up a new account, making connections, or helping another company’s customer with an issue, it is important that they know who and where all of the businesses are located within their territory.
Connecting With The Marketing Team
Many outside sales representatives may need to meet with the marketing team. They typically need to be provided with new materials for selling purposes.
Present Opportunities To The Internal Sales Team
Sometimes outside sales representatives will present opportunities to the internal sales team . This may be to see if it’s there’s some opportunities to work together. However, to do this, they need to know what this team is working on.
Attend Meetings
Whether it’s a meeting with the marketing team, an internal sales session, or a business dinner with potential clients, outside sales representatives will need to attend many different types of meetings. Business dinners are especially important because they allow for more face-to-face time between the potential client and the representative.
What Skills Are Needed To Work As An Outside Sales Representative?
To work as an outside sales representative, you’ll need to be able to multitask in order to meet your quota every month. While it’s certainly possible for one person to sell more than another, they will each have their own unique skill set that helps them do the job. Some common skills include:
Persuasiveness
Representatives are typically trying to make a sale or convince someone else at the company that their product is worth implementing. This is why they need to be persusaive to close the deal. For example, you might find yourself explaining why they should choose this particular service over your competitiors.
Persistence
If you’re having trouble making a sale, it’s essential to be persistent. Get back up, and try again another time. For example, you might meet with someone who isn’t interested at the moment. However, there’s no reason not to follow up with them next week or next month. Even if they say they can’t afford what you’re selling now, there may come a time where they are ready to make that purchase!
Self-Motivation
It’s easy for outside sales representatives to become discouraged. Maybe their quota is too high, or they feel like people aren’t taking advantage of all of the excellent services that they’re offering. That being said, it will be necessary for them to stay on top of it. They need to believe in the product they are selling to convince other people that it is worth purchasing.
Listening Skills
Before someone decides to purchase a product, they will typically have many questions for the outside sales representative. That’s why these professionals must know how to ask questions and listen carefully to get a better picture of what their client needs and wants. Additionally, listening can help them understand which products are best suited for each client.
Relationship Building Skills
Outside sales representatives need to have good relationship-building skills because it could allow them to gain the trust of potential clients. This can be very helpful when it comes time for pitching their product or service, where they will need to convince other people that their company is the best choice.
Empathy
Empathetic outside sales representatives have the ability to put themselves in their customer’s shoes and understand what they’re going through. For example, a potential client may be upset by a similar product or service. In that case, they could possibly relate to them and offer some helpful advice on how to improve their current situation.
Resilient
In any job, it’s possible to run into roadblocks and experience some bad days. However, outside sales representatives need to be resilient. They need to bounce back from these challenges and continue working towards their goal of making a sale.
Competitive
One of the most essential skills an outside sales representative can have is competitiveness. Not only will they need to be competitive when going up against similar companies, but they’ll also have to compete with their own team members in order to secure a higher quota each month.
Enthusiastic
It’s essential for outside sales representatives to express their enthusiasm to get their clients excited about a product or service. If a potential client sees that the outside sales representative is passionate and enthusiastic about what they’re selling, this could help them become more confident in their purchase.
What is an Outside Sales Representative’s Salary?
When you’re thinking about what is an outside sales representative’s salary, you should know that the compensation you receive is tied to your performance. Since it is commission-based, if you successfully sell products or services, you will earn more money. This can range anywhere from $12,940 to $344,152, with a median salary of $62,216.
However, there are many expenses to run a business. So sometimes, companies will reimburse their outside sales representatives for expenses. This might include office supplies, travel expenses, entertainment costs and anything else used in business operations.
Find Your Dream Job Today
Now that you know the answer to the question “What Is An Outside Sales Representative,” you can determine if sales are the right career for you. If you’re ready to take the next steps to find the career of your dreams, browse through our job listings or submit your resume today.
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