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The differences between business sales associates and outside sales consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a business sales associate and an outside sales consultant. Additionally, an outside sales consultant has an average salary of $76,601, which is higher than the $59,485 average annual salary of a business sales associate.
The top three skills for a business sales associate include business sales, product knowledge and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for an outside sales consultant are customer service, in-home, and CRM.
| Business Sales Associate | Outside Sales Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $59,485 | $76,601 |
| Hourly rate | $28.60 | $36.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 359,630 | 230,853 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A business sales associate's primary goal is to secure sales and reach sales targets. To make this possible, a business sales associate conducts market research and analyses to identify new business and client opportunities, generates leads, and develops sales strategies. They usually reach out to potential clients or representatives through calls or correspondence, arrange appointments, discuss product or service specifications, organize payment plans, and negotiate contracts, building positive business relationships along the way. Moreover, they produce progress reports and coordinate with managers regularly.
An outside sales consultant is responsible for conducting sales for both prospective and existing customers. Your duties may vary, but common tasks include traveling to meet potential and existing customers, organizing meetings with customers regularly, and educating customers on the benefits of products and services. As an outside sales representative, you are responsible for monitoring the new products, market conditions and competitors, and assisting in building the brand with the help of the marketing department.
Business sales associates and outside sales consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Sales Associate | Outside Sales Consultant | |
| Average salary | $59,485 | $76,601 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $84,000 | Between $48,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Delaware |
| Best paying company | - | Current TV |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a business sales associate and an outside sales consultant in terms of educational background:
| Business Sales Associate | Outside Sales Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between business sales associates' and outside sales consultants' demographics:
| Business Sales Associate | Outside Sales Consultant | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |