What Does a Business Sales Representative Do?

A business sales representative's role is to develop strategies in identifying leads and opportunities to secure sales. Their responsibilities revolve around reaching out to clients to offer products and services, discussing the pricing and specifications of products, processing payments, and gathering necessary client information. They may also arrange appointments with clients to negotiate and sign contracts. Furthermore, as a business sales representative, it is essential to produce progress reports and presentations, handle issues and complaints, maintain records of all transactions, and regularly update databases.

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Business Sales Representative Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real business sales representative resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Lead recruitment and marketing efforts via social media channels such as LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, etc.
Generate qualify leads through B2B telemarketing services specialize in identifying and nurturing prospects for computer hardware, software and technology services.
Assist with coordinating and organizing marketing projects such as direct mail and team telemarketing initiatives.
Generate qualify leads through B2B telemarketing services specialize in identifying and nurturing prospects for computer hardware, software and technology services.
Assist in the training of newly hire salespeople on technical aspects of CCTV camera systems.
Maintain a neat display kiosk that are up to par with Costco's standards
Utilize negotiation and influencing abilities by offering customers solutions using products and services from MCI portfolio.

Business Sales Representative Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as a business sales representative is "should I become a business sales representative?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, business sales representative careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "slower than average" at 2% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a business sales representative by 2028 is 35,400.

On average, the business sales representative annual salary is $58,288 per year, which translates to $28.02 an hour. Generally speaking, business sales representatives earn anywhere from $31,000 to $108,000 a year, which means that the top-earning business sales representatives make $55,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a business sales representative. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a sales development representative, sales representative internship, sales support representative, and business sales associate.

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5 Business Sales Representative Resume Examples

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Virginia Wright Business Sales Representative Contact Information Tampa, FL (360) 555-5344 vwright@example.com Skills Company Policies C-Level Business Solutions Training Materials Product Knowledge Business Owners Potential Customers ELI Customer Accounts Metrics Employment History Business Sales Representative 2020 - Present Verizon Tampa, FL Developed presentations to effectively explain relevant features, applications, benefits, service and Return on Investment's to potential customers. Assisted in training new employees in the Retail Sales Process. Worked from a customer service email queue to complete account maintenance requests from government business customers. Support Retail Sales Representatives with technical issues and answer general questions in regards to our sells system. Surpassed quota by minimum 20% New Business Development: Key player in cultivating relationships with clients. Sales Trainer 2019 - 2020 AstraZeneca Marion, IN Marketed gastrointestinal and cardiovascular products to health care providers. Meet and exceed sales goals of the TearLab incremental disposable business. Facilitated Earn the Right sales process for Telesales Reps. Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (Part-Time) 2012 - 2014 AstraZeneca Marion, IN Ended Q3 of 2010, 95.81% of performance index for cardiovascular product and 121.27% for diabetes product. Developed selling model to meet or exceed sales goals while increasing market share across all brands. Developed and executed aggressive business plan to set the pace for the Tulsa District for a successful Crestor launch in 2003. Recognized for top regional PBM Symbicort market share growth with ESI and Silverscripts (2014). Exceeded sales goals for Cefzil by 48%. Education Bachelor's Degree Business 2011 - 2014 Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN


Victoria Payne Business Sales Representative Contact Info Bellingham, WA (530) 555-6062 vpayne@example.com Skills Customer RetentionREPTTIROIOnlineBusiness DevelopmentAccount ManagementCustomer AccountsJRFinancial Transactions Employment History Business Sales Representative 2016 - Present United Rentals Bellingham, WA Analyzed daily reports and monitored customer service feedback. Provided retail support by fulfilling customer orders, facilitating vendor relations, and processing accounts receivables. Complete training's to gain product knowledge. Outside Sales Representative 2015 - 2016 Cut's Bellingham, WA Managed customer relations and developed marketing strategies to increase sales. Implemented Awards Program for franchisees as they achieved assigned sales goals. Advertising Sales Representative 2014 - 2015 Cut's Bellingham, WA Packed and wrapped finish windows on skids. Captured market share in targeted product categories by developing strong customer relationships with distributors, printers, and advertising agencies. Experience in POS systems, CRM, Sales management systems. Prospect and make outbound calls, emails to business leads and companies to assist with sales goals. Education Bachelor's Degree Business 2011 - 2014 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA


Victoria Payne Business Sales Representative Bellingham, WA (530) 555-6062 vpayne@example.com Experience Business Sales Representative2016 - Present United Rentals•Bellingham, WA Analyzed daily reports and monitored customer service feedback. Provided retail support by fulfilling customer orders, facilitating vendor relations, and processing accounts receivables. Complete training's to gain product knowledge. Outside Sales Representative2015 - 2016 Cut's•Bellingham, WA Managed customer relations and developed marketing strategies to increase sales. Implemented Awards Program for franchisees as they achieved assigned sales goals. Advertising Sales Representative2014 - 2015 Cut's•Bellingham, WA Packed and wrapped finish windows on skids. Captured market share in targeted product categories by developing strong customer relationships with distributors, printers, and advertising agencies. Experience in POS systems, CRM, Sales management systems. Prospect and make outbound calls, emails to business leads and companies to assist with sales goals. Skills Customer RetentionREPTTIROIOnlineBusiness DevelopmentAccount ManagementCustomer AccountsJRFinancial Transactions Education Bachelor's Degree Business2011 - 2014 Western Washington University•Bellingham, WA

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Business Sales Representative Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 13% of Business Sales Representatives are proficient in Business Sales, Customer Accounts, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Interpersonal skills, and Physical stamina.

We break down the percentage of Business Sales Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Business Sales, 13%
Established, maintained and expanded direct business-to-business sales of wireless telecommunications products and service to small- and medium-sized accounts.
Customer Accounts, 12%
Analyze customer accounts and provide solutions to promote efficient and effective telecommunication services based on business needs.
Customer Service, 11%
Focused on providing excellent customer service while up-selling products and solving general customer inquires regarding billing, products and service.
Business Relationships, 11%
Developed and maintained personal and business relationships with the local community.
Lead Generation, 11%
Honed in on opportunities for new business development and expanded customer database to 500+ business professionals through self-lead generation.
Security Industry, 6%
Learn and implement various IT solutions related to the security industry and sales arena.

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Most business sales representatives list "business sales," "customer accounts," and "customer service" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important business sales representative responsibilities here:

The most important skills for a business sales representative to have in this position are customer-service skills. In this excerpt that we gathered from a business sales representative resume, you'll understand why: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to listen to the customer’s needs and concerns before and after the sale." According to resumes we found, customer-service skills can be used by a business sales representative in order to "help train new hires with sales techniques, day to day procedures and allow them to shadow me during customer transactions. "

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many business sales representative duties rely on interpersonal skills. This example from a business sales representative explains why: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to work well with many types of people." This resume example is just one of many ways business sales representatives are able to utilize interpersonal skills: "used interpersonal skills to achieve weekly sales quotas * planned, organized, and initiated successful sales tactics. "

Physical stamina is also an important skill for business sales representatives to have. This example of how business sales representatives use this skill comes from a business sales representative resume, "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives are often on their feet for a long time and may carry heavy sample products." Read this excerpt from a resume to understand how vital it is to their everyday roles and responsibilities, "manage physical inventory for a $24 million per year account including order entry, work flow management and delivery. "

A business sales representative responsibilities sometimes require "self-confidence." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations" This resume example shows how this skill is used by business sales representatives: "settle billing discrepancies, customer complaints, product issues in a timely manner to ensure customer confidence in the company. "

See the full list of business sales representative skills.

We've found that 67.9% of business sales representatives have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 5.0% earned their master's degrees before becoming a business sales representative. While it's true that most business sales representatives have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every seven business sales representatives did not spend the extra money to attend college.

Those business sales representatives who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or marketing degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for business sales representatives include communication degrees or management degrees.

Once you're ready to become a business sales representative, you should explore the companies that typically hire business sales representatives. According to business sales representative resumes that we searched through, business sales representatives are hired the most by ADT Security Services, Paychex, and Spectrum. Currently, ADT Security Services has 59 business sales representative job openings, while there are 31 at Paychex and 22 at Spectrum.

If you're interested in companies where business sales representatives make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at Amazon, Bloomberg, and ADT Security Services. We found that at Amazon, the average business sales representative salary is $120,113. Whereas at Bloomberg, business sales representatives earn roughly $119,780. And at ADT Security Services, they make an average salary of $81,842.

View more details on business sales representative salaries across the United States.

Some other companies you might be interested in as a business sales representative include Dell, ADT, and Fastenal. These three companies were found to hire the most business sales representatives from the top 100 U.S. educational institutions.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious business sales representatives are:

ADT Security Services59 Business Sales Representatives Jobs
Paychex31 Business Sales Representatives Jobs
Spectrum22 Business Sales Representatives Jobs

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What Sales Development Representatives Do

A sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team. They develop sales strategies to attract buyers or solicit potential customers. They need to build relationships with their customers to determine their needs and qualify the viability of interests to drive sales. Also, they collaborate with the sales executives making certain that corporate targets and goals are met.

In this section, we compare the average business sales representative annual salary with that of a sales development representative. Typically, sales development representatives earn a $6,784 lower salary than business sales representatives earn annually.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between business sales representatives and sales development representatives are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like customer service, business relationships, and lead generation.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, a business sales representative responsibilities require skills like "business sales," "customer accounts," "strong presentation," and "adt." Meanwhile a typical sales development representative has skills in areas such as "sdr," "account executives," "linkedin," and "saas." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

Sales development representatives tend to reach similar levels of education than business sales representatives. In fact, sales development representatives are 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Sales Representative Internship?

In a sales representative internship, an intern's duties depend on the directives of a supervising staff or manager. Typically, they are responsible for gaining industry insights while performing clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documents, greeting visitors, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also participate in communicating with clients through calls and appointments to offer products and services, ensuring client satisfaction. Furthermore, as an intern, it is essential to familiarize and abide by the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Next up, we have the sales representative internship profession to look over. This career brings along a lower average salary when compared to a business sales representative annual salary. In fact, sales representative interns salary difference is $23,732 lower than the salary of business sales representatives per year.

A similarity between the two careers of business sales representatives and sales representative interns are a few of the skills associated with both roles. We used resumes from both professions to find that both use skills like "customer accounts," "customer service," and "product knowledge. "

But both careers also use different skills, according to real business sales representative resumes. While business sales representative responsibilities can utilize skills like "business sales," "business relationships," "lead generation," and "strong presentation," some sales representative interns use skills like "kids," "market research," "press releases," and "sales reps."

On the topic of education, sales representative interns earn similar levels of education than business sales representatives. In general, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Sales Support Representative Compares

A sales support representative is responsible for assisting the complex operations of sales departments, performing administrative duties under the supervision of a direct manager. Sales support representatives' tasks include acknowledging and encoding customers' orders in the system, processing payments, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, writing sales reports, and updating the customer of the shipment details. They also support the sales representatives on selling goods and services to potential customers by creating marketing materials and communicating with customers over the phone and e-mail to generate revenues and increase profits.

The third profession we take a look at is sales support representative. On an average scale, these workers bring in lower salaries than business sales representatives. In fact, they make a $19,978 lower salary per year.

While looking through the resumes of several business sales representatives and sales support representatives we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "customer accounts," "customer service," and "product knowledge," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from business sales representative resumes include skills like "business sales," "business relationships," "lead generation," and "strong presentation," whereas a sales support representative might be skilled in "sales support," "phone calls," "pos," and "good communication. "

When it comes to education, sales support representatives tend to earn similar education levels than business sales representatives. In fact, they're 1.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Business Sales Associate

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.

The fourth career we look at typically earns higher pay than business sales representatives. On average, business sales associates earn a difference of $1,197 higher per year.

While their salaries may vary, business sales representatives and business sales associates both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "business sales," "customer accounts," and "customer service. "

Each job requires different skills like "business relationships," "lead generation," "strong presentation," and "security industry," which might show up on a business sales representative resume. Whereas business sales associate might include skills like "crm," "customer support," "sales associates," and "sales quota."

The average resume of business sales associates showed that they earn similar levels of education to business sales representatives. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 1.2% more. Additionally, they're more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.

Updated October 2, 2020