Channel sales representative vs area sales representative

The differences between channel sales representatives and area sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a channel sales representative and an area sales representative. Additionally, a channel sales representative has an average salary of $66,190, which is higher than the $58,355 average annual salary of an area sales representative.

The top three skills for a channel sales representative include lead generation, direct sales and channel sales. The most important skills for an area sales representative are customer service, business development, and sales process.

Channel sales representative vs area sales representative overview

	Channel Sales Representative	Area Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$66,190	$58,355
Hourly rate	$31.82	$28.06
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	215,005	199,212
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

What does a channel sales representative do?

A channel sales representative is typically in charge of securing sales with vendors and resellers. Their responsibilities often include performing research and analysis to identify new business and client opportunities, generating leads, and devising strategies to close deals. They must also liaise with clients through calls or correspondence, arrange appointments, offer products and services, recommend promotions, negotiate contracts, and even process payments. Furthermore, as a channel sales representative, it is essential to build positive relationships with clients, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does an area sales representative do?

The primary role of an area sales representative is to sell the company's products and services within a specified region or territory. You will be responsible for attracting new clients, increase profitability, and win new accounts. Other duties typically include building and maintaining relationships with both new and existing customers, traveling across the region to visit customers, and maintaining records of customer accounts and sales leads. As an area sales representative, it is also your duty to close deals and negotiate service agreements, prices, and terms of sale.

Channel sales representative vs area sales representative salary

Channel sales representatives and area sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Channel Sales Representative	Area Sales Representative
Average salary	$66,190	$58,355
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $97,000	Between $42,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	Las Vegas, NV	Syracuse, NY
Highest paying state	Nevada	Maine
Best paying company	Microsoft	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between channel sales representative and area sales representative education

There are a few differences between a channel sales representative and an area sales representative in terms of educational background:

	Channel Sales Representative	Area Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Channel sales representative vs area sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between channel sales representatives' and area sales representatives' demographics:

	Channel Sales Representative	Area Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%	Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between channel sales representative and area sales representative duties and responsibilities

Channel sales representative example responsibilities.

Adopt new CRM software to manage existing customers while providing training on update systems.
Generate leads and evangelize product to physicians in orthopedics, hematology, internal medicine, surgery, critical care and cardiology.
Maintain accurate up-to-date activity and opportunity reports in Microsoft CRM software.
Generate leads and evangelize product to physicians in orthopedics, hematology, internal medicine, surgery, critical care and cardiology.
Generate leads and evangelize product to physicians in orthopedics, hematology, internal medicine, surgery, critical care and cardiology.

Area sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
Create wholesale catalog using Powerpoint and PDF.
Add and update customer information in Seibel CRM application.
Schedule monthly sales, change POS, acquire extra sales/floor space.
Increase sales and product visibility by placing POS material and encouraging promotion participation within accounts.
Execute weekly on premise promotions and off-site special events that generate brand awareness, increase distribution and additional sales.

Channel sales representative vs area sales representative skills

Common channel sales representative skills

Lead Generation, 28%
Direct Sales, 22%
Channel Sales, 19%
Sales Cycle, 16%
Sales REP, 3%
Channel Development, 2%

Common area sales representative skills

Customer Service, 24%
Business Development, 17%
Sales Process, 15%
Customer Relations, 7%
Product Knowledge, 4%
Territory Sales, 3%

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Channel Sales Representative
Channel Sales Representative vs Area Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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