Direct sales agent vs direct sales representative

The differences between direct sales agents and direct sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a direct sales agent, becoming a direct sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a direct sales agent has an average salary of $57,712, which is higher than the $43,527 average annual salary of a direct sales representative.

The top three skills for a direct sales agent include customer service, medicare and health insurance. The most important skills for a direct sales representative are customer service, direct sales, and TV.

Direct sales agent vs direct sales representative overview

	Direct Sales Agent	Direct Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$57,712	$43,527
Hourly rate	$27.75	$20.93
Growth rate	10%	4%
Number of jobs	225,552	159,668
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	43	47
Years of experience	6	4

What does a direct sales agent do?

A direct sales agent is primarily responsible for introducing and selling products or services to clients in a particular area. Aiming to reach sales quotas, they typically conduct market research and analysis, generate leads, and develop sales strategies to build positive client relationships. They reach out directly to clients through calls or face-to-face interactions, discuss product specifications or promos, negotiate contracts, and demonstrate products when necessary. They are also responsible for processing client orders and payments, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction.

What does a direct sales representative do?

As a direct sales representative, you are responsible for creating customer awareness of a company's products and services and closing sales. You will perform varied tasks that include assisting in developing and executing marketing and sales plans, conducting research on competing products, and identifying opportunities to improve sales. Additionally, you are expected to answer inquiries about product features, availability, benefits, and pricing. Other tasks that you are likely to perform include attending trade shows, preparing sales proposals for prospective buyers, and preparing sales reports.

Direct sales agent vs direct sales representative salary

Direct sales agents and direct sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Direct Sales Agent	Direct Sales Representative
Average salary	$57,712	$43,527
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $107,000	Between $27,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Salem, OR
Highest paying state	New York	Maine
Best paying company	TechnipFMC	Google
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between direct sales agent and direct sales representative education

There are a few differences between a direct sales agent and a direct sales representative in terms of educational background:

	Direct Sales Agent	Direct Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Direct sales agent vs direct sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between direct sales agents' and direct sales representatives' demographics:

	Direct Sales Agent	Direct Sales Representative
Average age	43	47
Gender ratio	Male, 58.0% Female, 42.0%	Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 68.2% 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%

Differences between direct sales agent and direct sales representative duties and responsibilities

Direct sales agent example responsibilities.

Increase customer understanding of Comcast products and pricing models as well as competitive advantage over other service providers.
Produce call reports and CRM dashboards.
Demonstrate strong understanding of Comcast products, promoting and selling offerings to individual customers by knocking every door within assign territories.
Contact new and existing customers to discuss how TWC products can meet their needs.
Maintain a professional, respectful, and helpful demeanor as a representative of TWC.
Communicate ongoing contact activity utilizing Salesforce.com.

Direct sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage accounts and create invoices via QuickBooks.
Achieve and maintain high-volume sales output, for cell phones and broadband products to stay employ with company.
Contact medicare eligible recipients to sell medicare advantage plans through in-home meetings, community seminars and direct telesales.
Canvass assigned sales territory and solicit orders for new or upgrade cable, broadband and digital phone services.
Generate revenue by selling and upselling services while developing client base throughout territory.
Prospect and generate sales revenue by adding new program residential customers and cross selling and upselling current residential customers.

Direct sales agent vs direct sales representative skills

Common direct sales agent skills

Customer Service, 25%
Medicare, 15%
Health Insurance, 12%
Direct Sales, 11%
Underwriting Process, 6%
Product Knowledge, 5%

Common direct sales representative skills

Customer Service, 33%
Direct Sales, 20%
TV, 15%
Work Ethic, 4%
Technical Troubleshooting, 3%
Door-To-Door Sales, 3%

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Direct Sales Agent
Direct Sales Agent vs Direct Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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