How To Become A Distribution Sales Representative: What It Is and Career Path

What is a distribution sales representative and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. LIsa Gardner Ph.D.,

John Cicala Ph.D.

Distribution services typically involve providing goods from the source to the buyer. A distribution sales representative is a sales specialist working for manufacturers or wholesalers to sell products to retailers, institutions, and individuals.

You must have good communication skills to develop and maintain strong working relationships with clients. It would be best if you identify potential markets and consumers benefiting the organization you are working for. Similarly, it will help if you work on consumer information that can help wholesalers and manufacturers enhance business performance.

The average salary for a distribution sales representative is $50,000 per annum. However, your salary range may typically fall between $38,000 to $67,000 per year depending upon many factors, like, your job experience, qualification, certificates, and so on.

What general advice would you give to a distribution sales representative?

Dr. LIsa Gardner Ph.D.

Program Director, Eastern Kentucky University

"-Be open to new opportunities, even if the options do not match up perfectly with your college major.
-Find a mentor. Also, be a mentor.
-Keep learning. Read, read, read. Listen to informative podcasts. Take classes, attend conferences, and keep refreshing what you know because the world is changing rapidly, so what you need to know keeps changing.
-Volunteer with a non-profit. This will extend your social circle, perhaps give you a chance to gain skills other than those you develop at work and make you a more interesting person.
-Don't be afraid of change, especially if the change is inevitable."

ScoreDistribution Sales RepresentativeUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $41,865

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.1

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 5.14%

Black or African American 3.83%

Hispanic or Latino 14.16%

Unknown 3.71%

White 72.93%

Gender

female 34.85%

male 65.15%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a distribution sales representative

Explore distribution sales representative education requirements

Most common distribution sales representative degrees

Bachelor's

62.0 %

Associate

17.3 %

High School Diploma

12.0 %

Start to develop specific distribution sales representative skills

Skills	Percentages
Product Knowledge	29.94%
Territory Sales	11.53%
Customer Accounts	5.85%
Sales Presentations	4.77%
Business Development	4.07%

Complete relevant distribution sales representative training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New distribution sales representatives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a distribution sales representative based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real distribution sales representative resumes.

Research distribution sales representative duties and responsibilities

Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
Provide power design solutions to OEM 's
Excel in responsive customer support; personally responsible for worldwide international service centers and primary aircraft OEM accounts.
Develop and implement marketing programs for distributors and retailers, including co-op advertising plans, promotional events, and merchandising techniques.

Prepare your distribution sales representative resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your distribution sales representative resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a distribution sales representative resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable distribution sales representative resume templates

Build a professional distribution sales representative resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your distribution sales representative resume.