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Industry sales manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.,

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical industry sales manager skills. We ranked the top skills for industry sales managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.2% of industry sales manager resumes contained customer satisfaction as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an industry sales manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 industry sales manager skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how industry sales managers use customer satisfaction:

Developed in-depth knowledge on all products and ensured good customer satisfaction.
Developed a structure of graduated price increases to help customers absorb the change in price while maintaining high-levels of customer satisfaction.

2. CRM

CRM stands for Customer relationship management and it is a complete process through which a business or organization monitors and administers its interactions with the customers. A process in which large amounts of data are collected through marketing via a company's website, polls, surveys, and other social media applications. The basic goal of CRM is to target the right audience for their product, and then fulfill their needs, to increase the sales and revenue of the company.

Here's how industry sales managers use crm:

Schedule sales calls each week to mix of prospects and legacy customers; update Sage CRM.
Completed 75-100 calls per day while maintaining multiple departmental customer relationships Maintained detailed CRM and internal ordering process.

3. Sales Process

Here's how industry sales managers use sales process:

Developed business plans, sales process, and strategy for the market that ensured attainment of company sales goals and profitability.
Manage all aspects of the sales process in local and national markets, including chain accounts.

4. Account Management

The process of strengthening the relationship between a company and client is called account management. Effective account management has two key objectives, one is to retain loyal customers and the second one is to help the company grow by creating connections with new customers.

Here's how industry sales managers use account management:

Account Management and Inventory Management.
Account management, and new market development.

5. Trade Shows

Here's how industry sales managers use trade shows:

Monitor and improve sales growth by participating in local trade shows: demonstrate product line with potential and existing customers.
Participate in trade shows; conventions, and Association & Business trade groups to highlight the Dayton area.

6. Business Development

Business development is the ideas or initiatives that work to make business work better. Selling, advertising, product development, supply chain management, and vendor management are only a few of the divisions involved with it. There is still a lot of networking, negotiating, forming alliances, and trying to save money. The goals set for business development guide and coordinate with all of these various operations and sectors.

Here's how industry sales managers use business development:

Established and implemented systematic strategy for business development across many major industries.
Spend 25% Maintenance, 75 % New Business Development.

7. Sales Plan

Here's how industry sales managers use sales plan:

Achieved 15% sales above goal in the Latin American region from 2013-2015 through strategic incremental sales planning and execution.
Formulated and implemented the company-wide sales plan in 2016, focusing on achieving extraordinary market share and revenue results.

8. Sales Territory

Here's how industry sales managers use sales territory:

Managed $2.5mil Industrial Coatings sales territory consisting of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.
Developed MV Drive & Industrial Projects business in Utah Sales Territory.

9. Distributors

A distributor is a supplier who provides stores with goods to sell. This maintains the separation between wholesalers and manufacturers, which is required in some state markets like alcoholic beverages. Distributors are responsible for quickly and safely delivering products to wherever the product is sold in addition to offering special deals for larger packages of product and even introducing a manufacturing company to more wholesalers.

Here's how industry sales managers use distributors:

Managed Certified Distributors within geography to include training and joint sales calls and analyzed market and competitive information.
Increased sales for calendar 2006 more than 20% with several key distributors repeating programs for second year.

10. Direct Sales

Here's how industry sales managers use direct sales:

Direct Sales Responsibility of Industrial Composite Wood Panels to Manufacturers.
Selected to lead and direct sales staff in the achievement of revenue generation goals for this premier building supply company.

11. Sales Strategy

Here's how industry sales managers use sales strategy:

Formulated industrial sales strategy for company previously only engaged in the plumbing industry.
Developed financial deal structure and sales strategy for converting large commercial customers to natural gas at no cost to customer.

12. Business Plan

Here's how industry sales managers use business plan:

Monitored sales force, on a daily basis, to ensure that policies and procedures were being followed according business plans.
Created and delivered contractor business planning and selling curriculum consisting of six modules for the New England Contractor network.

13. Product Knowledge

Product knowledge is the skill of having better information and knowledge about the product you are selling. Product knowledge is essential for the employees of the companies so they can communicate and inform the customers about the product. Having great product knowledge is essential for a better sales pitch and to give the customer a better and complete idea of the product that will influence him to buy the product eventually.

Here's how industry sales managers use product knowledge:

Maintained thorough product knowledge and excellent customer relations to perform conflict resolution with customers.
Developed product knowledge and differentiated product from competitors.

14. Sales Presentations

Here's how industry sales managers use sales presentations:

Developed technical sales presentations and application strategies in support of Account Managers.
Led the development of industry-focused sales presentations; coordinated the implementation of materials into the company's sales training program.

15. Product Line

Product line is a collection of similar or related products that may be under a single brand manufactured by the same company. It may include different varieties of a specific product of a brand which comes in different categories. In other cases, the product line may differ in some characteristics despite being from the same manufacturer.

Here's how industry sales managers use product line:

Created and designed marketing literature for flexible packaging product lines within target markets.
Develop product line strategies to maximize regional growth opportunities.

What skills help Industry Sales Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on industry sales manager resumes?

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.

Director, Western Oregon University

The skills that stand out on resumes fall into two categories: 1) Skills required to do the job and 2) Skills almost all employers look for. The most important aspect of resumes is to make sure it reflects exactly what the employer needs. Study the job description, identify key skills, and have them reflected on your resume. Think about transferrable skills, not the specific roles you've had.

Most employers look for skills such as communication (written/oral), flexibility, proactivity, problem-solving, project management, and technical. Make sure to cultivate those skills in whatever role you have, and have examples that demonstrate those skills.

What soft skills should all industry sales managers possess?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

Since sales professionals have a lot of information available to them today via customer relationship management (CRM) systems, the sales manager's "supervisory" role is less important (especially for experienced sellers). Consequently, the sales manager needs to be more of a coach and enabler of high performance. Having confidence balanced with humility allows the sales manager to engage more effectively with their salespeople.
One of the critical soft skills for sales managers going forward will be the ability to connect members of the sales team to others in the organization - in other words, the sales manager of the future needs to have strong skills in network building for others. Sellers have access to data which helps them build success.
They also need access to the right people to turn to when they need specific expertise or assistance.

What hard/technical skills are most important for industry sales managers?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

One of the growing technical skill requirements for sales managers is in the area of data analytics. Our performance and customer systems provide a myriad of data, and the role of the sales manager is to be a sense-maker of that mound of data. What are the implications for changes in strategy or behavior evident in last quarter's activity? How can the sales manager help a specific seller "see" where the data suggest new approaches?

What industry sales manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kerri Orders

Assistant Professor of Business, Aquinas College

In terms of a gap year, I recommend that international business students acquire tangible skills, relevant experience and/or certifications which will enhance their success in their desired area of interest. For example, a gap year could consist of gaining technical or digital training overseas, which would also further the students' cultural intelligence and language proficiency. These types of enriching gap year experiences will assist students to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive market. Furthermore, students should focus on broadening and maintaining their global network during a gap year in order to be ready for the job market once the gap year is concluded.

What type of skills will young industry sales managers need?

Michael Mikitka

Executive Vice President, MHI – Material Handling Industry

Courses and internships are essential. While the required depth of knowledge may vary from one position to another, employers are generally looking for candidates with strong "people-related" skills, those who are willing to continue to learn, and those with the ability to be flexible and adapt.

By "people-related" skills, I mean the abilities associated with effective communication (listen and express ideas and direction) and the skills related to working independently and a team.

As for the interest to continually learn... from a technology, data, and equipment perspective, today's supply chain looks very different than it did 10-years ago. The willingness and ability to continually learn are essential for anyone in a leadership role.

As for flexibility and adapting...supply chain/logistics is as much about responding to disruption and demand as it is planning for it. There is a predictable demand (i.e., seasonal...everyone knows when back-to-school shopping begins). Then there is the unpredictable demand (i.e., power-outages, wildfires, pandemic) that impact market and the ability to operate. Candidates that express flexibility and problem-solving skills will be much sought-after.

What technical skills for an industry sales manager stand out to employers?

Todd Lee Goen

Instructor & Internship Director, Christopher Newport University

Technical skills are often industry and/or position specific. Applicants should highlight any technical skills related to the position advertisement and those that add value to the position/organization. Most importantly, requirements for technical skills change with time and technological advances. This means employers value workers capable of adapting to change and continually improving and acquiring new technical skills. Thus, it's usually more important to demonstrate you are capable of learning and developing technical skills than it is to have a specific skill set upon hire (although this is not true for some positions/industries).
That said, technical skills related to online presentations, virtual meetings, virtual networking, remote working and the like are hot commodities right now. While most organizations were in the process of adopting many of these technologies and ways of doing business pre-pandemic, the pandemic accelerated the process. Organizations are making it work, but they often don't know best practices or the most efficient means of working in the largely virtual, pandemic environment. Post-pandemic, many of the remote/virtual changes the pandemic brought will stay in some form. Technical skills that support this type of workplace will make applicants stand out to many employers because they need/want to do virtual/remote business better.

Do you want to know more?

List of industry sales manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an industry sales manager resume and required skills for an industry sales manager to have include:

Customer Satisfaction
CRM
Sales Process
Account Management
Trade Shows
Business Development
Sales Plan
Sales Territory
Distributors
Direct Sales
Sales Strategy
Business Plan
Product Knowledge
Sales Presentations
Product Line
R

Sales Growth
Product Sales
Gross Margin
Market Trends
Industrial Automation
Training Programs
OEM
Product Offerings
Travel Industry
Customer Relations
Sales Revenue
Market Analysis
Business Relationships
HVAC
Sales People
RFP

Sales Volume
Product Specifications
MRO
Product Development
Sales Efforts
Virtuoso
Sales Training
Cold Calls
Gross Profit
Contract Negotiations
Healthcare
Inventory Control
DOT
Market Place
C-Level

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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