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What is a lead sales representative and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Frederik Beuk,
John Cicala Ph.D.
introduction image

Sales are an integral part of a company. They keep the business afloat, and they ensure that everyone in the company would be able to retain their jobs. Companies with big sales targets assign sales representatives to reach these targets. They also assign someone who can be a guide to the sales representatives while also contributing to the sales targets. These individuals are called lead sales representatives.

Lead sales representatives manage the group of sales representatives assigned to a particular product or service. They communicate sales targets and sales plans to the team. This will help them ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. Lead sales representatives may also be assigned to train new employees or to cascade updates. They are also assigned to communicate sales performance-related updates to the management team.

If you enjoy doing sales activities and meeting sales targets, there is no question that a career as a lead sales representative would be a good move for you. Of course, you need to consider that anyone in this role should have leadership skills, too.

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

Frederik Beuk

Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Akron

The key consideration is whether you really want to maximize your initial salary. For instance, envision two job opportunities: one offering a salary of $50,000 per year, where you'd be the most junior team member, and the other providing $75,000 per year, with the caveat that you would be the sole sales representative for the firm. The optimal choice is to prioritize learning opportunities. In this context, being the lone salesperson for a company that compensates its highest-earning sales professional $75,000 might not be your superior option. Instead, seek a position that offers the greatest potential for learning. Subsequently, demonstrate your negotiating prowess, a critical sales skill, by securing a slightly higher salary. However, it's essential not to fixate on maximizing your starting salary. Your career requires a long-term strategy, and you have several decades ahead of you to maximize income.
ScoreLead Sales RepresentativeUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $54,079

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
8.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.65%

Asian 6.90%

Black or African American 8.37%

Hispanic or Latino 17.65%

Unknown 4.64%

White 61.80%

Gender

female 44.94%

male 55.06%

Age - 42
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 - 42
Stress level
9.4

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Lead sales representative career paths

Key steps to become a lead sales representative

  1. Explore lead sales representative education requirements

    Most common lead sales representative degrees

    Bachelor's

    48.0 %

    Associate

    20.9 %

    High School Diploma

    20.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific lead sales representative skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cleanliness87.10%
    Customer Service3.07%
    POS2.30%
    Product Knowledge1.97%
    Medicare0.59%
  3. Complete relevant lead sales representative training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead 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 lead sales representative based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead sales representative resumes.
  4. Research lead sales representative duties and responsibilities

    • Lead CRM and software training with the dealership's BDR teams; purchase order arrangements track contracts and collect payments
    • Create and lead staff development sessions on solution selling techniques/running effective promotions/POS execution/trade math.
    • Utilize computer programs such as word, excel and PowerPoint to help create teaching tools.
    • Maintain customer accounts with customer relationship management (CRM) database and ensure timely payments of all outstanding balances.
  5. Get lead sales representative experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a lead sales representative. The most common roles before becoming a lead sales representative include sales representative, customer service representative team lead and sales associate.
  6. Prepare your lead sales representative resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lead 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 lead 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 lead sales representative resume templates

    Build a professional lead 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 lead sales representative resume.
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    Lead Sales Representative Resume
    Lead Sales Representative Resume
    Lead Sales Representative Resume
  7. Apply for lead sales representative jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a lead sales representative job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first lead sales representative job

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Average lead sales representative salary

The average lead sales representative salary in the United States is $54,079 per year or $26 per hour. Lead sales representative salaries range between $32,000 and $89,000 per year.

Average lead sales representative salary
$54,079 Yearly
$26.00 hourly

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How do lead sales representatives rate their job?

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Lead sales representative reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Pros

Dealing with other professional engineers and managers that show higher levels of integrity when discussing requirements or a problem to solve.

Cons

The constant program delays and slow manufactures in support of opportunities that could be won with quicker responses.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Pay was consistent and you pick your own rate based on the commission you choose to bring in. Spending so much time together created a bond between the team where uplifting one another on bad days became part of the job. I guess it depends on your particular work environment but the bonds created kept us going.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

Communicating and helping my clients.

Cons

The travel was extensive. Sometimes. It took more than month to close a deaĺ.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.