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North America 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 north america sales manager skills. We ranked the top skills for north america sales managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.6% of north america sales manager resumes contained customer satisfaction as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a north america sales manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 north america sales manager skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how north america sales managers use customer satisfaction:

Enhanced product development and increased customer satisfaction through mechanical, control, and application engineering to meet or exceed customer expectations.
Developed and implemented software maintenance renewal position to capture incremental revenue and insure customer satisfaction with company's LightRules software platform.

2. Sales Process

Here's how north america sales managers use sales process:

Spearhead large-scale, critical sales process improvements to enhance dealership program operations and goal accomplishment.
Developed and implemented sales process improvement strategy.

3. Business Plan

Here's how north america sales managers use business plan:

Developed and implemented strategic business plan, product strategies, market analysis and pricing analysis/strategies.
Completed extensive market research, developed business plan and established sales channels.

4. Cloud

Cloud is a server that is accessed over the internet. There are different programs and software that also run on these servers. These clouds can be accessed from anywhere in the world as they are not present in your computer storage, but have their online servers. Cloud consists of data centers all across the world.

Here's how north america sales managers use cloud:

Designed and implemented solutions including global data networks, managed services, cloud, data storage and disaster recovery.
Provide best practices guidance with the field sales individuals I work with to develop their own Cloud sales skills.

5. 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 north america sales managers use crm:

Championed effective integration of CRM processes and accountability for data integrity
Integrated SalesForce CRM tool in North America while supporting integration of Microsoft Dynamics as CRM tool globally.

6. Saas

Here's how north america sales managers use saas:

Lead a success team promoting annual subscription on premise and SAAS products, driving user adoption leading to increased sales.
Initiated and closed B2B sales of SaaS design and engineering software to new and existing clients.

7. Contract Negotiations

When a contract is negotiated, an agreement is reached on a series of legally binding terms before it is signed and made official. Two or more parties agree on the terms of their relationship. When negotiating a contract, the focus is usually on risk and return.

Here's how north america sales managers use contract negotiations:

Acknowledged by senior executives for excellent contract negotiation skills.
Managed P&L, distribution, regulatory compliance, contract negotiations, complex cost/pricing structures, and public relations.

8. 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 north america sales managers use business development:

Provided direction to National Account Managers and Business Development Managers.
Performed various sales, management, and new business development functions for an international print marketing company.

9. 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 north america sales managers use product line:

Provided applications engineering support for the high-frequency product line while new applications engineers were hired and trained.
Introduced new product lines via direct marketing campaigns to our dealer network and well as our end user food retail customers.

10. C-Level

C-Level refers to corporate-level jobs such as chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer (CFO). These positions are the highest level of management within a company and are typically earned after years of working at various positions within a single company. As C-level executives oversee large teams, excellent communication and management skills are required for these positions.

Here's how north america sales managers use c-level:

Manage contacts from C-level to first line manager within major disposable hygiene industry customers in North America and Mexico.
Presented to C-level executives and stakeholders at SMB and Fortune 500 companies.

11. 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 north america sales managers use account management:

Instructed sales people in SPIN selling, Strategic Selling, Account management, and prospecting through formal mandatory classes.
Achieved greater than 100% of quarterly and annual quota since hired in 1993 through effective account management.

12. Trade Shows

Here's how north america sales managers use trade shows:

Promoted the principal's products and increase sales though trade shows, marketing, customer contacts, and presentations.
Managed all office functions to include import/export duties, inventory control, trade shows, and all administrative functions.

13. Sales Strategies

Here's how north america sales managers use sales strategies:

Developed and implemented effective sales strategies for each customer.
Developed sales strategies to enhance our presence in the airport industry to maximize efforts for attaining budgeted goals.

14. Direct Sales

Here's how north america sales managers use direct sales:

Hired, trained and managed the sales activities of 10 direct sales representatives and 4 independent manufacturers' representatives.
Managed all sales activities (including direct and indirect sales channels) in the Central U.S. and Mexico.

15. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how north america sales managers use product development:

Collaborated with marketing and product development teams to successfully launch new products.
Work closely with customer product development team highlighting innovation needs.

What skills help North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 North America 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 a North America 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 north america sales manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a north america sales manager resume and required skills for a north america sales manager to have include:

Customer Satisfaction
Sales Process
Business Plan
Cloud
CRM
Saas
Contract Negotiations
Business Development
Product Line
C-Level
Account Management
Trade Shows
Sales Strategies
Direct Sales
Product Development
Sales Growth

Revenue Growth
OEM
Sales Pipeline
Direct Reports
Training Programs
Pricing Strategy
KPI
R
Market Research
Sales Organization
Sales Performance
ROI
Channel Marketing
Sales Channels
Distribution Channels
Sales Training

POS
Enterprise Sales
ERP
Sales Revenue
Increase Sales
Sales Budget
Customer Expectations
Market Analysis
Caribbean
Sales Professionals
Sales Volume
Indirect Sales
YOY
IP
GSA

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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