What does an Outside Sales Consultant do?
An outside sales consultant is responsible for conducting sales for both prospective and existing customers. Your duties may vary, but common tasks include traveling to meet potential and existing customers, organizing meetings with customers regularly, and educating customers on the benefits of products and services. As an outside sales representative, you are responsible for monitoring the new products, market conditions and competitors, and assisting in building the brand with the help of the marketing department.
Outside sales consultant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real outside sales consultant resumes:
- Utilize CRM data to deliver critical insights into product trends and manage leads for new product offerings.
- Manage individual sales activities by developing highly effective, communications focuse relationship with multiple sales channels.
- Perform data entry or require customer information into company CRM system in order to create and maintain an ongoing sales base.
- Develop special reports, publications, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
- Cultivate strategic relationships and maximize sales volume by identifying fast ROI projects, seizing market opportunities and aggressively pursuing new business.
- Create a zip code analysis tool to identify Medicaid recipients' target areas for strategic marketing penetration.
Outside sales consultant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Outside Sales Consultants are proficient in Customer Service, In-Home, and CRM. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Physical stamina, and Self-confidence.
We break down the percentage of Outside Sales Consultants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 14%
Provide customer service follow-up and communicate with Field Consultants to make sure accounts are properly serviced
- In-Home, 9%
Conducted persuasive in-home presentations for potential and existing clients.
- CRM, 8%
Perform data entry or required customer information into company CRM system in order to create and maintain an ongoing sales base.
- Sales Presentations, 7%
Provided sales presentations and product demonstrations and examined prospective customers' homes to analyze requirements.
- Lead Generation, 6%
Conducted interior design sales appointments and new referral lead generation.
- Excellent Presentation, 5%
Developed excellent presentation and time management skills.
Most outside sales consultants use their skills in "customer service," "in-home," and "crm" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential outside sales consultant responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an outside sales consultant to have is interpersonal skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to work well with many types of people." Outside sales consultants often use interpersonal skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "acquired new business accounts through excellent communication and interpersonal skills serviced existing policyholders with account management and financial decision making"
Physical stamina. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling outside sales consultant duties is physical stamina. The role rewards competence in this skill because "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives are often on their feet for a long time and may carry heavy sample products." According to an outside sales consultant resume, here's how outside sales consultants can utilize physical stamina in their job responsibilities: "develop new sales prospects through cold calling, physically canvassing businesses, research, and referrals within the metro-atlanta region. "
Self-confidence. This is an important skill for outside sales consultants to perform their duties. For an example of how outside sales consultant responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an outside sales consultant: "followed up with customers to ensure confident customer relationships, and customer service satisfaction. ".
Customer-service skills. outside sales consultant responsibilities often require "customer-service skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to listen to the customer’s needs and concerns before and after the sale." This resume example shows what outside sales consultants do with customer-service skills on a typical day: "direct sales production demonstrations customer calls"
The three companies that hire the most outside sales consultants are:
- Fiserv46 outside sales consultants jobs
- Coverall41 outside sales consultants jobs
- Renewal by Andersen of Denver37 outside sales consultants jobs
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Compare different outside sales consultants
Outside sales consultant vs. Consultant and sales representative
A consultant and sales representative's role is to perform research and analysis to devise strategies for reaching sales targets and optimal services. Aside from providing consultations and business plans, they may also represent the company by reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence. They may offer products and services to secure sales, answer inquiries, and even arrange appointments to discuss and negotiate deals. Furthermore, as a consultant and sales representative, it is essential to build positive relationships with clients in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an outside sales consultant are more likely to require skills like "in-home," "excellent presentation," "strong customer service," and "email marketing." On the other hand, a job as a consultant and sales representative requires skills like "strong presentation," "energy efficiency," "national accounts," and "pre sales." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Consultants and sales representative earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $234,866. On the other hand, outside sales consultants are paid more in the energy industry with an average salary of $74,197.The education levels that consultants and sales representative earn slightly differ from outside sales consultants. In particular, consultants and sales representative are 2.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an outside sales consultant. Additionally, they're 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Outside sales consultant vs. Sales professional
A sales professional is an employee who is responsible for the management and assessment of the effectiveness of a company's sales representatives and sales team. By setting sales goals, sales professionals work with other departments to learn more about the company's products and services while developing strategies for acquiring new clients. They analyze the company's track sales and status reports and present them to the top management to continually keep improving. Employers may require their sales professionals to have a bachelor's degree with working experience.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that outside sales consultant responsibilities requires skills like "in-home," "strong customer service," "email marketing," and "search engine." But a sales professional might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "pos," "work ethic," "strong work ethic," and "real estate."
Sales professionals earn similar levels of education than outside sales consultants in general. They're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Outside sales consultant vs. Sales development representative
A sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team. They develop sales strategies to attract buyers or solicit potential customers. They need to build relationships with their customers to determine their needs and qualify the viability of interests to drive sales. Also, they collaborate with the sales executives making certain that corporate targets and goals are met.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, outside sales consultants are more likely to have skills like "in-home," "crm," "excellent presentation," and "strong customer service." But a sales development representative is more likely to have skills like "sdr," "account executives," "linkedin," and "outbound calls."
Sales development representatives earn the best pay in the start-up industry, where they command an average salary of $54,512. Outside sales consultants earn the highest pay from the energy industry, with an average salary of $74,197.sales development representatives typically earn similar educational levels compared to outside sales consultants. Specifically, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Outside sales consultant vs. Sales agent
A sales representative is responsible for offering goods and services to potential and existing clients. Sales representatives must display a strong knowledge of the company's products to assist customers with their inquiries and concerns. A sales representative should have exceptional communication skills and extensive knowledge of the sales industry to deliver sales pitches and negotiate pricing offers with the clients. Sales representatives must also keep themselves updated with the current market trends to provide service recommendations, improving their sales to increase revenues.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between outside sales consultants and sales agents, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an outside sales consultant might have more use for skills like "in-home," "crm," "lead generation," and "excellent presentation." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of sales agents require skills like "life insurance," "insurance products," "work ethic," and "develop leads. "
In general, sales agents hold similar degree levels compared to outside sales consultants. Sales agents are 0.4% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of outside sales consultant
Updated January 8, 2025
