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Outside sales skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Jonathan Byers,

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical outside sales skills. We ranked the top skills for outside sales based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 30.5% of outside sales resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an outside sales needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 outside sales skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how outside sales use customer service:

Delivered excellent customer service by coordinating with vendors to troubleshoot customer issues, and assisting dispatchers with scheduling on-time deliveries.
Developed a successful relationship selling technique through exemplary customer service levels which led to expanded referral business.

2. 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 outside sales use product knowledge:

Provided customer satisfaction through extensive product knowledge, resulting in increased total store earnings.
Shared product knowledge with customers while making personal recommendations to further enhance profitability.

3. Ongoing Support

Here's how outside sales use ongoing support:

Worked closely with the Sales Managers to consistently exceed established quotas while providing superior ongoing support to existing commercial clients.
Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.

4. Work Ethic

Here's how outside sales use work ethic:

Promoted 4 times over 5 years due to outstanding performance, high productivity and a consistent work ethic.
Created value for Ray Anthony Int'l and the customers by demonstrating good work ethics and building integrity.

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 outside sales use crm:

Assisted in maintaining Sales leads in CRM, and managed the shipment of marketing materials, new products, and samples.
Planned logistical outside sales route, planned/scheduled sales calls with web-based CRM program, managed various sales cycles.

6. Flyers

Here's how outside sales use flyers:

Enhanced marketing by creating flyers, industry specific line cards, and promotional campaigns.
Offered them monthly sales flyers and increased sales and specials provided by company.

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7. Cold Calls

Cold calling is a kind of business solicitation from customers who didn't express interest in their product and services before. In this technique, a salesman conducts a call with potential customers with whom they haven't had a prior interaction. Cold calling can include phone calls or telemarketing. However, in-person visits like door-to-door marketing are also a type of cold calling

Here's how outside sales use cold calls:

Prospected clients through extensive cold calling obtaining numerous weekly appointments, and consistently generated high-volume revenues.
Engaged in extensive strategic mining and cold calling campaigns to uncover prospective university and college-level clients.

8. HVAC

Here's how outside sales use hvac:

Estimated, priced, bid and followed up to all mechanical HVAC and plumbing plan and spec projects.
Increased existing customer base and generated new dealer and customer relationships within the HVAC equipment and sales.

9. Sales Presentations

Here's how outside sales use sales presentations:

Developed and implemented strategic marketing plans, managed customer accounts, and delivered sales presentations to introduce new product lines.
Conducted sales presentations with a consultative selling style and effectively increased visibility in a flooded market.

10. 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 outside sales use business development:

Led business development and marketing efforts which expanded the customer base and achieved a new level of success within assigned territory
Manage outside sales and marketing of new business development for company that provides fabricated steel nationally and internationally.

11. Business Sales

Here's how outside sales use business sales:

Conduct business-to-business sales in the commercial and industrial electrical supply industry.
Earn business-to-business sales relationships with small businesses locally.

12. Local Territory

Here's how outside sales use local territory:

Generated new business within established local territory focusing on start up companies.
Represent a local territory (15 mile radius) selling industrial and construction supplies business to business.

13. General Contractors

A general contractor is a person who has the job of overseeing a construction project after a contract has been signed between the property owner and the contractor. A general contractor is also called a direct contractor and provides all of the labor, material, equipment like tools, and transport. Most of the time, a general contractor also hires multiple subcontractors to do all or different parts of the construction work.

Here's how outside sales use general contractors:

Developed customer base by cold calling construction trade industry general contractors, sub-contractors, municipalities and industrial contractors.
Succeeded though developing meaningful business partnerships with general contractors, sub-contractors, architects and end users.

14. Sales Process

Here's how outside sales use sales process:

Improved organizational skills by significantly improving organization, efficiency, and productivity of company's sales process.
Initiated sales process by scheduling appointments and understanding account requirements.

15. Trade Shows

Here's how outside sales use trade shows:

Attended trade shows as required and facilitated introductions of new prospective customers.
Participated in trade shows and industry-related public events.

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What skills help Outside Sales find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on outside sales resumes?

Jonathan Byers

Assistant Director, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

- Professional skills related to career development competencies such as strong oral & written communication, teamwork & collaboration, leadership, problem-solving ability & creativity, and professional integrity, but we recommend that applicants do not just list these skills. They should provide evidence of how they have used them in their work experience, volunteer experience, academic experience, etc.
-The ability to use technology effectively to solve problems or improve collaboration; this could relate to social media management, computer hardware or software skills, proficiency with general programs like Microsoft Office Suite (also being able to demonstrate the use of these skills in various experiences).
-With diversity, equity, and inclusion becoming more important in 2020, the ability to appreciate different points of view, accept and appreciate different cultural backgrounds & types of identities, and increased awareness of one's own cultural biases and assumptions can also be important to market on a resume.

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

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.

Associate Dean, Central Connecticut State University

This pandemic taught us many things and one important thing that we have an efficiency gap.

The way of doing business will be much more technology orientated. Hence graduates should be ready to unskill and upskill their credentials. This time it is necessary to forget the old way of doing business and learn new skills to get a job or stay in a current job. Soft skills have become much more important than before, but a different soft skill set would be essential to interact with future market participants. Thus, a gap year should be utilized to unskill-upskill and enhance relevant credentials by getting into short-long term programs, training, and workshops would be highly recommended.

What type of skills will young outside saleses need?

Dr. Vallari Chandna

Chair and Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Critically, for all graduates, expertise or interests, in sustainability will be important. The reason behind this is the shift in looking at sustainability holistically and not just as something one-person does. This would also give an edge to those with degrees, specifically in sustainability. Graduates with degrees related to sustainability will often be asked to oversee or manage these across-the-board sustainability endeavors. Also, soft skills are highly desired. The ability to be better at time management, work in teams, and have a strong work ethic, will be more desirable. These are all interconnected with remote work as well. Employees who "thrived" in the pandemic were those able to manage their work-life balance, work remotely in teams, all the while performing well. The skills are thus "transferable" to both modalities of work in this way.

What technical skills for an outside sales stand out to employers?

Dr. Matteo Cantarello Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies, William & Mary

Programming has become an asset within the humanities, too. Even though hires of digital humanists are still limited in number (at least within my discipline), they are probably destined to increase in the near future. Also, flexibility and versatility with respect to teaching are also highly marketable. Any candidate who has experience with in-person, hybrid, and online courses and who has degrees, titles, and certificates that demonstrate that is extremely appreciated on the academic job market.

What soft skills should all outside saleses possess?

Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Chair, Academic Policies Committee, Director of MCOM Internship Program, University of North Carolina at Asheville

Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.

Do you want to know more?

List of outside sales skills to add to your resume

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

Customer Service
Product Knowledge
Ongoing Support
Work Ethic
CRM
Flyers
Cold Calls
HVAC
Sales Presentations
Business Development
Business Sales
Local Territory
General Contractors
Sales Process
Trade Shows
Business Relationships

Sales Territory
Product Line
Customer Complaints
Service Agreements
Account Management
Sales Strategies
Sales Plan
Sales Quota
Customer Accounts
Sales Management
Customer Inquiries
Credit Terms
Sales Contracts
Customer Satisfaction
Sales Growth
Customer Relations

Customer Orders
Door Sales
Strong Negotiation
Sales Reps
Inventory Management
OEM
Sales Volume
Gross Profit
Inventory Control
MRO
Outbound Calls
Business Directories
Keep Management
Develop Leads
Repeat Business

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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