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Outside sales person skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Frederik Beuk,

Dr. Matteo Cantarello Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical outside sales person skills. We ranked the top skills for outside sales people based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 31.3% of outside sales person resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an outside sales person needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 outside sales person 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 people use customer service:

Perform customer service including product mailings and correspondence, delivery, installation, troubleshooting and customer/employee training.
Presented Kirby product to consumers Demonstrated product for consumers Consumer Callbacks Accomplishments Obtained customer service skills.

2. Plumbing

Here's how outside sales people use plumbing:

Sole salesman for a Southern California territory, selling plumbing accessories to residential and commercial customers and wholesale distributors.
Manage and direct sales of plumbing and mechanical products for core group of customers in Orlando area.

3. Sales Orders

Sales orders, also called an "SO," refer to a document prepared by the seller and given to the customer. This document clarifies and confirms the product purchased, including specific details about the product like size, quantity, color, and price. Information pertaining to the shipping and payment of the goods is also commonly found on a sales order.

Here's how outside sales people use sales orders:

Assisted the inside sales department in procuring sales orders for installed sales projects.
Submit and monitor all sales orders/reports from start to finish.

4. Gross Profit

Here's how outside sales people use gross profit:

Top 5 Sales Account Manager in the district.Top 5 sales Gross profit in the district.
Analyzed market potential and developed prospecting campaigns to generate gross profit.

5. 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 people use product knowledge:

Applied product knowledge of a wide range of building materials, gathered eight years' experience in various construction jobs.
Manage Sales Accounts Serviced Costumers Obtain Product Knowledge Adjusted Prices Scheduled Sales Calls Met with Vendors

6. 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 outside sales people use product line:

Developed business opportunities and expanded product lines at the distributor and OEM level in the northern part of the state.
Increased the number of stocking dealers across multiple product lines in each territory by an average of 40%.

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7. HVAC

Here's how outside sales people use hvac:

Trained and learned Mold Remediation, HVAC, Pest Control, Termite Control, Carpet Cleaning, Hardwood Cleaning).
Retained and lead major infrastructure proposals for HVAC maintenance department servicing commercial real estate throughout the Anchorage metropolitan community.

8. Sales Territory

Here's how outside sales people use sales territory:

Maintain a sales territory throughout Illinois consisting of Independent, Corporate and Government users of equipment for resale or direct use.
Increased sales territory and sales volume over 35% from three counties to the entire United States as well as internationally.

9. 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 people use general contractors:

Prospected and conducted face-to-face sales calls with business executives and general contractors throughout Oklahoma City.
Worked closely with new home builders, Pole barn Builders, Project Managers and General Contractors supplying material take-offs and sales.

10. Sales Presentations

Here's how outside sales people use sales presentations:

Design territory strategies and devise high-impact sales presentations and proposals.
Developed new clients, maintained existing clients, sales presentations, price presentations, closed the sale and ensured client satisfaction.

11. Construction Equipment

Here's how outside sales people use construction equipment:

Provided demonstration of construction equipment to clients.
Managed a construction equipment rental store w/ 17 employees.

12. 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 people use cold calls:

Prospected, cold called and sold advertising to Colorado business owners in a very competitive internet market
Research and identify market area in under developed territory through cold calling of potential customers.

13. Windows

Windows is a chain of operating systems that controls a computer and is developed by Microsoft. Every version of Windows consists of GUI (graphical user interface), with a desktop that allows the user to open their files.

Here's how outside sales people use windows:

Performed demonstrations of company products and quoted product packages and home projects including roofing, windows, decks, and fences.
Ordered special order products including windows, cabinets, doors and steel roofing.

14. Trade Shows

Here's how outside sales people use trade shows:

Research and build on customer base locally and out of state, participate in trade shows, etc.
Arranged travel and meetings on my own accord and assured placement at trade shows.

15. Business Sales

Here's how outside sales people use business sales:

Increased business to business sales within territory by 30%.
Inventory Management, direct business to business sales.

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What skills help Outside Sales People find jobs?

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

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

Frederik Beuk

Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Akron

Digital Literacy and AI are obviously on everybody's mind. The benefit for early career professionals is that these are skills they can use to differentiate themselves from more established professionals. Embrace these tools. At the same time, being an authentic storyteller that helps buyers envision the potential of your solutions can be an extremely powerful skill.

What technical skills for an outside sales person 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 Sales People possess?

John Cicala Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Digital Marketing, University of North Alabama

The ability to write for reading and not to write as if they are simply transcribing an internal conversation with the paper or whatever media is being used to communicate. They should also possess the ability to interact and to converse with others in person and to actively listen.

Do you want to know more?

List of outside sales person skills to add to your resume

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

Customer Service
Plumbing
Sales Orders
Gross Profit
Product Knowledge
Product Line
HVAC
Sales Territory
General Contractors
Sales Presentations
Construction Equipment
Cold Calls
Windows

Trade Shows
Business Sales
Business Relationships
Customer Relations
Door Sales
Sales Techniques
Business Directories
Customer Accounts
Credit Terms
Customer Satisfaction
Sales Volume
Sales Growth
Customer Complaints

Store Operations
Inventory Control
Sales Contracts
Building Materials
Sales Plan
Sales
OEM
Service Agreements
MRO
Inventory Management
Product Specifications
Top Salesperson

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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