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Outside sales representative skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Jonathan Byers,

Marthinus JC van Loggerenberg

Outside sales representative example skills

Some of the most important hard skills an outside sales representative can possess include the skills and knowledge related to sales processes. It's important that outside sales representatives have experience with finding and taking on new clients, customer relationship management (CRM), meeting sales goals, and an abundance of product knowledge regarding what they are selling.

When it comes to soft skills, outside sales representatives should have very strong communication skills. You will also need to demonstrate stellar customer service skills, and a focus on customer satisfaction. Outside sales representatives need to communicate consistently with customers and be able to resolve any issues, so communication and customer service skills are crucial.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical outside sales representative skills. We ranked the top skills for outside sales representatives based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 17.3% of outside sales representative resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an outside sales representative needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 outside sales representative 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 representatives use customer service:

Established relationships with commercial landscaping accounts and built entire customer base by providing excellent communication, customer service and product knowledge.
Provided customer service technical support to clients worldwide Created and efficiently organized a customer records database for internal billing systems.

2. Work Ethic

Here's how outside sales representatives use work ethic:

Established new major accounts through aggressive work ethics and repairing previously strained relationships with existing accounts.
Demonstrated commitment, focus and a tireless work ethic in demanding, customer-oriented outside sales environments.

3. Sales Process

Here's how outside sales representatives use sales process:

Handled personal customer information and paperwork to provide professionalism throughout entire sales process from contract negotiations to product delivery.
Performed and documented complete interview with applicants while obtaining and providing all required documentation as applicable to sales process.

4. Business Sales

Here's how outside sales representatives use business sales:

Direct Sales representative, business-to-business sales of data communications and two-way radio products with top sales performance in territory.
Developed business plans every quarter to expand customer accounts, and create a strategy for business-to-business sales with non-customers.

5. 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 representatives use cold calls:

Serviced and managed existing account base and generated accounts through assertive prospecting, telemarketing, cold calling and referral development.
Maintain established relationships through frequent visits and emergency calls Cold call potential customers and following up repeatedly.

6. 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 representatives use product knowledge:

Interacted with diverse clientele in competitive environment, performing sales presentations and applying technical product knowledge to achieve customer expectations.
Promoted to Outside Sales Representative due to positive customer relations and product knowledge and relocated to Indianapolis for this promotion.

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7. 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 representatives use crm:

Operated a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database containing customer notes and follow-up information.
Communicated activities to external and internal audiences utilizing a CRM system.

8. Sales Presentations

Here's how outside sales representatives use sales presentations:

Developed strategic partnership with Engineered Lumber representative to perform joint sales presentations and obtain pull-through business calling on builders and dealers.
Developed and presented effective sales presentations for new accounts, and analyzed market conditions to target customers and penetrate accounts.

9. Lead Generation

Here's how outside sales representatives use lead generation:

Networked with other industry service providers to establish partnership for lead generation and referral.
Implemented a comprehensive lead generation and development program using proactive direct mail and telemarketing techniques

10. Excellent Presentation

Here's how outside sales representatives use excellent presentation:

Developed excellent presentation and time management skills.
Expanded client base to outlying citiesExcellent presentation skills and background preparationTook projects from conceptual planning through completion including artwork.

11. Sales Contracts

Here's how outside sales representatives use sales contracts:

Managed office administration paperwork including the writing of sales contracts for customer orders and sending to manufacturer for processing.
Developed individualized treatment programs, secured sales contracts, and arranged financing as needed.

12. Building Relationships

Here's how outside sales representatives use building relationships:

Developed brand awareness in local markets through attendance at trade shows, effectively building relationships and promoting service offerings.
Personalize consulting strategies by building relationships into partnerships and developing shared vision of applicable value added service offerings.

13. Sales Techniques

Here's how outside sales representatives use sales techniques:

Gained professionalism in my sales techniques by continually examining the process and constructing presentations on various products.
Developed and implemented strategies for client retention via conflict resolution, consultative sales techniques and contract negotiations.

14. Strong Customer Service

Here's how outside sales representatives use strong customer service:

Developed customer relationships by offering strong customer service and a persistent attitude.
Provided follow up and strong customer service.

15. Excellent Time Management

Here's how outside sales representatives use excellent time management:

Demonstrated excellent time management and organizational skills.
Utilized excellent time management skills, traveled the territory making optimum use of time at each appointment and trip.

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What skills help Outside Sales Representatives 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 representative 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 hard/technical skills are most important for outside sales representatives?

Marthinus JC van Loggerenberg

Assistant Professor of Advertising, University of San Francisco

It really depends on the individual's field of expertise, but in general, I would say:

-Strategic planning skills that include sales strategy
-Market research and analysis, in particular, consumer behavior analysis
-Marketing expertise (or excellent understanding) in areas like SEO, lead generation, PPC, content creation, social media, etc.
-Value and process improvement, especially in the digital media space
-Computer skills to create marketing reports, ad mockups, and presentations (includes likes of MS Office, Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, etc.)

What soft skills should all outside sales representatives possess?

Marthinus JC van Loggerenberg

Assistant Professor of Advertising, University of San Francisco

-Excellence in communication
-Empathy and collaboration
-Holistic (or systemic) as well as analytical thinking
-Organizational skills that include prioritization and time management
-Confidence, charisma, showing ambition, and leadership
3. What hard/technical skills are most important?

What outside sales representative 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 sales representatives need?

Mollie Rosen

Executive Vice President - Member Engagement & Development, 4A's

In today's world, in some ways, character traits are more important than specific lessons or skills learned. The creative nature of our industry necessitates having people who are insatiably curious, demonstrate a passion for the industry, and have the ability to adapt in a fast-paced, constantly evolving industry. We need people who can embrace change and find opportunities.

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

Linda Hajec

Assistant Teaching Professor of Accounting, Associate Chair, Student Recruitment, Retention and Outreach, Penn State Behrend

I think the basics are still important - the feedback from employers still says that they want to see excellent skills in Excel - but if we are talking about changes as a result of the pandemic, job candidates that can also show a comfort level with remote meeting software will feel more natural and less awkward going forward. If you are going to meet on Zoom, make sure you know where to find the features on the screen and if you need to, practice with someone who knows you are just needing to mess around with the settings.

The last thing you would want to do is accidentally exit your interview halfway through because you didn't know where the "share screen" button was. Being familiar with other online collaboration software such as Teams or GoogleDocs is important, too. Even companies that are not working 100% remote are finding great use for these kind of sites, even just to house documents such as policy manuals that they want to share with a group of employees. The fact that a group can work together an collaborate asynchronously is a reality that many companies had not faced before, so the employee needs to be prepared to remember to follow up on team projects instead of waiting for a meeting to see where everything stands.

Do you want to know more?

List of outside sales representative skills to add to your resume

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

Customer Service
Work Ethic
Sales Process
Business Sales
Cold Calls
Product Knowledge
CRM
Sales Presentations
Lead Generation
Excellent Presentation
Sales Contracts
Building Relationships
Sales Techniques
Strong Customer Service
Excellent Time Management
Develop Sales Strategies

Sales Training
Sales REP
Business Development
Business Relationships
Digital Marketing
Culinary
Sales Strategies
Sales Growth
Client Relationships
Territory Sales
Trade Shows
Social Media Marketing
Credit Terms
Gross Profit
Cross-Selling
Product Line

PowerPoint
Account Management
Excellent Interpersonal
Scaffolding
Sales Reports
Customer Satisfaction
Gross Margin
Roofing
Renewable Energy
Good Time Management
Persuasion
HVAC
Business Accounts
Customer Complaints

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.

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Outside Sales Representative Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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