How To Become A Regional Sales Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a regional sales specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Ken Corbit Ph.D.

The role of a Regional Sales Specialist is to conduct research, spot leads, and gather information on a specific market in a specific region. They use this information to sell their company's products and services.

They often provide or attend training, join workshops, and communicate with potential and pre-existing customers. Due to working in a single area, the specialist should be prepared to travel around and meet with people, and thus they should have excellent communication and people skills. They also often interview and recruit potential employees as needed, such as customer service or salespeople, to help in the sales and their tracking and improvement. Though they work quite independently, they do report profit, sales, and other data and follow the instructions and goals set by those in higher management positions.

A person hoping to begin work in this position will most likely need some years of experience in sales and sales tactics and will need to have an organization, team management, and negotiation skills.

What general advice would you give to a regional sales specialist?

Ken Corbit Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Marketing, Texas Christian University

Strategic
Company Selection:
Focus on joining companies with robust sales training programs, emphasizing consultative selling. Look for organizations that invest in your development, providing live calling experiences, quota-driven sales processes, and exposure to tools like Salesforce.

Tech
Proficiency and Sales Tools Mastery:
Familiarize yourself with cutting-edge sales technologies, including CRM tools like Salesforce. Your proficiency in these tools will not only streamline your sales processes but also position you as a tech-savvy professional in the competitive sales landscape.

Hands-On
Experience:
Actively engage in live calling, take ownership of sales funnels, and work with senior hiring authorities during your training. This hands-on experience will not only build your confidence but also prepare you for the challenges of consultative selling.

Research
and Decision-Making Skills:
Develop strong research skills to evaluate companies based on fit, growth opportunities, compensation structures, and overall potential. This informed decision-making approach will set you apart and empower you to navigate the sales landscape strategically.

Mentorship
and Networking:
Seek mentorship both within and outside your organization. Building relationships with mentors who invest in your sales skills and knowledge will provide valuable insights. Additionally, actively participate in online forums to connect with practical sales
knowledge and best practices.

ScoreRegional Sales SpecialistUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,047

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.1

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 5.21%

Black or African American 3.89%

Hispanic or Latino 14.56%

Unknown 3.72%

White 72.39%

Gender

female 35.97%

male 64.03%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a regional sales specialist

Explore regional sales specialist education requirements

Most common regional sales specialist degrees

Bachelor's

78.2 %

Associate

9.5 %

Master's

8.0 %

Start to develop specific regional sales specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
CRM	12.05%
Regional Sales	12.03%
Customer Satisfaction	8.68%
PowerPoint	8.06%
C-Suite	7.37%

Complete relevant regional sales specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New regional sales specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a regional sales specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real regional sales specialist resumes.

Research regional sales specialist duties and responsibilities

Utilize CRM to manage territory effectively.
Develop and implement marketing programs for distributors and retailers, including co-op advertising plans, promotional events, and merchandising techniques.
Prepare and conduct in-service presentation of products and technologies for colleges and universities.

Prepare your regional sales specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your regional sales specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a regional sales specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable regional sales specialist resume templates

Build a professional regional sales specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your regional sales specialist resume.

Apply for regional sales specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a regional sales specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do regional sales specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Regional sales specialist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

The challenge to bring in new business and exceed monthly sales quota. To have the freedom to not be micromanage is reward enough. However the commissions and sales recognition make both rewarding and fun.

Cons

The stress that comes with having to produce. You have to find the business, present your solution, close the business and service the account.