What is a Sales Development Representative?

As the sole point of contact, sales representatives are responsible for all business matters when it comes to their clients. They ensure the right products are delivered, follow customer leads, and pitch prospective customers.

Probably the most important aspect of a sales representative's job is closing on sales. That's what keeps the business running and your paycheck coming. There are some times when you'll have to deal with tough situations, like customer complaints, and you'll have to know how to fix the situation.

The majority of sales representatives spend about 47 hours a week at work. From travel time to breaks and interacting with customers, you've got some long days ahead. Although, it's not a bad gig, especially since you only need a high school diploma. The majority of your education in your career will come from on-the-job training - nothing beats hands-on experience.

An inside sales representative is responsible for generating sales. As opposed to outside salespeople, who travel to broker sales on location and face-to-face, an inside sales rep works remotely.

Inside sales reps typically communicate with potential clients over the phone or via email. They research and identify leads and do their best to create hype for a product, all while building fruitful relations with customers. They also contribute to creating marketing strategies.

Inside sales reps generally work for commission, so the more you work, the more you make, and working hours are pretty much up to you. This is a job that can be done from home, which may or may not result in higher productivity.

Your salary will vary significantly, though, depending on where you work, what industry you work for, and whether you have that sales DNA or not. Or call it skills. It is up to your temperament, whichever makes you feel more comfortable.

Outside sales representatives are responsible for increasing sales by maintaining and developing relationships with clients and customers. To do this, you will need to identify potential clients, follow up on the potential clients, and also maintain relationships with the existing clients. After identifying potential clients, you are expected to meet their sales needs to ensure a lasting relationship. You will also sometimes need to travel to meet clients and inform them of new products and their features so you can negotiate sales contracts.

In the process of identifying potential clients, you will have to schedule and perform product demonstrations to the new clients in a convincing manner. Other duties involve generating and submitting sales reports to management and recommending a marketing strategy for specific regions. One of the major secrets to succeeding as a sales representative is to learn to sustain relationships.

Excellent communication skills, outstanding marketing strategy skills, and consumer psychology are crucial to succeeding as an outside sales representative. Apart from this, you must enjoy traveling and must be proficient with presentation software, spreadsheet, and word processing. The annual salary of an outside sales representative is $71,145, and the educational background is a bachelor's degree in business management or other related disciplines.