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Sales planner skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.,

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical sales planner skills. We ranked the top skills for sales planners based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.8% of sales planner resumes contained powerpoint as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a sales planner needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 sales planner skills for your resume and career

1. PowerPoint

Here's how sales planners use powerpoint:

Designed client specific PowerPoint presentations to promote marketing opportunities and increase revenue.
Customized presentations for clients and agencies using Microsoft PowerPoint.

2. 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 sales planners use customer service:

Maintained existing accounts through quality customer service and frequently called upon to entertain clients.
Developed relationships with media planning and buying agencies and provided excellent customer service.

3. Media Sales

Here's how sales planners use media sales:

Created media sales proposals for submission to clients which included creative strategies to fill inventory.
Developed cross platform, multimedia sales plans utilizing BETJ and Bet.com.

4. Math

Here's how sales planners use math:

Conducted monthly comprehensive media math and methodology training sessions.
Worked on building plans for the sales team, which includes understanding media math, inventory issues and media mix.

5. Account Executives

Account executives help build good relationships with new and existing clients. They interact with brand teams and clients, making them the point of contact. A sales development representative responsibilities entail facilitating sales, generating potential leads, and referring customers to the best salesperson. To succeed in this job post, you need to have the best customer service, math, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills. A bachelor's degree in business marketing, sales, or a similar field fits this role.

Here's how sales planners use account executives:

Developed individualized sales proposals for clients of televisions account executives that maximized revenue generation.
Prepared presentations and attended business calls with Account Executives and management.

6. Sales Proposals

Here's how sales planners use sales proposals:

Develop sales proposals while coordinating with Sales and Client Service Management on specific specification.
Prepared sales proposals and provided financial analysis assistance for negotiation planning.

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7. MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive and painless procedure that uses strong magnetic fields, radio waves, and computers to create detailed and cross images of the body's inner parts. MRI scanner can detect anomalies inside the brain and spinal cord, find tumors or cysts, detect heart, liver, and other abdominal organ problems, and many more. MRIs are very useful in studying soft tissues and the nervous system. Aside from diagnosing diseases, doctors also use MRI to check how well you have recovered from a particular treatment.

Here's how sales planners use mri:

Conducted MRI, TNS and additional research for client presentations.
Dedicated marketing research consultant via Nielsen MRI data.

8. DFP

Here's how sales planners use dfp:

Monitored and analyzed campaign performance in DFP and made optimization recommendations.
Managed ad inventory availability and reservation process through DFP.

9. Account Management

The process of strengthening the relationship between a company and client is called account management. Effective account management has two key objectives, one is to retain loyal customers and the second one is to help the company grow by creating connections with new customers.

Here's how sales planners use account management:

Implemented & maintained the strategic account management initiatives within region.
Functioned as a Junior AE in charge of full account management, at select media buying shops in the Midwest region.

10. Nielsen

Nielsen is an independent global measurement and data company for consumer goods, consumer behavior, and fast-moving media. Nielsen provides its clients with market research, information, and data on what people around the world and locally watch, hear and buy, and how those choices intersect.

Here's how sales planners use nielsen:

Utilized syndicated from IRI and Nielsen to provide competitive insights and identify business opportunities for business unit.
Compiled quarterly summary of Nielsen reports.

11. AE

AE stands for account executive, a professional specializing in selling goods and services through face-to-face interactions, calls, or even correspondence. Besides closing sales, they are responsible for handling client accounts, conducting research and analyses to find sales opportunities, developing sales pitches and strategies, reaching out to potential customers, and building positive relationships with clients.

Here's how sales planners use ae:

Research corporate and competitive marketing information to help prepare AE for Sales Calls.
Participated in strategy & negotiation meetings with AE and sales management.

12. Sales Process

Here's how sales planners use sales process:

Analyzed trends in revenue, sales stages, and lead sources to identify ways to improve the sales process.
Manage the digital sales process for 100+ high-profile accounts across multiple categories in the West Coast Territory.

13. Media Planning

Media planning involves the process that goes into the identification, and execution of marketing plans, campaigns, and ads of audio, visual, and textual contents to maximize growth and sales via various media channels.

Here's how sales planners use media planning:

Managed, tracked, and optimized all phases of digital ad campaigns and media planning.
Prepared plans and follow-up on all detailed weekly reports for media planning and placement.

14. RFP

RFP stands for request for proposal and is a document that contains details about a project or bids from contractors who are responsible for completing the project.

Here's how sales planners use rfp:

Work hand in hand with both internal and external sales team to create RFP based on client goals/objectives and inventory availability.
Assumed responsibility to create, implement and maintain RFP Weekly Reports successfully; which was well received by upper management.

15. Facebook

Here's how sales planners use facebook:

Conceptualized custom Facebook game ad integrations for strategic clients such as Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and UNICEF.
Produced and managed firm's social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and other relevant web sites.

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What skills help Sales Planners find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on sales planner resumes?

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.

Director, Western Oregon University

The skills that stand out on resumes fall into two categories: 1) Skills required to do the job and 2) Skills almost all employers look for. The most important aspect of resumes is to make sure it reflects exactly what the employer needs. Study the job description, identify key skills, and have them reflected on your resume. Think about transferrable skills, not the specific roles you've had.

Most employers look for skills such as communication (written/oral), flexibility, proactivity, problem-solving, project management, and technical. Make sure to cultivate those skills in whatever role you have, and have examples that demonstrate those skills.

What soft skills should all sales planners possess?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

Since sales professionals have a lot of information available to them today via customer relationship management (CRM) systems, the sales manager's "supervisory" role is less important (especially for experienced sellers). Consequently, the sales manager needs to be more of a coach and enabler of high performance. Having confidence balanced with humility allows the sales manager to engage more effectively with their salespeople.
One of the critical soft skills for sales managers going forward will be the ability to connect members of the sales team to others in the organization - in other words, the sales manager of the future needs to have strong skills in network building for others. Sellers have access to data which helps them build success.
They also need access to the right people to turn to when they need specific expertise or assistance.

What hard/technical skills are most important for sales planners?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

One of the growing technical skill requirements for sales managers is in the area of data analytics. Our performance and customer systems provide a myriad of data, and the role of the sales manager is to be a sense-maker of that mound of data. What are the implications for changes in strategy or behavior evident in last quarter's activity? How can the sales manager help a specific seller "see" where the data suggest new approaches?

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

Kerri Orders

Assistant Professor of Business, Aquinas College

In terms of a gap year, I recommend that international business students acquire tangible skills, relevant experience and/or certifications which will enhance their success in their desired area of interest. For example, a gap year could consist of gaining technical or digital training overseas, which would also further the students' cultural intelligence and language proficiency. These types of enriching gap year experiences will assist students to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive market. Furthermore, students should focus on broadening and maintaining their global network during a gap year in order to be ready for the job market once the gap year is concluded.

What type of skills will young sales planners need?

Michael Mikitka

Executive Vice President, MHI – Material Handling Industry

Courses and internships are essential. While the required depth of knowledge may vary from one position to another, employers are generally looking for candidates with strong "people-related" skills, those who are willing to continue to learn, and those with the ability to be flexible and adapt.

By "people-related" skills, I mean the abilities associated with effective communication (listen and express ideas and direction) and the skills related to working independently and a team.

As for the interest to continually learn... from a technology, data, and equipment perspective, today's supply chain looks very different than it did 10-years ago. The willingness and ability to continually learn are essential for anyone in a leadership role.

As for flexibility and adapting...supply chain/logistics is as much about responding to disruption and demand as it is planning for it. There is a predictable demand (i.e., seasonal...everyone knows when back-to-school shopping begins). Then there is the unpredictable demand (i.e., power-outages, wildfires, pandemic) that impact market and the ability to operate. Candidates that express flexibility and problem-solving skills will be much sought-after.

What technical skills for a sales planner stand out to employers?

Todd Lee Goen

Instructor & Internship Director, Christopher Newport University

Technical skills are often industry and/or position specific. Applicants should highlight any technical skills related to the position advertisement and those that add value to the position/organization. Most importantly, requirements for technical skills change with time and technological advances. This means employers value workers capable of adapting to change and continually improving and acquiring new technical skills. Thus, it's usually more important to demonstrate you are capable of learning and developing technical skills than it is to have a specific skill set upon hire (although this is not true for some positions/industries).
That said, technical skills related to online presentations, virtual meetings, virtual networking, remote working and the like are hot commodities right now. While most organizations were in the process of adopting many of these technologies and ways of doing business pre-pandemic, the pandemic accelerated the process. Organizations are making it work, but they often don't know best practices or the most efficient means of working in the largely virtual, pandemic environment. Post-pandemic, many of the remote/virtual changes the pandemic brought will stay in some form. Technical skills that support this type of workplace will make applicants stand out to many employers because they need/want to do virtual/remote business better.

Do you want to know more?

List of sales planner skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a sales planner resume and required skills for a sales planner to have include:

PowerPoint
Customer Service
Media Sales
Math
Account Executives
Sales Proposals
MRI
DFP
Account Management
Nielsen
AE
Sales Process
Media Planning
RFP
Facebook
Excellent Interpersonal

Campaign Management
Campaign Performance
Post Analysis
Wide Orbit
Sales Plan
Digital Marketing
Client Expectations
Sales Presentations
Client Relationships
Insertion Orders
Sales Reps
Digital Campaigns
DoubleClick
Client Facing
CRM
Comscore

Inventory Management
DSM
Booking
Delivery Schedules
Creative Assets
Post Sales
Integrated Marketing
Client Proposals
Marketing Campaigns
Client Presentations
Campaign Delivery
Sales Reports
Sales Revenue
Cpm
Client Objectives

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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