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The differences between sales representative/assistants and direct sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a sales representative/assistant and a direct sales representative. Additionally, a direct sales representative has an average salary of $43,527, which is higher than the $38,112 average annual salary of a sales representative/assistant.
The top three skills for a sales representative/assistant include product knowledge, brand awareness and sales associates. The most important skills for a direct sales representative are customer service, direct sales, and TV.
| Sales Representative/Assistant | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $38,112 | $43,527 |
| Hourly rate | $18.32 | $20.93 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 404,514 | 159,668 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A sales representative is responsible for selling the company's products through creative leads, existing customer support, educating prospective clients through calls, training, presentations, and creative advertising. Their duties and responsibilities include coordinating with other departments to optimize sales and keeping updated sales records.
As a direct sales representative, you are responsible for creating customer awareness of a company's products and services and closing sales. You will perform varied tasks that include assisting in developing and executing marketing and sales plans, conducting research on competing products, and identifying opportunities to improve sales. Additionally, you are expected to answer inquiries about product features, availability, benefits, and pricing. Other tasks that you are likely to perform include attending trade shows, preparing sales proposals for prospective buyers, and preparing sales reports.
Sales representative/assistants and direct sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Representative/Assistant | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $38,112 | $43,527 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $47,000 | Between $27,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | - | Maine |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a sales representative/assistant and a direct sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Sales Representative/Assistant | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between sales representative/assistants' and direct sales representatives' demographics:
| Sales Representative/Assistant | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.5% Female, 64.5% | Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |