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Sales representative vs field sales representative

The differences between sales representatives and field 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 and a field sales representative. Additionally, a sales representative has an average salary of $56,591, which is higher than the $48,460 average annual salary of a field sales representative.

The top three skills for a sales representative include sales process, product knowledge and customer service. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

Sales representative vs field sales representative overview

Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Yearly salary$56,591$48,460
Hourly rate$27.21$23.30
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs205,456228,254
Job satisfaction4.335
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a sales representative do?

Sales representatives primarily sell the company's products and services to businesses or organizations. They should be adept at closing out sales, negotiating, and providing customer service. They should be knowledgeable about the products or services of the manufacturer or producer they represent. They must also have strong analytical skills that would help them in coming up with cost-benefit analysis in assessing the current roster of clients and even prospective ones. Sales representatives should also be able to maintain good working relationships with all involved stakeholders, especially clients.

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Sales representative vs field sales representative salary

Sales representatives and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average salary$56,591$48,460
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $94,000Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsWashington
Best paying companyGoogleVMware
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTechnology

Differences between sales representative and field sales representative education

There are a few differences between a sales representative and a field sales representative in terms of educational background:

Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Sales representative vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between sales representatives' and field sales representatives' demographics:

Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 58.1% Female, 41.9%Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between sales representative and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

Sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage prospective leads and existing accounts through a CRM platform to accurately forecast revenue and develop long-term business partnerships.
  • Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
  • Search for procurement contracts, attend trade shows, design flyers, postcards, etc.
  • Utilize POS sales software to maintain monetary sales information produce reports for organizational review.
  • Develop and maintain business relationships with businesses and policyholders using establish methods such as customer relationship management CRM.
  • Handle administrative and sales duties as Jr.
  • Show more

Field sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new DSR's.
  • Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
  • Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
  • Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
  • Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.
  • Show more

Sales representative vs field sales representative skills

Common sales representative skills
  • Sales Process, 9%
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • CRM, 6%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Sales REP, 5%
Common field sales representative skills
  • Excellent Time Management, 17%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Medicare, 6%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • Sales Presentations, 5%