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What does a technical sales manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne
What does a technical sales manager do

A technical sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales techniques and performance of the sales team in selling technical services and systems to the customers. Technical sales managers coordinate with clients to discuss and negotiate offers of new products and services. They also identify business opportunities by analyzing current technology trends from public demands to generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits. A technical sales manager facilitates and plans sales training and programs to maximize staff's efficiency and productivity.

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Technical sales manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real technical sales manager resumes:

  • Achieve annual sales and profit objectives for fast-pace company by securing contracts to sell automation components to MRO & OEM clients.
  • Manage sales pipeline in CRM system for predictable revenue generation, prioritization and forecasting.
  • Develop new customers in the region assign through independent travel, managing distributor relationships and OEM relationships.
  • Determine product pricing base on multiple ROI factors.
  • Recognize as trusted subject matter expert all in SaaS, virtual lab and eLearning services.
  • Own & drive client strategy from a technology perspective including leading proof of concept and ROI initiatives.
  • Create customized proposals via PowerPoint.
  • Maintain retailer vendor data integrity between bottler and retailer within CRM.
  • Develop and present PowerPoint presentations to large groups that result in increase customer base.
  • Travel domestically and internationally to meet with customers, representatives and distributors as well as run customer evaluations at their facility.
  • Develop new accounts while maintaining and upselling existing accounts.

Technical sales manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 11% of Technical Sales Managers are proficient in Customer Satisfaction, Sales Management, and CRM. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.

We break down the percentage of Technical Sales Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Satisfaction, 11%

    Provided comprehensive reports on survey results to sales management team addressing customer issues and which lead to improved overall customer satisfaction.

  • Sales Management, 9%

    Attend territory plan reviews, weekly forecasting reviews, and quarterly sales review with the sales management team.

  • CRM, 6%

    Fulfilled critical role overseeing daily operations for 8+ direct reports with associated responsibilities including reporting and CRM management.

  • Product Line, 5%

    Created and maintained documentation for component specifications, assembly procedures, updating bills of materials and product line drawings.

  • Business Development, 5%

    Managed the business development process, technical order entry and relationships with external supply chain manufacturers.

  • Sales Strategies, 4%

    Executed division's marketing/sales strategies through development of technical based training materials and comprehensive analysis of competitive product market research data.

"customer satisfaction," "sales management," and "crm" are among the most common skills that technical sales managers use at work. You can find even more technical sales manager responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a technical sales manager to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Additionally, a technical sales manager resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "analyze new technologies and forecast new trend of market to develop new product lines. "

Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform technical sales manager duties is communication skills. Technical sales managers responsibilities require that "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." Technical sales managers also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "implement developmental programs to increase distributor sales and support to the telecommunication product line. "

Customer-service skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of technical sales managers is customer-service skills. This skill is critical to many everyday technical sales manager duties, as "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "provided customer technical support and also retained direct sales responsibility for selected key accounts. "

Leadership skills. technical sales manager responsibilities often require "leadership skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." This resume example shows what technical sales managers do with leadership skills on a typical day: "provided product expertise and leadership to internal areas, advising on product development, features/functionality and technical feasibility. "

All technical sales manager skills

The three companies that hire the most technical sales managers are:

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Compare different technical sales managers

Technical sales manager vs. Product manager/sales

A sales product manager is responsible for monitoring the sales performance of a specific product and ensuring that the marketing strategies adhere to market standards and client requirements. Sales product managers work closely with the marketing and public relations team to enhance the product's brand image on various market platforms to reach the target audience. They also conduct data and statistical analysis to identify business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profitability.

We looked at the average technical sales manager salary and compared it with the wages of a product manager/sales. Generally speaking, product managers/sales are paid $21,278 lower than technical sales managers per year.Even though technical sales managers and product managers/sales are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer satisfaction, crm, and product line in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a technical sales manager are more likely to require skills like "sales management," "post sales," "emerging technologies," and "customer accounts." On the other hand, a job as a product manager/sales requires skills like "product sales," "pos," "product management," and "cycle management." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Product managers/sales earn the highest salaries when working in the education industry, with an average yearly salary of $108,541. On the other hand, technical sales managers are paid more in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $116,399.product managers/sales tend to reach similar levels of education than technical sales managers. In fact, product managers/sales are 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Technical sales manager vs. Sales development manager

Sales Development Managers oversee a specific function in the sales department. They are in charge of creating sales pitches, communication tools, and strategies to boost the company's sales performance. They may be assigned to do these activities for a specific product or service or for the whole product line of the organization. Sales Development Managers are also expected to create branding images that will help their sales strategies. They are required to fully understand the company's history, image, and target market. This will ensure that the branding and sales strategies they create are in line with the company's values.

A career as a sales development manager brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a technical sales manager. In fact, sales development managers salary is $26,980 lower than the salary of technical sales managers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both technical sales managers and sales development managers have skills such as "customer satisfaction," "crm," and "product line. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real technical sales manager resumes. While technical sales manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "sales management," "windows," "post sales," and "emerging technologies," sales development managers use skills like "sdr," "salesforce," "lead generation," and "strong work ethic."

On average, sales development managers earn a lower salary than technical sales managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, sales development managers earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $107,980. Whereas technical sales managers have higher pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $116,399.In general, sales development managers achieve similar levels of education than technical sales managers. They're 2.8% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for technical sales managers in the next 3-5 years?

Bill ThorneBill Thorne LinkedIn profile

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

COVID-19 has accelerated the trends we've seen over the past few years as retailers reimagine the customer experience, blending online and offline channels. Mobile apps provide in-store wayfinding and augmented reality to allow customers to quickly search products and identify their exact locations in the store. Additionally, many retailers offer Buy Online, Pick-up In-Store (BOPIS), or curbside pickup options so that customers can pay and checkout with minimal or no contact. We expect retailers will continue to use a variety of tools to help shoppers find the items they need and want.

Technical sales manager vs. Business development sales manager

A business development sales manager is in charge of securing sales by reaching out to clients through calls, correspondence, or appointments. Their responsibilities often revolve around performing research and analysis to identify new leads and sales opportunities, offering different products and services, and creating proposals and price quotes for potential clients. A business development sales manager may also tailor payment plans, process billing, participate in various marketing initiatives, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, it is essential to ensure customer satisfaction and build positive relationships to strengthen the company's client base.

On average, business development sales managers earn lower salaries than technical sales managers, with a $18,461 difference per year.By looking over several technical sales managers and business development sales managers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "crm," "product line," and "business development." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from technical sales manager resumes include skills like "customer satisfaction," "sales management," "project management," and "windows," whereas a business development sales manager is more likely to list skills in "healthcare," "business relationships," "salesforce," and "cold calls. "

Business development sales managers earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $130,807. Comparatively, technical sales managers have the highest earning potential in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $116,399.Most business development sales managers achieve a similar degree level compared to technical sales managers. For example, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Technical sales manager vs. Sales account manager

The account sales manager is in charge of the retention of their customer relationship. They have to supervise the portfolio of existing clients, develop new business with them, and seek new sales opportunities. Account sales managers act as liaisons between the company and customer as well as build strong, long-lasting relationships by providing an improved customer experience. It is their responsibility to negotiate contracts and close deals to maximize sales profits. Also, they forecast track sales results and prepare reports on account status.

Sales account managers average a lower salary than the annual salary of technical sales managers. The difference is about $71,140 per year.While both technical sales managers and sales account managers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer satisfaction, crm, and product line, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between technical sales managers and sales account managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a technical sales manager might have more use for skills like "sales management," "pre sales," "windows," and "post sales." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of sales account managers require skills like "account management," "work ethic," "sales territory," and "excellent interpersonal. "

In general, sales account managers earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $68,777. The highest-paying industry for a technical sales manager is the manufacturing industry.In general, sales account managers hold similar degree levels compared to technical sales managers. Sales account managers are 3.5% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of technical sales manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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