Post job

How to hire a territory sales representative

Territory sales representative hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring territory sales representatives in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a territory sales representative is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new territory sales representative to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a territory sales representative, step by step

To hire a territory sales representative, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a territory sales representative:

Here's a step-by-step territory sales representative hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a territory sales representative job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new territory sales representative
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a territory sales representative do?

A territory sales representative is responsible for selling goods and services, assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns, and monitoring the assigned area's sales reports. Territory sales representatives coordinate with the rest of the sales team to develop effective marketing strategies and promotional techniques to increase revenues and profitability. Territory sales representatives research current market trends to identify business opportunities to meet consumer demands and widen their services. A territory sales representative must have excellent knowledge of the sales disciplines and principles, managing the market approach to ensure customer satisfaction.

Learn more about the specifics of what a territory sales representative does
jobs
Post a territory sales representative job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the territory sales representative you need to hire. Certain territory sales representative roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect territory sales representative also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    The following list breaks down different types of territory sales representatives and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Territory Sales RepresentativeDescriptionHourly rate
    Territory Sales RepresentativeWholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.$7-37
    Sales Development RepresentativeA sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team... Show more$16-37
    Consultant And Sales RepresentativeA consultant and sales representative's role is to perform research and analysis to devise strategies for reaching sales targets and optimal services. Aside from providing consultations and business plans, they may also represent the company by reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence... Show more$68-171
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • CRM
    • Product Knowledge
    • Excellent Time Management
    • Sales Growth
    • Business Relationships
    • Sales Strategies
    • Wine
    • Trade Shows
    • Patients
    • Business Sales
    • Account Management
    • Work Ethic
    • Product Demonstrations
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Track leads, log calls/activities, move sales cycle, and report/forecast using Salesforce.
    • Develop and manage a portfolio of customers seeking cost-effective, knowledgeable travel consultation and options.
    • Introduce CRM to corporate management to enhance customer relationships.
    • Provide training and direction to authorize distributors within western Washington.
    • Participate with dealers, distributors and clients concerning sales and advertising opportunities.
    • Record all customer contact utilizing company CRM (customer relationship management system).
    More territory sales representative duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your territory sales representative job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A territory sales representative salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, territory sales representatives' average salary in mississippi is 65% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level territory sales representatives earn 81% less than senior-level territory sales representatives.
    • Certifications. A territory sales representative with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a territory sales representative's salary.

    Average territory sales representative salary

    $16.55hourly

    $34,431 yearly

    Entry-level territory sales representative salary
    $15,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average territory sales representative salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$57,089$27
    2Maine$54,411$26
    3New York$49,665$24
    4California$44,272$21
    5Pennsylvania$44,010$21
    6District of Columbia$41,937$20
    7Maryland$41,321$20
    8Washington$38,445$18
    9Michigan$35,716$17
    10Virginia$35,547$17
    11Ohio$35,459$17
    12Minnesota$31,851$15
    13Indiana$31,223$15
    14North Carolina$31,018$15
    15Oregon$31,002$15
    16Colorado$30,649$15
    17Wisconsin$30,532$15
    18Kansas$30,231$15
    19Iowa$30,155$15
    20Illinois$29,658$14

    Average territory sales representative salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1IBM$106,741$51.3283
    2HP$92,106$44.282
    3Kinetico Corporate$81,089$38.991
    4SOPREMA USA$78,630$37.80
    5Merck$77,435$37.23464
    6Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers$74,463$35.8011
    7B & D Industrial$74,401$35.77
    8UGI$71,623$34.4349
    9Autodesk$70,384$33.8467
    10NCH$69,912$33.6116
    11Henkel$69,552$33.4428
    12Ultradent Products$67,050$32.2415
    13Oracle$65,627$31.551,796
    14Motorola Solutions$61,922$29.7728
    15CECO Environmental$58,971$28.352
    16Simpson Manufacturing Co$56,955$27.384
    17Progressive$56,857$27.343
    18Curbell, Inc.$55,023$26.4517
    19New York Life Insurance$54,033$25.9818
    20Fortive$52,190$25.0927
  4. Writing a territory sales representative job description

    A job description for a territory sales representative role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a territory sales representative job description:

    Territory sales representative job description example

    We service over 12,000 organizations in 49 states and have access to nearly 1 million

    policyholders. We are backed by Washington National with $5.2 billion in invested

    assets and $3.9 billion in policy reserves.* Our excellent track record in marketing, sales, and

    customer service date back more than 20 years, as PMA USA is the insurance marketing powerhouse that emerged through the combination of three of the most successful regional

    insurance marketing firms in the United States.

    Unmatched Product Portfolio:

    We know that our sales are only as strong as the products we sell. You will be confident that

    what you are offering to clients is the best in the industry. Washington National, a company

    with more than 100 years of service to its policyholders, has paid nearly $5.6 billion in

    claims to supplemental health policyholders to help protect policyholders from the costs of illnesses, injuries, and accidents. Nearly $3 billion has been paid to policyholders through the

    return-of-premium and cash-value benefits.**

    Tremendous Income Opportunity

    Competitive commission compensation with generous bonus structures along with lifetime

    renewal income from your individual and team sales mean your earning potential is unlimited.

    Add in trips, prizes, recognition, and team support and you have a very unique opportunity to

    obtain the life you imagine for yourself, all while providing an invaluable service to the

    community.

    Earn what you’re worth, enhance the lives of others, and have a great time doing it!

    PMA USA is an Equal Opportunity Company.

    *Data as of September 2019

    **The claims and premium-return amount are based on ROP/CV and claims payments to Washington National policyholders from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2017. The return of premium (ROP) or cash value (CV) (in MO, “cash return”) benefit is subject to state and product

    availability. The benefit has an additional charge and may pay minus claims or regardless of claims based on the policy selected. The policy must remain in force until the end of the ROP/CV period for the benefit to be paid.

    Company DescriptionWashington National Company's largest American marketing partner, PMA USA, is looking for the right individuals who have the desire to earn a good living, work a flexible schedule and provide solutions for wealth preservation and creation to families and individuals. You can make a huge impact on your community and future by educating, advising and servicing clients to improve their quality of life.

    This position is a territory-based, outside sales role, with opportunity for rapid advancement to Field District Manager. You will be servicing our current customers.
  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right territory sales representative for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your territory sales representative job on Zippia to find and attract quality territory sales representative candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit territory sales representatives, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new territory sales representative

    Once you've decided on a perfect territory sales representative candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new territory sales representative. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a territory sales representative?

Recruiting territory sales representatives involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $34,431 per year for a territory sales representative, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for territory sales representatives in the US typically range between $7 and $37 an hour.

Find better territory sales representatives in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring territory sales representatives FAQs

Search for territory sales representative jobs

Ready to start hiring?