Sales managers plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

 

  • Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.
  • Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
  • Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
  • Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
  • Determine price schedules and discount rates.
  • Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
  • Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
  • Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
  • Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
  • Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.
  • Advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of business.
  • Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.
  • Represent company at trade association meetings to promote products.
  • Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
  • Assess marketing potential of new and existing store locations, considering statistics and expenditures.
  • Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.
  • Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.
Work Context
  • Telephone — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 87% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 53% responded "Extremely important".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 60% responded "Every day".
  • Deal With External Customers — 66% responded "Extremely important".
  • Letters and Memos — 48% responded "Once a week or more but not every day".
  • Read More
Work Activities
  • Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
  • Read More
Detailed Work Activities
  • Resolve customer complaints or problems.
  • Represent the organization in external relations.
  • Evaluate employee performance.
  • Manage human resources activities.
  • Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.
  • Advise customers on technical or procedural issues.
  • Read More

Knowledge

Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Read More

Skills

Persuasion
  • Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation
  • Actively looking for ways to help people.
Read More

Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
  • The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Read More

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
Read More

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Development environment software
  • Microsoft Azure Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA Hot Technology
  • Eclipse IDE Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript
Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Microsoft Visio Hot Technology
  • SmugMug Flickr Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Flash
Operating system software
  • Microsoft Windows Hot Technology
Read More