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Job description: Sales Manager
As a sales manager, you'll be organising and leading a team of sales representatives. Your role may vary according to the company and industry sector you're operating in. Also, you might be responsible for a particular type of product or customer, or you could be the area manager in charge of a particular geographical area.
Whatever the particular circumstances, however, you're likely to be doing many of the following:
- Setting sales targets for individual reps and your team as a whole, according to company guidelines.
- Recruiting and training sales staff.
- Allocating areas to sales representatives.
- Developing sales strategies and setting targets.
- Monitoring your team's performance and motivating them to reach targets.
- Compiling and analysing sales figures.
- Dealing with some major customer accounts yourself.
- Collecting customer feedback and market research.
- Reporting back to senior managers.
- Keeping up to date with products and competitors.
- In some jobs you may also be involved with marketing.
Hours and Environment
Normally, you'll work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. However, you may have to work longer when necessary.
You'll be office-based, but also spending some of your time visiting customers, head office, and your sales team in the field. You may also need to attend conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions. Depending on the size of area you cover, your job may involve some overnight stays away from home. If your company sells products overseas, you may be travelling abroad.
Skills and Interests
To be a sales manager you'll need to have:
- Excellent sales and negotiation skills
- Good business sense
- The ability to motivate and lead a team
- Initiative and enthusiasm
- Excellent communication and 'people skills'
- Good planning and organisational skills
- The ability to work calmly under pressure
- Good IT, budget and report writing skills
- A full driving licence
- Foreign language skills are increasingly useful.
Entry
You'll need proven sales experience, together with a good record of achieving targets. Some companies may prefer you to have a business-related BTEC HND or degree, but your experience and track record are usually considered more important than your formal qualifications
That said, you may well find it an advantage to have work-based qualifications, such as NVQs in sales or qualifications from professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) and the Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA).
For technical sectors such as hi-tech, IT or engineering, you're likely to need a degree or at least an HND in a relevant subject. Alternatively, you could have expert market knowledge gained from experience in design or manufacturing.
Training
As a sales manager, you'll be expected to already have good sales and management skills. Your employer will normally provide some training in their products and in-house sales administration systems.
You could work towards NVQ levels 3 and 4 in Sales, or other advanced qualifications such as:
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Advanced Certificate in Sales Management, and Diploma in Professional Sales
- Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) Level 5 Diploma in Strategic Sales (Sales Management or Key Account Management)
- Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA) Advanced Diploma in Sales Management.
See the CIM, ISMM and MAMSA websites for more details about their qualifications.
You could also choose to take qualifications in general management, such as NVQ levels 3, 4 and 5 in Management.
Opportunities
The situation is encouraging. You could work as a sales manager all over the UK, for all kinds of industries and markets including manufacturing, wholesale distribution and consumer goods.
Jobs may be advertised with specialist sales recruitment websites and agencies, in the local and national press, and trade publications for your particular industry.
With experience and a good track record, you could become an area manager, and take on a large sales area, or be promoted to even higher-paid and more responsible jobs like regional or national sales manager.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
- Starting salaries can range from £18,000 to £25,000 a year plus commission.
- Experienced sales managers can earn between £25,000 and £55,000.
- Top salaries can be £70,000 a year and more.
Most companies offer a basic salary with a bonus or commission scheme, which can vary widely depending on experience and the industry or market sector. A car or petrol allowance and expenses are usually included in the salary package.
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