Sales

Sales representatives sell retail products and services to customers. They knock on doors, handle customer complaints and negotiate prices and terms. The main goal of any salesman is the revenue generation.

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Education

Aspiring individuals in this profession commonly earn a Bachelor's degree in business, sales or marketing. However, a variety of other fields could provide useful skills for the sales industry. For example, a psychology degree could give insight into personal relations that would lend itself to good customer service. Typically, a degree in this field takes 3 years to complete. An MBA (Master of Business Administration), with a specialisation in marketing, makes a candidate more competitive for jobs. The duration for such courses is between 1-2 years.

Knowledge and Tasks

Sell products by contacting people and developing good relationships with clients.
Maintaining existing customer accounts.
Gather the current market information on pricing, new products, merchandising techniques.
Maintain records on area and customer sales.
Collaborate with the company executives and other departments for planning the future direction of the firm.

Personality

Successful salesmen are great orators. They have a strong sense of duty and take responsibility for their work. They are solely focussed towards achieving their goals and be receptive to feedback.

Salary

An entry level salary ranges from Rs 80,000 - Rs 3,50,000 per year. An experienced sales executive, however, can earn up to Rs 20,00,000 per annum.

Pros

High performers are bound to get a high income
It is a well-suited job for professionals with a competitive streak
Some flexibility and control over working hours.

Cons

There are high accountability and responsibility to deliver numbers and goals.
It can also be a lonely job at times.
Learn to accept daily rejections from customers.

Top Institutes

India

Indian Institute of Management
Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce- Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, MUMBAI
Christ University, Bangalore
Xavier's Labour Research Institution, Jamshedpur
Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi
MDI, Gurgaon

Abroad

University of Pennsylvania
University of Michigan
Harvard University
New York University
Cornell University

Famous People

John Patterson

He was one of the original icons of modern salesmanship. In the late 1800s, he devised a strategy- the Patterson Method, and one of its key elements was the intricate scripting of the sales process.

Dale Carnegie

The renowned speaker started work as an ordinary salesman. His primary lessons in the sales industry involve building up the confidence of the salesperson and developing interpersonal skills.