In exchange for compensation, a salesman trades services or products with buyers. He serves as a company’s human face, providing information and, on occasion, using persuasion techniques to influence a customer’s purchase decision. A salesman’s job description varies greatly depending on the type of product or service he is selling and the method he uses to sell it. Some salespeople work at a product outlet, where they serve customers who have come to the store specifically looking for that product. Others make sales by visiting or contacting potential customers to introduce their products or competing for service contracts with other salespeople.
A salesman who is based at a product outlet — in this case, a car dealership — is an example of a salesman. He assists prospective customers who come to the dealership with a pre-determined desire to learn more about the product or even buy it. Test driving potential buyers, answering questions about the cars as well as financing options, and negotiating purchase prices are all common responsibilities. He usually receives a commission for each sale he closes, but he may not be paid on a regular basis.
In some cases, the salesman competes with other salespeople for a service contract. This method is widely used in the construction industry. A plumbing company, for example, might want to outfit the bathrooms at a future shopping mall. To win this contract, the firm’s sales representative will examine the job’s scope, calculate projected supply and labor costs, and submit a competitive bid to the mall’s general contractor, who will accept or reject it. Typically, this type of sales position necessitates a working knowledge of the company’s services.
Other salespeople generate leads by approaching potential customers and introducing their product to them. This method of selling may necessitate some travel. Pharmaceutical representatives, for example, visit health-care providers to discuss their company’s products and, in many cases, to give away free samples. In this case, the salesman is not responsible for directly selling his product, but rather for positively influencing health care providers’ perceptions of it in order to increase its prescription, resulting in a profit for his company.
Certain salespeople work in telemarketing centers, where they try to sell products over the phone to potential customers. In some cases, these salespeople work from leads, or lists of potential customers whose interest in their product has been determined through research or previous correspondence. Others may engage in cold calling, or contacting people who have expressed no prior interest in their products. Unsolicited sales calls are often viewed negatively by the general public, who find them annoying and intrusive.
An undergraduate degree in business studies is likely to be beneficial to those who want to work in sales. Interning in a company’s sales department can also provide prospective salespeople with a thorough understanding of the position. However, many successful salespeople believe that the most valuable training is experience. As a result, a potential salesperson might consider honing his skills at a lower-level job before moving up to a position with more responsibility and pay.