Sales Representative
HOW TO BECOME A SALES REPRESENTATIVE
In France, the sports market is worth close to 38 billion euros, with an average annual growth of 4.8%. Behind the figures of a booming industry, thanks to the consumers' renewed interest in sports, there are a great many salespeople who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to develop their company's business. They play a key role in companies.
What sectors employ sales representatives?
Sales representatives are salespersons by definition. Their role is to sell their company’s products or services. They must prospect for potential buyers and do their utmost so that customers understand that buying the product or service they offer is a bargain. As a company’s central financial force, salespeople are almost at the origin of every sale a company makes, and particularly in the sports sector.
With the development of new technology such as data and artificial intelligence, the sales representative career is changing fast to keep up with the dramatic developments in international trade.
If a company has something to sell, a salesperson is likely to be nearby. With an education in different types of business, salespeople can work in a variety of sectors such as sports, telecoms, banking, food processing, digital, exports, engineering, finance, insurance, culture, etc.
In fact, there are salespeople in almost every field: sports shoe design, construction companies, sports venue catering, ski rental shops, producers of food supplements for sports performance, press agencies, clothing brands, furniture suppliers, transport companies, luxury brands, etc. The list is endless, as there are salespeople in every type of company.
What are the duties of a sales representative?
The main tasks of sales representatives are handling the company’s sales and customer relations.
To achieve this, they must prospect for new customers and thus open new markets. This is a time-consuming activity, because before contacting potential buyers, they must make sure that the companies have a common interest in working together. Their role is also to build customer loyalty to ensure a long-term business relationship.
Typically, a sales representative’s role can be broken down in 5 phases.
The first phase, called the listening phase consists in identifying the needs and wishes of customers. The second consists in showing customers what the company produces. This is called the proposal phase.
The third is the argumentation phase. During this phase, sales reps highlight the benefits of and reasons for buying this product. The next phase is the negotiating phase during which customer and sales representatives agree on the terms and conditions and the final details of the sale.
The fifth and final phase involves closing the deed of sale. The two parties who have agreed on all the terms sign the purchase order or quotation.
The whole process leads sales representatives to seeking new markets, and consequently, to contributing to the company’s development and turnover.
Key qualities and skills required of a sales representative
The golden rule for any salesperson is to perfectly know the product they sell and the company they represent. They must know everything that qualifies the product or service as defined by the company they work for. But they must also be aware of how it is perceived by the company’s customers or partners.
This means they must be particularly attentive to outside signals regarding the product. Sales professionals also need to keep abreast of the market, trends and fashions, to know the strength of their product compared to the competition. They must keep a clear mind and not be fooled by the communication around the product and its image within the company. In other words, they must remain unbiased. They must know the competition inside out to be able to benchmark positive aspects. And to detect their competitors’ weaknesses and thus gain an advantage over them.
Sales reps must of course be fully conversant with all sales techniques and use an action plan to maximize their sales. Sales representatives are the economic lifeblood of any company. Without sales, there is no income and with no income, there is no business. Sales reps must demonstrate a competitive spirit to help boost their sales and motivation to generate profit for their company.
As representatives of a company sales force, they must develop a solid and operational sales pitch, to build the loyalty of potential customers.
They should therefore match this purely mercantile role with a strong personality, as well as with excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills. Convincing is the foundation of their profession, so they must know how to develop networks, make customers feel at ease and, above all, build a relationship of trust between the company, consumers and partners. Developing their customer portfolio is an ongoing activity for sales reps. They must stay in touch with existing customers if they hope to continue doing business with them in the future.
Traditionally, sales reps must be tenacious and able to defend their product at all costs. Because they are always up against other sales professionals, they must stand out, be persuasive and emphasize the added value of their products to appeal to customers. This quality is even more important as the competition, particularly in the sports business, is becoming increasingly fierce. With the globalization of markets, 21st-century sales representatives may be in direct competition with Chinese, Indian, Nigerian, American or French companies alike.
Last but not least, they should be good team workers. A sales rep’s job is not a solitary job. They work in a sales department, as part of a team and they report to a sales manager.
Salary range and career prospects
Entry-level sales reps can expect, on average, a gross monthly salary of €1,500 to €1,700. However, this career often offers sales bonuses to boost productivity. Therefore, it is highly volatile. An experienced sales rep may earn much more, with a monthly average salary of €2,500 gross.
After several years in this role, it is possible to be promoted to the role of manager. In this role, they will manage a team of several other sales representatives. Good sales reps who continue to progress in their career can become sales managers in charge of one of the company’s department, product range, service or geographical area.
With a few years’ prior experience as a sales rep, they could also become business developers or import/export managers.
What qualifications are required to become a sales representative?
First and foremost, you need to have the qualities required for the job of sales manager.
Next, you’ll need to attend a business school. It’s also possible to take a BTS in technical sales or a DUT in export sales. In general, it’s a good idea to have at least a Bac+2 or Bac+3 diploma to have sufficient knowledge of the world of sales. However, you can also learn this profession on the job, as professional experience is particularly important. To ensure that you land a job as a sales agent, you can further your knowledge by following an International Sport Management Program to specialize in the world of sport.
Sales representatives are salespersons by definition. Their role is to sell their company’s products or services. They must prospect for potential buyers and do their utmost so that customers understand that buying the product or service they offer is a bargain. As a company’s central financial force, salespeople are almost at the origin of every sale a company makes, and particularly in the sports sector.
With the development of new technology such as data and artificial intelligence, the sales representative career is changing fast to keep up with the dramatic developments in international trade.
If a company has something to sell, a salesperson is likely to be nearby. With an education in different types of business, salespeople can work in a variety of sectors such as sports, telecoms, banking, food processing, digital, exports, engineering, finance, insurance, culture, etc.
In fact, there are salespeople in almost every field: sports shoe design, construction companies, sports venue catering, ski rental shops, producers of food supplements for sports performance, press agencies, clothing brands, furniture suppliers, transport companies, luxury brands, etc. The list is endless, as there are salespeople in every type of company.
The main tasks of sales representatives are handling the company’s sales and customer relations.
To achieve this, they must prospect for new customers and thus open new markets. This is a time-consuming activity, because before contacting potential buyers, they must make sure that the companies have a common interest in working together. Their role is also to build customer loyalty to ensure a long-term business relationship.
Typically, a sales representative’s role can be broken down in 5 phases.
The first phase, called the listening phase consists in identifying the needs and wishes of customers. The second consists in showing customers what the company produces. This is called the proposal phase.
The third is the argumentation phase. During this phase, sales reps highlight the benefits of and reasons for buying this product. The next phase is the negotiating phase during which customer and sales representatives agree on the terms and conditions and the final details of the sale.
The fifth and final phase involves closing the deed of sale. The two parties who have agreed on all the terms sign the purchase order or quotation.
The whole process leads sales representatives to seeking new markets, and consequently, to contributing to the company’s development and turnover.
The golden rule for any salesperson is to perfectly know the product they sell and the company they represent. They must know everything that qualifies the product or service as defined by the company they work for. But they must also be aware of how it is perceived by the company’s customers or partners.
This means they must be particularly attentive to outside signals regarding the product. Sales professionals also need to keep abreast of the market, trends and fashions, to know the strength of their product compared to the competition. They must keep a clear mind and not be fooled by the communication around the product and its image within the company. In other words, they must remain unbiased. They must know the competition inside out to be able to benchmark positive aspects. And to detect their competitors’ weaknesses and thus gain an advantage over them.
Sales reps must of course be fully conversant with all sales techniques and use an action plan to maximize their sales. Sales representatives are the economic lifeblood of any company. Without sales, there is no income and with no income, there is no business. Sales reps must demonstrate a competitive spirit to help boost their sales and motivation to generate profit for their company.
As representatives of a company sales force, they must develop a solid and operational sales pitch, to build the loyalty of potential customers.
They should therefore match this purely mercantile role with a strong personality, as well as with excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills. Convincing is the foundation of their profession, so they must know how to develop networks, make customers feel at ease and, above all, build a relationship of trust between the company, consumers and partners. Developing their customer portfolio is an ongoing activity for sales reps. They must stay in touch with existing customers if they hope to continue doing business with them in the future.
Traditionally, sales reps must be tenacious and able to defend their product at all costs. Because they are always up against other sales professionals, they must stand out, be persuasive and emphasize the added value of their products to appeal to customers. This quality is even more important as the competition, particularly in the sports business, is becoming increasingly fierce. With the globalization of markets, 21st-century sales representatives may be in direct competition with Chinese, Indian, Nigerian, American or French companies alike.
Last but not least, they should be good team workers. A sales rep’s job is not a solitary job. They work in a sales department, as part of a team and they report to a sales manager.
Entry-level sales reps can expect, on average, a gross monthly salary of €1,500 to €1,700. However, this career often offers sales bonuses to boost productivity. Therefore, it is highly volatile. An experienced sales rep may earn much more, with a monthly average salary of €2,500 gross.
After several years in this role, it is possible to be promoted to the role of manager. In this role, they will manage a team of several other sales representatives. Good sales reps who continue to progress in their career can become sales managers in charge of one of the company’s department, product range, service or geographical area.
With a few years’ prior experience as a sales rep, they could also become business developers or import/export managers.
First and foremost, you need to have the qualities required for the job of sales manager.
Next, you’ll need to attend a business school. It’s also possible to take a BTS in technical sales or a DUT in export sales. In general, it’s a good idea to have at least a Bac+2 or Bac+3 diploma to have sufficient knowledge of the world of sales. However, you can also learn this profession on the job, as professional experience is particularly important. To ensure that you land a job as a sales agent, you can further your knowledge by following an International Sport Management Program to specialize in the world of sport.
