What does a sales representative do?

By finding new customers and sales opportunities, sales representatives play a crucial role in driving the top-line revenue growth and profitability of a business. A sales representative typically sells products or services to businesses, wholesalers, retailers, private clients and industry professionals, rather than directly to consumers. They are the main point of contact between a business and its customers, and they interact with customers throughout the sales process, from initial outreach until a final purchase is made. The day-to-day tasks of a sales representative can include anything from answering the phone to monitoring the competition. However, their main responsibilities are to identify their customers’ needs, pitch relevant products and provide a positive experience for customers throughout the entire process.

Sales representative skills and qualifications

To excel in the role, a sales representative must have a strong natural sales ability and be able to implement learned sales techniques. They must also possess a range of other prerequisite skills and qualifications, including:

• strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• excellent customer service skills
• relationship management skills
• in-depth knowledge of the company’s products or services
• effective time management skills and an ability to prioritise tasks while working without supervision
• proficiency in the use of CRM (customer resource management) programs as well as Microsoft Office suite
• a driver’s licence and access to a vehicle

Sales representative experience requirements

The experience required for a sales representative varies depending on the role and the employer’s preferences. Some employers may be prepared to take on employees with no previous sales experience and provide full training. Employers who require candidates to have experience typically look for a proven track record of meeting sales targets or a work history that demonstrates strong customer service or communication skills, such as experience in retail. For specialist sales representative roles in fields such as health care, previous sales experience is usually required and other professional experience in that field is highly regarded.

Sales representative education and training requirements

Typically, there are no formal education or training requirements for sales representative roles. However, most sales representatives have either a bachelor’s degree or a vocational qualification. These include a Bachelor of Business, a Certificate III in Business-to-Business Sales or a sales representative traineeship. Candidates with these qualifications will be highly marketable. For specialist roles, for example in healthcare, a tertiary qualification in a healthcare field may be required.

Sales representative salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a sales representative in Australia is $70,089 per year. This is an average figure and salaries vary depending on factors such as experience, level of education, the location and company.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this job description template for a sales representative position doesn’t meet your needs, here are some related roles for you to consider:

• Sales consultant
• Sales director
• Sales assistant

Sales representative job description FAQs

What qualities make a good sales representative?

As sales representatives must constantly interact with people, build and maintain relationships and identify their customers’ needs, it’s essential that they have strong communication and interpersonal skills. This includes strong verbal communication skills, so they can confidently and persuasively describe the features and benefits of products, as well as active listening skills. An effective sales representative listens carefully to their clients’ concerns and needs before offering the product. Confidence, ambition, resilience and persistence are also highly important qualities for a sales representative to possess.

What are the different types of sales representative?

The two main types of sales representative are inside and outside sales representatives. Both jobs have the same aim – selling products and services to customers – but inside sales representatives interact with customers remotely via, for example, email, video or phone calls, whereas outside sales representatives meet with customers in person. Other types include telephone sales representatives and independent sales representatives. These professionals perform similar inside and outside sales duties, however, they are often outsourced by companies, unlike inside and outside sales representatives, who are generally in-house employees. An example of an independent sales representative is someone who sells cosmetics door-to-door or by hosting parties for friends and family.

What makes a good sales representative job description?

A good job description for a sales representative position is written clearly and concisely. Avoid using jargon or complicated sentences, and instead focus on using simple and direct words and phrases that will be easily understood. You should also include a clear job title. Creative job titles, such as ‘Sales Rockstar’ may make the job sound fun, but they don’t give potential candidates a clear idea of what the role involves. Start your job description with a short, one-to-four sentence overview of the role, in which you describe how the job will contribute to your company’s goals and to society as a whole. Also, make sure that you highlight your workplace culture and any benefits or perks you can offer. These might include, for example, free food, flexible schedules, remote working opportunities or a regular company happy hour.