Types of Sales Reps
Sales representatives play a vital role in numerous business operations. As key figures in running a business, they’re responsible for generating revenue for their company by promoting and selling their products and services. Since sales professionals are needed in various industries, including retail, real estate, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and technology, there are different types of sales reps based on the industry's needs.
That’s why this article will focus on explaining the key responsibilities, qualities, and skills regarding the types of sales positions. This way, you’ll gain insights about the desired job description before you apply for the position. Furthermore, you’ll discover how Afni can help you discover ideal job opportunities and what it takes to make the career change you want.
Continue reading to discover what are the best sales positions and the different types of sales reps!
Types of Sales Reps
So, what are the different types of sales reps? In simple terms, sales roles are based on the type of product or service they’re responsible for promoting and selling and the type of customers they target. Here are the best sales rep jobs you should know before you plan on entering this industry:
- Inside sales
- Outside sales
- Sales development representatives (SDRs)
- Account executives (AEs)
- Customer success reps
- Technical sales reps
- Retail sales reps
Inside sales
The first type of sales representative revolves around inside sales. Inside sales representatives specialize in converting pre-qualified leads into paying customers and generating new business opportunities with existing customers. That’s why they must implement upselling tactics to improve customer experience and drive positive results.
Often considered an entry or mid-level position, inside sales representatives are tasked with assessing the customer’s needs and remotely guiding them through the sales process. Working for this sales position requires you to contact clients through phone calls, emails, or video interviews to build strong relationships. Thus, it’s most suitable for those looking to work from a home or office setting since it doesn’t require in-person interaction with customers or travel.
Some key responsibilities you can expect when working as an inside sales professional are lead generation, prospecting, outreach, sales presentations, customer engagement, and support. Furthermore, this position requires frequent collaboration with other marketing and sales teams to ensure the strategies align with the business needs, leading to more effective negotiations.
Since some inside sales positions also involve closing sales, this job description is best suited for those who have a customer-centric mindset, pay attention to details, and have the necessary communication, analytical, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
Outside sales
The next type of sales rep you should know of focuses on outside sales, which is often considered a more traditional sales position. Unlike inside sales, outside sales representatives must hold in-person meetings with potential customers, resulting in excessive traveling to meet the clients at their desired location. Even though it's also considered a mid to entry-level position, outside sales representatives must have the needed social and communication skills to be able to present the product or service in a face-to-face setting.
Since you’ll be tasked with educating potential customers on how these offers benefit them, outside sales may also involve sales presentations and product demonstrations. Furthermore, you’ll have to implement various tactics to foster meaningful relationships with potential clients while maintaining the necessary documentation of sales leads and closed deals.
Another common responsibility when working as an outside sales professional is to conduct frequent competitor and market analyses to understand the customer’s needs and expectations better.
Besides the necessary communication, negotiation, time-management, and analytical skills, you should also possess efficient presentation and relationship-building skills. Since the position requires travel willingness, it’s important to stay adaptable, independent, and goal-oriented while also maintaining a professional attitude.
Sales development representatives (SDRs)
Sales development representatives, also known as SDRs, are responsible for the primary stages of the sales process, including researching, prospecting, and qualifying potential customers who have shown interest in the business. This includes identifying, contacting, and guiding new leads down the sales funnel. Another name used for this job description is BDR, which stands for business development representatives and is usually considered a mid or entry-level position.
Some of the tasks you may be responsible for are networking, cold calling, and generating new leads. Furthermore, SDRs must be well-informed about the services or products their company offers because they may be tasked with answering requests for additional information. Once you’ve gathered and qualified the necessary lead information, it’s passed to the sales team to create personalized offers or demo the product.
To excel as a sales development representative, you should focus on developing your research, communication, and sales skills. Depending on the company you’re working for, this position requires you to uphold comprehensive industry knowledge while honing your time-management, analytical, and problem-solving skills. It’s most fit for goal-oriented and emphatic team players who understand what it takes to get a potential customer interested in a specific product or service.
Account executives (AEs)
One of the most popular types of sales positions is AEs, short for account executives. Unlike previous sales roles, account executives hold managerial positions and have additional responsibilities since they’ll be the main point of contact between the company and its clients. The best way to attain this job is through promotion because it usually requires at least six to 18 months of experience in a previous sales development role.
Focused on managing and growing customer relationships, you’ll be tasked with driving sales and ensuring customer satisfaction by maintaining strong and long-term relationships with clients. Furthermore, you’ll need to identify and create new business opportunities by onboarding new clients or upselling additional products to existing ones. Besides preparing personalized value propositions, negotiating contracts, and closing deals, you may also be asked to run demos, track client metrics, manage account budgets, forecast sales, and track financial performances.
You’ll need to familiarize yourself with various sales techniques and be proficient when using CRM software to track and manage the sales process successfully. Alongside strategic thinking, you must also excel in communication, negotiation, presentation, organization, active listening, and analytics.
Customer success reps
As the name implies, customer success representatives specialize in enhancing customer satisfaction and ensuring the client achieves their desired outcome when using the company’s products or services. Even though this sales position is considered entry-level, it requires proactive interactions with customers to help them mitigate any potential issues. So, customer success reps are expected to provide exceptional customer education through comprehensive support and guidance.
Some of the key responsibilities regarding this sales position are the following:
- Continuous monitoring of assigned customer activity regarding the products or services the clients have purchased
- Onboarding new customers and educating them about the product use
- Collecting and analyzing customer feedback to successfully identify key pain points and areas of improvement
- Identifying upselling opportunities and encouraging customers to try additional features, products, or services
Similar to the other sales positions, customer success reps must showcase exquisite communication, analytics, and time-management skills. However, they must also ensure technical proficiency with the software they’re using and possess extensive product knowledge. Alongside a proactive, customer-centric mindset, you must also be committed to continuous learning to stay updated on the latest industry trends and product improvements.
Technical sales reps
Technical sales representatives focus on promoting and selling complex technical products that require specialized knowledge in a specific field. This sales position acts as the primary point of contact between the company and the potential clients. Since they play a vital role in driving sales and generating revenue, technical sales reps must understand the customer’s needs and deliver tailored solutions based on their unique circumstances by providing technical expertise.
One key responsibility for this position is staying updated on the latest industry trends. By tracking new technologies, they can identify opportunities for product improvement and craft personalized client offers. Furthermore, they deal with the typical customer communication, negotiation, and product presentation. Once they’re done with the sales pitch, technical sales reps must follow up with clients to answer any potential questions and provide further technical advice.
This sales position is most suitable for those who are willing to continuously improve their technical skills and knowledge. Technical sales reps should also possess sufficient industry knowledge and networking skills while also being adaptable, empathetic, and goal-oriented.
Retail sales reps
As the name implies, this position focuses on driving sales in the retail industry and assisting customers in finding the right products to ensure a positive shopping experience. Moreover, retail sales representatives are expected to build strong relationships with clients, meet predefined sales targets, and provide comprehensive product information.
Some of the key responsibilities for this position are the following:
- Greeting customers and assisting them with selecting and purchasing the right products
- Answering customer questions, providing product information, and addressing concerns
- Ensuring accurate sales transactions, including cash, payment cards, proper documentation, and returns
- Inventory management, including inventory counts, monitoring stock levels, and organizing and restocking shelves
- Meeting sales targets and reporting customer feedback
- Continuous education about product features, benefits, and availability
Since retail sales representatives must meet and communicate with customers on-site, they should possess efficient communication, time management, and technical skills. They must also maintain a positive attitude while showcasing professionalism. To ensure the store operates smoothly, it’s important for retail sales reps to also have physical stamina, previous retail experience, and product enthusiasm.
Find the Best Sales Representative Jobs With Afni
After discovering the types of sales reps, you may be wondering which sales position fits you best. If you’re looking for industry insights and ways to kickstart your job hunt, check out what Afni offers. As a top job platform, they offer different types of sales positions and resources to help you start your new career. With award-winning training and development programs, Afni can help you prepare for your next career venture.
Aiming to meet the employees’ diverse needs, Afni’s goal is to help new sales reps achieve their full potential. By emphasizing hard work and treating people with respect, Afni is dedicated to providing better outcomes through positive engagement with partners, employees, clients, and customers. So, if you’re looking for the best ways to start your new sales position, visit the Afni website and embark on your journey today!
Author
Samantha Byard is the Recruitment Marketing Manager for Afni and brings a wealth of knowledge and tips for job seekers. She holds a bachelor's degree in public relations and marketing from Mount Saint Vincent University as well as a masters degree in digital marketing and advertising from Liberty University.
