Push your Way to a Six-figure Income In Sales

There was a time when salesmen and women were given little respect—but those days are gone.  Companies have realized how essential it is to have friendly and capable sales people on their staff. As a result, those who work in sales-related positions can now secure increasingly higher salaries.  In fact, you can now earn anywhere from US$100,000 upwards annually through sales-related positions. 

A career in sales does not only involve selling products, it goes far beyond the vending.  As a career sales representative you are expected to prepare sales report, analyze sales statistics, and oftentimes handle administrative duties.  Most sales representative work alone so it will also be your duty to fill out expense account reports, schedule appointments, and make your own travel plan.

A top-notch sales representative needs an ongoing and continuing training regarding the products the company carries.  Before going on a sales pitch, you must read about all about your product details as well as be aware of the innovations existing in your field.  You must also monitor the sales, prices and products of your competitors.

In general, there are no hard-and-fast educational requirements for sales persons. However, having a college degree is certainly helpful and can give you the edge when competing for sales jobs. An industrial know-how and technical background on the products that you are carrying will be a great advantage. Customers will always put their trust and confidence on someone who knows his product and speaks the language of the industry.

Most employers hire their sales force based on the individual’s previous sales experience. They rely more on the attitude of the would-be sales person towards the profession he would like to have.  Employers’ main goal is to get the best and brightest individuals who posses the determination to succeed and the personality plus desire to sell. 

Although a college degree is a must for a small percentage of the marketing field, most consumer products solely base their minimum qualification for a sales position to factors like personality, sales ability, and familiarity with the products and brands they are carrying. 

You can also take courses in salesmanship, economics, communication, marketing and even foreign languages to augment whatever learning and information you might have picked up in your rounds and provide an extra edge needed to make a sale. 

A serious career on sales will also require organizational and general business skills coupled with knowledge of accounting, marketing and administration. As people’s reliance on technology increases in terms of placing and tracking of orders as well as monitoring of inventory levels, a basic knowledge and familiarity with computer technology will give you an edge.

The most important qualification for a high-paying sales position is a consistent track record.  The longer you’ve been in the business, the more likely it is that you will be able to advance in the field.  Pharmaceutical companies in particular are on the lookout for savvy sales representatives who can help to boost their bottom line.

In this age of the Internet, however, you may be wondering about the long-term job prospects for sales personnel.  This is not a cause for alarm; the fact of the matter is that internet selling will never take the place of human sales representatives. Net marketing might be convenient for selling some products but there are products that can never sell without the push of dedicated sales persons.

Most often, the presence of sales people offer customers convenience, helping them out to meet their specific needs.  Sales personnel also guide customers to make the right choice in deciding what product to buy. Sales demonstrations of products, advise on how to use them for maximum efficiency increases the sale-ability of a product.  

The most effective sales people also recognize the fact that the sale business is constantly changing, thanks to the volume of new products which enter the market each year.   If you are able to make sense of the diversity of products available…if you are able to articulate clearly why your product is preferable to one offered by another company… you will be well on your way to achieving six-figure sales success.