Which sales jobs should I know about?

Sales careers are occupations that involve selling a product or service to customers. Many companies rely on salespeople to sell their products and services. Jobs in the sales sector are therefore available in abundance for those who wish to pursue a career in this field, knowing that onboarding will allow for a smooth integration.

What do sales consist of?

To be successful in sales, people must be motivated, patient and able to accept rejection. Self-motivation is important because sales jobs offer a lot of autonomy. You can be the only sales representative in your area and sell a product or service to a part of the country. Some salespeople work remotely and most travel extensively as part of their duties.

Patience is also critical to a salesperson's success, as most customers consider all their options before making a purchase. Today's consumers are more informed than ever, and they often have more choices when it comes to the products or services they purchase. It's important to be patient because a customer can take as long as they need to decide what to buy.

In sales jobs, you also need to develop competencies that help you sell the features of a product or service and the benefits of buying it from you, rather than looking elsewhere. Good communication skills are important to success in sales, as you will spend a great deal of your time communicating with others in person, on the phone, and via email. It is important to be able to manage your time effectively and work with little supervision.

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The Different Sales careers

If you're looking to advance your career in sales, you may be struggling to know exactly what type of sales career you should be pursuing next. Here's a guide to the top 9 sales careers.

1. SDR

An SDR (Sales Development Representative) is responsible for generating leads and moving them into the sales pipeline. They spend much of their time researching potential leads, cold calling, sending email campaigns, and qualifying leads to ensure that the product they are selling fits the prospect's budget, needs, and timeline.

SDRs need to have in-depth knowledge of the product so they can understand how it can help customers solve their problems. With this knowledge, they increase their chances of closing the most valuable deals and gaining customers who will stay with them for a long time.

2. BDR

A BDR (Business Development Representative) is a sales profession that focuses on generating qualified leads using cold mailing, cold calling, and networking.

The BDR is the first point of contact for a potential customer. After identifying prospects, either through their own research or with the help of an associate, they approach them, via phone, email, or social media, to move the sales conversation forward. This usually involves setting up an appointment for the prospect to meet or speak with a more experienced member of the sales team, usually an account executive.

3. Sales Ops

A Sales Ops (or Sales Operations Manager) is in charge of the processes, tools and technologies used by the sales team. They reduce friction in the day-to-day sales activities and help salespeople stay efficient and productive. As a result, reps can achieve their sales goals more easily.

Sales Ops simplify and streamline complex workflows with a CRM. They help sales reps get instant insight into the number of deals in their workflow, the average deal size and value, the number of deals won, and the time it takes to close a deal. In short, a Sales Ops helps the sales team track their sales funnel and brings all the metrics that show them their performance.

4. Inbound Sales

An Indound Sales person sells the company's products or services to potential buyers. They typically work in call centers or other corporate offices where they talk to prospects to convert them into paying customers. Each company has a unique sales approach and different sales strategies. However, in most cases, the sales team facilitates phone calls and moves customers through the sales pipeline toward a buying decision.

The primary responsibility of this sales profession is to close deals with new customers and maintain relationships with current customers. Inbound Sales Specialists' responsibilities include making sales calls to potential customers, but also answering customer questions, resolving customer complaints, and contributing to exceptional customer service.

5. Sales Leader

The Sales Leader sets the objectives and sets the tone for the entire sales team. They create the sales guide to define the goals, vision, culture and sales processes that lead their team to success. They can do this on their own or work with their sales team to create the document that is then used by their managers to build and maintain a successful sales team.

The sales leader also serves to inspire and motivate their team to understand the goals and processes. By helping each member achieve individual growth in relation to these goals, they help the entire team benefit from individual progress.

6. Sales Director

A Sales Director is employed by a company to manage the work of subordinate salespeople and drive effective sales strategies for the company as a whole. Typically, this sales occupation has complete control over the sales functions and representatives within the company's budget and is often part of executive management.

The sales manager is responsible for all activities of the sales team, motivates the sales representatives and ensures that they meet the set goals. In addition, they may be involved in strategic planning and the launch of new products or services. The specific responsibilities of the sales manager may vary depending on the company and the sector.

7. Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for leading the marketing efforts of a company, service or product. They estimate market demand and lead a marketing team to develop and implement creative and unique strategies to engage customers through multiple media channels.

8. Inbound Marketing Specialist

Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them.

9. Outbound Marketing Specialist

Outbound marketing refers to any type of marketing in which a company engages in conversation and sends its message to an audience. Examples of outbound marketing include more traditional forms of marketing and advertising such as television spots, radio ads, print ads, trade shows, sales calls and email canvassing.