Sales Manager
Other Titles
District Sales Manager, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Sales and Marketing Director, Sales Director, Sales Manager, Sales Representative, Sales Supervisor, Sales Leader, Store Manager
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
A Sales Manager is responsible for the sales department of a company. It is their job to manage the sales teams of a company, set sales targets in alignment with company objectives, devise a strategy to achieve these objectives and mentor the sales teams so that they are able to implement this strategy. Sales managers are also tasked with the recruitment, training and management of sales personnel as well as the assignment of sales objectives and sales territories to different sales teams. In some companies, they may also be tasked with processing sales-related customer complaints and then resolving these issues.
Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.
Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
Determine price schedules and discount rates.
Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.
Advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of business.
Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.
Represent company at trade association meetings to promote products.
Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
Assess marketing potential of new and existing store locations, considering statistics and expenditures.
Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.
Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.
Persuasion→ Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Negotiation→ Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Management of Personnel Resources→ Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Instructing→ Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Analysis→ Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation→ Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Learning Strategies→ Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Management of Financial Resources→ Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Mathematics→ Using mathematics to solve problems.
Selling or Influencing Others→ Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Developing and Building Teams→ Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Staffing Organizational Units→ Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Direct sales, marketing, or customer service activities.
Resolve customer complaints or problems.
Advise customers on technical or procedural issues.
Analyze financial records or reports to determine state of operations.
Supervise employees.
Approve expenditures.
Determine pricing or monetary policies.
Prepare operational budgets.
Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.
Evaluate potential of products, technologies, or resources.
Evaluate employee performance.
Manage human resources activities.
Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.
Advise others on business or operational matters.
Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.
Represent the organization in external relations.
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Mathematical Reasoning→ The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Number Facility→ The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Memorization→ The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
Sales and Marketing→ Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Communications and Media→ Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources→ Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Accounting software --Tax software; Sage 50 Accounting; Xero; Quickbooks
Analytical or scientific software -- Statistical software; Statistical analysis software; Data analysis software; Predictive analytics software; IBM SPSS Statistics; Minitab; SAS
Business intelligence and data analysis software -- e.g., Zoho Analytics; MicroStrategy; Tableau; Qlik Tech QlikView; IBM Cognos Impromptu
Calendar and scheduling software -- Contact management software; Scheduling software
Computer aided design CAD software -- Computer aided design and drafting CADD software; Autodesk Revit; Autodesk AutoCAD; Graebert Ares Version CAD Software; Bentley MicroStation; Dassault Systemes CATIA; Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS; PTC Creo Parametric
Customer relationship management CRM software -- Contact management systems; Contract tracking software; Microsoft Dynamics CRM; Sage SalesLogix; Xero; Microsoft Dynamics; Salesforce software; Oracle Eloqua
Database management system software -- e.g., SQL server; MySQL; PostgreSQL; Teradata Database
Database reporting software -- e.g., SQL Server Reporting Services; SAP Crystal Reports
Database user interface and query software -- Data entry software; Microsoft Access; Structured query language SQL; Microsoft SQL Server; MySQL; Amazon Redshift; Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC; Amazon Web Services AWS software; Microsoft Access; Oracle JDBC; Transact-SQL; FileMaker Pro
Data mining software -- e.g., Google Analytics
Desktop publishing software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign; Adobe Systems Adobe FrameMaker; QuarkXPress; Microsoft Publisher; Scribus; Corel Ventura; MadCap Flare; MadCap Software MadCap Flare
Development environment software -- e.g., Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA; Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript; Eclipse IDE; Microsoft Azure
Document management software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat; OpenKM; DocuWare Cloud; Bitrix; Xpertdoc; Papertrail; Document Warehouse; GreatSoft’s online document management software; EMC Documentum
Electronic mail software -- e.g., Microsoft Outlook; IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange Server
Enterprise resource planning ERP software -- e.g., Sage; Infor; Xero; Sapama; ebizframe; Odoo; Macro 2000; SYSPRO ERP; QuickEasy BOS; TrueERP; Microsoft Dynamics; NetSuite ERP; Oracle Hyperion; SAP
Enterprise system management software -- Servers and workstations; IBM Power Systems software; Splunk Enterprise
Financial analysis software -- Analysis tools and metrics; Fathom; PayPie; Oracle Essbase; BusinessRadar
Graphics or photo imaging software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud; Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator; Adobe Systems Adobe Fireworks; Adobe Systems Adobe Flash; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop; Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite; Corel Painter GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP; Microsoft Visio; Trimble SketchUp Pro; SmugMug Flickr
Human resources software -- Human resource management software HRMS; Workforce management software; JSM HRIS Software; Sage; Aruti; Peopleplus; Impax HR Pro; HR Master; ADP Workforce Now; Ceridian; Oracle Taleo
Information retrieval or search software -- Lawgistix; Apache Avro; LexisNexis
Internet browser software -- e.g., Apple Safari; Microsoft Edge; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox
Inventory management software -- Inventory software
Map creation software -- Geographic information system GIS software; Orbital Africa; ESRI ArcGIS software; Maptitude Mapping Software
Object or component oriented development software -- e.g., C#; Apache Groovy; Advanced business application programming ABAP; C++; Python; Scala; Oracle Java; Practical extraction and reporting language Perl; Microsoft ActiveX
Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect Office; Microsoft Office; Google Workspace; Apache OpenOffice.org
Operating system software -- e.g., Apple macOS; Bash; Hewlett Packard HP-UX; Job control language JCL; KornShell; Linux; Microsoft Windows; Oracle Solaris; Red Hat Enterprise Linux; Shell script; Ubuntu; UNIX
Presentation software -- e.g., Google Slides; Apple iWork Keynote; Corel Presentations; Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software -- e.g., Confluence; Sapama Projects; Sciforma PPM solution; Xero Projects; Microsoft Project; Easy Projects; Microsoft SharePoint; Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Sales and marketing software -- e.g., Google AdWords; Instagram PeopleMap; Marketo Marketing Automation
Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets
Transaction security and virus protection software -- e.g., Kaspersky; McAfee; Symantec
Video creation and editing software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe Premiere Pro; Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects; Apple Final Cut Pro; Apple Final Cut Pro X; Avid Technology Media Composer; YouTube
Web page creation and editing software -- Social media sites; Facebook; LinkedIn
Web platform development software -- e.g., Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML; Extensible HyperText Markup Language XHTML; Backbone.js; Hypertext markup language HTML; Google AngularJS; JavaScript; Microsoft ASP.NET
Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs
Enterprising→ Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement→ Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.