Career Profile: Career Profile - Sales Representatives,...

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 280,700 people employed as career profile - sales representatives,... in the United States. The median annual salary is $94,840. Entry level employees earn approximately $44,460 per year and senior employees earn approximately $168,320 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
• Prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications.
• Arrange for installation and testing of products or machinery.
• Initiate sales campaigns to meet sales and production expectations.
• Obtain building blueprints or specifications for use by engineering departments in bid preparations.
• Verify accuracy of materials lists.
• Verify customer credit ratings.
• Appraise equipment to determine contract terms or trade-in values.
• Consult with engineers regarding technical problems with products.
• Sell technical and scientific products that are environmentally sound or designed for environmental remediation.
• Visit establishments, such as pharmacies, to determine product sales.
• Present information to customers about the energy efficiency or environmental impact of scientific or technical products.
• Inform customers about issues related to responsible use and disposal of products, such as waste reduction or product or byproduct recycling or disposal.
• Research and convey information to customers about tax benefits or government rebates associated with energy-efficient scientific or technical products, such as solar panels.
• Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
• Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
• Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
• Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
• Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms.
• Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications.
• Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs.
• Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
• Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment.
• Complete expense reports, sales reports, or other paperwork.
• Verify that delivery schedules meet project deadlines.
• Identify prospective customers, using business directories, leads from existing clients, participation in organizations, or trade show or conference attendance.
• Inform customers of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties, or other information pertaining to purchased products.
• Collaborate with colleagues to exchange information, such as selling strategies or marketing information.
• Provide customers with ongoing technical support.
• Advise customers on product usage to improve production.
• Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products.
• Stock or distribute resources, such as samples or promotional or educational materials.
• Attend sales or trade meetings or read related publications to obtain information about market conditions, business trends, environmental regulations, or industry developments.
• Sell service contracts for technical or scientific products.
• Demonstrate the operation or use of technical or scientific products.
• Provide feedback to product design teams so that products can be tailored to clients' needs.

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