Sales Managers
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.
Also known as: Account Manager, Area Sales Manager, Area Supervisor, BD Director (Business Development Director), BD Executive (Business Development Executive), BD Manager (Business Development Manager), Business Developer, Channel Manager, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Faster than average)
What You'd Do
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
- Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate, or other subjects of sale.
- Determine price schedules and discount rates.
- Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
- Direct, coordinate, and review sales and service accounting and record-keeping, as well as receiving and shipping.
- Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.
- Advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of business.
- Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
- Represent company at trade association meetings to promote products.
- Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
- Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.
- Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs, and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
- Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
- Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.
- Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.
- Assess marketing potential of new and existing store locations, considering statistics and expenditures.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.