Sales Rep for Wholesale and Manufacturing

Also called: Account Representative, Account Specialist, Agricultural Produce Commission Agent, Apparel Trimmings Sales Representative, Architectural Supplies Sales Representative

Varies

estimated salary

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

  • Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
  • Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
  • Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
  • Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
  • Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
  • Provide customers with product samples and catalogs.
  • Monitor market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as preparing sales budgets and reports, keeping sales records, and filing expense account reports.
  • Contact regular and prospective customers to demonstrate products, explain product features, and solicit orders.
  • Identify prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.
  • Negotiate with retail merchants to improve product exposure, such as shelf positioning and advertising.
  • Check stock levels and reorder merchandise as necessary.
  • Plan, assemble, and stock product displays in retail stores, or make recommendations to retailers regarding product displays, promotional programs, and advertising.
  • Negotiate details of contracts and payments.
  • Prepare drawings, estimates, and bids that meet specific customer needs.
  • Obtain credit information about prospective customers.
  • Forward orders to manufacturers.
  • Arrange and direct delivery and installation of products and equipment.
  • Buy products from manufacturers or brokerage firms and distribute them to wholesale and retail clients.
Work Context
  • Contact With Others — 100% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Telephone — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Deal With External Customers — 93% responded "Extremely important".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 92% responded "Extremely important".
  • Electronic Mail — 81% responded "Every day".
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 89% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 71% responded "Every day".
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Work Activities
  • Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Prepare sales or other contracts.
  • Negotiate prices or other sales terms.
  • Answer customer questions about goods or services.
  • Recommend products or services to customers.
  • Explain technical product or service information to customers.
  • Demonstrate products to consumers.
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Knowledge

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.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

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.
Social Perceptiveness
  • Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Negotiation
  • Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
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Abilities

Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS Hot Technology
  • Medical condition coding software Hot Technology
  • Epic Systems Hot Technology
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Exchange Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
  • IBM Notes Hot Technology
  • Mozilla Thunderbird
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