How to Be an Outside Sales Rep
Outside sales reps are responsible for identifying selling opportunities within a specified geography or sales territory. By selling goods and services to targeted industries and companies, outside sales reps play a vital role in trade and commerce across all business lines. After learning general selling techniques and business principles, sales reps in specialized fields such as information technology, finance and pharmaceuticals may acquire additional training to become proficient in the language and needs of their customer base.
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Things You'll Need
- Previous sales experience (retail or inside)
- Industry training
- Prospect list
- Laptop or portable contact management device
- Vehicle
Instructions
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Gain experience in an inside sales role. To learn the fundamental steps in the sales process and practice selling, look for an inside sales position, preferably in the same industry you would like to sell in as an outside sales rep. If you are a college graduate, consider working with your career center to look for employers hiring for inside sales. If you not a college graduate, you can still find employment as an inside sales rep, especially if you have any previous work history in retail or business.
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Study your target industry. According to the Bureau of Labor, outside sales reps often possess a skill-based understanding of the industry in which they sell. If you have an interest in software sales, you should consider taking an inside sales role with a technology or telecommunications company to gain experience and expertise in the services, language and tools used in the industry. Also consider aligning your sales industry with your academic history. For financial service sales, a college degree in business or finance can be especially desirable.
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Pursue additional training or certification that can qualify you as a subject matter expert in your field. Some companies that feature specialized products and services offer in-house training to help salespeople learn about the industry. Also consider local college programs and seminars that offer specialized training in a target field such as insurance or medical products.
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Attend industry specific trade shows, seminars or other industry events. This accomplishes two important tasks: Attending industry functions provides additional learning opportunities and gives you an industry network of contacts, and attending events helps you to stay on top of industry trends and needs, and establish your name among industry contacts.
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Establish a client prospect list. Using your professional networking through events, begin building a database of contacts you identify as potential buyers of the product or service you sell. Maintain this prospect list and keep it updated by reaching out to your contacts periodically to update their contact information and interest level in your selling focus.
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Use a laptop or portable contact management device to stay connected to your office. Outside sales reps spend most of their time on the road visiting prospects and conducting sales calls. To stay up-to-date on meeting changes, or to address problems as they come up during the workday, you will need access to a laptop and other portable business management tools to exchange information and stay up to date during business hours.
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Maintain reliable transportation. Outside sales reps often visit their clients at their place of business to conduct presentations, product demonstrations or training. Most employers will reimburse sales reps for the use of their own vehicles or they may opt to provide outside sales reps with a vehicle to be used for offsite selling. Ensure you maintain the proper licensing for operating a vehicle, as well as the appropriate insurance coverage as a driver.
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References
- Photo Credit meeting image by Thorsten Frisch from Fotolia.com
