what is an outside sales representative?
As an outside sales representative, you sell products and services through face-to-face meetings. You travel to meet prospects and attend industry events and trade shows to market the company's products or services. Outside sales representatives are also called field sales reps, as they must travel to market the company's products and sometimes do door-to-door sales.
Your success as an outside sales representative depends on your ability to build in-person relationships with potential customers. Unlike inside sales representatives, who close sales deals without meeting prospects, you build trust through in-person interactions and body language. As an outside sales representative, you are always on the go. While you may have an office, you spend most of the workday interacting with prospective customers and closing sales deals.
As an outside sales representative, you will be in charge of a particular area. You meet clients in their office or place of business within your assigned region. Aside from selling products, you provide after-sale services and build customer loyalty through face-to-face interactions.
Aside from meeting clients, you also follow the standard sales process for the company. For instance, you use customer relationship management (CRM) software to keep track of your customers. Since you invest a lot of time into each lead, you focus on large-value deals by qualifying leads before arranging face-to-face meetings.
Would working as an outside sales representative suit your sales skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an outside sales representative role.
view our jobsaverage outside sales representative salary
According to Job Bank, you earn an average salary of $89,413 per year as an outside sales representative in Canada. That works out to an average hourly rate of $45.85 per hour. In an entry-level position, you start with an annual salary of $61,266. After gaining sufficient experience, you can demand a higher salary due to the years of experience and additional skills you bring to the table. The most experienced outside sales representatives take home up to $110,000 per year.
how to increase your earnings as an outside sales representative
As an outside sales representative, your earnings depend on your experience and skills. When you have a few years of experience under your belt, you are likely to earn more than an outside sales representative who's just starting out.
The items you sell also influence your earnings. When you sell high-value items, such as luxury cars or tech products, you may earn a higher commission for closing deals. On the other hand, selling retail items with a low value attracts a lower salary. Since some employers pay bonuses and sales commissions, the number of deals you close influences your earnings.
The company's size also affects your earnings. When you work in a large company with more available resources, you have additional responsibilities, earning you a higher salary.
types of outside sales representatives
Some of the types of outside sales representatives include:
- B2B outside sales representatives: as a business-to-business (B2B) outside sales representative, you sell products or services to businesses. Selling directly to businesses requires more creativity, and you need great strategies to close business deals. Since B2B deals can be recurring sales, you negotiate contracts with companies to supply products or services regularly.
- B2C outside sales representatives: as a business-to-consumer (B2C) outside sales representative, you sell your company’s products directly to customers. Sometimes, a successful sale becomes a one-time transaction, but selling to customers may be easier since they are not familiar with the sales tactics you employ.
working as an outside sales representative
Working as an outside sales representative involves selling services or products through face-to-face interactions. Let’s check out the specific duties, responsibilities and work environments associated with the role.
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what does an outside sales representative do?
Some of the duties and responsibilities of outside sales representatives include:
- developing new business leads: as an outside sales representative, you are assigned a region to market the company’s products and services. Your job is to research the market and identify potential customers. You also get leads from inside sales reps or customer services agents, which you follow up on and negotiate to close deals.
- researching and qualifying leads: before you meet prospects, you research their requirements. You qualify business leads and reach out to them to arrange meetings. If it is a B2B lead, you research the company's values and opportunities and prepare a personalized proposal.
- following up on leads: you conduct face-to-face meetings with clients and potential customers. You meet B2B prospects at the client's business premises. When you sell directly to potential customers, you meet them anywhere. You may even do door-to-door selling to improve revenue and generate brand awareness.
- handling customer concerns: as an outside sales representative, you build and maintain good relationships with customers. That means you promptly handle any issues they may have. You also organize after-sales services, such as product installation or arranging delivery. When you handle their issues faster, you build brand loyalty and encourage repeat business.
- participating in trade shows: as an outside sales representative, you are in charge of building brand awareness. Proper branding involves attending conferences, trade shows, and other industry events to showcase the company’s products and services.
- renewing or negotiating contract terms: as an outside sales rep, you work closely with customers and identify new business opportunities. You renew contracts and negotiate the terms for repeat customers. You also provide discounts and other perks to promote repeat business.
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work environment of an outside sales representative
Outside sales representatives work in diverse industries, from manufacturing to technology companies. While you work in diverse fields, the work environments are almost similar. You spend part of your day researching leads, writing reports and updating the CRM in the office. However, you spend most of your day outside the office, meeting clients in their office or preferred location. For instance, you may meet clients in hotels, golf courses or restaurants to discuss business contracts.
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who are your colleagues?
As an outside sales representative, you work alongside sales associates, sales representatives and inside sales representatives. You also work under the supervision of field sales managers, sales managers, account managers and marketing managers. Other professionals you are likely to interact with include customer service representatives and marketing executives.
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outside sales representative work schedule
The typical work schedule of an outside sales representative is 40 hours a week. You work traditional office hours since you meet clients during the day. However, you will likely work occasional evenings when meeting prospective customers after regular working hours. Attending industry events and trade shows may also involve working over the weekend. As an outside sales representative, your workday is not structured. That means you plan your schedule and find ways to maximize your day.
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career opportunities as an outside sales representative
An outside sales representative job is a good entry-level position to begin your career in sales. If you improve your skills, you can earn your way into higher sales roles. Climb the corporate ladder by becoming a sales coordinator, sales executive or account manager. Some outside sales reps become sales managers and supervise a team of salespeople.
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advantages of finding a job as an outside sales representative through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- Always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- Many training opportunities
- A range of jobs in your area
outside sales representative skills and education
Some of the educational requirements for outside sales representatives include:
- educational qualifications: having a secondary school education can land you an outside sales representative role. However, some employers may expect a bachelor's degree in sales or marketing or a college diploma in a field relevant to the industry you wish to work in.
- work experience and certifications: Even if you lack certain educational qualifications, your work experience improves your career prospects. Having visual merchandising experience or previous experience working in any sales role prepares you for an outside sales representative position. In some provinces, you need a licence to work as a direct seller. For instance, you require a licence from the Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB) to work as a direct seller in New Brunswick. In Saskatchewan, sales licences are issued by the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA).
competencies and characteristics of outside sales representatives
Outside sales representatives require the following skills:
- interpersonal skills: as an outside sales representative, you rely on verbal and non-verbal communication skills to excel in your role. Since you work closely with customers, you need good listening skills and the ability to explain how products work.
- critical thinking skills: as an outside sales representative, you diagnose your prospect’s problem fast. You should also come up with solutions quickly to facilitate sales. Your critical thinking skills help you build relationships with your clients by demonstrating how your product solves their problems.
- presentation skills: as an outside sales representative, you pitch to potential customers or businesses on a daily basis. Sometimes, you perform product demos and explain the product features to clients. Your presentation skills are useful in making great pitches to prospects.
- negotiation skills: as an outside sales representative, you negotiate product prices and contract terms with prospective clients. Hence, having adept negotiation skills is useful for the role.
FAQs about outside sales representative jobs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of an outside sales representative.
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what does an outside sales representative do?
As an outside sales representative, you identify potential customers in a particular region and sell products or services through face-to-face interaction. You organize meetings with clients to explain product features and negotiate contract terms. Other duties include writing reports and updating data in the CRM to keep track of the business's clients.
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how much does an outside sales representative earn in Canada?
As an outside sales representative, you earn an average salary of $89,413 per year. In an entry-level position, you receive a salary of $61,266 annually. With experience, you take home over $110,000 per year.
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what makes a good outside sales representative?
Since you spend most of the day interacting with potential customers, you require people skills to excel in your role. It is also important to have good communication and listening skills, as you must relay information clearly and listen to the concerns of your customers.
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how do you become an outside sales representative?
As long as you have sufficient work experience, you can become an outside sales rep without a college diploma or university degree. However, having educational qualifications and professional certifications improves your earning potential and employment prospects.
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is outside sales representative a good career?
An outside sales rep role opens up many opportunities in sales. You can improve your skills and gain experience to move into senior sales positions. You also enjoy various perks, including bonuses and commissions.
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how do I find a job as an outside sales representative?
Finding a job near you as an outside sales representative is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
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