all about sales manager jobs
Sales managers perform all the duties of a sales representative while also leading a team. Your daily tasks will depend on company priorities and the current sales campaign you are executing.
Sales managers must stay at the top of their game to not only perform their duties as expected, but also to inspire those around them. Therefore, it is common for Sales Manager job candidates to have a diverse skillset in the areas of sales, marketing, communications, public speaking, management, and technology.
what sales manager jobs entail
As a manager, you supervise other professionals in the sales department. You likely work full-time hours in an office setting, though your work hours may vary, and some roles involve working evenings or weekends. Sales manager jobs typically report to senior level executives, such as the VP of Sales.
average sales manager salaries
As a sales manager, you have a great earning potential, especially if you have the ability to get the most out of your sales reps. How much you will make annually will depend on a number of factors such as where you work, the pay structure of your company, and the type of sales management position you hold. Often your annual salary will be a mix of incentive bonus and sales commission in addition to the base salary.
Sales manager jobs pay more than their sales representative counterparts due to the managerial responsibilities they hold. Still, there is no baseline for income, as Sales Managers in one field, such as healthcare, may have far different median salaries than those in another field, such as IT.
your day to day tasks
All the responsibilities of sales managers involve the use of problem-solving skills and customer service abilities. Some of the tasks sales managers may be required to perform include:
- prospecting for clients
- contacting clients
- closing deals
- upselling and cross-selling
- implementing best practice selling strategies
- recruiting for your team
- training new hires and assessing their progress
- coaching and training
- generating sales reports and assessing performance
- reporting to senior sales leaders
where you can work
Sales managers can work in any city and in any industry across Canada. All companies that offer products and services require sales professionals to sell their goods and services to other businesses and to consumers. Expect more opportunities in larger cities and regions with a high presence of sales activity.
what you bring to the table
Here are some of the skills you will need to be a successful sales manager:
- strong sales skills
- ability to motivate, coach, mentor and train
- business and IT acumen
- communication skills
- listening skills and ability to understand people from multiple perspectives
- strong interpersonal skills
- high attention to detail
- organization and planning skills
- ability to stay cool under pressure
training and certifications
Though some sales manager positions only require a high school degree (or equivalent), as well as a certain amount of experience, there are also many companies that prefer to hire sales managers with university degrees. This is dependent upon the field in which the sales manager will be working. A university or college degree in business, communications, or other related fields is an asset.
Most sales managers need to have at least 1-2 years of sales experience before they are considered ready for a supervisory position. Additionally, they must show a proven record of their customer service, business development, recruitment and organizational skills acumen.
where your career is headed
Every sized company needs sales representatives, and those with a sales team need a sales manager at the helm. There is no expectation that sales manager jobs will wane any time in the near future. There are lots of opportunities for sales managers to pursue. As a regional sale manager, you can move up to positions such as national sales manager, operations manager, business development manager, and sales director.