What is a sales executive?
Sales Executives run departments whose primary function is to offer goods and services to customers so their companies can turn a profit. They are responsible for planning, implementing, managing and overseeing the company’s overall sales strategy.
How to become a sales executive?
The apprenticeship route you take will depend on the kind of products or services you want to sell. You could do a:
- Level 3 IT technical salesperson higher apprenticeship
- Level 4 Sales executive higher apprenticeship
- Level 6 Business to business sales professional degree apprenticeship
Apprenticeships in retail, customer service or marketing may also give you useful experience for getting into this role.
Sales executive duties
Sales executive duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Contact potential and existing customers on the phone, per email, and in person
- Handle customer questions, inquiries, and complaints
- Prepare and sending quotes and proposals
- Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards
- Cold call to arrange meetings with potential customers to prospect for new business
- Check the quantities of goods on display and in stock
- Listen to customer requirements and present appropriately to make a sale
- Make accurate, rapid cost calculations and provide customers with quotations
Sales executive skills
To be an effective sales executive, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Maturity
- Confidence
- Perseverance
- Patience
- Presentation Skills
- Client Relationships
- Emphasizing Excellence
- Energy Level
- Negotiation
- Prospecting Skills
How to find a sales executive job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the sales executive jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for sales executive jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Sales Executive Job Titles
When you search for sales executive jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for sales executive jobs include;
- Sales representative
- Field Sales Executive
- Area Sales Executive
- Sales Support Executive
- Sales Administration Executive
- Sales person
- Sales associate
- Sales consultant
What does a sales executive do?
The day-to-day tasks of a sales executive include;
- Contact new and existing customers
- Make presentations to promote new products
- Agree sales, prices and delivery
- Manage customer enquiries and issues
- Record orders
- Go to conferences to understand industry trends
- Meet sales targets