MightyRecruiterPeople who work in outside sales are responsible for generating leads and using them to sell the company’s products. They use business directories, attend trade shows and find other methods to identify potential customers, discuss their needs and demonstrate how the company can meet them. Outside sales also includes answering questions and addressing concerns about product use and availability as well as price.
As you write your outside sales job description, mention the importance of communication skills. Employees must be skilled not only in conveying their message but also in taking cues from others’ tones of voice or body language and adjusting the pitch accordingly.
Employees in the field interact with people on a daily basis and must have excellent organizational and time management skills. Read this outside sales job description template to help you determine what else to include in your own description.
Outside Sales Job Summary
Are you a true people person? Do you love sharing your stories and learning the stories of others? If so, we are looking for you. As an outside sales representative, you will spend your days interacting with people from all walks of life, teaching them about our products and services and showing how they meet a potential client’s needs. You’ll exercise your persuasion skills on a daily basis as you travel around the city to demonstrate products or meet with potential customers who have scheduled appointments to learn more information. If you love to work independently and want a flexible schedule, this is the job for you.
Job Responsibilities
- Contact potential customers via telephone or in person to demonstrate products, answer questions about use, availability and pricing and show them how the product can meet their needs or solve a problem for them
- Generate leads by cold calling potential customers, using business directories or demonstrating our product in local business establishments
- Follow up on sales to ensure the customer has received the proper service and is fully satisfied with the product he or she received
- Maintain the company image by acting ethically and professionally and being courteous and friendly during every interaction with potential or current customers
- Attend training classes to learn about new products, gain insight into the best demonstration methods and learn techniques for engaging people and turning them into customers
- Maintain a professional physical image, including being well-groomed, wearing appropriate clothing when working and keeping a well-maintained vehicle
- Assist current customers by answering questions, addressing concerns, helping them complete documentation and processing returns when necessary
- Work closely with the inside sales team and support personnel to develop strategies and share knowledge regarding customers, products and sales techniques
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- At least 2 years of experience in sales
- Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
- Valid driver’s license, insurance and a good driving record
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in sales or a similar field
- Proven experience as an outside sales representative
Outside Sales Job Responsibilities
Outside sales reps are the lifeblood of many companies. If yours is one of them, finding the right candidates can be just as difficult as it is important. There is a unique skill set required, and in many ways, the reputation of your business relies on the individual you hire. How can you improve your prospects? Crafting an excelling outside sales job description with a meaty and well-written job responsibilities section is one of the first steps to taking your candidate pool to the next level.
Though your entire job posting is important, you should pay special attention to the outside sales job responsibilities section. This is the portion that will tell prospective applicants exactly what to expect from the position, and it is your opportunity to make the job sound exciting. To do so, consider using action words and make the list easy to read by formatting it in bullet points. Your outside sales job description should include between six and eight responsibilities such as the following:
- Utilize marketing materials to educate prospective clients on the benefits of company’s products and services
- Travel to sales conventions, professional gatherings and other events for promotional purposes
- Establish relationships with prospective customers and develop contacts to garner sales and build lasting clientele
- Maintain contacts via email, phone calls and social media in order to convey positive impression of company
Outside Sales Job Specifications
After reading the job responsibilities, many jobseekers will likely want to apply. You know that interest and qualification are not the same thing, though, and you need to establish some criteria in order to separate ideal candidates from those who won’t be a good fit. You can do this by indicating outside sales job specifications you require of your employees. Candidates who read your outside sales job description carefully should understand what to expect.
There is a number of criteria you may include in the job qualifications and skills section of your outside sales job description, but some of the most common are a minimum education level, the number of years of experience you expect and any skills that are imperative to the job. You can list these in a bullet point list, and doing so will help deter both under- and overqualified jobseekers from applying and wasting your time. Consider including between four and six items like the following examples:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, business or advertising
- At least 2 years of experience in outside sales
- Proven track record of success in B2B sales
- Superior written and spoken communication skills
- Proficient in Microsoft suite and client management software
