Life As a Sales Manager
Sales Manager Job Description Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
A Day in the Life of a Sales Manager
- Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
- Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.
- Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
- Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
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Skills Needed to be a Sales Manager
These are the skills Sales Managers say are the most useful in their careers:
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Other Sales Manager Job Titles
- Sales Vice President
- Territory Sales Manager
- Business Developer
- Artist Relationship Manager
- Business Development Manager
Sales Manager Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 385,500 jobs for Sales Manager in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 28,900 new jobs for Sales Manager by 2026. The BLS estimates 36,300 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Sales Manager are Utah, Nevada, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Sales Manager Salary
Sales Managers make between $58,940 and $208,000 a year.
Sales Managers who work in New York, Delaware, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sales Managers make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $115,750 |
| Alaska | $109,210 |
| Arizona | $113,430 |
| Arkansas | $119,090 |
| California | $134,010 |
| Colorado | $160,320 |
| Connecticut | $152,760 |
| Delaware | $174,940 |
| District of Columbia | $132,870 |
| Florida | $125,050 |
| Georgia | $140,820 |
| Hawaii | $101,480 |
| Idaho | $103,780 |
| Illinois | $131,400 |
| Indiana | $129,020 |
| Iowa | $117,170 |
| Kansas | $147,230 |
| Kentucky | $121,260 |
| Louisiana | $106,850 |
| Maine | $121,130 |
| Maryland | $147,530 |
| Massachusetts | $151,010 |
| Michigan | $142,340 |
| Minnesota | $132,420 |
| Mississippi | $108,100 |
| Missouri | $133,570 |
| Nebraska | $107,030 |
| New Hampshire | $152,120 |
| New Jersey | $168,950 |
| New Mexico | $105,240 |
| New York | $198,390 |
| North Carolina | $147,690 |
| North Dakota | $108,500 |
| Ohio | $134,600 |
| Oklahoma | $111,360 |
| Oregon | $126,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $151,620 |
| Rhode Island | $161,970 |
| South Carolina | $118,750 |
| South Dakota | $128,760 |
| Tennessee | $111,700 |
| Texas | $148,000 |
| Utah | $122,190 |
| Vermont | $140,260 |
| Virginia | $170,760 |
| Washington | $140,700 |
| West Virginia | $102,280 |
| Wisconsin | $135,940 |
| Wyoming | $117,350 |
What Tools & Technology do Sales Managers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Sales Managers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- SAS
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
Becoming a Sales Manager
Learn what Sales Manager education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Sales Manager?
Who Employs Sales Managers?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
Image Credit: Mike Moore via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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