Life As a Sales Manager
Example of Sales Manager Job 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.
Life As a Sales Manager: What Do They Do?
- Determine price schedules and discount rates.
- Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.
- Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
- Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
Qualities of 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.
Types of Sales Manager Jobs
- Retail District Manager
- Artist Relationship Manager
- Utility Sales and Service Manager
- Sales Supervisor
- Sales Manager
Job Demand for Sales Managers
There were about 385,500 jobs for Sales Manager in 2016 (in the United States). 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 36,300 job openings in this field each year.
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.
What is the Average Salary of a Sales Manager
The typical yearly salary for Sales Managers is somewhere between $58,940 and $208,000.
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Sales Managers
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
Education needed to be a Sales Manager:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Sales Managers Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Sales Managers employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: Mike Moore via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.