The Accidental Seller
The majority of working salespeople came into their jobs from other directions. That is, they didn't have formal training in sales before accepting the job. That includes many technical, retail, and telephone salespeople.
There are about 3 million technical salespeople in the United States, ranging from wholesale sales representatives (wholesale reps) to sales engineers and financial service agents. In addition, there are more than 9 million retail clerks and cashiers who work in the broadly defined sales field. The majority of these are accidental salespeople; they didn't plan on getting into sales. It just happened.
Technical Sales
For many, sales jobs evolve from technical jobs. For example, sales engineers sell technical products: computer systems, industrial chemicals, heavy equipment, and so on. Most sales engineers were first trained engineers who, for various reasons, accepted jobs selling what they know. Many are promoted from engineering positions and taught the basic skills of selling.
Other technical salespeople have some experience within the field, but require additional technical and sales training before they can begin selling. Real estate sales is a good example. Many real estate salespeople have knowledge of housing as a homeowner, contractor, or from the financial trades, but need additional training in real estate law and financing. They take courses in real estate sales or complete courses such as the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) training.
Technical salespeople are hired because they know their product and they have the people skills to help others buy their product. Often, they then must learn the basics of how to sell.
Retail Sales
Most people who serve in retail sales, too, never planned a career in this trade. They often are people of diverse skills with some basic knowledge of what they sell or how to help customers buy. At the entry level, retail clerks may not know more than their customers about the products and services offered. They are hired more to keep inventory on the shelves and answer basic questions about product and location and are paid accordingly.
Eventually, retail salespeople select a specialty or two that will earn them higher wages or possibly a commission on sales. For example, an experienced retail clerk may ask for an assignment to the discount store's jewelry department and then learn the product sufficiently to move on to an independent jewelry store. An experienced cashier may apply for a position with more sales opportunities and a higher wage.
In retail sales, new employees soon discover that the more they know about product and the buying process, the more income they can make. Knowledge and experience pay off. Chapter 5 offers further training in retail sales and how to advance your career — and income — in retail.
How much do technical salespeople make?
The answer depends on what level of technical knowledge is required in selling the product. It also depends on the price of the product or package that is sold. Many industrial sales engineers earn over $100,000 a year in salary, commissions, and bonuses. Commercial aircraft manufacturers pay their salespeople many hundreds of thousands of dollars for a sale; however, they may not have a sale for a year or two. There currently are about 75,000 sales engineers in the United States.
Telephone Sales
Another entry-level sales job is telephone sales, which, like other sales jobs, has been tarnished by unethical salespeople. However, the telephone is a dynamic sales tool that can reduce sales costs and make salespeople more productive.
Sales Writing
Another job that many accidentally enter is sales writing. People with writing skills discover that the craft of persuasive writing can pay off well. They take jobs writing advertising copy, promotional materials, sales literature, and other sales collateral. They often support sales and marketing people in communicating their messages to prospective buyers.
