Career as Sales Manager

Last Updated On 24 Oct, 2018

How to Become a Sales Manager

About Sales Manager

Sales manager job is to work on pricing, promotion, sales, marketing strategy, market research, advertising, product development and public relations activities. They direct the flow of products and services to customers. They also set goals, assign sales territories and conduct training sessions for sales representatives.

Skills Required by Sales Manager:

  • Good Communication/ People’s Skill
  • Team Leader
  • Attention to Detail
  • Conflict Management Skills
  • Ability to Motivate Others
  • Customer-Service Skills

Day-to-Day Duties of a Sales Manager

Sales Manager has to always keep his motivation level high so that he can motivate others and be responsible for a team of sales representatives. Some of the day-to-day duties of a sales manager are listed below:

  • Training Sales Representatives
  • Delegation Tasks to Sales Representatives
  • Planning and Developing Sales Strategies
  • Compiling and Analysing Sales Figures
  • Plan and Organise Training Programs
  • Monitor Team’s Performance
  • Report to Senior Managers

Sales Manager can be broadly classified into categories:

Business to Business Sales Manager: These sales managers oversee sales from one business to another. These managers may work for a manufacturer selling to a wholesaler, or a wholesaler selling to a retailer.

Business to Consumer Sales Manager: These sales managers oversee direct sales between businesses and individual consumers. These managers typically work in retail.

Eligibility to become Sales Manager

To become a sales manager, candidates must have an MBA degree in Sales and Marketing. Earlier, a diploma in sales would also work. However, with growing competition most of the MNC’s recruit candidates with an MBA degree and candidates who have maths/commerce background.

  • Candidates with B.Com/BBA degree at undergraduate level.
  • Candidates must have an MBA degree in Sales and Marketing with adequate professional experience are prefered.
  • Also, candidates who have additional certifications and diplomas in Sales are given preference over those who don't.

Types of Job Roles Sales Manager

There many job profiles available for Sales Manager in many industries. Some of them are:

Public Relations and Fundraising Managers: Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.

Public Relation Specialists: Their job role is to assist organizations/companies/individuals with building and maintaining a positive image in the public eye. This often includes developing press releases and drafting speeches

Customer Services Manager: Customer services managers develop service standards, deal with customer enquiries and manage the customer service team. It is very important for customer services manager to have good communication skills and to make sure that customer’s needs and expectations are satisfied.

Marketing Manager: Marketing managers plan how to promote products, services or brands and oversee all marketing activities in an organisation. They can find relevant job opportunities in sales and marketing agencies, or in marketing departments of organisations like financial services or manufacturing.

Employment Opportunities for Sales Manager

Sales department is present in almost every sector. The sales manager can find employment opportunities in the sales division of the following sectors:

  • Export Firms
  • Market Research 
  • Retailing
  • Advertising
  • Government Commerical Enterprises
  • IT Firms
  • Consultancies
  • Manufacturing, scientific, technical, consumer goods companies
  • Advertising
  • Finance and Insurance
  • Education
  • Hospitality
  • International Trade Firms

Top Recruiting Companies for Sales Manager

Every industry has a sales division and the jobs for sales manager are plenty. However, we have come up with a list of the most innovative, biggest and best sales and marketing companies, check them out:

  • Vodafone
  • Bharti Airtel
  • Cadbury
  • Coca-Cola India
  • PepsiCo
  • Sony India
  • ITC
  • Tata Motors
  • Nestle
  • LIC
  • L'Oreal India
  • Johnson & Johnson

Planning to choose Sales Manager as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of Sales Manager

Sales are one of such sectors where one earn very high salaries once they attain a stature in their professional front. Usually, people do not start their career as sales manager. At the beginning of their career, they are recruited as a Sales Representative. An average salary of a Sales Representative is between Rs. 3,50,000 tp Rs.4,00,000 annually. After a few years of experience, they are appointed as Junior Sales Manager and their average salary is between Rs 5,00,000 to Rs.10,00,000 annually. After 7-10 years of professional experience salary of a sales manager can go up to Rs.22,00,000 per annum.

Check out the salaries of sales managers in top industries.

Industry Average Annual Salary Sales Manager (Top Level)
Finance and InsuranceRs.20,00,000
Manufacturing Above 25,00,000
Wholesale Trade Rs.25,00,000
Retail Trade Rs.22,00,000

Note* These are approx figures and can vary. 

Books & Study Material to Become Sales Manager

To broaden your horizons and enhance your skills regarding customer behaviour, sale strategies etc it is very important to have a hold of best sales management books. Some of the popular sales books that every sales manager should read are listed below:

  • Sales.Management.Simplified by Mike Weinberg
  • The Accidental Sales Manager by Chris Lytle
  • Sales Management for Dummies by Butch Bellah
  • Cracking the Sales Management Code: The Secrets to Measuring and Managing Sales Performance by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana
  • Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and Marylou Tyler
  • 52 Sales Management Tip's- A Sales Manager Guide by Steven Rosen 

 

Pros of becoming a Sales Manager

  •  If you like being leader career as a sales manager is the right choice for you. You will be given plenty of opportunities to encourage, educate and, discipline individuals under your influence. 
  • Who wouldn’t want to travel the world? If you are someone who loves to visit new places and meet new people, being a sales manager is your ticket to see the world and interact with new people.
  • Sales manager are required in almost every sector/organisation/company. Therefore it is one of the safest career options.
  • Career as a sales manager offers potentially unlimited income and other perks.

Cons of becoming a Sales Manager

  • At times it can be difficult to juggle both being a leader and having to bring in business which can make the job a Sales Manager very stressful.
  • The job of a sales manager is very challenging as they are the people who bring in the business. When demands run high and they are unable to meet the same, it can leave them very unsatisfied.
  • The schedule of a sales manager is very unpredictable as they are always on the go, they tend to miss out on special occasions and family gatherings.
  • For those sales manager who are unable to modulate their stress levels, supervision can begin to feel like a prison sentence despite the lucrative benefits.

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FAQs about Sales Manager

I am pursuing B.B.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration) to become a Sales Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Management Consultant , a Human Resource Manager , an Operations Manager , a Retail Manager after studying B.B.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration).

I am pursuing BBA-MBA to become a Sales Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Human Resource Manager , an Operations Manager , an Entrepreneur , a Management Consultant after studying BBA-MBA.

I am pursuing M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) to become a Sales Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Management Consultant , an Operations Manager , a Retail Manager , a Banker after studying M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration).

I am pursuing P.G.D.M. (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) to become a Sales Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Digital Marketer , a Management Consultant , an Operations Manager , an Entrepreneur after studying P.G.D.M. (Post Graduate Diploma in Management).

I am pursuing P.G.P.M. (Post Graduate Program in Management) to become a Sales Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Management Consultant , an Operations Manager , a Human Resource Manager , a Digital Marketer after studying P.G.P.M. (Post Graduate Program in Management).

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