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Sales Manager

Do you want to become a Sales Manager? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

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Sales managers organise a team of sales representatives and come up with strategies for the team to sell their company's products or services. They may be responsible for a large geographical area, or for particular products. Their customers could be individuals or businesses, and they could be responsible for selling any kind of product or service.

Their main duties include:

• recruiting and training a team of sales representatives
• devising a marketing plan and setting sales targets
• monitoring and encouraging the team
• compiling and analysing sales figures
• writing reports for head office.

Hours are usually 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, but there may be some late evenings and the occasional weekend. Sales managers are more office-based than their sales representatives, but they may have more long distance travel, attending conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions.

Salaries start at around £15,000 to £30,000 a year, and top salaries can be over £70,000. Most companies offer a basic salary with a bonus or commission scheme.

Sales managers should be:

• excellent organisers and communicators
• enthusiastic and energetic
• able to manage and motivate people
• interested in their company's specific products or services.

There are opportunities throughout the UK and abroad.

There are no set qualifications for the job, and most sales managers are promoted after gaining three or four years' experience in sales and a strong record of achievement. However, an increasing number of employers are recruiting applicants with a degree or an HNC/D. A full, clean driving licence is essential.

It is possible to become a sales manager at any age.

Most companies provide in-house training. There is also a range of part-time qualifications available from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management and the Managing and Marketing Sales Association.

Successful sales managers may be able to progress into senior management positions, such as sales director, or take responsibility for larger areas. Another possibility, particularly in science or engineering, is to move into research and product development.

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