Career Profile: Sales Managers

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 469,800 people employed as sales managers in the United States. The median annual salary is $127,490. Entry level employees earn approximately $61,090 per year and senior employees earn approximately $208,000 (or more) per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.
• Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
• Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
• Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
• Determine price schedules and discount rates.
• Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
• Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
• Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
• Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
• Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.
• Advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of business.
• Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.
• Represent company at trade association meetings to promote products.
• Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
• Assess marketing potential of new and existing store locations, considering statistics and expenditures.
• Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.
• Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.

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