Are you aware of the sales opportunities available to you? What is the structure of sales titles? Don’t worry! This blog will discuss the hierarchy of sales titles and the job descriptions that accompany them. This article will help you find the right sales job for your skills.
Companies are looking for employees who can sell their products and services. Sales careers are for people who possess great communication skills and a compelling personality.
Any sales role should help clients understand, compare, and examine all options available to them when selecting a product or service.
Do you ever wonder which sales positions you might be able to take? How does the hierarchy of sales titles work? If so, don’t worry! We will be looking at the various sales titles and job descriptions in this article. You will be able to find the right sales job for you based on your abilities.
Introduction
Sales departments are crucial to companies because they deal with the business discipline of prospecting for new customers and converting them into loyal customers. Sales departments or businesses that are sales-focused might create specific progression paths for top performers to move up the sales ladder.
Salespeople must have a deep understanding of the product/service they sell and be able to answer any client questions. Salespeople must ensure that customers are satisfied with every sale. Because salespeople often have to deal with customers face to face, they must have excellent communication skills.
An executive sales position is the highest level of a sales career. It offers high remuneration and a lot of responsibility. This role requires financial accountability and maintaining client relationships with large corporations and companies that are willing to spend hundreds of thousand per month.
They should have extensive knowledge of their product.
Sales hierarchies are in some ways similar to military command structures. Managers manage progressively smaller groups of employees, as the hierarchy approaches the front line. The sales hierarchy has a variety of job titles, from sales associate to vice president of sales.
What are Sales Titles?
Your job title is simply a description of your job responsibilities. These titles can be tailored to the culture of your company, your industry, or even your region. If you work in a large corporation that has many divisions, each one may have its title.
There are many sales titles, from salesperson to sales manager. There are many sales positions within the sales department. These include inside sales representatives and outside sales representatives. The account manager is another example. Here are some examples:
– Inside Sales Representative – These reps work in a call center environment and usually handle small accounts or outbound sales calls. They answer customer questions and assist salespeople on the ground.
– Outside Sales Representative – These reps contact customers to sell products, services, and/or both. Common roles include account manager, sales engineer, sales consultant & account executive.
– Account Manager – This person is responsible to manage existing accounts and develop new sales opportunities.
– Sales Engineer – This sales rep specializes in complex sales that involve technical products, services, or both. After the sale has been closed, they provide support to customers and sales reps.
What is the Sales Titles Hierarchy?
Many companies and firms divide their sales team into tiers according to their skills, experience, and most importantly, their designations. These tiers are known as the Sales hierarchy.
Sales positions are similar to other jobs. They have clear sales titles. Let’s look at the following concept:
Sales Representative/Junior Sales Executive/Associate Senior Sales Executive/Specialist Manager/Director of Sales/Vice President of Sales
As one moves up the sales ladder, you’ll notice a pattern of increasing independence and responsibility. Sales representatives, for example, are expected to make sales by themselves. Sales managers, on the other hand, supervise several sales reps to ensure they exceed or meet company expectations.
Continue reading to find out about the different sales titles that you might be awarded, and which ones you should aim for in your sales career.
Entry-Level Sales Titles
If you are looking for sales experience without committing to a long-term, these sales positions can be a great option.
This is the lowest level of the sales staff hierarchy. This level of the Corporate Staff Hierarchy is always in demand. This level of professionals is often filled even though they have no previous experience or training in the discipline.
These are frontier employees, who are required to follow their superiors’ orders. The following job profiles can be used by entry-level salespeople:
- Senior Sales Analyst: Senior sales analyst is responsible for analyzing sales data and reporting it back to the appropriate people.
- Sales Assistant: These sales assistants typically work in entry-level sales positions and are responsible for performing clerical work in the sales department.
- Quality Analyst: These analysts inspect sales data to verify accuracy.
- Customer Care Representative: This sales representative focuses on customer satisfaction and making sure customers get the answers they need.
- Sales Associate: These sales associates handle smaller accounts and are focused on generating revenue for the company.
- Sales Engineer: Sales engineers assist customers in ensuring that they are happy with sales transactions. They also provide any support needed.
- Account Manager: Account managers are responsible for developing new sales opportunities as well as maintaining existing accounts
- Sales Representative: Sales reps are those who generate sales for the company.
- Account Executive: Account executives are responsible for ensuring customers are happy with sales transactions and providing any support needed.
- Sales Representative: Sales reps are those who generate sales for the company.
- Sales trainee: Sales trainees are sales reps who also do clerical work.
Titles for Mid-Level Sales Employees
These employees have years of sales experience and are focused on closing sales.
Most firms have several sections that allow them to manage and coordinate their operations. These locations are sometimes called a company’s branch.
These salespeople are mid-level and report to the ales directorate’s higher-ranking executives. They work in teams and direct the sales staff to achieve higher sales targets. These are the job roles that make up the middle-level salesperson hierarchy.
- Director of Sales: These high-ranking responsibilities include supervising sales team leaders, training new sales reps, and setting sales goals & tracking them.
- Sales Manager: These are sales reps who have been around for some time and have developed sales skills.
- Sales Branch Manager: These managers are responsible for overseeing sales within a particular geographic area.
- Assistant Sales Branch Manager: These sales reps have gained extensive experience and are now responsible to oversee sales in a particular area.
- Sales Director: Sales managers are responsible for overseeing sales in a specific area.
- Sales Executive: These are sales executives who have demonstrated themselves to be valuable assets for sales organizations.
- Sales Specialist: Sales specialists specialize in complex or trending sales transactions.
- Account Manager: Account managers are responsible for developing new sales opportunities as well as maintaining existing accounts.
- Market Research Analyst: These analysts analyze the sales market to identify sales opportunities and recommend new products.
- Senior Sales Analyst: Senior sales analyst is responsible for analyzing sales data and reporting it back to the appropriate people.
- Lead Development Officer: Sales managers who are responsible for developing new sales opportunities.
- Sales Development Representative: These sales representatives are employed within sales teams to fill sales opportunities through cold calling, emailing, and other activities.
- Sales Professionals: These are sales professionals who have sales in a particular industry or vertical.
- Administrative Assistant: This is a position that supports sales by answering sales calls and filing paperwork.
- Sales Coordinator: The sales coordinator provides administrative support, such as sales forecasting and sales reporting.
- Sales Consultant: A sales consultant works with sales managers and representatives to provide support and guidance.
- Inside Sales Consultant: These sales reps are focused on inside sales, and not outside sales.
- Junior Sales Consultants: Junior sales consultants provide support in sales such as sales forecasting and sales reporting.
- Team Leader: These are sales managers who train their team. Although they have a lot to do, they don’t have the power to make decisions for their team.
High-Level Sales Staff Titles
This is the highest level of the sales title hierarchy. They are responsible for the administration of the company.
They are responsible for inventing new ways to increase sales. These professionals also set sales targets for the company’s representatives. These professionals are the main decision-makers in any company’s sales department. You must be hardworking and dedicated, while also being driven by sales to get there.
- Chief Executive Officer: These are sales managers who have demonstrated themselves to be valuable assets within sales organizations. They have high-level responsibilities like sales management, operations, and strategy.
- Chief Sales Executive: These high-ranking sales managers manage all aspects of a company’s sales operations.
- CEO of Sales: These CEOs oversee sales within a particular industry or vertical, as well as sales management.
- Chief Executive Officer: The chief executive officer oversees sales for an entire company or industry.
- Controller: A controller manages financial transactions in a business, such as accounts receivable and accounts payable.
- National Sales Manager: These sales managers are responsible for overseeing sales in a particular geographic area.
- Regional Sales Manager: These regional sales managers support national sales teams by leading their sales teams.
- Executive Vice President of Sales: The executive vice president of sales oversees all aspects of the company’s sales team, including training, marketing, and branding as well as daily operation.
- General Manager of Sales: Sales managers in retail environments oversee the sales teams.
- Vice President of Sales: The vice president of sales is responsible for all aspects of the sales department, including training, marketing, branding, and daily operations.
- National Sales Coordinator and Distributor: These national sales coordinators and distributors provide support in sales such as sales forecasting and sales reporting.
- Senior Sales Accountant: Senior sales accounting works with sales to ensure accurate and well-organized sales transactions.
- Zonal Sales Manager: Zonal sales managers are responsible for supervising sales teams in a particular region and reporting sales figures to the top management.
- Sales Director: These sales directors are responsible for overseeing sales operations and creating sales strategies at the highest levels of an organization or industry.
- Senior Sales Consultants: Senior sales consultants provide support in sales such as sales forecasting and sales reporting.
- Senior Sales Engineer: Senior sales executives work with sales to ensure accurate and well-organized sales transactions.
- Head of Customer Acquisition: This person is responsible for creating marketing strategies to attract customers to the company’s products and services.
- Area Sales Manager: These managers are responsible for overseeing sales teams in their region and reporting sales figures to the top management.
- President of Sales and Marketing: The president of sales and marketing supervises all aspects of the sales department, including training, branding, marketing, and daily operations.
- Senior Sales Manager: These senior sales managers supervise sales teams in a particular region and report on sales figures to the top management.
- Sales Administrator: Sales managers provide support in sales such as sales forecasting and sales reporting.
- Global Sales Director: These sales directors are responsible for overseeing sales operations and creating sales strategies at the highest levels of an industry or organization.
Every company is different, so this blog only scratches the surface of what each sales role and job title entails. If your company is doing things differently, keep up the hard work. It pays!
You now know the different positions in a sales career and how they all work together. Which position is most appealing? There are many sales titles that you can choose from so you’re sure to find the right one for your skill set!