OVERVIEW
What is a Sales Representative?
A sales representative interacts directly with customers throughout all phases of the sales process. They’re responsible for identifying a customer’s needs, pitching relevant products or services, and ensuring they have a positive experience from start to finish.
In some cases, a sales associate will cold call prospects they find through business directories or client referrals. Other times, “warm” leads that have already expressed interest will be forwarded by their company’s marketing team. Being a successful sales rep requires building and maintaining customer relationships, communicating effectively, and consistently seeking new business opportunities.
Because success is often tied directly to results, many sales representatives are expected to reach a quota each month. Accordingly, income often reflects performance. If you’re the type of person who wants to control your own financial destiny rather than working for a traditional fixed salary, this is a career to consider.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Sales Representative Do?
Sales representatives act as the frontline connection between a company and its customers, playing a direct role in business growth. From retail sales and service sales to roles where they sell products or negotiate contracts, you can find these professionals in a variety of positions. While sales rep job requirements vary from company to company, these are some common day-to-day responsibilities:
- Selling products or services to customers and representing the brand. This often involves asking questions to identify customer needs, giving demos or presentations, and maintaining long-term relationships with clients.
- Generate leads and new sales by reaching out through various channels such as email, phone, text, and social media.
- Negotiating and using persuasion techniques to overcome objections and close deals that benefit both the company and the customer.
- Submitting and processing orders to ensure customers receive the products or services they request on time.
- Participating in company meetings with sales managers and other sales reps. This usually involves providing a recap of recent results and accomplishments to show they’re hitting their quotas.
Because the sales industry is always evolving, successful sales representatives regularly engage in ongoing training, workshops, and networking events. These opportunities help them sharpen their skills, stay current with industry trends, and build a strong professional network.
Where Do Sales Representatives Work?
Sales reps can work in a variety of settings, depending on the company and type of sales. Common roles include:
- B2B sales: where they sell to other businesses. These sales representatives help clients find solutions that help them grow and improve their business operations and boost revenue.
- B2C sales: where they sell to individual customers. These sales agents focus on selling directly to end users.
- Inside sales: where a rep works out of their office (either on-site or at home) and sells through email and phone.
- Outside sales: where a rep meets with prospects in person face-to-face. This often involves having a particular territory a rep is responsible for maintaining.
Sometimes there is an overlap in these roles. For example, advertising sales agents are typically B2B and can work in either inside or outside sales roles depending on the company and client base. As remote work becomes common, more sales roles offer flexible or hybrid options, especially in inside sales positions.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
What Education Does a Sales Representative Need?
This sales professional role may not require employees to have a formal degree, and a basic high school diploma is enough to get hired. However, most experts agree that it’s ideal for prospective sales representatives to have at least a bachelor’s degree in business or marketing as it opens more doors. A bachelor’s degree in marketing focuses on key skills like sales management, consumer behavior, communication, and branding—ideal for launching a sales career.
If you’re looking for a more advanced degree that can potentially lead to a leadership role at some point in the future, you may want to opt for a master’s degree. A master of business administration (MBA) or even a Master of Science Management and Leadership are two great options to consider, as they can provide access to professional networks, practical experiences working with real-world business challenges and scenarios, and a higher-level understanding of business principles and leadership strategies needed to succeed. WGU’s accredited online business degree programs are designed to help working professionals gain the knowledge and credentials needed to thrive in the sales industry.
Best Degrees for a Business Manager
Business
Business Management – B.S.
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:...
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:
- Time: 61% of graduates finish within 19 months
- Tuition: $3,830 per 6-month term
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé this program will teach you include:
- Business communication
- Product development
- Decision making models
- Project management strategies
- Budgeting for business
This online degree program is an excellent choice for kick-starting your organizational management career.
Business
Marketing – B.S.
For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:...
For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:
- Time: 60% of graduates finish within 19 months.
- Tuition: $3,830 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 37 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Communication
- Marketing
- Sales
- Management
- Project Management
- Product Management
Marketing is a creative and exciting field—and one where an undergraduate degree will open better opportunities.
Business
Management and Leadership – M.S.
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and...
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and leading teams:
- Time: 60% of graduates can finish in 17 months.
- Tuition: $4,805 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé that this program will teach you:
- Leadership
- Management
- Coordinating
- Communications
- Performance Management
- Planning
Develop a comprehensive suite of leadership skills and your confidence to navigate changing business structures.
Business
Master of Business Administration
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management,...
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management, strategy, and leading teams:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition: $4,805 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Leadership strategies
- Talent management
- Communication
- Data collection and interpretation
- Financial statements
Our competency-based model gives you an innovative learning experience you won't find anywhere else—and our MBA grads tell us they loved accelerating their program to see a faster ROI.
Business
Business Leadership Certificate – School of Business
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the...
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the help of a leadership certificate from the School of Business.
- Time: 4 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $1,125 for the certificate.
- Courses: 3 courses total in this program.
This program is for emerging leaders, however this program does not require a bachelor’s degree, and provides transferable credit towards a WGU degree program.
Whether you aspire to work for a Fortune 500 organization, a government agency, a non-profit organization, or a fast-paced start-up, this certificate can give you the keys to success in a variety of industries, including:
- Finance and Banking
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- IT
- Consulting
- Nonprofit
- Government
Business
B2B Sales Fundamentals Certificate - School of Business
Enhance your résumé and progress in your educational journey with the help...
Enhance your résumé and progress in your educational journey with the help of a B2B Sales Fundamentals Certificate from the School of Business.
- Time: 4 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $799 for the certificate.
- Courses: 3 courses total in this program.
This program is designed for those new to B2B sales or looking to pivot into a more client-facing role, however this program does not require a bachelor’s degree.
Whether you're pivoting from customer service, retail, operations, or support—or you're brand new to sales—this certificate prepares you for entry-level B2B selling roles across industries like:
- Technology and Software
- Manufacturing
- Business Services
- Logistics and Supply Chain
- Healthcare
How Much Does a Sales Representative Make?
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As of October 2025, sales representatives earn an average annual salary of around $60,242, according to Salary.com. Income ranges from $42,385 for entry-level roles, and top earners bring in around $76,993.
Factors determine earning potential, include:
- Location. Sales reps in larger markets often earn higher salaries than those in smaller regions.
- Education. Earning a degree can lead to more opportunities and higher pay, especially for those in technical sales.
- Certifications. Professional certifications can boost credibility, opportunities, and earning potential.
- Experience. As with most careers, more experience often correlates to higher compensation.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
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There are a few factors that influence the demand and opportunities for individuals working as sales reps, such as market trends, macroeconomic factors, major employers (e.g. government), and sociological changes. According to the BLS, there’s a projected 1% growth in this career field. While that number may seem modest, there are about 142,100 job openings projected each year.
While advances in AI and automation may limit growth in some sectors, overall volume will continue to rise and online sales are expected to complement, rather than replace, in-person selling. With rapid advancements in technology like CRM platforms and video conferencing software, inside sales reps are highly in-demand at the moment, which makes this a particular area of sales to focus on when pursuing this career.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Sales Representative Need?
There are a wide range of skills that contribute to the success of sales reps. Here are some of the most important:
- Strong interpersonal skills. Sales reps need a mix of verbal communication and listening skills, along with the ability to articulate how a product or service meets a customer’s needs.
- Critical thinking skills. They must be able to identify a prospect’s problems and quickly come up with effective, value-based solutions.
- Presentation skills. Product or service demos are often part of this role, and reps must be able to clearly explain core features and benefits to prospective and existing customers.
- Negotiation. Sales representatives regularly face objections and concerns from leads, and must be adept at negotiating and closing deals that benefit both the customer and the company.
- Relationship management. Building, nurturing, and maintaining relationships helps ensure a positive customer experience.
- Product knowledge. A solid understanding of a company's products is essential for guiding prospective customers through the sales pipeline.
- Technical proficiency. Successful sales professionals use CRM tools like Salesforce to track leads, manage customer data, and collaborate with their sales team.
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