Sales Manager
Tasks & duties
Sales managers may do some or all of the following:
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work out how much demand there will be for products or services
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prepare budgets and sales plans
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work out price lists, discounts, delivery terms and sales quotas
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advise other managers on public reaction to products or services
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organise training for sales representatives
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assign sales targets to sales representatives
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supervise sales representatives, and ensure sales targets are met
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allocate districts to sales representatives
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undertake promotional work
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report to the general manager or marketing manager
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organise staff meetings
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co-ordinate and facilitate the companies customer service standards
Skills & knowledge
Sales managers need to have:
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knowledge of the products or services being sold, the market for those products or services, and how to advertise or promote them
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knowledge of finance and budgeting, including skills in making calculations
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good communication and people skills, including the ability to analyse clients' needs and manage sales teams
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planning, organisational and decision-making ability
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computer and administrative skills
Entry requirements
A driver's licence and relevant sales and retail experience are usually required to become a sales manager.
Secondary education
Four years of secondary school education is required. Useful subjects include English, maths with statistics, economics and accounting.
Tertiary education
A university degree, especially in commerce, human resources or marketing, is useful.
Training on the job
Skills are gained on the job. Sales managers may also attend sales and sales management courses.
Useful experience
Useful experience for sales managers includes work as a sales representative, experience in human resources, or other management work. Market research or work involving negotiation may also be useful.
Related courses
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