What does an external sales person do

An external salesperson, often referred to as an outside salesperson or field sales representative, is responsible for selling a company’s products or services to clients or customers in person, outside of the company’s physical location or office. Their primary job is to build and maintain relationships with clients and generate revenue for their organization. Here are the key responsibilities and activities typically associated with external salespeople:

1. Prospecting: They identify potential clients or customers who might be interested in their company’s products or services. This can involve researching industries, attending networking events, and using various lead generation techniques.
2. Customer Relationship Management: External salespeople establish and maintain strong relationships with existing clients, providing them with personalized service and addressing their needs.
3. Sales Presentations: They meet with clients face-to-face to present and demonstrate products or services, explaining how they can benefit the client’s business.
4. Product Knowledge: External salespeople need to have a deep understanding of the products or services they are selling, including features, benefits, and competitive advantages.
5. Negotiation and Closing: They negotiate prices, terms, and contracts with clients to secure sales and close deals.
6. Territory Management: Managing a specific geographic area or territory is often part of the job, ensuring that all potential clients in the area are contacted and serviced.
7. Sales Planning: Creating and implementing sales strategies and plans to meet or exceed sales targets and quotas.
8. Sales Reporting: Keeping accurate records of sales activities, customer interactions, and sales transactions. This information is often reported back to the company for analysis and planning.
9. Market Research: Staying informed about industry trends, competitors, and changes in the market to adapt their sales approach accordingly.
10. Customer Support: Providing ongoing support to clients by addressing their inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring customer satisfaction after the sale.
11. Travel: External salespeople often spend a significant amount of time traveling to meet with clients, attend meetings, and explore new business opportunities within their designated territory.
12. Communication: Maintaining open and effective communication with the company’s internal teams, such as marketing, product development, and customer support, to relay client feedback and coordinate efforts.
13. Sales Training: Continuously updating their knowledge and skills through training programs and staying up-to-date with the latest sales techniques and technologies.

Overall, external salespeople play a crucial role in driving revenue growth for their organizations by actively engaging with clients and successfully selling products or services. Their ability to build and nurture relationships and effectively communicate the value of their offerings is key to their success in this role.

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