Outside Sales Representatives are responsible for identifying sales opportunities in a designated geography or sales territory. Through the sale of goods and services to targeted industries and companies, apart from sales representatives play a vital role in trade and commerce in all sectors of activity. After learning sales techniques and general business principles, sales representatives in specialized fields such as information technology, finance, and pharmaceuticals can acquire additional training to become proficient in the language and the needs of their clientele.

Gain experience in an inside sales role. To learn the fundamental steps in the sales process and sales practice, look for an inside sales position, preferably in the same area you want to sell as an outside sales representative. If you are a college graduate, consider working with your career center to look for employers who hire for indoor sales. If you do not have a college graduate, you can always find a job as a sales representative inside, especially if you have previous work history in the trade or business.

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Study your target industry. Per the Bureau of Labor, apart from sales representatives often possess an understanding based on the skills of the industry in which they sell. If you have an interest in software sales, you should consider taking an inside sales role with a technology or telecommunications company to gain experience and expertise in services, language and the tools used in the industry. See also align your sales industry with your academic story. For sales of financial services, a college degree in business or finance may be particularly desirable.

Take additional training or certification that can qualify you as an expert in the field in your field. Some companies that offer specialized products and services offer in-house training to help sellers learn more about the industry. See also local college programs and seminars that offer specialized training in a target area such as insurance or medical products.

Attend specific industry trade shows, seminars or other industry events. This accomplishes two important tasks: Attending industry functions provides additional learning opportunities and gives you a network of industry contacts, and attending events helps you stay on top of the trends and needs of the industry. Industry, and establish your name among the industry contacts.

Establish a list of customer prospects. Using your business network through events, start building a database of contacts that you identify as potential buyers of the product or service you are selling. Maintain this list of prospects and keep up to date by reaching out to your contacts regularly update their contact information and level of interest in your sales focus.

Use a laptop or a portable contact management device to stay connected to your desktop. Outside sales representatives spend most of their time on the road and driving to prospect sales calls. To stay up-to-date on meeting changes, or to resolve problems as they arise during the workday, you need to have access to a laptop and other portable business management tools to exchange Information and stay current during business hours.

Maintain reliable transport. Outside Sales Representatives often visit their customers at their place of business to perform presentations, product demonstrations or training. Most employers reimburse sales representatives for the use of their own vehicles or they may choose to provide outside sales representatives with a vehicle to be used for off-site selling. Be sure to maintain the appropriate license to drive a vehicle, as well as the appropriate insurance coverage as a driver.