How to Become a Sales Person in the UK

A sales person is employed to sell the products or services of an organisation. You have to use persuasion to win over new and old customers, as well as looking after their accounts. Some sales people specialise in a particular industry, although a good sales person will be able to use their charisma and knowledge to be able to discuss any product or service in a public setting.

A sales person has a number of specific duties. They include contacting customers both face-in-face and by telephone; meeting sales targets; promoting new products/services and special offers; making appointments to meet with customers; recording orders and sending details to the sales office; and reporting sales trends to their superiors. The main role of a sales person is to sell through persuasion and communication, but these and other tasks act as evidence that the job is about more than just discussing the benefits of a particular product or service.


Qualifications
Although employers will expect an aspiring sales person to have good GCSE and A Level results, they tend to focus more upon your sales skills and track record. Sales Jobs are available in all sectors and range from junior positions within call centres, right up to sales director level where the sales process can last 6 months to a year and can be worth millions of pounds.

There are some exceptions, though, the main one being technical or pharmaceutical sales, where qualifications and experience in relevant areas (such as engineering or science) are a necessity. Most employers do, however, request that a sales person has a driving licence, since the job involves a lot of travelling and entering new markets.

There are some qualifications which can help a sales person to develop their skills and/or gain an insight into the business that they are pursuing. Relevant introductory qualifications include the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) Level 1 Award in Basic Sales Skills and the Level 2 Award and Certificate in Sales and Marketing. As stated, previous qualifications are not essential, but having them will increase your chances of gaining work experience and, as a result, part- and full-time employment.

Once you start working as a sales person, you can have in-house training. Depending on your employer, this could include work-based NVQs at levels 2, 3 and 4 in Sales. Awards are also provided by the ISMM, the Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Amongst the qualifications on offer are the ISMM Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Advanced Sales and Marketing; the MAMSA Standard Diploma in Salesmanship; and the CIM Certificate in Professional Sales Practice. These and other qualifications can be studied by distance learning or face-to-face at various colleges and training centres across the United Kingdom. Generally once in an organisation the opportunity to develop other skills will be provided by the employer. Skills such as:
• Negotiation Skills
• Customer Service Training
• Qualification Techniques
• Internal sales management systems (ways of recording customer information)


What Employers Are Looking For
There are certain traits that an employer hopes to see within a successful sales person. The main characteristic is to possess excellent sales and negotiation skills.

This, more than anything, will define whether a sales person will be good at their job or not.

A sales person must also have good communication skills, and be personable for people to approach. Sales is primarily about persuasion, and someone who can communicate in the right way, using the right type of language, is more likely to have his/her efforts prove worthwhile. This ties in with having a good sense of humour, business sense and a professional manner.

There are other key skills that an employer will look for in a sales person. They should have attention to detail; pointing out minor selling points could be the difference between success and failure. Similarly, a sales person has to be able to deal with rejection: they must accept, especially for someone new to the trade, that they are more likely to be rejected than accepted, and that many factors – not just the person – will determine whether a customer chooses to buy a product or service. A sales person should also be able to work equally effectively alone as they would in a team, which means that they should also be able to organise themselves and manage their time well. And, of course, a sales person has to know a lot about what they’re selling and the markets in which their organisation is based; if you don’t know what you’re talking about, customers will notice, which means that you probably won’t be a very successful sales person.


How Much Money Will I Make as a Sales Person in the UK?
In addition to the basic salary, the majority of organisations offer commission, which is often based on whether or not a sales person meets their targets. That being said, there are some sales people whose earnings are based entirely around commission. Salaries can also include added extras such as a company car, bonus schemes and petrol allowance.

As with most positions, a sales person is likely to earn more money if they are working in a heavily-populated region of the country. Nevertheless, the average starting salary for a sales person ranges between £15,000 and £20,000 per annum, plus commission, depending on the size and sector of the organisation.

Once they have gained experience, along with an increase in commission (e.g. a good sales person will regularly meet their targets), their wages should increase steadily to between £35,000 and £40,000. For those with a wealth of experience, or in a senior position, a sales person could earn as much as £100,000 a year – if not more. The final salary of a salesperson is completely dependant on the success of meeting targets. For sales directors it is not uncommon to receive a £100,000 basic salary with additional bonuses of another £100,000.


Pros and Cons of Becoming a Sales Person in the UK
There are a number of different benefits and drawbacks to being a sales person. Certainly, it is a role designed for a specific type of person, meaning that some people will struggle. But others will enjoy the position, and may not suffer from the problems. Nevertheless, the key pros and cons are listed below.

PROS
• A chance to put your personality, charisma and wit to good use
• Different milestones to reach as you progress in your job
• Customers who you persuade are more likely to be convinced again
• By climbing the company ladder, you will have more creative freedom
• Company Car, bonuses, freedom to work from home.

CONS
• Many different numerical figures to remember
• Your superiors will always want more out of you
• Difficult for shy or timid people to master
• A lot of rejection to handle
• Extensive travel, a lot of time away from home
• High pressure, especially as you develop up the sales ladder


Helpful Contact Information
Sales people must possess a number of skills to succeed, which not all aspiring applicants will have, or may struggle to develop. But if you think that being a sales person is the right career choice for you, there are several contacts to note. They can explain the relevant qualifications in further detail, provide information on what is the best way to make a start in the industry, or simply to expand on what is involved in the life of a sales person.

For further details on the NVQ qualifications that are relevant to sales, visit:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_10039029

For more information on the in-house training available for those working within sales, contact one of the following three offices:
Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM)
Harrier Court
Lower Woodside
LU1 4DQ
Telephone 0158 284 0001
www.ismm.co.uk

Managing and Marketing Sales Association (MAMSA)
PO Box 11
Sandbach
Cheshire
CW11 3G3
Telephone 0127 052 6339
www.mamsasbp.org.uk

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Moor Hall
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Telephone 0162 842 7500
www.cim.co.uk