Area Sales Manager - Channel & Direct Sales - Lighting Industry

Responsibilities and Duties

In order to accomplish sales goals and effectively lead sales staff members, an Area Sales Manager performs many different tasks. We analyzed job listings for Area Sales Managers in order to identify these core duties and responsibilities.

Develop Business Plans

Area Sales Managers oversee the sales department, which means they must develop an overall business plan, including sales strategies and profit goals. This includes performing territory and sales analyses, assessing the results and adjusting sales strategies accordingly.

Perform Sales Visits

Often requiring travel, Area Sales Managers visit potential and current clients in order to provide product information, answer client questions and concerns and build brand awareness. They do this through both individual meetings and larger sales presentations.

Secure Sales

One of the most important functions of any sales team member, including the Area Sales Manager, is the secure sales for their company. As an Area Sales Manager, this is done both directly and through team members. This includes securing both individual sales and contracts, depending on the company and product, and deals can be made over the phone, through email or in person through sales visits.

Build Relationships

In order to perform sales duties, an Area Sales Manager must build and maintain key relationships with potential and current clients. Using excellent interpersonal skills, the Area Sales Manager networks to form new relationships with potential clients and follows up with potential and current clients through phone, email and sometimes regular visits.

Manage Sales Team

The Area Sales Manager leads a team of sales people which can include the Sales Manager. This entails many different tasks, including training sales employees, holding regular conference calls, reviewing team member expense reports, coaching, motivating and supporting the sales team, and ensuring that employees are achieving their sales goals.

Area Sales Manager Skills

Required Experience, Skills and Qualifications

Both managers and salespeople, Area Sales Managers must possess strong leadership and communication skills, organizational skills and interpersonal skills. They must be able to work independently and with little supervision, and sometimes they are even required to work remotely. Most importantly, successful Area Sales Managers are likable, confident, and hard-working, able to drive their teams to exceed goals and complete sales themselves.

Core skills : Based on job listings we looked at, employers want Area Sales Managers with these core skills. If you want to work as an Area Sales Manager, focus on the following.

• Experience in sales with a successful track record
• Excellent presentation skills
• Strong numerical and analytical abilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, such as Word and Excel

Advanced skills : While most employers did not require the following skills, multiple job listings included them as preferred. Add these to your Area Sales Manager toolbox and broaden your career options.

• Having sector-specific sales experience
• Proficiency in common sales and data management software