Direct Sales

Sales representatives sell their company's products or services to customers. They could be selling cleaning or food products, ICT or electronics components, medicines and pharmaceuticals, vehicles, cosmetics - in fact almost any kind of product or service. Their customers may be individuals, businesses, factories or retail outlets.
Direct sales representatives sell directly to individuals in their homes, demonstrating products or leaving catalogues for customers to choose from. Technical sales representatives and sales engineers work in the industrial, engineering or ICT sectors, selling industrial, specialised or high-tech equipment, materials and components.
Working hours can be long and irregular, and usually depend on meeting targets for appointments or for sales. Sales representatives visit customers at their homes, offices or factories, which requires a lot of driving. If they cover a large area, they may spend most of the week travelling and staying in hotels.
Salaries range from around £15,000 to £50,000 or more a year.
A sales representative should be:
enthusiastic, ambitious and self-confident
a natural extrovert and good at networking
persuasive and good at negotiating
able to take rejection
knowledgeable about the company's products and those of their competitors
interested in meeting new people.
Sales representatives work for manufacturers and wholesale distributors in every sector. About 14 per cent of representatives are self-employed or work freelance, often on a commission-only basis. There is always a need for skilled sales representatives and there are opportunities throughout the UK and abroad.
There are no set entry qualifications for sales representatives, although most employers do ask for a minimum of GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in English and maths, or the equivalent. An increasing number of applicants have higher qualifications, and a degree or an HNC/HND in a related subject may be useful.
New sales representatives usually work with experienced sales staff until they become familiar with the product and the area they will cover. Most companies provide training on their products, organisation and the sales methods they use. They may also take a range of courses and qualifications in sales, including the City & Guilds International Vocational Qualification (IVQ) in Sales and Marketing.
Promotion possibilities for sales representatives depend on their sales results. Progression may involve taking on responsibility for a larger area or moving into sales management. Some sales representatives become national account managers, working closely with one or more large organisations and businesses. Technical sales representatives sometimes move into product development, research and production.

Marketing manager in manufacturing

Marketing plays an important role in almost every industry sector. In its simplest form, it is about ensuring that customers' needs are met whilst maximising the profits of a company. A marketing manager's responsibilities can vary enormously, but will always have this as a central objective.
Daily tasks and duties will depend on the company size, structure and industry sector but may include:
monitoring and analysing market trends
studying competitors' products and services
exploring ways of improving existing products and services, and increasing profitability
identifying target markets and developing strategies to communicate with them.
Most marketing managers work 37 hours a week, between the hours of 9am and 6pm. As with many jobs with tight deadlines, they may be expected to work additional hours at certain times to ensure that targets are met. Some positions may require a lot of travel, particularly when working for an international company.
Salaries can range from around £25,000 a year for someone new to the role, to £40,000 or more for a senior manager.
A marketing manager should:
have knowledge of a wide range of marketing techniques and concepts
be an excellent communicator
be able to respond well to pressure
think creatively
be interested in what motivates people
All industry sectors employ marketing managers. Jobs are generally concentrated around major cities such as London, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Liverpool. This is a popular area of work so competition can be intense.
There are no set entry routes, but marketing managers often progress into the role after gaining several years of marketing experience, possibly as an executive or assistant, or in a specialist role such as advertising or brand manager. Typically, employers look for graduates.
On-the-job training is complemented by professional marketing qualifications. These range from introductory certificates to advanced level qualifications.
A successful marketing manager may be able to progress to more senior posts such as marketing director or even managing director. It may be possible to work abroad.