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Salesperson
The salesperson is the driving force behind a company’s growth. Their role is to sell products or services, build customer loyalty, and explore new markets.
Missions: Salesperson
The sales representative plays a crucial role in the proper functioning and growth of a company. Their main mission is to increase revenue by ensuring the sale of products or services and maintaining long-term relationships with clients.
Their work often begins with prospecting, identifying potential new clients, analyzing their needs, and offering suitable solutions. Once contact is established, the salesperson must negotiate sales conditions, prepare quotes, close deals, and ensure smooth delivery or service execution.
However, their role doesn’t end with the sale. They also handle after-sales follow-up, respond to customer inquiries, and work to build client loyalty over time. At the same time, they monitor competitors, help define commercial objectives, and provide valuable feedback from the field to management to adjust the company’s strategy.
Depending on their position, a salesperson can be office-based (working primarily from a desk) or field-based, traveling regularly to meet clients. In temporary assignments, this profession offers the opportunity to explore various industries, sharpen negotiation skills, and gain experience across diverse roles.
Researched profile
- Excellent communication skills, both spoken and written, with a strong ability to listen, understand, and persuade clients.
- A taste for challenge and a results-oriented mindset, essential for meeting targets and staying motivated in a dynamic environment.
- Organization and autonomy, to efficiently manage a client portfolio, business trips, and sales priorities.
- Curiosity and adaptability, enabling quick learning of new products and easy integration into diverse environments
Skills and training
The sales profession requires a subtle blend of technical expertise and interpersonal skills. It’s a role where listening, precision, and persuasion go hand in hand with a passion for human interaction.
Mastering sales and negotiation techniques
A good salesperson perfectly understands the stages of a sales process: prospecting, identifying needs, presenting arguments, and closing the deal. They must know how to adapt their message to each client, build a convincing argument, and respond confidently to objections. Negotiation is a daily part of the job and demands both method and diplomacy.
Communicating with ease and empathy
Communication is key in this profession. The salesperson must listen actively, rephrase when necessary, and clearly explain the advantages of a product or service. They build a trusting relationship with their clients through an open attitude, a positive tone, and good emotional control. Their interpersonal skills are essential for building long-term loyalty.
Using digital tools and CRM systems
Digital tools have become essential. A salesperson must know how to use a CRM software to track prospects, schedule follow-ups, and analyze performance. They also leverage online prospecting tools, video conferencing platforms, and professional social networks to expand their client base.
Demonstrating perseverance and adaptability
This is a profession where motivation and persistence make all the difference. A salesperson must know how to bounce back after rejection, maintain their energy, and stay goal-oriented. Adaptability is crucial since they may need to switch products, markets, or methods depending on company needs. In temporary work, this flexibility is especially valued, as it enables quick integration into various teams and success in short- or mid-term assignments.
What training is needed to become a salesperson?
There are many ways to become a salesperson, and the variety of training paths allows everyone to find the one that suits their profile. The profession is accessible from a high school diploma, but specialized training offers a better understanding of sales techniques and customer relationship management.
The most common path begins with a BTS in Negotiation and Digitalization of Customer Relations (NDRC) or a BTS in Operational Commercial Management (MCO).
These programs provide the essential foundations of the job: prospecting, negotiation, customer retention, and portfolio management. BUT degrees in Marketing Techniques or professional licenses in commerce and sales deepen these skills and prepare candidates for more responsible roles.
Business schools are another route, often chosen by those aiming for managerial or key account positions. For adults already working or retraining, continuing education programs are available, often focusing on commercial negotiation, digital marketing, or customer relationship management.
Lastly, apprenticeships remain one of the best ways to learn the trade, offering real-world experience and familiarity with sales targets. In temporary work, assignments also serve as an excellent springboard to gain experience, develop skills, and secure long-term positions.
What is a salesperson’s salary?
A salesperson’s salary varies depending on their experience, the sector, and the structure of their company. It always includes a fixed base salary plus a variable part tied to performance.
At the start of their career, a junior salesperson earns on average between €2,200 and €2,800 gross per month, including commissions. After a few years, this can reach €3,500 to €4,000 gross per month, especially for experienced B2B profiles or those working in high-value sectors such as industry, technology, or services. The best performers, such as key account managers or regional sales managers, can earn over €5,000 gross per month.
Field salespeople often benefit from additional perks such as a company car, laptop, or travel allowance.
Advantages and drawbacks of the salesperson’s job
The sales profession is attractive for its dynamic pace, human dimension, and career growth opportunities. It’s a demanding yet rewarding role, ideal for those motivated by results and direct client contact.
Advantages of being a salesperson
Being a salesperson means having a lively, fast-paced, and rarely monotonous job. The variable pay is one of its main appeals: the more goals are achieved, the higher the income. The job also offers great autonomy in organizing one’s work and provides genuine recognition for individual performance.
It allows professionals to build a strong network and gain transferable skills in communication, project management, and marketing. The diversity of industries makes this career accessible to all profiles, and temporary assignments are an excellent entry point to gain experience and explore various sales environments.
Drawbacks of being a salesperson
This job requires a high level of personal commitment. Sales targets can be demanding, and performance pressure is often intense, which calls for stress management and steady motivation. Working hours can be irregular, especially for field salespeople who travel frequently.
The day-to-day job also includes its share of rejections and unpredictability, which can be discouraging at first. You need to stay focused, learn from failures, and remain persistent. Despite these challenges, it remains a great on-the-ground learning experience, building rigor, communication, and self-confidence.
Career development for salespeople
The sales profession offers many opportunities for advancement, often rapidly for high-performing profiles. With experience, a salesperson can move into positions with greater responsibility, such as team management, sales strategy, or customer relations.
An experienced salesperson can become a regional manager, key account manager, or B2B account executive, handling more complex portfolios and strategic clients. With a broader market vision, they can progress to sales manager, commercial director, or even agency director, depending on the company’s structure.
The profession also allows sector mobility: because sales skills are transferable, it’s possible to move between industries (real estate, manufacturing, services, retail) without starting over.
Finally, for those seeking more autonomy, sales experience can serve as a springboard toward careers as consultants, sales trainers, or even entrepreneurs.
The career path of a salesperson is rich and rewarding, driven by motivation, performance, and the ability to build lasting client relationships.
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