Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Salesman

💰 $30,000 - $120,000

SalesRetailBusiness DevelopmentCustomer Success

🎯 Role Definition

A Salesman (Sales Representative) is responsible for identifying, qualifying, and closing sales opportunities to meet or exceed revenue targets. This role combines prospecting, relationship-building, product knowledge, consultative selling, and account management. The ideal candidate is coachable, metrics-driven, experienced with CRM systems, and capable of delivering persuasive product demonstrations and tailored proposals across B2B or B2C environments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Retail Sales Associate or Customer Service Representative
  • Inside Sales Representative or Business Development Representative (BDR)
  • Junior Account Manager or Sales Intern

Advancement To:

  • Senior Sales Executive / Account Executive
  • Key Account Manager or Territory Manager
  • Sales Manager / Team Lead
  • Regional Sales Director or Head of Sales

Lateral Moves:

  • Customer Success Manager
  • Business Development Manager
  • Product Specialist or Solutions Consultant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Prospect, qualify, and generate new business opportunities through cold calling, email outreach, social selling (LinkedIn), and attendance at industry events; consistently build a pipeline that supports monthly and quarterly quota attainment.
  • Conduct needs analysis and consultative discovery conversations with prospects to understand business requirements, pain points, budget, decision-making processes, and timelines; translate insights into tailored value propositions.
  • Deliver compelling, product-focused demonstrations and presentations (virtual and in-person) that articulate ROI, technical fit, and differentiated features to decision-makers and influencers.
  • Prepare and present persuasive written proposals, quotes, and commercial terms; negotiate pricing, contract terms, and scope to secure favorable outcomes while protecting margin and company policy.
  • Close new deals and expansions, manage the entire sales cycle from lead to signed contract, and ensure timely handoff to onboarding or customer success teams while maintaining ownership of the account until revenue recognition.
  • Manage a defined sales territory or vertical: prioritize target accounts, create account plans, run strategic outreach cadences, and track progress against revenue and activity metrics.
  • Utilize CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics) to log activities, update opportunity stages, forecast revenue, and maintain accurate customer and pipeline data to support forecasting and decision-making.
  • Achieve and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales quotas through a mix of inbound and outbound activities, upsells, cross-sells, and renewals; report on KPI attainment and contribute to forecast accuracy.
  • Build and maintain long-term customer relationships through regular business reviews, proactive problem solving, and by serving as a trusted advisor to drive retention and expansion.
  • Collaborate closely with marketing to provide feedback on lead quality, co-own campaigns for target accounts, and leverage marketing collateral and case studies to accelerate deal cycles.
  • Partner with product, engineering, and operations teams to communicate customer feedback, product requirements, and competitive intelligence to influence roadmap and improve product-market fit.
  • Perform competitive analysis and market research to identify trends, emerging customer needs, and positioning strategies that enhance win rates and differentiate offerings.
  • Execute renewal and churn-prevention activities, including negotiating contract renewals, proposing upgrades, and addressing service issues in partnership with support and customer success teams.
  • Deliver accurate and timely sales forecasts and pipeline reports to management; participate in pipeline review meetings and escalate risks and opportunities proactively.
  • Develop and implement strategic account plans for key customers, identifying expansion opportunities, cross-sell plays, and executive sponsorship to increase wallet share.
  • Coordinate with finance and legal on complex deals that require custom terms, multi-year agreements, or unique billing arrangements to ensure timely contract execution and compliance.
  • Conduct post-sale handoffs and ensure onboarding teams have full context and documentation so customers experience a seamless transition from sale to delivery.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of product capabilities, release notes, pricing changes, and service-level commitments; present and train customers on new features and best practices.
  • Track and analyze sales metrics (conversion rates, average deal size, sales cycle length) and implement process improvements to shorten cycles, increase close rates, and raise average order value.
  • Manage and prioritize multiple opportunities simultaneously while maintaining high responsiveness to inbound leads, prospective client inquiries, and existing customer needs.
  • Represent the company at trade shows, conferences, and local events; generate leads, build brand awareness, and network with industry stakeholders to enhance reputation and referral pipelines.
  • Mentor and share best practices with junior sales team members; document playbooks, objection-handling scripts, and messaging that drive consistent execution across the sales organization.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, ethical selling standards, and industry regulations when handling contracts, customer data, and pricing information.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in the development and refinement of sales materials, playbooks, case studies, and customer references.
  • Support monthly reporting and administrative duties such as expense reports, sales commission documentation, and territory data hygiene.
  • Participate in product beta programs and early adopter engagements to validate features and provide frontline feedback.
  • Coordinate ad-hoc cross-functional projects such as pricing pilots, channel partner enablement, and promotional campaigns.
  • Provide subject-matter expertise for content creation, webinars, and training sessions targeted at prospects and internal teams.
  • Maintain continuous professional development by attending sales training, certification programs, and industry workshops.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven expertise in CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics) including opportunity management, reporting, and pipeline hygiene.
  • Strong proficiency with sales engagement tools and outreach automation (Outreach.io, Salesloft, Yesware) to scale outbound prospecting.
  • Experience building financial/business cases and ROI models to justify purchase decisions and accelerate approvals.
  • Competency with contract and proposal tools (DocuSign, PandaDoc, Conga) and a solid understanding of basic commercial and legal terms.
  • Ability to use analytics and reporting tools (Excel advanced functions, Google Sheets, Tableau, Power BI) to analyze sales metrics and forecast performance.
  • Demonstrated skill in consultative/solution selling methodologies (SPIN, MEDDIC, Challenger, Sandler) and opportunity qualification frameworks.
  • Familiarity with marketing automation tools (Marketo, Pardot) and lead-scoring processes to prioritize inbound leads.
  • Experience managing sales cycles in B2B, B2C, SaaS, or retail environments with complex stakeholder landscapes.
  • Technical aptitude to understand and explain product integrations, APIs, and basic technical architecture where applicable.
  • Proficiency in presentation tools (PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides) and virtual demo platforms (Zoom, Teams, Webex) to create persuasive sales collateral.
  • Knowledge of territory management and account planning software or methodologies to maximize coverage and penetration.

Soft Skills

  • Strong communication and storytelling skills to articulate value propositions clearly to executives and technical audiences.
  • Excellent negotiation and closing skills with a track record of converting complex opportunities into signed contracts.
  • High emotional intelligence and active listening skills to build trust and manage sensitive customer relationships.
  • Results-driven mindset with persistence, resilience, and the ability to handle rejection constructively.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance pipeline activities, account management, and administrative responsibilities.
  • Problem-solving orientation with creativity to architect solutions and overcome procurement or implementation obstacles.
  • Collaborative team player who partners effectively across marketing, product, support, and operations.
  • Coachability and continuous improvement mindset with openness to feedback and evolving best practices.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail to maintain accurate records, follow-ups, and documentation.
  • Adaptability to changing market conditions, product updates, and shifting organizational priorities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (many employers accept equivalent sales experience in lieu of formal education).

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Finance
  • Economics
  • Sales Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1 to 5+ years for Salesman / Sales Representative roles, depending on industry complexity.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years of direct sales experience in the industry or a similar B2B/B2C sales environment, proven quota attainment, and experience using CRM and sales engagement platforms.
  • Demonstrated experience closing deals, managing strategic accounts, and working cross-functionally with marketing, product, and operations.
Explore More Careers