7 Types of Salespeople – Which One Are You

Are you planning to enter the world of sales? The retail industry has experienced a drastic shift in the midst of the pandemic, which has severely affected different types of salespeople roles. The latest JobStreet report shows that 30% of sales respondents experienced layoffs, pay cuts, or time cuts. Overall, 31% in the retail industry said that they experienced a negative impact through COVID.

That said, although the pandemic has dramatically affected most businesses the last year, the disruption has also ushered in a new trend: e-commerce. Thus, the industry continues to call for different types of salespeople who can adapt to the ever-changing times.

Although people no longer shop in person as much as they used to, most have moved their buying behaviour online. With this, the sales role is now more important than ever. 

Why do companies need different types of salespeople?

What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of salespeople? If you imagine agents hopping from house to house to sell different types of products and services, then you are not wrong. However, the field of sales is wider and more comprehensive than that. There are various roles suited for each industry, as well as those that correspond to different stages in the sales cycle.

From laying down the groundwork, studying the market, and generating leads to acquiring clients and closing the transaction, all these phases are handled by the right types of salespeople. While a certain portion of sales workers deals with direct purchases by consumers, sales experts work to influence various aspects of the sales funnel in order to complete a consumer’s journey. To do this, these workers must be able to seek new prospects and build relationships with them in order to turn them into customers –– and repeat ones, at that.

Two different types of sales approaches

There are different ways to categorise types of salespeople. But basically, these professionals generally deal in two ways of selling: missionary selling and competitive selling.

Missionary selling is a type of personal selling where the salesperson provides product information to a person who has the ability to influence others to buy products. It does not deal with direct transactions between seller and buyer. This type of selling is common among business-to-business (B2B) arrangements.

Meanwhile, competitive selling requires aggressive selling by salespeople, persuading the consumer to purchase their product instead of their rivals’.

Whether your next role deals in missionary or competitive selling, you can discover your next opportunity in the world of sales by getting to know the different types of salespeople roles you can take part in.

What are the different types of salespeople roles?

A career in the retail industry can be exciting if you are looking to switch careers. There are various jobs to take up in sales. Each role has a part to play, too. Learn about the different types of salespeople below.

1. Customer relationship executive

A customer relationship executive focuses on maintaining and building a relationship with customers, including prospects and target clients, in order to generate more sales for a particular product or service.

Customer relationship executives serve as the direct contact between client and company. Usually, they meet clients regularly and present new products to them. You can typically find this type of salesperson working in banks.

2. Pre-sales executive

Generally, pre-sales executives or consultants do not deal with client transactions directly. Instead, they play an important role in the entire sales cycle. Pre-sales executives lay out the groundwork for client acquisition. They create sales pitches, run market analyses, and provide product knowledge support to the sales team. They also help sales teams in assessing prospective consumers and leads so the organisation can gain a better understanding of their target market.

3. Door-to-door salespeople

Perhaps one of the most traditional perceptions of salespeople, door-to-door sales workers are involved in face-to-face interaction with clients. Usually, they even visit them in common meeting places or their residences. Door-to-door salespeople have patience and people skills; they also tend to know and use excellent persuasion tactics.

Door-to-door salespeople must be prepared for two-way dialogues, immediate feedback, and flexibility. After all, they constantly deal with prospective clients of all backgrounds and personalities.

4. Hunters

The go-getters of the industry, hunters are called as such because they are driven by a mission: to target and build new opportunities for selling. This type of salespeople goes the extra mile to build a new customer base, whether it is with a new clientele or a cluster of clients in a different city or region. They are primarily responsible for client acquisition, as well.

To be a hunter, you must be quick on your feet, innovative, and charismatic. Having great communication skills is also a must, as with most types of salespeople roles.

5. Problem solvers

Problem solvers are sales personnel or executives whose main responsibility entails resolving customer problems and servicing the consumer base. These professionals are called such because they provide solutions to their customers; thus, they are in charge of achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction.

Problem solvers are crucial in sales. They maintain a level of trust, as well as an ongoing relationship, between the company and the consumer. Problem solvers must be agile, quick thinkers, and good communicators. They must also have compassion and empathy for the customers.

6. Industry sales executives

Industry sales executives are high-level salespeople who facilitate business-to-business (B2B) selling. They assist in the production of other goods and services. This is a specialised role, as these sales executives must be familiar with the industry and market players. They are also expected to have technical knowledge about the product or service.

Usually, these salespeople sell components, raw materials, or semi-finished goods to businesses. So, their clients can further develop or manufacture them into finished products.

7. Closer

Closers play a special role in the industry. They are in charge of closing deals so that a transaction can be completed. Closers are usually vital for high-profile accounts or recurring package sales, such as business-to-business transactions with several purchases throughout the course of a year.

Closers must have excellent persuasion tactics and communication skills in order to finalise a deal. They may also offer special arrangements and discounts in order to make the sale.

Finding #JobsThatMatter in the sales industry

Different roles in sales call for different skillsets and experiences. That said, strategy and data are vital to generating leads, acquiring new customers, and learning their desires and pain points in order to best serve them.

While some may chalk up sales to an ability to smooth-talk people and persuade them to purchase your product, there are certain jobs that require a more rigid set of qualifications.

For example, industry sales executives need to understand the fundamentals of their products and how they help in the completion of their clients’ end-product. This knowledge is not something easily picked up at sales training programmes or product briefings, especially when you need to be equipped to answer highly technical questions by clients or think on your feet.

Online disruptions and other emerging tools will cause sales executive roles to continue evolving over time. That said, throughout various changes, sales will always remain relevant to users’ social and economic needs.

Ready to pursue a successful career path in sales? Read our comprehensive guide here.

Find your next career opportunity in sales and explore #JobsThatMatter on JobStreet. Update your profile with relevant skills and knowledge for the job you’re eyeing. For more expert career advice, visit our Career Resources Hub.