A sales representative practices essential customer service and communication skills to sell goods and services. They should maintain a strong knowledge of their company’s products to highlight features that may increase sales.

Technical sales representatives’ main task is to assist clients with questions about the product. The technical sales representative listens to what features are most important for the clients; they also check similar products in the field and competing companies’ products. Technical sales representatives represent companies selling a range of industrial, technical, medical, and pharmaceutical goods and services to industrial, wholesale, retail, professional, fitness, or other establishments.

What does a Sales Engineer do?

A technical sales agent works as a link between a company’s regional sales manager and clients. They present findings to the regional sales manager, detailing what new products should be offered and how to sell those products in an aggressive marketplace.

Often a technical sales rep will work adjacent to another sales rep with less broad technical expertise.

Additional responsibilities for this position include:

• Establishing the technical needs of the customer and suggesting appropriate products.
• Explaining complex technical information to customers in an easily understandable way.
• Handling daily payments and closing transactions
• Completing daily, weekly, and monthly sales reports
• Following up with customers and resolving any issues that may arise
• Keeping customers informed about new technological products
• Compiling proposals and reports related to technical products
• Ensuring that sales targets are consistently met

Requirements for a Technical Sales Engineer

Technical sales representatives have not required any specific traditional college degree. It mainly depends upon conversation skills. An excellent technical sales representative explains the complex technical terms in simple formal language so clients can easily understand.

Following are the skills and excellent technical sales representative must-have.

• Good education in a relevant discipline. 47.6% of technical sales agents have a bachelor’s degree
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Experience working with people.
• Pleasant and positive manner
• Good discussion, presentation, and selling skills
• Able to work without direct surveillance
• Neat personal presentation
• Able to develop and maintain up-to-date product knowledge.
• A minimum of 2 years of sales or marketing experience.
• In-depth knowledge of company products.
• Knowledge of sales promotion techniques.

How to become a sales engineer?

Although formal schooling is not necessary to become a sales representative, you can take some extra steps to enhance your skills. If you are interested in this career, consider the following steps:

1. Education: Traditional education boosts your overall communication skills and helps you understand people more easily. Many companies require their sales representatives to have at least a high school degree. Coursework that can be useful in a sales representative role includes mathematics, psychology, accounting, and finance.
2. Choose your industry: Now, choose your preferred niche and industry where you feel comfortable and have a chance to grow in the second step. Make sure you have good knowledge of your chosen industry. It will help you understand the sales techniques.
3. Find an Entry Level Job: in this step, you find an entry-level job in your favored industry and niche to increase your chance of landing that job. 
4. Receive tannings: Many sales representative positions offer on-the-job training. Depending on the product, specialized preparation may also be available. If you feel that you need additional training, consider going towards a sales certification. 
5. Specialized in a niche: After choosing what industry you want to focus on, become an expert on it. You may also wish to pursue a sales manager role and oversee a team of representatives.

Sales Engineer Certification

Normally, no special certification is required to become a technical sales representative. But, getting a sales certification can make you a more appealing nominee when applying for a job or developing your career. You can consider certification to build a successful career.

Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP)

The CPSP is available through the National Association of Sales Professionals and is ideal for sales representatives, business owners, or those just starting. The certification needs successful completion of the six-week course and an exam.

Certified Inside Sales Professional (CISP)

The CISP is available through the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals. This certification is ideal for sales representatives who concentrate on inside sales. Inspired individuals can earn this certification by performing ten online classes and finishing a live simulated sales call as part of the final exam.

Job Prospect

The average salary for a sales representative is $65,424 per year in the United States, $25,000 cash bonus per year, and $12,000 commission per year, according to PayScale.

The overall job outlook for Wholesale/Production/Technical/Scientific Products Sales Representative careers has been positive since 2004. Jobs for this career have increased by 0.79 percent universal in that time, with an average growth of 0.13 percent per year.

Job opportunities for technical sales representatives are demanded to increase by seven percent from 2016 to 2026, which is about average for all other jobs in the United States. As more technical products emerge in the market, a growing number of sales engineers will be needed to sell these products and the services to support them. 

The markets to focus on include computer hardware and software, including computer systems design and support services. The need for sales engineers in these areas should grow by 20 percent in the next decade.

The technical sales representative is a promising career and has a strong growth rate. It is primarily suitable for those who can understand the nature and physiology of the people—only those who are making a successful career having solid communication skills and are friendly. Most of the work is to interact with the customer and explain to them about the products, so it’s not an easy job to handle all kinds of people.