What Are the Different Types of Salesperson Jobs?

Large and small companies alike employ large numbers of skilled and unskilled workers in various types of salesperson jobs. Some people involved in sales have frequent face-to-face interactions with prospects and clients while others are involved in promoting product lines but have no actual contact with consumers. Compensation levels vary between industries and while many people who are employed in salesperson jobs receive their wages in the form of commission, others receive flat salaries that are not tied to revenue or performance results.

Traditionally, many of the people employed in salesperson jobs have conducted door-to-door business calls that involve actively marketing products to homeowners. Many of these individuals sell products that may include religious books, kitchenware and food products while others promote landscaping, satellite television of security services. Typically, door-to-door sales people receive sales based commission which means that income levels vary greatly for people employed in these roles. Aside from marketing goods to homeowners, many people employed in this field market products and services to business owners; as with those involved in consumer sales, individuals making business-to-business sales are usually paid with commission and bonuses rather than flat salaries.

Banks, insurance companies and telecommunications firm employ experienced sales people to market lending products, insurance policies, cell phone plans and various other types of services. These individuals may receive commissions but in many instances, they also receive an hourly wage. People working in these roles may interact with consumers in offices and sales locations while also making outbound tele-consulting calls to prospective clients. Employees of retail stores are also tasked with sales, although these individuals promote products to in-store clients rather than making tele-consulting calls.

Advertising companies employ large numbers of college graduates in salesperson jobs. These professionals develop marketing plans on behalf of other companies and negotiate deals with television networks, websites and newspapers to run promotions for particular goods or services. Advertisers have frequent interactions with their own clients but do not interact with the people who eventually buy the products that they are marketing. Senior executives at these firms are usually very well compensated when compared with people employed in salesperson jobs in other industries.

While some firms require sales managers and those involved in advertising to have completed college degrees in business, marketing or related topics, many entry-level workers have never attended college. Sales of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, securities and certain other products are heavily regulated and people involved with these products normally have to go through some industry related training prior to completing a licensing examination. These specially trained employees may market goods both to individual consumers and to entire corporations such as banks, medical companies and research firms.