Sales Rep 101 – Chapter 32

Outside Sales

When people think about sales most people are probably thinking about outside sales. In this article, we will discuss what Outside Sales is and what an Outside sales rep does. There are actually many different types of sales so it can be easy to get confused so let’s define what Outside sales is. Outside Sales is actually one of the more lucrative types of sales positions available. And in fact they are usually in high demand and relatively easy to find. That is because even though I love sales and have been in it my entire career, it is actually a very challenging which we will get to later in this article. But first let’s look at the positives. Is Outside Sales a good job?

Outside sales can be a great career but it is not for everybody. There are many different types of sales jobs and outside sales can be one of the most challenging. Why is that you ask? Well, Outside sales is the type of job where you will be out and about most days visiting with prospective clients. That is called prospecting. Or the more evil term is called Cold Calling. This is the most popular reason why people will hate Outside Sales.

Prospecting is dealing with constant rejection. And who wants to do that? I happen to love Outside Sales and I will tell you why. I look at being out and about prospecting as freedom. Flexibility is one of the best parts of Outside sales. I get to set my own schedule and not be cooped up in an office all day. Are there disadvantages? Sure, but for me the positive far out way the negatives.

So when you are thinking about getting into sales and not sure what Outside Sales is then this will be a great article to read. I have been in sales for over 30 years and I love Outside Sales but that is because it fits my personality and my needs. If you are reading this and thinking that there is no way that you would like to do that then maybe Outside Sales is not a good option for you. Let’s take a look at some examples of Outside Sales.

Examples Of Outside Sales Jobs

There are so many Outside Sales jobs I could give a million examples. But I think I will just give you some of the most common. Throughout my career most of my sales jobs have been in Outside Sales. Here are a few of the most common.

Advertising Sales – An advertising sales rep sells advertising to businesses or individuals who want to promote their product or business. Advertising sales reps could be selling Radio, TV, Magazine Advertising, and for the very few that are left, newspapers which are almost extinct.

Home Security Sales – This has changed over the years but I still see ADT sales reps going door to door trying to sell Home security systems.

Medical Sales – Medical sales and Pharmaceutical Sales has changed too but I have friends that have had great careers in medical sales. Basically, they call on Doctors offices and try and sell them one of their products or drugs (the legal kind) to the doctor. It is much harder these days but it is still out there.

Product Sales – This can be anything. Companies are always trying to sell their product or services to business. Credit card machines is a great example. This is so competitive because everyone is pretty much selling the same thing. But software sales would be a good example.

Food Sales – I’ll finish with this one. You are not going to get rich in food sales but it can be a good job. These reps for big food companies that sell to restaurants. You have a group of current customers and you are always looking for new place to sell to.

What Does An Outside Sales Rep Do?

An Outside Sales rep is responsible for handling some current customers and bringing in new customers. Prospecting and cold calling are big parts of outside sales so if you know that you would not like that part of the job then Outside Sales may not be the best fit.

Outside Sales reps are rarely in the office. Maybe an hour in the morning and an hour at the end of the day but that is about it. The rest of the day is dedicated to meeting clients and prospecting. But here is the dirty little secret and why I love Outside Sales. You make your own schedule so you always have flexibility in Outside Sales. Now this can get you into trouble if you take advantage of it but if used right it can be a huge advantage.

Because you are responsible for your own schedule to need to make sure you are an organized person. Or at least can make yourself be organized because it is easy to get sidetracked. You may think you are doing okay but then the end of month gets close and you realize that you were not as focused as you should have been and you are missing your goals. That….is not good.

Outside sales can be a great career if you are dedicated to always improving yourself and enjoy getting out and meeting new people. But if being responsible for your own schedule scares you a little then maybe Inside Sales might be a better fit.

Is Outside Sales Hard?

Sales is one of the most challenging yet rewarding careers that you can have. I have been in sales my entire career and I absolutely love it. But it wasn’t always like that. Sales is a hard career to be successful in and I have had my struggles. There are usually many ups and downs that can be discouraging to many people starting out but if you have what it takes it can be a great career choice.

Sales is one of the best careers available for many reasons. But is Sales hard? Absolutely. It doesn’t mean that it is hard for everybody. I have seen new reps catch on quickly and take off in their first few months. But that is the exception and not the rule. For the most part it takes time for someone new to sales to get used to the process which takes some skill and a lot of practice.

So why is it so hard for most reps? Most sales jobs are commission based and when it takes you a few months to make some sales and get paid that is a pretty big challenge for most of us. Most companies will give you a 3-6 month period where they may give you a small base salary or a draw but most of the time it is not enough. So you end up struggling for a while before you can get your feet under you.

Most sales jobs are not 9-5 which means you will work hard in the beginning. And will need to take your work home with you as well. Whether you are practicing your pitch or preparing for your week, you will find that there just isn’t enough time in the day to get done what you need to.

When I first started out in sales I was young and single so I was able to live off a minimal wage and could work as much as I wanted to. But over the years as you change jobs that becomes much harder. If you are married and have a family it can be challenging to balance your work life and family life. It is also much harder financially. Especially if you are a divorced single father with child support due no matter what. If you are older when you first get into sales you definitely need to carefully plan out your options to make sure you can make for at least 3-6 months on minimal income.

There is your schedule as well. Many sales jobs have appointments all over your territory and some evening appointments as well. I know many reps over my years that struggled with not being home every night and having to travel. But here is the deal, most sales jobs will require both of those so you will need to be prepared.