How to Become a Sales Account Manager

Sales account managers supervise salespeople in an organization. They are also responsible for carrying out the sales processes and procedures for their companies, and for establishing sales territories. They have many other duties as well. Sales account managers are mid to high level executives and earn a median salary in the high $80,000s. In technical fields, the median salary is around $120,000. This is one of the highest jobs attainable in the sales field.

Duties of a Sales Account Manager

Some of the common jobs sales account managers perform include interviewing and hiring salespeople, training them and assigning them territories, and assessing their performance. They may also represent their companies at trade shows, conventions, and sales meetings. The sales account managers are also in charge of budgeting for their department. Sales account managers are responsible for maintaining relationships with customers, ascertaining customer needs, and communicating this information back to their employers for further research and development.

Academic Qualifications

While not always required, many employers prefer to hire sales account managers with a background in Marketing or Business Administration. Many prefer to hire people with Master's degrees in Business, Marketing, or related fields. A strong candidate should also have a strong background in math and statistics, along with the ability to use spreadsheets and other business computer tools. Sales account managers in highly technical fields like computers, technology, or engineering may also be expected to have technical degrees or education. In some industries, employers may be willing to train their sales account managers but this is becoming less likely. Another option is to be promoted from the sales force of a company after demonstrating the proper skills or through doing an in-house internship in the position.

Sales Skills Required

In order to be considered for a position as a sales account manager, the candidate should have several years of successful sales experience. They should understand sales and marketing techniques, advertising, and product management. As managers, they must also have demonstrable human resources skills and conflict resolution and management skills.

Supervisory Range of Duties

A sales account manager is responsible for the supervision of the sales force of a company, and may also work closely with product research and development. In a company that outsources their sales or uses independent dealers or distributors, the sales account manager will also work closely with the sales staff of the independent companies as well.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, sales account managers hold about half a million jobs in the United States. This field is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations in the next several years. This job is in high demand, so sales account managers often change jobs to take better offers or to find more challenging work. This is also a job that can lead to top level managerial roles in a company, including vice president or president of a corporation. .