What Does a Sales Specialist Do?
While a catalog lists what a manufacturer makes, buyers still want someone who knows which product fits their shelves, budget and customers. Sales specialists fill that gap, selling a wholesaler's or manufacturer's goods to retailers, businesses and institutions and looking after those accounts over time. Many earn salary plus commission.
Sales Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a sales specialist include:
- Call on retailers, distributors and business buyers to present products and take orders.
- Prospect for new accounts through trade shows, referrals and cold calls in an assigned territory.
- Prepare quotes, price sheets and samples tailored to each buyer's volume and needs.
- Negotiate prices, delivery terms and promotional support within company guidelines.
- Follow up on orders with warehouse and shipping staff so deliveries arrive on time.
- Log calls, orders and forecasts in the CRM so managers can track each account.
- Set up product displays and train store staff on features and selling points.
- Resolve billing errors, damaged shipments and returns quickly to protect the relationship.
- Study competitors' prices and products and report what customers are asking for.
- Plan weekly routes and visit schedules to cover the territory efficiently.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a sales specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Product knowledge and clear demonstrations
- CRM tools such as Salesforce
- Negotiation and closing
- Prospecting and cold calling
- Excel for quotes and forecasts
- Self-management on the road
- Follow-through on customer problems
- Valid driver's license
Education and Training
Most sales specialists learn the product line through on-the-job training, but some start out by working in customer service or warehouse roles for the same company. Many employers prefer a bachelor's degree. A driver's license is usually needed for territory work.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $50,470 - $99,640 per year, with a median of $72,080.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products.
According to BLS, employment of wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives outside technical and scientific products is projected to dip about 1 percent in the decade ending in 2035. The group is large, and it should still see roughly 99,800 openings a year as reps retire or change jobs. Reps who can sell online and by video as well as in person tend to keep the best accounts.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products.