What do professional sales organizations do?
Professional sales organizations provide support to individuals working in various capacities within the sales profession. They also offer opportunities to network with other professionals and insight into improving skills and building confidence.
Membership in professional organizations is often viewed as a resume-enhancing commitment to your career.
List of professional sales associations
American Association of Inside Sales Professionals: AA-ISP is committed to supporting sales reps, managers and customer support professionals in the field of virtual sales. The global organization serves individuals in various industries, including health care, technology, entertainment, transportation, telecommunications and hospitality.
Member Resources, such as community research studies and rep and leadership roundtables, provide insight into current and emerging inside sales trends and challenges. In addition, AA-ISP’s conferences and virtual sessions allow inside sales professionals the opportunity to connect with their peers and share ideas.
Institute of Sales Professionals: The Association of Professional Sales and the Institute of Sales Management have come together to create ISP. ISP is based in the UK and supports sales professionals worldwide. The association is dedicated to establishing and promoting quality, ethics and standards within the sales profession. It offers members professional development opportunities, including sales training and sales apprenticeship programs. ISP’s The B2B Sales Top Tips Guidebook features chapters written by sales coaches, thought leaders, procurement specialists and other sales experts from the UK, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. Association members may also attend conferences and seminars to network and collaborate with their peers.
National Association of Sales Professionals: NASP supports sales professionals globally through mentorship and training. The association’s membership includes an initial sales style assessment from which a custom coaching program is created. Connected virtually, NASP members can view podcasts and network with industry leaders. They may also participate in sales certification courses, including Certified Professional Sales Person and Certified Professional Sales Leader programs.
National Association of Women’s Sales Professionals: Founded in 2016, the NAWSP provides women sales professionals in the small business sector and global corporations with a platform to network, support and mentor each other. NAWSP members receive weekly professional development opportunities, access to webcasts and the opportunity to attend conferences and education programs.
National Auctioneers Association: The NAA was founded in 1949 and serves auctioneers in a variety of industries, including real estate, auto, jewelry, livestock and tobacco. The association’s advocacy committee actively pursues regulatory legislation and competitive bidding standardization for its members. NAA members have access to a generous selection of online courses, podcasts, blogs and the association’s magazine Auctioneer. They may also attend the NAA’s annual week-long conference and trade show, which provides the opportunity to network with peers from around the world.
National Business Development Association: Founded in Houston in 2012, the NBDA has expanded to include chapters across the United States. The association provides business development professionals and c-level speakers and panelists with a platform to share their best practices for identifying and developing professional skills. In addition, NBDA offers members techniques and resources that help them increase leads and conversion rates. Its member benefits include topic-specific workshops, quarterly newsletters and online access to blogs and other resources. The association supports informal networking opportunities through its keynote speaker lunches and happy hour meet and greets.
National Sales Network: Founded more than 30 years ago, NSN is a nonprofit organization that supports the needs of sales and sales management professionals. Members may participate in professional development opportunities at their local chapters that focus on improving time management and organizational skills, career development, business management and communication and leadership skills. In addition, NSN’s annual conferences include career fairs, executive symposiums and workshops. The association’s conventions offer members a platform to network and collaborate with peers and learn from industry experts.
North American Association of Sales Engineers: Serving 67,000 sales engineers and 130,000 technical sales reps in the United States, Canada and Mexico, NAASE provides networking and professional development opportunities. Individuals may participate in courses that focus on sales and negotiation strategies and coaching methods. In addition, NAASE’s monthly open forums are topic-specific and offer members an online platform to connect with experts and exchange ideas with peers. The association has also created a registered S.E. coaches web page. It features bios and contact information for registered coaches who are available to answer specific questions about technical sales.
Sales and Marketing Executives International: Founded in 1935, SMEI is a worldwide organization serving sales and marketing management professionals in more than 40 countries. Member benefits include social networking sites for business, access to an online sales and marketing library and frequent local and virtual meetings that provide effective strategies and information on the latest marketing trends. The association’s members may also attend a variety of online courses, including the SMEI Certification Program. Attaining certification validates industry knowledge and helps attract business. Other benefits include an interactive virtual sales summit and webinars.
Sales Management Association: The SMA focuses on providing managers, academic faculty, trainers and consultants the tools they need to teach and lead their teams and organizations effectively. Since 2008, SMA’s member benefits have included a full library of published research, webcasts and courses. Member blogs also discuss topics ranging from enhancing selling effectiveness to motivating sales team members with rewards-based compensation . In addition, the association’s annual Sales Force Productivity Conference offers members the opportunity to network with their peers and attend workshops, panels and classes led by senior-level practitioners.
Strategic Account Management Association: In operation since 1964, SAMA’s 11,000 members worldwide benefit from training, professional development and networking events. Members participate in an initial individual competency and program assessment to measure their strategic account management structural integrity. SAMA offers account management and leadership training courses and a certification program. Members also have access to an extensive online resource library and webinars. SAMA’s annual conferences provide members the opportunity to attend workshops and collaborate with their peers.
The Sales Association: The Sales Association’s resources and events are designed specifically to benefit sales and business development professionals. The association offers members educational and certification programs that provide participants virtual interaction with their coaches and peers. The Sales Association also honors member excellence through its recognition programs.
