What does a Sales Lead do?
Positioned between sales management and the Sales Associates, the Sales Lead serves both groups to support the company’s overall sales. They work in all types of sales environments, from retail stores to business-to-business (B2B) companies. The settings and products being sold might differ, but the job of a Sales Lead is to supervise and lead the Sales Associates to help increase sales. They do this through recruiting and training new employees, being a resource for all sales staff and supporting them while they interact with customers. While Sales Leads might not spend a lot of time selling, they need strong sales skills to mentor their sales team. They also support the management team by offering insight, enforcing the policies they create and completing tasks assigned by the managers.
Sales Lead skills and qualifications
The Sales Lead is responsible for supporting the sales staff and increasing sales. To do this successfully, an ideal candidate has the following skills and qualifications:
- Strong communication skills for interactions with customers and sales staff
- Leadership skills
- Strategic planning
- Familiarity with effective sales strategies
- Inspirational attitude and ability to create a motivating environment
- Ability to train others effectively
- Product knowledge
- Customer service skills, including how to handle upset customers
Sales Lead experience requirements
Many sales skills are learned on the job, so having one year or more of sales experience is essential for a Sales Lead position. Some companies require more selling experience for people hired to lead the sales team. It’s also common to require some type of supervisory experience or additional responsibilities to show they can handle the demands of the Sales Lead role. Ideally, the supervisory experience happens in a sales setting, but leadership skills from other fields are also relevant for sales.
Sales Lead education and training requirements
Sales Lead careers don’t require any education beyond a high school diploma or GED. Having an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in sales or marketing is a bonus, but it’s not required. Many companies accept sales or supervisory experience instead of a relevant college degree.
Sales Lead salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Sales Lead is $13.89 per hour plus $9,600 in yearly commission. This salary is dependent on the amount of sales experience, location and type of company.
Sales Lead salary expectations
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Common salary:
17.35 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -33.10 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
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Sales Lead job description FAQs
What is the difference between a Sales Lead and a Sales Associate?
Sales Associates or Sales Reps work directly with customers and focus solely on selling products. They’re often motivated to increase their own sales to earn commissions. They have no supervisory responsibilities and simply carry out their sales duties. Sales Leads serve as supervisors for the Sales Associates. They’re still concerned about the sales numbers, but they want the entire sales team to do well. While they have some contact with customers, they work more with the sales staff. They might work as Sales Associates when they’re not needed in their supervisory position.
Who does a Sales Lead report to?
The Sales Lead is a position that falls between Sales Associate and Sales Manager. They typically report to the Sales Manager or the Assistant Sales Manager, depending on the structure of the company.
What qualities make a good Sales Lead?
A good Sales Lead is concerned about the success of the company as a whole and knows how to support and encourage Sales Associates to do well. They know how to prioritize tasks to help support the team and create a positive experience for customers. Sales Leads are good with customers, especially when a customer is upset about their experience. They’re motivating, but they also know how to handle disciplinary situations when needed.
What should you look for in a Sales Lead resume?
When reviewing candidate resumes, look for varied sales experience, particularly in settings similar to your company. Review previous job titles and duties to look for supervisory experience. Concrete sales numbers and statistics listed on the resume can also give you insight into the candidate’s skills.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
