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ESCO occupation

sales manager

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Sales managers develop sales and targeting strategies for a company. They manage sales teams, allocate sales resources based on the plans, prioritise and follow up on critical leads, develop sales pitches and adjust them over time, and maintain a sales platform to track all leads and sales.

1221.3.2.1 ISCO 1221 ESCO source
Competences
62
Groups
4
Essential
42
Optional
20

Competences and skills

62 ESCO relations
Essential knowledge 10 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

4 competences
corporate social responsibility

The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.

green
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market pricing

Price volatility according to market and price elasticity, and the factors which influence pricing trends and changes in the market in the long and short term.

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sales argumentation

Techniques and sales methods used in order to present a product or service to customers in a persuasive manner and to meet their expectations and needs.

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sales strategies

The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.

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Cross-sector

6 competences
brand marketing techniques

The methods and systems used in researching and establishing a brand identity for marketing purposes.

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consumer goods industry

The consumer goods industry refers to a concrete economic sector that produce and sell goods to consumers for they direct consumption, enjoyment or use. Industry that covers a wide range of activities whose target is the final consumption of products by households. It includes food production, clothing and leather, electronics, and household equipment, among other sectors.

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content marketing strategy

The process of creation and share of media and publishing content in order to acquire customers.

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marketing mix

Principle of marketing that describes the four fundamental elements in marketing strategies which are the product, the place, the price and the promotion.

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pricing strategies

The techniques, theories, and commonly accepted strategies regarding pricing of goods. The relation between pricing strategies and outcomes in the market such as profitability maximisation, deterrence of newcomers, or increase of market share.

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sales department processes

The different processes, duties, jargon, role in an organisation, and other specificities of the sales department within an organisation.

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Essential skills and competences 32 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

5 competences
carry out sales analysis

Examine sales reports to see what goods and services have and have not sold well.

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implement sales strategies

Carry out the plan to gain competitive advantage on the market by positioning the company's brand or product and by targeting the right audience to sell this brand or product to.

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produce sales reports

Maintain records of calls made and products sold over a given time frame, including data regarding sales volumes, number of new accounts contacted and the costs involved.

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set sales goals

Set sales goals and objectives to be reached by a sales team within a period of time such as the target amount of sales made and new customers found.

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supervise sales activities

Monitor and oversee the activities related to the ongoing sales in the shop to ensure that sales goals are met, assess areas for improvement, and identify or solve problems that customers could encounter.

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Cross-sector

27 competences
align efforts towards business development

Synchronise the efforts, plans, strategies, and actions carried out in departments of companies towards the growth of business and its turnover. Keep business development as the ultimate outcome of any effort of the company.

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analyse business plans

Analyse the formal statements from businesses which outline their business goals and the strategies they set in place to meet them, in order to assess the feasibility of the plan and verify the business' ability to meet external requirements such as the repayment of a loan or return of investments.

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analyse consumer buying trends

Analyse buying habits or currently prevalent customer behaviour.

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analyse customer service surveys

Analyse results from surveys completed by passengers/customer. Analyse results to identify trends and draw conclusions.

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analyse external factors of companies

Perform research and analysis of the external factor pertaining to companies such as consumers, position in the market, competitors, and political situation.

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analyse internal factors of companies

Research and understand various internal factors that influence the operation of companies such as its culture, strategic foundation, products, prices, and available resources.

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analyse work-related written reports

Read and comprehend job-related reports, analyse the content of reports and apply findings to daily work operations.

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coordinate marketing plan actions

Manage the overview of the marketing actions such as the marketing planning, internal financial resource granting, advertising materials, implementation, control, and communication efforts.

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create annual marketing budget

Make the calculation of both the income and expenditures that are expected to be paid over the coming year concerning the marketing related activities such as advertising, selling and delivering products to people.

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define measurable marketing objectives

Outline the measurable performance indicators of the marketing plan such as market share, customer value, brand awareness, and sales revenues. Follow up on the progress of these indicators during the development of the marketing plan.

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develop professional network

Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.

Scope note
This includes the development of social relationships with patients and customers.
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evaluate marketing content

Revise, assess, align, and approves marketing material and content defined in the marketing plan. Evaluate written word, images, print or video advertisements, public speeches, and statements in accordance with the marketing objectives.

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identify potential markets for companies

Observe and analyse market research findings in order to determine promising and profitable markets. Consider the firm's specific advantage and match it with markets where such value proposition is missing.

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impart business plans to collaborators

Diffuse, present, and communicate business plans and strategies to managers, employees making sure that objectives, actions, and important messages are properly conveyed.

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integrate marketing strategies with the global strategy

Integrate the marketing strategy and its elements such as the market definition, competitors, price strategy, and communication with the general guidelines of the global strategy of the company.

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integrate strategic foundation in daily performance

Reflect on the strategic foundation of companies, meaning their mission, vision, and values in order to integrate this foundation in the performance of the job position.

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make strategic business decisions

Analyse business information and consult directors for decision making purposes in a varied array of aspects affecting the prospect, productivity and sustainable operation of a company. Consider the options and alternatives to a challenge and make sound rational decisions based on analysis and experience.

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manage profitability

Regularly review sales and profit performance.

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manage staff

Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

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motivate employees

Communicate with employees in order to ensure that their personal ambitions are in line with the business goals, and that they work to meet them.

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perform market research

Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

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plan marketing campaigns

Develop a method to promote a product through different channels, such as television, radio, print and online platforms, social media with the aim to communicate and deliver value to customers.

digital
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plan marketing strategy

Determine the objective of the marketing strategy whether it is for establishing image, implementing a pricing strategy, or raising awareness of the product. Establish approaches of marketing actions to ensure that goals are achieved efficiently and over a long term.

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prepare visual data

Prepare charts and graphs in order to present data in a visual manner.

digital
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study sales levels of products

Collect and analyse sales levels of products and services in order to use this information for determining the quantities to be produced in the following batches, customer feedback, price trends, and the efficiency of sales methods.

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track key performance indicators

Identify the quantifiable measures that a company or industry uses to gauge or compare performance in terms of meeting their operational and strategic goals, using preset performance indicators.

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write work-related reports

Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

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Optional knowledge 5 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Cross-sector

5 competences
customer segmentation

The process whereby a target market is divided into specific sets of consumers for further market analysis.

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international business

The processes related to production or distribution of goods and services across borders.

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market research

The processes, techniques, and purposes comprised in the first step for developing marketing strategies such as the collection of information about customers and the definition of segments and targets.

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public relations

The practice of managing all aspects of the image and perception of a company or individual among stakeholders and the society at large.

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statistics

The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.

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Optional skills and competences 15 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

1 competence
investigate customer complaints of food products

Investigate customer complaints in order to determine the non-satisfactory elements in food products that lead to complaints from customers.

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Cross-sector

14 competences
analyse supply chain strategies

Examine an organisation's planning details of production, their expected output units, quality, quantity, cost, time available and labour requirements. Provide suggestions in order to improve products, service quality and reduce costs.

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collaborate in the development of marketing strategies

Work together with a group of professionals to develop marketing strategies performing market analysis and financial viability while staying aligned with the company's goals.

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communicate with customers

Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.

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define geographic sales areas

Determine the different areas and reach that the company has in terms of sales, in order to segment and divide those areas geographically for a better approach.

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estimate profitability

Take various factors into account to calculate the cost and potential revenues or savings gained from a product in order to evaluate the profit that could be generated by the new acquisition or by a new project.

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forecast sales over periods of time

Calculate and estimate the expected sales of products and services over different periods of time in order to determine their profitability.

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integrate headquarter's guidelines into local operations

Understand and implement the guidelines and objectives provided by the headquarters of a company into the local management of a company or subsidiary. Adapt guidelines to the regional reality.

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liaise with managers

Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.

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manage accounts

Manage the accounts and financial activities of an organisation, supervising that all the documents are correctly maintained, that all the information and calculations are correct, and that proper decisions are being made.

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manage budgets

Plan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.

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manage distribution channels

Oversee distribution channels with regards to the requirements of customers.

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present arguments persuasively

Present arguments during a negotiation or debate, or in written form, in a persuasive manner in order to obtain the most support for the case the speaker or writer represents.

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recruit personnel

Carry out assessment and recruitment of personnel for the production.

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teach marketing principles

Instruct students in the theory and practice of marketing, with the aim of assisting them in pursuing a future career in this field, more specifically in courses such as sales strategies, brand marketing techniques, digital sales methodologies, and mobile marketing.

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