Wholesale Sales Managers organize, direct, and control the sales division's planning and operations for companies which are engaged in wholesale trade (selling goods to retailers in large quantities).

JOB DUTIES

Wholesale Sales Managers may:

Develop, direct, and control sales programs (including business-to-business electronic commerce via the Internet)

Hire, train, and evaluate performance of the sales staff

Establish sales territories, quotas, and goals

Review market studies to determine customer needs, sales potential, prices, and discount rates

Develop sales campaigns to meet company goals

Represent the company at trade association meetings

Analyze and control spending in the sales division

Evaluate dealer sales and helping dealers carry on training programs and sales promotions

Develop estimates of future sales

Evaluate new selling methods and determine which ones to use for particular products

The equipment and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Wholesale Sales Managers may specialize in these areas:

163.167-018 WHOLESALE SALES MANAGERS organize, direct, and control the sales division's planning and operations for companies which are engaged in wholesale trade (selling goods to retailers in large quantities).

183.117-010 REGIONAL MANAGERS also known as Branch Managers, are responsible for sales within a particular area or region which may include several states or parts of states.

183.117-010 WHOLESALE SALES DISTRICT MANAGERS are assigned to a specific area known as a district and are responsible for sales in that district. Their assigned areas are generally smaller than those assigned to a Branch (Regional) Manager.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

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WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Wholesale Sales Managers may be in charge of a local, state, or regional sales staff. They may be responsible for the sale of a particular type of product or the entire sales staff of a company. Wholesale Sales Managers generally work under the direction of a sales or marketing manager or under a company president or vice-president.

Most Sales Managers work indoors in offices that are well lighted, well ventilated, heated, and air-conditioned. These offices are usually comfortably furnished. The work is not physically demanding or hazardous, but emotional pressures may develop at times.

Wholesale Sales Managers usually work at least 40 hours per week. They may often work late to finish projects or begin work early to prepare for meetings or to go over records. They are required to travel frequently to meet with staff or customers and to attend meetings and seminars. Sales Managers responsible for national sales do much more traveling than those responsible for local or regional sales. Traveling is often done in the evening or on weekends.

Many belong to professional organizations such as Sales and Marketing Executives International. Members of such organizations must generally pay dues.

You Should Prefer

• Work that involves business contact with people

• Work that brings recognition or appreciation from others

• Activities concerned with the communication of information

You Should Be Able To:

• Use math quickly and accurately

• See details/detect errors in numbers, spelling, and punctuation

• Direct, coordinate, and plan activities

• Deal with people in jobs beyond giving and receiving instructions

• Influence people's opinions, attitudes, or judgments

• Rate information by personal judgment/standards which can be measured

• Understand ideas and present information clearly

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If a sample of people were asked if they liked your product over a substitute and 50 out of a 123 said yes, what is the percentage of people that prefer your product over the substitute?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

A consumer is anyone who buys goods or services for personal use. At one time or another, everyone is a consumer.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report for the files, explaining the reasons a certain area is a good place to try to sell your product.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to look at statistical analyses and decide the best area to sell your product.

A great deal of experience in sales work as a wholesale sales worker or manufacturer's representative or in similar work is usually necessary for becoming a Sales Manager.

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer; a High School Diploma or equivalent; a Certificate (program of up to one years of study beyond high school); an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school); a Bachelor's Degree (four

years of study beyond high school) or a Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

025 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION

Programs in Business Management and Administration provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment in a leadership role in business. Individuals who teach business at the secondary school level must have a Michigan Teaching Certificate.

Courses within programs will vary but may include:

093 MARKETING & PURCHASING

Programs in Marketing and Purchasing provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for managerial employment in activities that contribute to the exchange of goods and services. Marketing functions include buying, merchandising, advertising, selling, transportation and distribution, storage and finance, and market research. Individuals who teach Marketing and Purchasing at the secondary level must have a Michigan Teaching Certificate.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript

  E-Learning Courses and Programs   

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Related experience in sales work may provide an idea of what work as a Sales Manager is like. High school distributive education programs may provide some experience. Postsecondary programs in marketing and purchasing or business management and administration might offer work-study or internship opportunities. Participation in Junior Achievement offers a chance to market items. Working as a sales assistant and helping to arrange product displays, carry samples, and make deliveries would offer related experience. Summer jobs in a wholesale warehouse or office could be helpful also.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Wholesale Sales Manager employer

internships

volunteer work with a Wholesale Sales Manager employer

community service work with an agency

Most first-line Wholesale Sales Managers enter their jobs by advancing within the companies for which they work. Individuals might find positions by applying directly to employers. Persons with a combination of college education and sales experience have the best chances of being hired for beginning positions. Assistance may be available through college placement offices, local offices of Michigan Works!, and newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Michigan Talent Bank

America's Job Bank

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

HotJobs.com

CareerBuilder

MONSTERTRAK.COM

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

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EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Wholesale Sales Managers usually receive straight salaries. If they also have sales duties, they earn a salary plus commission. They sometimes receive a commission based on sales made by workers under their supervision. Earnings depend also on the size and type of employer and the responsibilities of the particular position. Earnings of commissioned Sales Managers may fluctuate widely from year to year.

  Nationally, in 1998, Wholesale Sales Managers earned the following average annual salaries:

In Michigan, earnings of Wholesale Sales Managers were similar to national salaries.  In addition to salaries and commissions, some employers provide bonuses and profit-sharing plans. Sales Managers might also have expense accounts and receive options to purchase company stock.

Depending on the employer, Wholesale Sales Managers may receive paid vacations and holidays; life, health, and disability insurance; and pension plans. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by employers.

Wholesale Sales Managers generally start out in wholesale sales worker jobs or in other sales jobs. Some are hired as manager trainees. Advancement depends on education, experience, and managerial ability. As sales workers obtain experience, they may advance and eventually handle major accounts and sales territories. Specific educational background is important in the sale of certain specialized products such as technical instruments and prescription drugs. Sales workers with the required experience and managerial abilities may advance to District or Branch Manager positions. The most qualified Sales Managers may advance to General Sales Manager, chief sales executive, director of marketing, or vice- president of marketing.

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 241,678 marketing, advertising, and public relations managers, including Wholesale Sales Managers, were employed in 1996. Employment is expected to rise more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2006. Most wholesale sales managers worked for various wholesale businesses, including machinery, equipment, supplies, food and related products, motor vehicles and equipment, and electrical goods.

Many wholesalers and buyers are now linked by computers. This makes inventory control simpler and cheaper. In addition, many buyers have narrowed the list of wholesalers who supply their products in order to cut costs and improve quality. These trends should result in a decrease in the number of available positions for wholesale sales managers.

There were about 1,375 Marketing Managers, including Wholesale Sales Managers, employed in Michigan. Most worked in urban areas. All Wholesale Sales Managers were employed in the wholesale trade industry.

Employment of Wholesale Sales Managers in Michigan is expected to increase faster than the average through the year 2005. An average of 60 annual openings is expected with 30 due to growth and 30 due to the to replacement of those who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as Managers change jobs or occupations.

Employment will grow slightly as an increasing population and rising incomes cause an increase in the demand for goods. However, the growth may vary from year to year, as employment in the wholesale trade industry is somewhat sensitive to changes in the economy.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

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SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

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MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development