An individual who would like to become a sales development representative should have excellent interpersonal skills. Regardless of the field you work in, you should be able to earn the trust of the people with whom you communicate. A sales development representative, however, is more than just a sales associate. To become a sales development representative, it is also necessary to have a thorough understanding of a product or service that you are selling. You should have years of experience working in a related field and perhaps even advanced academic training.
A sales development representative is responsible for finding new clients and markets. He or she might work with an organization's primary clients to ensure that they are satisfied. In most cases, a sales development representative also performs data management tasks by updating digitally stored intelligence and sharing valuable information with colleagues.
If you would like to become a sales development representative, your first step should be to earn an undergraduate degree in a field such as marketing or management. A professional in this role often has to gather and interpret market research to determine which leads or demographics might be most profitable. In order to perform these tasks, an aspiring sales development representative should be familiar with marketing strategies.
In some cases, to become a sales development representative you might also need training in a more specialized field. For example, if you would like to become a professional who sells medical supplies, you should take courses in which you become familiar with technology used in hospitals and doctors' offices. Even in these scenarios, however, you can benefit from business training.
It usually is not necessary to earn a graduate degree to become a sales development representative. It might be more important to begin getting sales experience immediately after college. While there is much valuable information you can learn in a classroom setting, some of the most successful salespeople learn their methods by trial and error. You may want to continue to educate yourself, however, by reading books and guides and even taking continuing education courses online or in the evenings.
The best entry level sales position for an aspiring sales development representative will probably be in an organization where you enjoy working and where there is opportunity for growth. When you are interviewing for different jobs, be sure to ask interviewers about how often they promote from inside as opposed to hiring from outside. Many employers consider employees who want to move ahead in their careers valuable assets.