Wine sales representatives are people who market their companies’ wine products in an effort to sell a certain number of products to members of the public. These individuals must be self-driven and have strong interpersonal skills. Completing a one-year diploma or a two-year associate degree program in a field such as wine technology or even a four-year bachelor’s degree program in sales prepares someone to enter this line of work. A wine sales representative essentially is responsible for sharing product information with clients and performing research, as well as making phone calls and participating in training activities.
A person who works as a wine sales representative has the important duty of presenting information to clients. He or she needs to write and give presentations to customers who might be interested in buying his or her company’s wine products. For this reason, he or she has to have solid written and verbal communication skills and be able to act professionally before an audience.
Another valuable responsibility of an individual who works in this industry is to conduct research. A wine sales representative must be analytical and detail-oriented because he or she has to gather and interpret data regarding his or her company’s product sales and determine whether the organization has achieved its established quotas at various time periods. The professional then needs to be able to present his or her findings to company officials so that they can make informed business decisions. He or she also shares research with fellow co-workers to motivate them to improve their marketing goals.
Telephone skills are critical for someone who labors in this career area. He or she has to be able to call customers to verify their satisfaction with products and encourage them to buy more items, fostering strong consumer retention. Strong phone etiquette is necessary to represent the company in a desirable manner as a wine sales representative.
Completing ongoing training requirements constitutes another significant task of a person in this job field. Organizations often facilitate regular meetings during which salespeople learn new tactics for reaching potential buyers. In addition, employees might have the opportunity to take tours of wineries to study innovative beverage processing techniques used in the industry, which they can then share with possible customers when pitching company goods. A willingness to learn and apply new information is a must for an individual who is interested in becoming a wine sales representative.
