Types of Salesman: Identifying Common Types of Salespeople

There are many different types of salesman in today’s business landscape, all with their own unique skills and strategies to bring to the sales environment. In an effort to break free of the “sleazy salesman” identity, professionals responsible for earning conversions have crafted a host of new characters, from the service-focused salesman to the pioneer.

Today, we’re going to be looking at some of the different types of salespeople in the world today, to help you decide what kind of salesperson you might be.

5 Types of Salespeople

While there are dozens of different types of salesman today, and new variations appearing all the time, some are more common than others. Here are some of the types of salespeople you may recognize from today’s landscape.

The Creative Salesman

One of the most successful types of salesman in the technology landscape, the creative or “pioneer” salesperson is all about out-of-the-box thinking. This kind of sales professional doesn’t immediately jump in to a conversation by trying to get a sale, instead, they focus on educating the customer about the revolutionary benefits of a product or service.

A pioneer salesman introduces the product or service on offer as an exciting new offering, with never-seen-before features and functionality. The pioneer salesperson works well in an environment where innovation is the focus of the business (such as in technology, pharmaceuticals, or services).

The Service Salesman

The service salesman is an expert in selling intangible products like training and education, or services, such as insurance, advertising space, or travel arrangements. The people who need such services need to be convinced they’re going to get an excellent level of support and guidance throughout their customer experience.

Service salesmen are excellent at making businesses stand out for their commitment to customer experience. Any company that differentiates its brand with great service can benefit from a service salesman.

The Retailer Salesman

One of the most common types of salespeople is the retailer salesman, this individual works within the four walls of a physical shop, or as part of the sales team for an online company. Counter salesman or retail salesman are responsible for responding directly to customer queries and delivering unique sales pitches to everyone they meet.

A retail salesperson might not use the same pitches and strategies as other sales experts, but they need a strong set of personal qualities to thrive, like good manners and excellent communication skills.

The Speciality Salesman

Another of the better-known types of salesman is the speciality salesman. These professionals are responsible for highlighting the benefits of specific speciality goods. To succeed as a speciality salesman, you need to be able to convince customers to purchase more expensive products, which requires a significant amount of product knowledge and initiative.

Speciality salespeople could sell anything from cars and television sets to computer and software. They need plenty of training and support from marketing research to thrive.

The Manufacturer Salesman

A manufacturer salesman is a professional appointed and paid specifically by a manufacturer. These professionals supplement the sales efforts of retailers and wholesalers alike, while providing first-hand guidance about the markets to the manufacturer.

A manufacturer salesman can also be another term for many other kinds of salespeople, such as the pioneer salesman, mentioned above. These specialists are imaginative, but also capable of being aggressive when selling a product.

Different types of salesman

The five types of salesman mentioned above are just the beginning. There are also various other kinds of salespeople in today’s market too, such as the staple salesman, who deal with the sale of common food items like clothing, stationary, and everyday essentials. These professionals don’t need to create demand for their products because customers know they’re necessary.

Other examples include:

• Exporter salesman: People who are specially known for dealing with the importing and exporting of large amounts of goods for different international markets.
• Outdoor salesman: A travelling salesperson, known for moving from place to place to form connections with customers in-person and sell products.
• Details salesman: Details salespeople generally work in the drug industry. They’re responsible for selling products to a physician who then deliver the items to the end customer.
• Wholesaler salesman: Wholesaler salesman are appointed and paid by a wholesaler for their efforts in supplying the goods of wholesalers to various retailers.

Which type of salesperson are you?

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to choosing your focus as a salesperson. Some people will thrive in markets where there’s already a clear demand for products, like in the staple salesperson space. Other salespeople can use their professional knowledge in a specific industry to generate incredible results as a speciality salesperson.

The more time you spend developing your skills as a sales professional, the more you’ll discover your place in the sales landscape.