Sales Support: Everything You Need to Know

In today’s fast-paced business world, it’s crucial for companies to have a strong sales team to help drive revenue and grow the business. But equally important is the role of sales support, which helps to ensure that the sales process runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the sales support role!

What is sales support?

Sales support is a role that helps to facilitate and support the sales process within an organization. The primary goal of sales support is to assist the sales team in achieving their targets by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and support to enable them to effectively sell the company’s products or services.

sales support job description

Some specific responsibilities that may be included in a sales support job description include:

  1. Answering customer questions and providing product information
  2. Handling customer complaints and working with the sales team to resolve any issues
  3. Creating sales materials, such as sales decks and brochures
  4. Coordinating sales demos and product trials for potential customers
  5. Providing product training and technical support to the sales team
  6. Assisting with the development and implementation of sales strategies and tactics
  7. Monitoring and analyzing sales data to identify trends and areas for improvement
  8. Supporting the sales team with administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and managing customer records

What is the importance of the sales support role? 

The importance of the sales support role cannot be overstated. Without effective sales support, the sales team may struggle to find the resources they need to effectively sell the company’s products or services. In addition, sales support helps to streamline the sales process, making it more efficient and effective. This can lead to increased revenue and profits for the company.

What is the benefit of the sales support role?

There are several benefits to the sales support role, both for the sales team and for the organization as a whole. Some of these benefits include:

  1. Improved efficiency: By providing the necessary support and resources to the sales team, sales support professionals can help streamline the sales process, making it more efficient and effective.
  2. Enhanced customer satisfaction: Sales support professionals can help to ensure that customer inquiries and complaints are promptly addressed, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
  3. Increased revenue and profits: By helping the sales team effectively sell the company’s products or services, sales support professionals can contribute to increased revenue and profits for the organization.

What are the types of sales support?

There are several types of sales support, including:

  1. Technical support: This type of sales support involves providing product training and technical assistance to the sales team, helping them to effectively sell the company’s products or services.
  2. Marketing support: This type of sales support involves creating marketing materials and campaigns to support the sales team’s efforts.
  3. Administrative support: This type of sales support involves handling tasks such as scheduling appointments, coordinating demos and product trials, and managing customer inquiries and complaints.
  4. Sales enablement: This type of sales support involves providing the sales team with the necessary tools and resources to effectively sell the company’s products or services, such as sales decks, pricing guides, and product demonstrations.

What is the salary of sales support?

The salary of a sales support professional will depend on a number of factors, including the individual’s level of experience, education, and the specific industry in which they are working. According to data from Glassdoor, the median salary for a sales support role in the United States is $40,000 per year. However, this can vary significantly depending on the individual’s level of experience and the specific industry in which they are working.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a sales support?

Some of the roles and responsibilities of a sales support professional may include:

  1. Managing customer inquiries and complaints: This may involve answering customer questions about the company’s products or services, handling customer complaints, and working with the sales team to resolve any issues that may arise.
  2. Creating sales materials and presentations: This may involve developing sales decks, brochures, and other materials to help the sales team effectively sell the company’s products or services.
  3. Coordinating sales demos and product trials: This may involve setting up and managing demos and product trials for potential customers, working with the sales team to ensure that these efforts are successful.
  4. Providing product training and technical support: This may involve working with the sales team to ensure that they are knowledgeable about the company’s products and can effectively demonstrate their features and benefits to potential customers.
  5. Resolving issues that may arise during the sales process: This may involve working with the sales team to resolve any issues that may come up during the sales process, such as disputes over pricing or delivery timelines.

What are the sales support jobs? 

Some common sales support jobs include:

  1. Sales support specialist: This is a role that involves providing support to the sales team, such as creating sales materials and presentations, coordinating sales demos and product trials, and providing product training and technical support.
  2. Sales support coordinator: This is a role that involves managing and coordinating various aspects of the sales process, such as scheduling appointments, managing customer inquiries and complaints, and ensuring that the sales team has the necessary resources and support to effectively sell the company’s products or services.
  3. Sales support representative: This is a role that involves working directly with customers, answering questions about the company’s products or services, handling customer complaints, and providing support to the sales team as needed.
  4. Sales support manager: This is a leadership role that involves overseeing the sales support team and ensuring that the necessary support and resources are provided to the sales team to enable them to effectively sell the company’s products or services.
  5. Sales enablement specialist: This is a role that involves working with the sales team to identify and implement the tools and resources needed to effectively sell the company’s products or services, such as sales decks, pricing guides, and product demonstrations.

What are the sales support interview questions?

Some common interview questions for a sales support role may include:

  1. How do you prioritize tasks and manage your workload?
  2. Can you describe a time when you had to handle a difficult customer situation and how you resolved it?
  3. How do you keep up-to-date with product knowledge and industry trends?
  4. Can you describe a time when you had to work closely with a sales team and how you contributed to their success?
  5. How do you stay organized and manage multiple tasks and projects at once?
  6. Can you describe a time when you had to resolve an issue that arose during the sales process and how you approached the situation?

What are the qualifications of sales support?

In terms of qualifications, the specific requirements for a sales support role will vary depending on the company and the specific job. However, some common qualifications for a sales support role may include:

  1. A bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as marketing, business, or communications
  2. Prior experience in sales or customer service
  3. Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  4. Proficiency in computer programs and tools, such as Microsoft Office and customer relationship management (CRM) software
  5. Organizational and time management skills

What education does a sales support need? 

While a bachelor’s degree is often preferred for a sales support role, some companies may be willing to consider candidates with a high school diploma and relevant experience. It’s also important for a sales support professional to have a strong understanding of the company’s products or services and the industry in which they operate. Ongoing training and professional development may also be necessary to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices.

What qualities should a sales support have?

Some character qualities that a sales support professional should possess include:

  1. Adaptability: The sales process can be unpredictable, so it’s important for sales support professionals to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and pivot as needed.
  2. Collaboration: Sales support professionals often work closely with the sales team and other stakeholders, so it’s important for them to be able to effectively collaborate and build strong relationships.
  3. Problem-solving skills: Sales support professionals may encounter a variety of challenges and issues during the sales process, so it’s important for them to be able to think critically and find creative solutions to problems.
  4. Resourcefulness: Sales support professionals need to be able to identify and utilize the resources available to them to support the sales team and facilitate the sales process.
  5. Empathy: Sales support professionals may interact with customers who are experiencing issues or challenges, so it’s important for them to be able to show empathy and understand the customer’s perspective.

What are the sales support skills?

Some specific skills that a sales support professional may need to possess include:

  1. Proficiency in computer programs and tools, such as Microsoft Office and customer relationship management (CRM) software
  2. Product knowledge and understanding of industry trends
  3. Ability to create and deliver effective sales presentations
  4. Customer service skills
  5. Knowledge of sales techniques and strategies
  6. Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  7. Organizational and time management skills
  8. Attention to detail
  9. Flexibility and adaptability

What is sales support strategy?

A sales support strategy is a plan for how the sales support team will provide the necessary support and resources to the sales team to enable them to effectively sell the company’s products or services. This may include identifying the tools and resources needed by the sales team, establishing processes and protocols for handling customer inquiries and complaints, and developing training and support programs for the sales team.

What is sales support process?

The sales support process involves the steps and activities that the sales support team takes to provide the necessary support and resources to the sales team. This may include creating sales materials and presentations, coordinating sales demos and product trials, providing product training and technical support, and handling customer inquiries and complaints. The goal of the sales support process is to streamline the sales process and provide the necessary support to the sales team to enable them to effectively sell the company’s products or services.

What is sales support prospecting?

Sales support prospecting is the process of identifying and targeting potential customers who may be interested in the company’s products or services. This may involve researching and identifying potential leads, reaching out to these leads through various channels (such as email or phone), and qualifying these leads to determine their potential fit for the company’s products or services. The goal of sales support prospecting is to help the sales team identify and pursue potential opportunities for revenue growth.

What is sales support playbook? 

A sales support playbook is a collection of resources and strategies that the sales support team can use to provide support to the sales team and facilitate the sales process. This may include sales materials and presentations, product training and technical support, and processes and protocols for handling customer inquiries and complaints. The goal of a sales support playbook is to provide the sales team with the necessary tools and resources to effectively sell the company’s products or services.

What is sales support KPIs?

Sales support KPIs (key performance indicators) are metrics that are used to measure the effectiveness of the sales support team in providing support to the sales team and facilitating the sales process. Some examples of sales support KPIs may include the number of leads generated, the percentage of leads converted to sales, the average time it takes to resolve customer issues, and the overall customer satisfaction score.

What is sales support quota? 

A sales support quota is a target or goal that is set for the sales support team in terms of the amount of support and resources they need to provide to the sales team. This may include a target number of sales materials created, a target number of customer issues resolved, or a target number of product demos or trials coordinated. The

What is sales support time management?

Sales support time management is the process of effectively managing one’s time and workload in order to meet the demands of the sales support role. This may involve setting priorities, creating a schedule and sticking to it, and using tools and techniques to manage tasks and projects effectively. Good time management skills are essential for sales support professionals, as they often juggle multiple tasks and projects at once and need to be able to prioritize and manage their time effectively.

Is sales support a good job? 

Sales support can be a good job for individuals who are organized, detail-oriented, and able to work well under pressure. It’s also a good job for those who enjoy working with customers and helping to resolve issues, and who have strong communication and interpersonal skills.

How to become a sales support person

To become a sales support professional, you will typically need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as marketing, business, or communications. Some companies may be willing to consider candidates with a high school diploma and relevant experience. It’s also important to have a strong understanding of the company’s products or services and the industry in which they operate. Ongoing training and professional development may also be necessary to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices.

How to recruit sales support

Here are some steps you can take to recruit a sales support professional:

  1. Define the role: Clearly define the responsibilities and qualifications for the sales support role to help attract the right candidates.
  2. Post the job: Use job boards, social media, and other channels to advertise the sales support role and attract potential candidates.
  3. Review resumes and cover letters: Carefully review resumes and cover letters to identify candidates who meet the qualifications and experience requirements for the role.
  4. Conduct interviews: Use structured interviews to assess candidates’ qualifications, skills, and fit for the role. Consider using a panel interview format to get input from multiple team members.
  5. Check references: Contact candidates’ references to get a better understanding of their work history and skills.

What is the difference between sales support and SDR? 

The difference between sales support and SDR (sales development representative) roles is that sales support professionals provide support to the sales team, while SDRs are responsible for identifying and pursuing potential sales leads. Sales support professionals may help the sales team by creating sales materials and presentations, coordinating sales demos and product trials, providing product training and technical support, and handling customer inquiries and complaints. SDRs, on the other hand, are responsible for researching and identifying potential leads, reaching out to these leads through various channels (such as email or phone), and qualifying these leads to determine their potential fit for the company’s products or services. The goal of an SDR is to help the sales team identify and pursue potential opportunities for revenue growth.