### Overview:
Sales involves the process of selling products or services to customers, businesses, or other organizations. Sales professionals are responsible for identifying leads, prospecting, building relationships, understanding customer needs, presenting solutions, negotiating terms, and closing deals.
### Information:
**Product Groups:**
1. **Consumer Goods**: Includes tangible products such as food, beverages, clothing, electronics, and household items.
2. **Business-to-Business (B2B)**: Involves selling products or services from one business to another, such as software solutions, office equipment, and consulting services.
3. **Technology**: Encompasses software, hardware, IT services, and telecommunications solutions for businesses or consumers.
4. **Financial Services**: Includes banking, insurance, investment products, and financial planning services.
5. **Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals**: Involves selling medical equipment, devices, or pharmaceutical products to healthcare providers or institutions.
**Industry Groups:**
– Technology
– Financial Services
– Healthcare
– Consumer Goods
– Automotive
– Real Estate
– Hospitality
– Manufacturing
– Retail
**Prerequisites:**
– Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or related fields.
– Strong communication, negotiation, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
– Previous sales experience, internships, or relevant coursework can be beneficial.
**Exit Opportunities:**
– Sales Management
– Business Development
– Account Management
– Marketing
– Entrepreneurship
– Customer Success
**Top Firms:**
1. Salesforce
2. Oracle
3. IBM
4. Google
5. Amazon
6. Microsoft
7. SAP
8. Cisco
9. Dell Technologies
10. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
**Recruitment Timeline:**
– Sales firms and companies typically recruit for undergraduate summer internships throughout the year, but recruitment may be more active in the spring semester.
**Compensation Ranges:**
– Summer Internship: $15 – $30 per hour plus potential commissions or bonuses.
– Entry-level Sales Representative/Account Executive: $40,000 – $60,000 base salary, with potential commissions or bonuses.
