It takes a lot of talent and hard to work to become a successful sales professional. Many successful salespeople get started in mundane sales professions. Those that have large amounts of drive and motivation are frequently the highest paid. The most popular sales professions are often the hardest to get into, but they are also the most rewarding.
Real Estate Sales
The real estate market is hard to break into, but the most successful real estate agents often earn more than six figures annually. This sales field has changed in recent years because of the collapse of the housing bubble. Many real estate agents are now making money from short sales and foreclosures. Some agents now specialize in niche markets that take advantage of property and tax laws. Real estate agents typically have a fiduciary relationship with people that are buying and selling homes. Beginners in the real estate market can expect to earn an average of $33,000 annually. This amount scales up exponentially as the agent builds up a large client base.
Real estate agents also have to treat their profession like a business. They often need to manage their own advertising. Mandatory subscriptions to real estate listing services often cost more than $1,000 annually.
Health and Life Insurance Sales
Many health insurance agents have become very successful recently because of changes in insurance laws. The most successful health insurance agents work for themselves. Many agents sell both health and life insurance in package deals. Mandatory changes in insurance laws have increased the need for employee coverage. The average health insurance agent earns $35,000 a year. Health insurance agents can usually become insurance brokers within a few years of working. Insurance brokers generally run entire insurance businesses. The best paid insurance brokers earn more than $117,000 annually.
The health insurance field is typically very easy to break into. Many agents can start working before they acquire their license. A lot of health insurance companies will also sponsor a potential employee and help him acquire the license.
Medical Device Sales
The medical device sales industry is booming. It is easy to sell medical devices because they often go through insurance. The consumer often doesn’t buy anything. The patient’s doctor is often the one that is authorizing it. These salespeople earn over $120,000 annually. There are a lot of different types of medical devices on the market. Those that sell surgical supplies are often the most successful.
Car Sales
Selling cars is often very easy because people know what they are looking for. Cars are a perfect sales item because they combine luxury with utility. Talented car salespeople often receive very attractive compensation packages. The average car salesperson earns over $40,000 annually. Sales representatives and supervisors typically earn more than $80,000 per year. Many automobile salespeople are also owners. They often trade used cars on a privately owned lot. The car sales profession is very broad. Many auto salespeople specialize in specific car models. They may dominate a share of the market because they are experts in the details of a particular vehicle type. Auto salespeople that work for large dealerships often make the most money. They can finance vehicles with bank loans. They also offer consumers attractive long term warranties.
Cars have recently become much safer. This makes them much easier to sell to older drivers and families. Driver safety is also important because safer automobiles have lower insurance rates. Many car companies like Honda control huge portions of the market share because consumers are concerned about safety on the road.