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to orient teams to new processes and work through any kinks.
years of experience, they can advance to become vice presi-
Photographic Sales Representatives provide technical, mar-
dents of sales departments.
keting, and product training support internally as well as
externally. When they visit photography stores, they also
Education and Training
speak with the sales associates about the products and
demonstrate to them how they work and the advantages over Most manufacturers hire Photographic Sales Representa-
other products. They get salespeople excited so that the sales- tives who have four-year degrees. Educational backgrounds
people can, in turn, share their knowledge and enthusiasm can vary in this field; a bachelor s degree in marketing, with
with customers. Photographic Sales Representatives may photography experience, often suffices. Many Photographic
offer salespeople special deals on products or giveaways. Sales Representatives hone their sales skills by taking con-
They conduct in-store demonstrations for storeowners, sales tinuing education workshops in sales and marketing through
associates, and customers. They make in-person visits to pho- business schools or professional associations. They keep up
tographers studios to demonstrate products and to allow pho- with industry trends and issues by reading trade publica-
tographers to test equipment and provide feedback. tions and joining professional associations for membership
newsletters and magazines.
Salaries
Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits
Photographic Sales Representatives are usually full-time
employees who earn annual salaries plus commissions. Many companies require their Photographic Sales Represen-
Earnings can range from $30,000 to $80,000 or more, tatives to have several years of prior experience in sales.
depending upon years of experience, the manufacturer, and Sales representatives must have strong customer service
quantity of products sold. Staff sales representatives also skills and be adept at developing rapport with people
receive such benefits as a 401(k); medical, dental, and life quickly. For more senior-level positions, manufacturers want
insurance; vacation and sick leave; use of company cars; to see demonstrated records of past sales successes. Sales
and frequent flier mileage. They also receive reimbursement representatives must be able to maintain relationships either
for transportation, hotels, meals, and wining and dining cus- in person, by telephone, or through e-mail and therefore need
tomers. Some companies provide Photographic Sales Rep- to have strong written and verbal communication skills.
resentatives with cash bonuses, all-expense paid vacations, There may be a great deal of travel involved in this type of
or other incentives for outstanding sales achievements. work, so having a flexible attitude, enthusiasm, and energy
can ease the challenges. Photographic Sales Representatives
must be highly organized and able to prioritize workloads to
Employment Prospects
achieve sales goals. They must be able to meet and exceed
Demand for Photographic Sales Representatives should
these goals and work well under a great deal of pressure.
grow about as fast as the average for all occupations, or by
Those who thrive under the stress of deadlines do extremely
about 10 to 20 percent, through 2012, according to the U.S.
well in this field. In addition to being versed in the products
Department of Labor. With the constant development and
and the company they represent, they must also be computer
improvement of photographic equipment and supplies, cus-
savvy and very familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel, e-mail,
tomers will continue to need Photographic Sales Represen-
the Internet, and order-and-billing software.
tatives to show them how to use the products. Sales
representatives will find the most employment opportunities
Unions and Associations
in small wholesale and manufacturing firms. More of these
companies are depending upon sales representatives to help There are no associations specifically dedicated to Photo-
them control costs and expand client bases by marketing graphic Sales Representatives. Sales representatives can
PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS AND RELATED JOBS 159
belong to the Manufacturers Agents National Association Sales Vault (http://www.salesvault.com), JustClosers
for general sales-representative benefits, such as the monthly (http://www.justclosers.com), Work (http://www.work.
Sales Agency magazine; an online directory of members and com), Monster (http://www.monster.com), Yahoo!
manufacturers; lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., in Hotjobs (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com), CareerBuilder
defense of professional standards and ethics; contract guide- (http://www.careerbuilder.com), and many others.
lines; career counseling; educational seminars; and more. 3. Create a list of photographic equipment and product
Photographic Sales Representatives may also join Profes- manufacturers that interest you. Visit their Web sites
sional Photographers of America, Advertising Photographers
and check their employment listings section. Contact
of America, American Society of Media Photographers, and
the human resources departments to see if there are
others, for networking and educational opportunities.
sales opportunities in territories you are familiar with
or that are feasible for you to cover.
Tips for Entry 4. Ask the sales associates in photography stores and
retail chains near you who the store s sales represen-
1. Learn standard business practices, negotiating tactics,
tatives are and the manufacturers with whom they
contract language, and more by subscribing to such
newsletters as Guide to Agreements, Sales Rep s Advi- work. Explain that you are interested in this type of
sor, and Sales Rep s Strategies, published by the work and ask if you can have the sales representa-
Alexander Communications Group. tives contact information. E-mail or call them to learn
2. Find job listings through such employment placement more about how they got into the field and if there are
Web sites as RepLocate (http://www.replocate.com), any current openings.
160 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL WRITER
CAREER PROFILE CAREER LADDER
Duties: Provides consumer-oriented, technical writing about
photography equipment and accessories for national pub- Editor
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