They read about new and existing products as well as check competitors' prices and products. Finding new accounts is an important part of this job. Sales representatives follow leads from customers, review ads in trade journals, and participate in trade shows and conferences. They may call potential customers or entertain prospective clients. Clients might include manufacturers, government agencies, and wholesale and retail businesses.
Representatives study sales information and write reports.
They also make appointments and travel plans, and keep expense account records. Depending on the type of employer, these sales workers may have different titles. For example, people who work for manufacturers are usually called manufacturer's representatives. Sales representative is usually the title for people who work for wholesalers. Wholesalers buy large amounts of a product from the manufacturer.