Salary is a top component of any job offer. All sales professionals want to maximize their earning potential. How much you can make is most commonly determined when you are made a job offer. It’s the time when you have some leverage to make a case for how much money you are worth. If you negotiate successfully, you can increase your salary now and for years to come. Fail to negotiate well, and you could be missing out on compensation. 

Want to make more money? Of course, you do! Our sales recruiters give you some advice for ways to maximize your salary for sales jobs:

1. Know your worth

Before you enter any form of negotiation, you need to know your worth. This is the basis for any argument you are going to make to justify your level of compensation. Failure to know how much the average salary is for your position could lead to one of two less-than-desirable scenarios. 

If you ask for way more than you’re worth, you could lose the job opportunity. Or you could ask for less than you are worth and lose out on money. Always research the average salary for people in your position, with your job title, experience, industry, and location. This will give you a good position to start your salary negotiation. 

2. Get the timing right

Timing can be very important during negotiations. If you put all your cards on the table too early, you could lose your leverage. Bringing up money too early could also cause an employer to question your motivation and priorities. 

So, if possible, wait until the employer makes an offer before you start the negotiation process. If they ask you for a salary expectation, don’t give them a specific number. Provide them with a range so you have flexibility.

3. Have an open mind about how you get compensated

Salary negotiation in the sales industry is unique compared to many other industries. Salary is not just about an annual amount. There are a variety of compensation models and ways organizations can pay a sales professional. 

You need to think about base pay, commission, commission percentages, salary caps, and many other things when planning to negotiate your salary. Having an open mind about the way you get paid can help you maximize your salary. Try not to get stuck on one way of getting compensated or you could hurt your negotiation power. 

4. Always counter

Most employers expect you to make a counteroffer. When you receive an offer, request some time to consider the offer and prepare a response. Consider all aspects of the offer, including vacation time, benefits, and other perks. Make your counter, but be prepared to walk away if the employer doesn’t have a reasonable reply. You can make this easier on yourself by setting a walkaway number and sticking to it. Working for a company where you feel undervalued from the start is not a good situation. 

Use the above tactics to help yourself get fair market value. Need some help with your job search? Reach out to our sales recruiters to give your search a boost. 

Check Out More Salary Negotiation Tips From Our Sales Recruiters

Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Impacting Your Sales Job Search? How to Overcome It

The Best Sales Recruiter Advice You’re Not Taking

4 Creative Ways to Impress a Recruiter Before They Meet You

SalesForce Search is a sales recruitment agency that specializes in hiring sales rockstars. Hiring top salespeople is tough. Only 55% meet their quota. Our proactive approach recruits talented salespeople before they hit the market. As North America’s leading sales headhunter we recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. To find your next sales rockstar, start your search here.