Anyone can earn a salary higher than a doctor, lawyer, or executive by learning to master the art of sales.
In this post, I’m going to show you why sales is one of the best models for earning a high income.
We’ll explore how working in sales combines the benefits of entrepreneurship and employment, turning them into a single source of revenue.
I’ll also teach you how to develop sales skills and what industries offer high incomes—often with unlimited potential.
If you’ve been wondering, how much do sales reps make, anyway? The truth is…
Most jobs have an income that is tied to the amount of hours you work. You have a set hourly rate or salary, and you can only increase your income by working more hours or requesting a raise. In that sense, you have a ceiling to the amount of income you can make in a typical job.
When it comes to sales, your income is tied to your performance. In most sales organizations, you’re given a percentage of all the revenue you generate from your sales.
This means: If you acquire more leads than your coworkers and convert more of those leads into sales, you will make more money.
In many cases, you can earn a multi-six-figure (sometimes seven-figure) revenue if you go into the right sales vertical. Several industries offer exceptional earning potential:
These industries have pools of potential prospects with:
You get the sense of stability that comes with employment because you don’t personally have to fulfill the delivery of the product or service itself.
This means you can focus all your time on selling and then be done with the transaction—you just collect the cash.
There are a number of high-income sales jobs; the table below will give you an idea of earning potential.
All salary data was sourced from Glassdoor. Additional pay includes cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit sharing.
| Sales Job | Pay Range | Median Salary | Base pay | Additional Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Account Executive | $210K - $359K | $271K per year | $99K - $152K | $111K - $207K |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | $121K - $226K | $161K per year | $58K - $109K | $63K - $117K |
| Medical Device Sales Representative | $134K - $250K | $178K per year | $68K - $127K | $66K - $123K |
| Sales Engineer | $151K - $261K | $196K per year | $88K - $145K | $62K - $116K |
| Software Sales Representative | $128K - $222K | $167K per year | $69K - $111K | $60K - $112K |
| Real Estate Agent | $182K - $324K | $240K per year | $114K - $197K | $68K - $127K |
| Advertising Sales Executive | $135K - $250K | $179K per year | $64K - $119K | $70K - $131K |
| Manufacturer Sales Representative | $153K - $283K | $203K per year | $69K - $126K | $84K - $157K |
If you own a business, you are directly responsible for the revenue. If the revenue goes down, you can be forced out of business, or you may have to cut staff. The risks, debt, and obligations (to staff, clients, etc.) is on your shoulders.
As a salesperson, if your company goes under, you can find a new role.
One that is devoid of the risks and responsibilities of entrepreneurship but, at the same time, still reaps entrepreneurial rewards, such as:
Related:
The key to developing sales skills isn’t reading sales books, watching YouTube videos, or listening to podcasts—it’s selling products in the real world.
Let’s break down the steps to becoming a skilled salesperson.
Many sales organizations are looking for representatives:
High-ticket sales opportunities
Great options for beginners
When you’re newer and have less experience, companies have less trust in your ability to get results.
Focus on roles that are mostly performance-based, where the incentives are aligned.
You have to prove your competence to be compensated, which means there isn’t much risk to taking you on.
To excel in your sales role:
One of the best methods that sales trainers use is showing case studies, testimonials, and glowing reviews from current clients.
This helps inspire conviction and belief in the product itself, which increases your ability to sell.
When you have more conviction in the product than your prospect because you’ve seen how well it works, your close rate will spike like a graph for a stock market bubble.
Related:
The key to success is taking as many sales calls as possible.
Alex Hormozi tells the story of a young guy on his team who was inexperienced and much younger than everyone else. He took him on a performance basis and taught him that everything is a win:
Hormozi himself did 4,000 closes, which means he took way more than 4,000 sales calls.
He didn’t even read a sales book until after he had closed countless deals, learning mostly from direct experience, trial and error, and stepping into the arena with prospects.
Combine in-the-field sales experience with continuous education:
In your spare time:
Sales prepares you for future business success if you want to pursue that path down the road.
The skills you develop selling for others become your secret weapon if you decide to launch your venture.
You gain intimate knowledge of business metrics:
Backend offer mechanics
When you’re selling for an organization, you begin to understand how backend offers work. This knowledge is crucial because it helps you:
Team building and leadership
As you thrive in your sales role, you’ll get the chance to:
These experiences give you the tools to eventually build and train a sales team for your own business, allowing you to remove yourself from the direct selling process and build a business that’s built to scale.
Systems and processes
Working in sales teaches you how to:
These systems-building skills will help you make the transition from contractor to owner.
Market research and customer understanding
Daily interaction with prospects and customers gives you insights into:
This deep market understanding becomes a competitive advantage whether you’re selling for others or eventually launching your product or services.
