Sales Manager vs. Account Executive: What Are the Differences?

A career in sales can be both exciting and lucrative. Two common positions in this field are that of a sales manager and an account executive. Though these roles share some similarities, there are several key differences between them.

In this article, we discuss the differences between a sales manager and an account executive, and we provide additional sales-related professions you may be interested in pursuing.

What is a Sales Manager?

A Sales Manager is responsible for leading and motivating a team of salespeople to achieve sales targets. They develop sales strategies and plans, set quotas, and monitor performance. Sales Managers also identify training and development needs for their team and provide coaching and mentorship. They may also be responsible for hiring and firing salespeople. Sales Managers typically work in industries such as retail, technology, automotive, or real estate.

What is an Account Executive?

An account executive is a professional who works with clients to create and implement marketing and advertising campaigns. They work with a team of creatives, including copywriters, art directors, and designers, to develop concepts that will achieve the client’s objectives. Account executives are responsible for managing the client relationship, developing strategies, presenting campaigns, and ensuring that the work is on brand and on budget. They also play a key role in new business development, pitching ideas to potential clients.

Sales Manager vs. Account Executive

Here are the main differences between a sales manager and an account executive.

Job Duties

Sales managers have a wide variety of job duties they must complete each day. They manage the entire sales process for their company, so they may need to contact potential clients and customers, research new markets and products and develop strategies for increasing sales.

Account executives only work within one department, so they have more daily tasks that relate to that specific department. For example, an account executive in a sales department may call current clients to try to sell them additional products or services. An account executive may also manage projects within their department, such as ensuring that a team completes a project by a deadline or coordinating employees who work on different aspects of the same project.

Job Requirements

Sales managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing or another related field. However, some employers prefer candidates to have a master’s degree as well. Additionally, sales managers often have several years of experience working in sales before they are promoted into management positions.

Account executives also usually need a bachelor’s degree, but their educational background might be in a different area than sales managers. For example, an account executive might have a degree in communications, public relations or another field that helps them build relationships with clients. Like sales managers, account executives might also have several years of experience working in sales before they are promoted into management positions.

Work Environment

Account executives and sales managers typically work in different environments. Account executives often work in an office setting, where they can collaborate with other account executives to develop strategies for their clients. They may also travel to meet with clients or attend conferences. Sales managers usually work in a more managerial role, so they spend most of their time in the office. However, some sales managers may travel to visit customers or attend trade shows.

Skills

Sales managers and account executives share some similarities in the skills they use on the job. Both need to be excellent communicators, as they will be regularly interacting with clients, potential customers and colleagues. They also both need to have strong negotiation skills to be able to close deals and secure contracts.

However, there are some differences in the skills needed for these two positions. Sales managers typically need to have more experience in sales than account executives. They also need to be able to manage and motivate a team of salespeople, so leadership skills are important. Account executives, on the other hand, may need to have more knowledge about the products or services they are selling than sales managers. They also need to be able to build relationships with clients, so interpersonal skills are important.

Salary

The average salary for a sales manager is $83,778 per year, while the average salary for an account executive is $73,872 per year. Both of these salaries can vary depending on the industry, the size of the company, the location of the job and the level of experience the employee has.