A sales analyst also known as a business analyst and people who do this job play a major role in the success of the company they work for. So what are their main duties? Namely, they use raw results and then present them to their client in a very concise, yet clear manner.
is this profession considered lucrative? It's safe to say that it is pretty profitable. Of course, as a beginner, you cannot expect to have a massive income (it's roughly $60,000 per year), however, as you can more experience and acquire new skills, you can expect to reach around $100,000 on a yearly basis.
This line of work is perfect for the ones who are great at problem-solving, and who like to work with data and numbers. If you're one of those people and you would like to uncover the steps that will help you become a sales analyst, then just take a look at the tips below.
Do You Know What It Encompasses?
Before you take any further steps when it comes to this you first need to get familiar with this career path and what it encompasses. A business analyst offers insights that are based on sales data to help a particular business make a well-informed decision.
In addition, this person analyzes the latest trends, assesses sales performance, predicts future sales, and collaborates with numerous sectors in order to develop strategies that are going to take the business up a notch.
If you want to excel in this role, then you need to be proficient when it comes to data analysis tools, you need to love working with numbers and have excellent communication skills.
You Need Certain Credentials
One of the best ways to boost your career in this field is by acquiring certain credentials that are going to showcase your expertise and skills that are required for this line of work. There are numerous things you can opt for in these instances. For example, you can hunt down online courses that are going to help you obtain a business analytics certificate online, or you can enroll in a Certified Sales Analyst program that’s provided by the Sales Management Association. So what does it cover?
It normally covers things like sales forecasting, data management, sales strategy, and performance measurement. Aside from these aforementioned alternatives, you can opt for various online programs that are going to help you acquire skills that are necessary to become a successful sales analyst, like Python, SQL, Power BI, and Tableau.
What you are going to select will depend on your current goals as far as this profession is concerned, along with your level of expertise.
Focus On Your Analytical Skills
If you want to be a successful sales analyst, then you need to know how to properly analyze all the information and data. As a future expert, you’re supposed to identify different data patterns and trends, and then employ all this information in order to make well-informed decisions.
Keep in mind that in today’s business world, data plays a crucial role, hence as a business analyst, you need to have solid math and statistics skills, and it would be preferable to know how to utilize various data analysis tools such as R, SAS, and Excel.
Work On Projects That Are Going To Help You Develop Your Sales Analyst Skills
Now, if you are already familiar with what this profession entails in terms of skills and expertise, then you can start practicing your ability to apply your skills to various business issues. For starters, you should focus on projects that touch on numerous ways that sales analysts can be utilized to help the company expand.
You can research the competitors and different markets, collect the relevant data, and then evaluate it by employing custom-built algorithms. Depending on your current goals, when it comes to your career, you should work on projects that include several kinds of business solutions.
Aside from that, they should include various sorts of data too, like text and pictures, mining structured data, and videos. All of these tools should help you make solid forecasts. As time goes by, you will become a lot more experienced as far as this career is concerned, plus you will undeniably perfect skills that are necessary for this line of work, like sales, analytical, business, and technical skills.
Bear in mind that apart from these previously mentioned skills, you need to work on your soft skills as well and they include the following:
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Decision-making
- Time management and organization
- Professionalism
The More Experienced You Are, The Better
Just like in most lines of work, it's of huge importance to be as experienced as possible. The same goes for sales analysts. If you want to bolster your career and ensure you find a good job relatively fast, then it would be wise to consider internships (while you're still in college) in the marketing and/or sales sectors.
Both of these departments are going to offer you practical knowledge and experience. As soon as you graduate, you should take into account job positions like Data Analyst or Sales Associate.
They can serve as stepping stones that are going to provide you with an insight into data manipulation and the sales ecosystem.
If You Are Ready, Start Looking For A Job
If you think that you've acquired the right skills, that you've gained enough experience when it comes to this, and that you are one hundred percent ready for brand-new job opportunities, then it's time to hunt them down.
Fortunately, today’s world is full of places where you can find excellent job opportunities. There are various platforms and resources that can help you land this job, like career sites, boards, networking events, social media platforms, and many others.
Also, if you already have some connections, then you can rely on them to help you get in touch with employers from this industry.
Being a sales analyst is for sure a very interesting, dynamic, and remunerative profession, however, if you want to succeed in it, then you must take every step that was mentioned in today’s guide.
