Specialized in prospecting and negotiation, commercial agents must understand the market and its players to maximize the chances of selling their products and services in order to excel in their missions.
Among the Sales & Business Development jobs, the commercial attaché listens to his customers in order to best meet his needs. He must find the best way to provide his solution, his product and develop the commercial strategy adapted to his interlocutor.
Commercial attaché: the definition
What is a commercial attaché?
A commercial attaché is the person responsible for increasing the turnover of a company. He is responsible for developing and maintaining the client portfolio. Concretely, he must convince his customers to buy the products or services of his company, while prospecting new markets. Halfway between marketing and management, the profession of commercial attaché is based above all on negotiation.
What is the role of a commercial attaché?
The mission of the commercial attaché is to advise the products or services of his company in order to maximize sales and the company's profits. In direct contact with the customer, he explains the advantages and explains the qualities of his properties for sale in order to conclude a sale. Through his speech, the commercial attaché represents his company and shares his values and concepts with his close environment.
To ensure the smooth running of his customer interviews, he must prepare a commercial strategy, manage the client portfolio and learn about the state of the markets. He must also maintain a close link with his hierarchy in order to best understand the expectations of the company and to transmit a faithful representation of commercial values.
Where does a commercial attaché work?
Being a commercial attaché is a field job. The majority of his time is devoted to meeting his customers and partners and to developing his commercial relationships.
Often attached to a specific geographical area, the commercial attaché deploys his strategy and promotes his company's offers in the territory assigned to him by his company.
The job of commercial attaché is exciting for anyone who is curious. This aspect can be justified by the fact that no day is the same as another. This function is highly sought after in many sectors, especially in start-ups, distribution or retail in general.
It is important to note that a large proportion of commercial attaches have the status of traveller representative placier (VRP).
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What are the qualities of a technical-commercial attaché?
What is the profile of a good commercial attaché?
Becoming a commercial attaché is not a job for everyone. Some profiles match more than others and it is important to understand what skills are in demand.
Above all, a commercial attaché must have an appetite for negotiation and sale. His job is based on his ability to sell as many products as possible. So his speech and his persuasiveness must be particularly sharpened.
A commercial attaché must also have a sense of communication and good relationships. Knowing how to speak properly and in multiple languages is an advantage for this position. Above all, a good sales associate must know how to communicate information quickly and effectively.
It must also be provided with a large oddity to allow him to prospect new customers or partners without hesitation and with an open mind.
Finally, organization and rigor are essential qualities for a good commercial attaché profile. Having to schedule numerous appointments and manage a vast portfolio of clients, his efficiency and the quality of his work depend on his organization.
To be a good commercial attaché, vivacity, autonomy and adaptability are therefore assets. To get around these complex situations, the sales attaché must be reactive and creative. With experience, the sales attaché knows how to bounce back in complicated situations and is more easily able to sell his company's products.
Finally, listening is essential in this business to meet consumer expectations in the best possible way. By paying attention to customer needs, the commercial attaché can adapt his speech in order to conclude a sales contract.
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How do I become a commercial attaché?
Skills required
Recruiters expect certain commercial and relational skills from candidates for the position of sales attaché. Because every word counts during a negotiation, the commercial attaché must mobilize all of his general skills, also called Soft Skills, namely:
- creativity,
- taking initiatives and a spirit of conquest
- Adaptability
- Determination
- Good organization,
- Good time management but also stress management
- Sense of listening
- Commercial fiber
- Critical thinking
- Relational ease
- Mastery of office automation tools and social networks
- Ability to learn and challenge
- Demonstrate resilience
In order to optimally develop these soft-skills, acquire more ease in the function of sales attaché and become an expert in relationships with customers, Akimbo offers training to complete this course and optimize the chances of success in this type of career. You will have the chance to choose between various part-time and customizable training and support programs. The topics covered during this training will cover prospecting techniques, improving sales posture, managing customer appointments or even managing customer accounts.
What career path to be a commercial attaché - studies & training?
Today, the new profiles for this position have a bac + 2 degree. But there are also opportunities from bac pro to bac + 5. Among the courses recognized to become a commercial attaché are the Bac Pro Commerce, BTS Management of Business Units (MUC), DUT marketing techniques, BTS Negotiation and Customer Relations, BTS Technical-commercial, BTS Technical-commercial, Business School Diploma. To gain experience, it is not uncommon for students to choose to adapt these courses in the form of a work-study program.
Akimbo allows people who wish to become a commercial attaché to integrate a short but intensive training course, the Bootcamp. At the end of Bootcamp, Akimbo coaches the sales associates of tomorrow by offering them preparation for interviews and by putting them in contact with its 250+ partner startups.
In a few words, the Bootcamp takes place in several stages and covers the entire sales cycle and the skills necessary to become a sales associate: learning the sales strategy and B2B business development, mastering commercial data, organizing and implementing prospecting strategies, mastering negotiation, negotiation, negotiation, cold calls, cold calls, customer appointments, account management and immersion in complex sales. It allows you to obtain a CDI at the end of the training in one of our 250+ partner startups and it provides a great mastery of various tools to optimize your work as well as your skills.
Adapted conversion profiles
The reconversion profiles are multiple and far from being similar. If the majority of people in retraining have experience in sales, we can find former restaurant owners, soldiers or communication managers. These profiles may also come from the insurance sector, mass distribution or industry. In general, relational jobs make it possible to retrain as a commercial attaché because they require the same skills.
What career developments are there for this position?
Career opportunities are rapid and numerous. If the sales attaché performs well, he can hope to quickly reach the position of group or sector manager, sales manager and then sales director.
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What is the salary of a commercial attaché?
In France, the Average salary for a commercial attaché is 28,500 euros/year. It varies between 1600 euros/month and 2500 euros/month, depending on the region, the sector and the number of years of experience. To this are often added bonuses, commissions based on the number of sales made and compensation costs for transport.
How much does a Junior Sales Attaché earn?
A junior commercial attaché earns an average of 1,700 euros per month depending on his missions, his training (work-study...) and the sector of activity.
How much does a Senior Sales Attaché earn?
A commercial attaché is generally considered to be Senior after five years of experience. His expertise is generally paid between 2000 and 2750 euros per month.
The different jobs around this position
The profession of commercial attaché as described here is particularly broad and encompasses many aspects. However, certain specificities need to be added. Some job titles take up the basic functions of a commercial attaché but work in specific areas.
What is the difference between sales representative and commercial attaché?
The commercial attaché is a salesperson attached to the function of customer advisor. More specifically, he is in direct contact with the customer, advising him and selling him the company's products. It is the first intermediary that the customer has with the company.
The sales function is more general. It includes all professions related to sales and commerce. For example, a real estate agent is a salesperson.
What is a sedentary commercial attaché?
The sedentary sales attaché contributes to the growth of the company's activity, mainly by prospecting from his office. He carries out his canvassing by remote means of communication, such as the telephone. Thus, he remains affiliated to a single company and to a specific location. The terrain and mobility dimension is becoming minimal or even non-existent. It is the customers who travel to meet him and ask for his expertise.
What is a sales assistant?
The sales assistant acts as an intermediary between customers, field sales representatives and management. Often assigned to a geographical area, it ensures the commercial processing of business by monitoring orders and stocks, controlling delivery times, or even billing customers... It is a key player who, on a daily basis, is in contact with many people and who acts as a real guarantor of contracts. He must meet the expectations and questions of customers, while planning the appointments of other salespeople. In other words, it updates the customer file, it participates in the progress of the portfolio, it establishes quotes, orders and reminders when necessary. The sales assistant is also responsible for updating the various information by developing or updating statistical tables (Excel...). However, in addition to this administrative aspect, the sales assistant sometimes has to advise products and services to customers during commercial promotion actions and may be required to participate in meetings and in the development of his company's offers. For more information, do not hesitate to consult the job sheet sales assistant.
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Our advice for finding a job as a sales associate.
The offers to become a commercial attaché are increasing but to succeed in getting the job, it is necessary to highlight the qualities required for this job and to highlight yourself. Adapt your resume to the characteristics of the position and the company, highlighting your previous experiences in the commercial and administrative field. Experience in connection with the services and products offered in the company where you are applying will be an asset. Commercial associates are in demand in various structures. Apply in fields that you master or that you want to know.
You can also join a graduate program in a company that offers career development, by first applying for a field sales position and then moving on to a sales attaché position.
To facilitate your job search, think of sites offering job offers: Welcome to the jungle or Jobteaser are real gold mines. Numerous commercial attaché offers are posted every day. By entering a geographic area or the title of the position, many proposals are offered to you.
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