A professional selling position encompasses a wide range of tasks and, therefore, salespeople must possess a variety of skills. Figure 1.3 provides important insight about how many outside salespeople spend their time on the job. Note the time spent on administrative tasks, servicing, and telephoning. This, along with face-to-face selling and traveling time, provides a large amount of variety for salespeople. In some selling positions, such as retail selling, more time may be spent in face-to-face selling.

A salesperson representing Federal Express (FedEx) makes numerous sales calls each day in an attempt to establish new accounts and provide service to established accounts. A wide range of potential customers can use FedEx delivery services. A salesperson working for a Caterpillar construction equipment dealer may make only two or three sales calls per day. The products offered by the dealer are expensive and are not purchased frequently.