We can barely brush the surface of possibilities here. As you can imagine, some OEM sales professionals would need engineering degrees, and others might need deep experience in chemistry or tooling. Smaller job shops often have no sales staff and incoming sales are dependent on word-of-mouth due to quality, dependability, or cost.

 

It is common for companies to have a sales team that is backed up by an engineering team. Sometimes the engineers are required to travel with sales in order to finalize deals. Training engineers to be good listeners and contribute to the sales process is often a key to success.

 

It is also possible to employ independent representative agencies for OEM sales. For larger manufacturers, some of these agencies have decades of service behind them, and it is easier to get an appointment with the OEM than with its agency. However, if you do get accepted as a factory by one of these agencies, your future is often very secure.