A Sales Engineer is a professional who specializes in the sales of technologically advanced products. They need to have extensive technical knowledge of the product and the science behind its functionalities. They are commonly found in B2B settings, where they sell advanced products to other businesses.  
 
The key difference between a salesperson and a Sales Engineer is their level of knowledge about their products. For example, if someone buys a computer, a salesperson knows enough about computers to help them make the right choice, but they do not have a computer engineering degree. On the other hand, if a computer company is looking to buy new hard drives from a company that makes hard drives, there needs to be some technical discussion of how this sale will proceed. A Sales Engineer will be the person facilitating that process. 
 
However, many of the daily tasks of Sales Engineers are the same as any other salesperson, in that they need to reach out to clients, negotiate prices, and close the sale. This requires good people skills and communication skills.  

Personality of a Sales Engineer
A Sales Engineer needs a particular personality that can tie the technical aspects of engineering with sales' social and business skills. Here are some other qualities of a successful Sales Engineer: 

• Communication Skills

 Sales Engineers need to have excellent communication skills, as they often need to explain very complex technical details to people who may not be as knowledgeable as them. They need to make sure that all parties understand all the information. For this, communication skills are key.

• Social Skills

 There is a stereotype that many engineers are quiet nerds that like to work alone. If that's your style, that's fine! But Sales Engineers work with people all day long, and it helps to have a sociable, friendly demeanor. Sales Engineers need to work with many different people, approach people they don't know, and even do cold calls. This all calls for a specific personality type.