Selling Power Magazine Announces the 2010 Ranking of the 500 Largest Sales Forces in America

Overall numbers show sales forces to be a vital part of economic recovery

FREDERICKSBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- This month, Selling Power magazine released its exclusive, annual ranking of the 500 largest sales forces in America.

Every year, Selling Power magazine’s research team ranks companies according to the estimated number of salespeople they employ. The 2010 listing of the SP 500 includes the top 200 companies in the manufacturing industry, the top 200 companies in the service industry, the top 50 insurance companies, the 30 largest direct-selling companies, and the top 20 automotive-dealer organizations (megadealers).

While the overall numbers reflect a struggling economy, the numbers also reveal that sales professionals make up the backbone of our economic recovery. The 500 top companies in America employ the world’s largest sales forces and depend on more than 21 million salespeople to achieve their revenue goals. This year marks the third consecutive year, even in the worst economy since the 1930s, that the number of salespeople has topped the 20 million mark.

According to Selling Power publisher Gerhard Gschwandtner, new companies with expanding sales forces are a key barometer for the list. “Even in these tough times, US companies added 300,000 salespeople,” he says. “Companies that are adopting vital technologies and streamlining their processes continue to improve the effectiveness of their sales teams, despite the economic downturn.”

The total number of salespeople employed by all 500 companies listed adds up to 21,705,940, which represents an increase of about 2 percent, or a little more than 300,000 salespeople, compared with the previous year.

To view the list, you can buy the current issue of Selling Power magazine, or buy a CD of the full SP 500 ranking.

About Selling Power

In addition to Selling Power magazine, the leading periodical for sales managers and executives since 1981, Selling Power Inc. maintains divisions for book, audio, and video publishing. Selling Power Inc. produces the Sales Leadership Conference series biannually.

Selling PowerLarissa Gschwandtner, 713-874-0898
[email protected]

Source: Selling Power