In my opinion, sales is a core competency and the kind of experience is important. The best foundation for sales experience is a mix of retail and enterprise.

Many sales positions rely on a candidate's past track record for achieving a consistent "book of business", sales quotas, and rolodex. If you have any of those three and can demonstrate its currency, then you can be an attractive candidate. Because sales doesn't require an MBA, the competition for a position will be broader.

Lastly, vertical market or industry knowledge can be helpful. I interviewed for a sales position once and discovered that you can be offered a position if you're willing to "bet" on your ability to sell and you have industry or vertical market experience. That usually means commission with a draw or some base salary is the usual means of compensation.