Require Account Representative, Hybrid in Thousand Oaks, CA
Job title: Account Representative, Hybrid
Company: Sage Publications
Job description: Overview
The Account Representative is responsible for selling our couse material products to college professors primarily via the telephone and e-mail. Key responsibilities include: following up on active leads generated through marketing, identifying prospects for key titles within assigned territory based upon teaching schedules, calling upon decision makers about course needs, presenting texts and technology persuasively, and providing accurate sales tracking and forecasting. In this role the Account Rep is an important point of service for professors who have adopted SAGE texts and will be expected to maximize opportunities for growing marketshare, upselling and cross-selling. The Account Rep represents Sage in the marketplace and must present a professional and well-informed image to the customers. Working with minimal supervision, the Account Rep is expected to be effective, persuasive, and efficient with targeted sales opportunities and customer contacts and knowledgeable about SAGE products, with the goal of taking maket share and retaining their existing base of business.
Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities
Sales
Conduct high quality sales interviews with customers using the Counselor Salesperson model to qualify and close sales opportunities. Set follow-up commitments on your part and the customer?s after each sales interview. Meet and exceed required daily calling metrics, all with the goal of taking new market share and retaing existing business.
Conduct high quality demonstrations of our Vantage platform virtually, leading to new take-away business and the conversion of existing business to Vantage
Identify takeaway & rollover sales opportunities in assigned territory each semester. Proactively sell to those identified targets in order to meet your annual sales goal.
Initiate outbound calling campaigns to faculty who have requested review copies for course consideration. Conduct targeted email campaigns to potential customers based upon priorities to supplement and support phone activities.
Respond to customer queries related to textbook selection, ancillary materials requests and adoption servicing from your customer base.
Work with bookstore customers in order to maximize revenue during key text purchasing seasons.
Product and Market Knowledge
Gain and maintain product and market knowledge for assigned product lines through editorial, author, marketing and customer communication.
Communicate market feedback and product information with editorial and marketing staff, authors, and customers.
Provide Editorial and Marketing Department leads for reviewers, ancillary preparers, and potential textbook authors.
Planning , Reporting and Database Maintenance
Complete campus planning (identifying courses, decision makers, enrollments and text-in-use information) for targeted course markets at accounts identified within assigned territory
Update and track sales opportunities in the CRM so that you can plan each day, prioritize your pipeline, and maximize your revenue during sales campaigns
Provide daily, monthly and yearly progress reports on performance as well as customer feedback to sales management, marketing and editorial departments.
Conference Attendance/Business Travel
Potential travel required to attend bi-annual sales meetings and other company and/or team meetings as required by Management.
Customer/Author Relations
Provide excellent customer service when dealing with potential or existing customers by providing requested exam copies, desk and instructor resource materials, and information in a timely manner.
When communicating with customers and authors, take appropriate actions to ensure they have a positive experience with and image of the company.
Qualifications & Education
Required:
- Bachelor?s degree required with evidence of high academic achievement.
- Demonstrated record of success in academic and professional background.
- 1- 3 years sales experience required.
- Proficient in PC environment and must possess working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, database applications and PowerPoint.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Superior time management and organizational skills with strong attention to detail
- Pleasant telephone manner
- Telephone or inside sales experience is preferred.
- Familiarity and comfort in working with CRM systems is preferred.
- Ability to quickly read through course catalogs and schedules (both print and online) to find sales opportunities
- Reasoning/problem solving ability
- Ability to set and follow through on priorities
- Ability to effectively manage time to meet deadlines and work professionally under pressure
- Ability to work with constant interruptions
- Ability to plan and manage multiple projects and effectively multi-task
- Effective internal/external customer communication
- Effective decision making
- Effective listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to effectively manage time to meet deadlines and work professionally under pressure
- Ability to work with minimal supervision on assigned tasks