Account executive

The Account Executive in Sage US College Sales strategically calls on Higher Education faculty within a designated geographical territory to drive market share growth and usage of Sage digital and print course materials in key disciplines.Primary responsibilities include hunting for new business, conducting well-structured consultative sales calls that lead to closes, persuasively demonstrating technology product capabilities, and establishing partnerships with key customers and stakeholders.Successful Account Executives systematically manage a large geographic territory using in-person and virtual techniques, create leads and progress opportunities through their pipelines daily, and juxtapose account growth outreach with maintenance activities which ultimately results in successful adoption and retention of SAGE course material products.This field-based sales position is located out of San Antonio, Texas and must be able to travel overnight during peak selling seasons.Overnight travel factor of 40-50% during key selling periods.Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities SalesThe strategic territory selling plan is created with the help and direction of Sales Management :Reps conduct high quality sales calls and technology demonstrations using professional consultative selling techniques.During peak selling seasons, daily travel to assigned campuses is required.• Sales calls are made via well-planned strategic campus visits, video calls, telephone, and email exchanges.• Identify and create new sales leads in assigned territory each selling season; proactively sell to those identified targets with the goal of taking market share, while retaining existing business to meet your annual sales goal.• Utilize sales technology tools within the course of daily selling. Be able to nimbly utilize technology and use the insights it provides to accelerate pipeline movement and market share growth.• Grow market share at the territory and key title level each selling season; strong internal collaboration is necessary to achieve success.• Successfully demonstrate SAGE technology and utilize sales enablement tools to be competitive and win new business in sales calls.• Progress opportunities through the sales pipeline daily and ensure data meets quality standards.• Be curious, solutions-oriented, persuasive and resilient as you meet the needs of prospects and customers in a timely manner.• During peak selling seasons, position demands an excess of 40+ hour work weeks. Product and Market Knowledge• Communicate market feedback and product information to Product, Technology, and Sales Management Teams.• Develop deep product knowledge through learning programs to be able to persuasively articulate value proposition of products in a competitive landscape.Address objections and answer questions of prospective customers effectively independently or via specialized team members.• Provide Product Teams with market development leads, faculty advocates, and potential textbook authors. Planning, Reporting, and Database Maintenance• Track sales opportunities in the CRM to prioritize your pipeline, achieve sales success, and optimize revenue.• Strategically plan campus outreach via campus visits / video calls / phone calls, complete expense reports on a timely basis and manage annual travel and expense budget effectively.Conference Attendance / Business Travel• Daily full day and overnight travel is required to key accounts during peak selling seasons.• Required to attend bi-annual sales meeting and other company-wide meetings as required by Management. Customer / Author Relations• Provide excellent customer service when dealing with potential or existing customers by providing information, resources, and troubleshooting in a timely manner.• When communicating with customers and authors, take appropriate actions to ensure they have a positive experience and image of the company.• Effectively utilize current customers to upsell, cross-sell and referral sell when working with installed base of business.Qualifications & Education Required :• Bachelor’s degree preferred with evidence of high academic achievement.• Demonstrated record of success in academic and professional background.• 2+ years outbound inside or field sales experience required.; creative, persuasive, competitive, strategic, and persistent sales demeanor.• Strong technology demonstration skills.• Dedicated work ethic (workload regularly exceeds 40 hours / week during peak selling seasons and must be willing to work hours needed and to travel based upon assigned geography).Reliable transportation required.• Must be equally adept at working independently and within a team environment.• Proficient in PC environment and must possess working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, database applications and PowerPoint.• Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills. Bi-Lingual preferred.• Superior time management, decision-making and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.• Ability to be flexible and adapt quickly and creatively to changing business needs.Last updated : 2024-08-29