Sales Representative - Wine & Spirits

Empire Merchants North • Town of Cheektowaga, NY

19h • Onsite

About The Position

Empire Merchants North is seeking a high energy, motivated Sales Representative for their Imperial Division, covering Niagara & Erie Counties. The Sales Representative will maximize the sales of supplier brands to the trade and consumer through effective territory planning, selling, merchandising, and communication, aiming to achieve company and supplier objectives. This role involves daily account calls, territory analysis, professional sales presentations, and interaction with various industry representatives.

Requirements

• High energy and motivated.
• Proficiency in electronic tools such as Diver and Liquid.
• Ability to maintain professional relationships with customers, suppliers, and management.
• Understanding and adherence to all federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to plan and prepare daily activities to ensure achievement of objectives.
• Ability to call on accounts daily and develop positive customer relations.
• Ability to analyze territory and accounts for selling and merchandising opportunities.
• Ability to prepare and present professional sales presentations.
• Ability to stay up-to-date on brand pricing and product information.
• Ability to follow sales principles and fundamentals.
• Ability to obtain appropriate distribution and merchandising support from accounts.
• Ability to work with supplier representatives and management for training and development.
• Ability to install point-of-sale material and suggest shelf/cold box resets.
• Ability to ensure proper rotation of products.
• Ability to organize and conduct in-store tastings.
• Ability to maintain territory and account records.
• Ability to keep management informed daily and submit accurate recaps.
• Ability to submit sales reports and performance goals.
• Ability to collect wine lists, cocktail lists, and cordial lists.
• Ability to maintain adequate inventories of P.O.S., sales tools, supplies, and merchandising materials.
• Ability to attend and participate in sales meetings.
• Ability to obtain and submit credit applications for new accounts.
• Ability to determine account classification.
• Ability to obtain levels of distribution.
• Ability to obtain sales tax certificates.
• Accuracy in all reports and surveys submitted.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the wine and spirits industry.
• Knowledge of wine and spirits brands, features, and benefits.
• Experience with sales skills and fundamentals training.
• Experience with merchandising standards.
• Experience with supplier work-withs.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare daily activities to ensure achievement of company and supplier volume, distribution, and merchandising objectives within the assigned territory.
• Call on accounts daily, following an established route, keeping route sheets up to date, and developing positive customer relations.
• Analyze the total territory and each account to determine priority selling and merchandising opportunities.
• Prepare and present professional sales presentations tailored to current supplier programs and customer needs.
• Interact with ADS’, Supplier Representatives, and Promotional Agency Representatives.
• Deliver effective sales presentations that achieve company and supplier objectives.
• Attend Company and/or Supplier sponsored training, including training classes and wine education classes.
• Stay up-to-date on company and competitive brand pricing, features, and benefits.
• Follow the principles of Sales Skills and Fundamentals Training (Prepare, Present Effectively, and Activate your business).
• Present the portfolio and current programs to increase sales and generate maximum revenue and case volume.
• Maintain and effectively use the monthly pitch or program book, tasting notes, sell sheets, and supplier information.
• Off Premise: Obtain appropriate distribution of supplier brands, types, and sizes; achieve maximum sell-through by conducting staff trainings, achieving shelf standards, adjacencies, facings, and cold box presence.
• Off Premise: Gain feature price, promotion, and display merchandising support by using sales trends, retailer inventory, and special activities.
• On Premise: Obtain appropriate distribution of supplier brands, types, and sizes; gain wine list presence, execute wines-by-the-glass and features, conduct wait-staff trainings, gain back bar distribution, and proper merchandising of the back bar.
• On Premise: Obtain distribution support by using sales trends, retailer inventory, and special activities.
• Request permanent P.O.S. materials for accounts to ensure brand visibility and account dominance.
• Work with supplier representatives and company managers for accompanied workdays designed to train and teach advanced selling skills.
• Know account needs and opportunities for each supplier work-with.
• Represent products, the company, and suppliers positively, maintaining professional relationships.
• Follow up with accounts after a supplier work-with regarding commitments made.
• Secure effective presentation of all brands in accordance with company and/or supplier merchandising standards.
• Install point-of-sale material within accounts and coordinate with merchandisers.
• Suggest shelf/cold box resets that achieve supplier and company standards.
• Ensure proper rotation of products in accordance with State and Federal law.
• Organize and conduct in-store consumer wine and spirit tastings.
• Keep current on in-stock and out-of-stock items and inform accounts accordingly.
• Use and be responsible for all materials supplied by the Company.
• Maintain territory and account records in accordance with company policy.
• Be proficient in electronic tools such as Diver and Liquid.
• Have available a defined agenda for all supplier work-withs.
• Keep management informed daily on all aspects of their territory, turning in accurate recaps in a timely manner.
• Follow standard company policies and procedures.
• Submit sales reports and performance goals to management as requested.
• Collect wine lists, cocktail lists, and cordial lists in all accounts requested by management.
• Maintain adequate, well-organized inventories of P.O.S., sales tools, supplies, and merchandising materials.
• Attend and actively participate in sales meetings.
• Maintain professional relationships with all suppliers and make proper use of supplier time during work-withs.
• Obtain and submit a signed and notarized credit application for all new accounts.
• Determine account classification with Field Sales Manager.
• Obtain levels of distribution for on and/or off premises accounts per division standards.
• Obtain sales tax certificate.
• Ensure all reports and surveys submitted are accurate; no falsification.
• Understand and adhere to all federal, state, local laws, rules, and regulations.

Benefits

• Commission-based pay, paid weekly.
• Eligible for sales incentives.
• Paid Holidays.
• Health and Welfare Plan (medical, dental, vision, disability coverage, life insurance via Union benefits).
• 401K plan.
• PTO.
• Vacation accrual.
• Flexible Spending Account.
• Industry certifications (WSET).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed