Business Development Manager - East Midlands - £40k to £45k pa plus commission

Using state-of-the-art technology and an engaged and highly skilled workforce, our award winning client designs, produces and delivers innovative print products to a loyal customer base. They are looking for a positive, passionate Business Development professional with a can do attitude to generate and implement a sales strategy along with the Head of Sales & Marketing to meet new business sales targets.

• Assist in managing and maintaining prospecting and customer CRM and ensuring all activity is recorded
• Cold calling and Sales Force leads follow-up
• Conduct prospecting research to obtain details of relevant potential customers
• Implement and agree a sales development plan with the Head of Sales & Marketing, winning new business and managing resources to the agreed budget targets
• Follow-ups with prospects and clients from planned and ad hoc marketing activity, e.g. Direct Approaches and Event Invitations
• Target and develop new self generated sales relationships to increase sales volume and maximize profitability
• Provide detailed market analysis (including competitor activity and market trends) to support strategic business development
• Acquire and maintain a thorough knowledge of the relevant market sectors to identify and exploit business opportunities
• Project manage the introduction of new customers into the business ensuring their effective handover to the account management teams
• Provide accurate short, medium and long term forecasts as necessary to support business planning activities
• Assist and develop marketing PR activity for web marketing and publishing in trade & marketing magazines
• Protect margins on existing accounts
• Longer term to develop own sales team

They need a more aggressive type of sales person in the team to complement existing members - someone who is a very strong closer, very target driven. Negotiation skills must be second-to-none, to protect sales margins and show skill to identify where increases could be made. We are looking for someone who can identify key decision makers in businesses to target, and someone who can then build relationships with these individuals to produce an increase in high value client activity in the business. You must then be capable of continuing to grow the account after securing initial business. Solution selling is also crucial - using Q&A skills to fully explore and uncover any client issues, to propose fully thought through and costed ideas that are fit for the client.

To apply, you must have new business sales experience in a similar role within the print and/or marketing services industry. We are looking for an accomplished networker, adept at prospecting for sales opportunities and with success in self generating new business leads. The successful candidate will love what they do, strive for quality and innovation and will be focused on self development, aiming to be the best.

The successful candidate should be a resident in the UK and have worked in the print, packaging or paper sectors.