Inside Sales Specialist

The ideal candidate will be responsible for assisting sales managers and outside sales reps with all sales functions in a pre-assigned territory, along with maintaining back up duties outside assigned territories for cross functionality. Responsible for generating sales leads, following up on prospective customers, closing deals, and growing relationships with existing customers. Primary focus is to build relationships with customers via phone calls, emails, fax, and in-person at tradeshows providing best-in-class customer service.DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIESSales and Customer Support DutiesEffectively sell Company products to new and existing customersEngage potential customers in dialogue that opens opportunitiesMaintain and strengthen existing customer relationshipsProcess orders submitted through B2B portals, Faire, Shopify, MarketTime, etcPromptly respond to all customer inquiries that come through directly and via customer portals or the shared inboxes – NL Rep and NL Sales TeamMeet or exceed established sales targets and key performance indicators including outbound calls per day, email activities, follow up calls, and salesKeep records of calls, sales, and note any useful information in the CRMMaintain a call schedule to ensure all follow-up call are performed in a timely manner as requested by managerHandle all prospects with courtesy and professionalism; establish and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction in all interactionsAct as a product consultant when promoting, recommending, and selling the value of Company productsEffectively balance new lead generation versus follow up effortsFollow up on all leads, orders, and shipments to ensure positive customer relations and encourage repeat ordersCreate a strong follow up plan regarding the frequency and priority that customers will be called which will allow for greater efficiency and increased salesHandle grievances while preserving Company reputationExceed customer expectations through superior customer serviceCoordinate sales effort with team members and other departments.Coordinate credit terms and payment arrangements when setting up new customersWork with other departments as needed for specific customer requirements outlined in vendor agreements / routing guidesWrites debits, credits, return material authorizations and instructs receiving department on the disposition of returns.Learn and master all Wholesale ecommerce portals – Faire, MarketTime, Shopify, etcUpload new and remove discontinued products on all Wholesale ecommerce portals – ensuring content is consistent and accurateAssists sales manager in conveying information to the field and outside reps. Trains new sales team members and incumbents as requiredCollaborate with the Product Development team to provide market insights and contribute to the development of product offerings that meet customer needsFacilitate resolution of operational issues to address customer problems and complaints to maximize satisfactionWorks closely with the PD dept for any custom projects involving customer artwork / logos. Provides instructions for processing the artwork. Upon receipt of virtual and hard samples, forwards them to manager and or customer. Upon receipt of approval, enters sales orders as necessary to prompt work orders for production.Other DutiesDevelops and maintains numerous spreadsheets for projects and reporting.Develops and maintains reports for Sales ManagersPerform related duties or special assignments as directed.Enters creative services project requests as necessaryUse and maintain with regularity, a Calendar of activity (Outlook/Monday) including customer appointments, Microsoft Teams meetings, and other time commitments like prospecting.Submit expense reports and receipts in a timely mannerProvides back up to other sales team members on the Wholesale Team as well as the Gift Shop as neededLearn and master all customer provided reporting tools and portalsAssist with item setups for Large Account CustomersAttend trade shows and participate in set up and/or tear down of booths as neededAssist with e-sale events and cross-branded events (i.e., Zippo and Case)Always promotes a positive company image in-house and while traveling.Perform other related duties as assignedQUALIFICATIONSAssociate degree preferredWholesale, retail, or giftware sales experience preferredExcellent customer service skillsDemonstrated Proficiency with Microsoft Office SuiteOutstanding verbal and written communication skillsAvailable for travel to trade shows