The Requirements
The ideal candidate for the Territory Sales Representative, Construction role will have self-discipline, solution-bases sales skills and experience, and the drive and self-motivation to get out in the market and work to move the needle daily. At a minimum you should have:- 3+ years of territory management experience
- A bachelor's degree from 4-year college or university, or 4 years of related experience and/or training, or the equivalent combination of education and experience
- A background in construction and/or industrial sales
- Knowledge of the power tool industry and/or all phases of construction is strongly preferred
- Polished presentation skills and the ability to deliver effective presentations one-on-one or to a group of end users and/or distributors
- Experience selling directly to end users or distributors, preferably both Quick question for you - click here
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications
- Solid tool knowledge is highly preferred; actual construction work experience is helpful
- Bilingual is a plus, Spanish preferred
- The ability to build relationships to gain customer loyalty and penetrate accounts within the market
- A positive, upbeat approach
- Strong customer service skills with an ability to successfully cold call new and potential customers
- Self-motivation and the ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment
- Organizational sales skills in the above areas. including formal presentations to distributors
- Excellent communications skills in person, over the phone, and in writing
- Exceptional organizational skills
The Role
Reporting to the District Sales Manager, you will be responsible for managing and growing Makita sales revenue within your territory through the proper execution of strategic initiatives and sales programs. You'll focus on key dealer accounts and key end-user companies, while overseeing the entire territory's sales revenue and account base. You will be responsible for promoting Makita's "Best-In-Class Engineering & Innovation" brand position and the extensive Makita product line.More specifically, you will:
- Compile lists of prospective/target customers (Distribution/End-Users) for use as sales leads, based on information from newspapers, business directories and publications, industry ads, trade shows, Internet Web sites, and other prospecting sources, including jobsite surveillance. Quick question for you - click here
- Travel throughout your assigned territory to conduct Makita business; including occasional travel outside of the territory for corporate meetings and to meet District and National needs.
- Understand and execute a solutions-based sales approach.
- Display and demonstrate Makita products including performing Makita product knowledge sessions for dealers and other audiences.
- Provide expertise and support regarding pricing, quoting, credit terms, MAP Policy, orders and many other sales support and account management functions.
- Perform business reporting functions, such as, but not limited to, sales reports, account update reports, monthly reports, call reports, expense reports, mileage reports and other reports as needed.
- Present, execute and administer Corporate Sales Programs including co-op, trade agreement, rebate, strategic initiates, and promotions along with other corporate programs as needed.
- Provide input to the Marketing Department and properly utilize and distribute the Makita marketing department collateral materials, including, but not limited to, catalogs, lectures, brochures, campaigns and Point of Purchase materials.
- Coordinate, schedule, and execute customer support events, including, but not limited to, product knowledge training, product demonstration, national contractor training, shows and events, and joint sales calls.
- Manage co-op and/or advertising budgets for each eligible account.
- Create and execute strategic sales growth plans and proposals for key accounts and the territory, as needed, (i.e. monthly, quarterly, or annually).
- Support the Makita accounting department as needed, including, but not limited to, new account set up, credit applications, credit limits, credit balances and proper communications with the Accounts Receivable team regarding exceptions.
- Develop and continually strengthen professional relationships within all entities, internal and external, involved in our business, such as dealer sales staff, management staff, purchasing, ownerships, including appropriate end-user key contacts and decision makers.
- Investigate and resolve customer issues and concerns.
- Stay abreast of market conditions, changes and competitor activities within the industry and territory, and communicate findings internally.
- Be cognizant of other Makita's divisions such as Manufacturing and Assembly, National Industrial MRO, Government/GSA, Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), Big-Box retail and other divisions.
- Support Makita National Accounts.
- Schedule account meetings, sales update meetings, and any other meetings as required. Meetings must be conducted in a professional manner that includes a written agenda, PowerPoint presentations, and sales figures, etc.
- Maintain and control Makita's assets and their records, such as vehicles, demo tools, marketing materials, product samples, etc.
- Perform all company functions per federal, state and municipal laws and per company policies.
By educating end users and encouraging them to make requests to their local dealers, you can effectively create demand for our products and indirectly convince your dealer accounts to increase their Makita product offering, further supporting your sales goals. Sales cycles are a little longer than is typical in construction sales, but you'll have the ability to work all sides of the process to move it forward and gain a higher level of success.
What's in It for You
High-potential territoryIn terms of expanding our market share in this territory, you'll have your work cut out for you. That means there is a strong opportunity to score some wins and gain traction early, but you'll need to work smarter and harder than the competition.
Autonomy and flexibility
While you'll benefit from the support of management and your peers (the District Manager is based in this area), you'll also enjoy the liberty to set your own routine and provide your territory with the services you deem appropriate for reaching your sales goals.
Pride and brand recognition
Visit any construction site, and you're sure to encounter a variety of Makita tools. Our quality and performance has earned us a strongly respected reputation within the contractor community, which has persistently grown throughout our history and is certain to endure for many years to come as we continue to lead the industry with the introduction of high quality, innovative tools.
Career options
With plenty of room for expansion, this territory offers an excellent opportunity to leverage your experience and showcase your abilities to build it out. Excel and you could position yourself for a variety of managerial roles and ongoing growth within the organization.
Participate in engaging events
As a member of our Sales Division you will get the opportunity to participate in many of our promotional events across the country.
Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive base, commission and bonus incentives, we offer one of the most generous benefits packages in our industry, including a company car; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; a 401(k) plan; expense reimbursement plans; paid time off; tuition reimbursement, and more.
Pictured: Makita offers the world's largest 18V Lithium-ion line-up, offering corded power and performance in more than 160 tools, from drivers to portable band saws to sanders . . . and more. These tools are jobsite proven and feature industry-leading charge times.
Keys to Success
When you come onboard there will be a lot to learn. A good deal of your initial success will depend on your ability to shorten the learning curve. You'll need to be proactive about getting up to speed quickly, learning about our tools, your territory and company processes and procedures.By your sixth month in the role, you should have established strong working relationships with your accounts and end users, and be consistently reaching -- or exceeding -- your monthly target numbers, which are very reasonable. To develop and sustain these relationships, you'll need to maintain a highly professional image, ongoing product knowledge, a dedication to service, and be driven to succeed.
To excel in the role on an ongoing basis you will be pumped about working with a great brand, and able to share that enthusiasm with your customers. You should be attracted to the idea of being part of something that's bigger than each of us alone: the Makita vision.
Our top performing reps have:
- An entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic
- Excellent planning and organizational skills, and a high degree of comfort wearing multiple hats in the course of any day
- Resourcefulness, initiative, and the ability to leverage all the selling tools available to you
- Exceptional interpersonal and relationship building abilities
- A creative and innovative approach to the market and the skill to present customized solutions
- The ability to excel both independently and as part of a team
About Us
100 years ago, it all started with the motor. Makita Corporation was founded in 1915 as an electric motor sales and repair company. Today, as a global brand in over 40 countries, Makita is an innovation leader, manufacturing best-in-class products at 10 plants operating in 8 countries. The unmatched quality and durability of Makita products is driven by the company's strong R&D capabilities, and have earned the trust of professional users worldwide. Every day, on job sites around the world, Makita delivers the power, performance and durability that professional users demand with products that are more compact, have less vibration and feel better.Believing that the motor is the heart of any power tool, we take great pride in our motor expertise. We spare no expense in producing the most powerful, efficient and best performing motors available for each tool, carefully selecting only the best quality raw materials, employing the most advanced manufacturing equipment in the world, and using the most stringent manufacturing processes and quality control in the industry. To make certain that our quality standards are upheld, constant testing is performed during machining and assembly processes, including a final run-test under power before leaving the factory to ensure optimum performance.
Our success comes not only from producing top quality tools, but also from our unparalleled customer service. From our customer service representatives to our extensive sales team to our R&D group, we are dedicated to delivering complete customer satisfaction. Makita USA is headquartered in La Mirada, California.