Business Development Specialist, K - 12

$73,000 - $91,000/Yr

Acco Brands - Lake Zurich, IL

Full-time - Entry Level

Lake Zurich, IL

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

About the position

The Business Development Specialist, K-12 at Kensington is responsible for driving growth in the North American market by identifying new business opportunities, building relationships with potential clients in the K-12 industry, and developing strategies to achieve sales goals. The role requires a strong understanding of market trends, excellent communication skills, and a passion for sales.

Responsibilities

• Source new sales opportunities and potential clients through inbound lead follow-up and outbound calls.
• Use lead lists to identify new leads and prospects based on target criteria.
• Focus on net new business, develop and implement effective business strategies to attract new clients.
• Utilize lead data to identify and prioritize net new business opportunities based on account size and potential growth, then pass off leads to the Kensington Field Sales teams.
• Manage sample/pipeline opportunities and conduct regular follow-ups with clients to ensure satisfaction and identify further sales.
• Analyze historical sales data to identify opportunities with current customers and understand sales trends.
• Qualify leads by understanding their needs, pain points, and decision-making processes.
• Partner closely with the national Kensington Field Sales Teams to drive net new business opportunities.
• Conduct online demos and presentations to educate prospects about our products and services.
• Track and report on sales activities and progress in the CRM system.
• Collaborate with marketing and product teams to provide feedback on customer needs, preferences, and industry trends.
• Attend industry events, conferences, and networking events to increase industry knowledge and gain new business contacts.
• Achieve goals related to the number of net new opportunities created.
• Track and report on key metrics, including the number of emails sent, calls made, and new opportunities generated in the CRM system.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, or related field is preferred.
• 2-4 years of experience in sales, customer service, or a related field.
• Sales experience in the K-12 industry is highly preferred.
• Warm calling and relationship management skills, with the ability to build rapport with clients.
• Strong selling skills and the ability to effectively pitch products and services to prospective customers.
• A hunter mentality, with a proactive and persistent approach to identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.
• Being goal-oriented and self-driven.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Experience in sales, business development, or a related field is a plus.
• Experience using CRM systems, mail merge, and Pardot.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in sales, business development, or a related field is a plus.