Lighting & A/V Business Development

About the role

Build and maintain strategic customer relationships while creating a customer connection that can withstand the inevitable pressures, politics, and mishaps that can be a part of day-to-day business. Sales Reps develop an intellectual and emotional bond to support partnership, trust, and confidence for our clients and specifiers, to drive customer success and revenue growth.

Responsibilities

• Client relationship building: Develop intellectual and emotional bonds with customers; proactively arrange in-person appointments; travel to meet clients whenever necessary; be present on job sites as needed; ensure regular communication through scheduled check-ins; create an ideal customer type and regularly prospect for that profile.
• Influence product specification: Develop a strong technical understanding of lighting and AV system integration; work with owners, designers, consultants, agents, and manufacturers' reps to ensure Christie Lites Sales products and services are requested at bid time; nurture consultant and designer relationships to be listed as an approved bidder in an advantageous position; effectively navigate the political nature of industry insider networks.
• Set goals and manage portfolio: Set annual client relationship development targets and financial targets with VP Sales; develop and pursue an industry network for portfolio growth; identify and strategically manage key retention accounts; identify existing and future client growth opportunities to pursue proactively.
• Monitor portfolio performance: Regularly enter sales activities and customer data into CRM; monitor sales pipeline and update Opportunities, Quotations, and Sales Orders; review quarterly profitability reports with management; identify issues negatively affecting margins; seek revenue growth opportunities that address benchmark target performance.
• Bid preparation and submittal: Clearly understand the specification as written; review all bid documentation including equipment lists, drawings, sample contracts, payment terms, insurance, and bid bond requirements; write bid takeoff and initial Bill of Materials; work with Sales Coordinator to build complete job costing; strategically set margin and selling price; write and compile complete proposal submissions including cover letter, Scope of Work, cut sheets, submittal drawings, pricing proposal, corporate profile, project case studies, and other required materials.
• Interface with Project Management: Engage with Project Management during bid preparation to assist with technical specification, system design, resource planning, and prepare drawings; participate in kick-off meetings for all projects; transition control of projects and services to PM team for execution and fulfillment; effectively communicate Change Orders; participate in Post-Mortem meetings to transition relationships back to Sales Rep at project close.
• Work independently with VP Sales support: Remain independently focused on established goals; engage in consistent proactive daily business practices; participate in regular portfolio update meetings with VP Sales; delegate non-Sales Rep work to appropriate departments; communicate questions, issues, and strategies with VP Sales; call upon Operations, Finance, and Project Management for further support as needed.

Personal attributes for success

• Quickly builds rapport and trust
• High desire to compete and win
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Decisive
• Creative problem solver
• Results and success-driven
• Self-starter
• Comfortable with travel
• Listens to understand and asks great questions
• Effective communicator, well-written, well-spoken
• Seeks high levels of compensation
• Sets goals and measures success against them

Professional qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in entertainment lighting and/or AV system integration sales
• Maintains deep relationships with consultants, designers, and other specifiers in the industry
• Strong administration and organizational skills
• Proven track record of success
• Proven negotiator with strategic business sense and ability to close deals
• Problem solver, attentive to client needs, builds relationships

About the company

Christie Lites operates one of the largest stage lighting rental companies in North America, with offices across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company has been in operation for 40 years with a client base of respected names across wide-ranging industries. Christie Lites Sales (CLS) is the sales and system integration division, providing lighting and AV products and systems to Performing Arts, Education, Film/TV, Sports Entertainment, Architectural, and Worship markets across North America.

CLS employs a specialized team of Sales Reps serving clients through exclusive interpersonal relationships. Sales opportunities and client assignments are not based on region or market sector but solely on individual relationships, allowing virtually unlimited opportunity for portfolio advancement and career growth. CLS Sales Reps are independent, experienced industry professionals with multiple years in stage lighting or AV systems sales and integration. Success requires passion for the entertainment lighting and AV industry combined with competitive and creative business sense, deep understanding of the path to market and project specifications, influential relationships with consultants, designers, and engineers, partnership with Project Management and installation partners, and self-direction with a strategic growth mindset. Above all, CLS Sales Reps place clients at the highest point of importance and focus on long-term relationships with maximum mutual benefit and trust. Willingness to prospect for new business, travel, and work regularly with clients in their own environment is required.