Vacancy expired!
We, Dolan Geiman dolangeiman.com, are currently seeking a Wholesale Sales Manager to grow our established wholesale print + original art program. Our fine art is currently sold in 50 brick and mortar retail locations across the US and still growing thanks to direct outreach to independent store owners and the online wholesale marketplace Faire. This position is in-person, full-time with benefits and based at our studio in Englewood. Due to the nature of our small, handmade business (not simply a SKU on the shelf) and range of price points, compensation is hourly, not commission.
// JOB DESCRIPTION //
The Wholesale Sales Manager (WSM) develops strategies to identify new wholesalers (brick & mortar stores and design firms) to stock and sell our handmade products, including original artwork, limited edition paper prints and printed canvas reproductions, and manages ongoing relationships with these clients to a high standard. Our MSRP ranges from $129-$10K for in-stock artwork and $10K+ for custom artwork.
The WSM will research, identify, create, manage and analyze all prospective leads and determine a strategy to engage and sign on new stockists to grow our representation in stores across North America.
This role will work closely with the wholesale and retail team to meet acquisitions and sales targets, and provide ongoing service to our existing retailer client base.
The WSM will regularly communicate with stores and buyers via phone or email. Various sales techniques will be used, including but not limited to the following: cold calling, webinars, zoom meetings, cold emails, and in some cases traveling to stores in person.
A successful candidate will offer a blend of sales experience, retail/wholesale industry knowledge and a proficiency with project planning, administration and task management, including:
New Customer Acquisition Strategy: Develop and implement innovative strategies to acquire new customers, expand our reach to retailers and drive business growth. Performing well, this role will successfully close pending leads with potential stores and develop a followup protocol for leads of all statuses. To do so, you will develop a thorough understanding of our unique place in the fine art and home decor marketplace, and communicate clearly the value proposition of our handmade products.
Research and Lead Generation: Use available resources to identify potential new retailers and interior design firms, then facilitate an introduction to the products, identify the retailers’ needs and create sample orders for perusal.
Sales Planning: Using historical data, develop strategies to meet monthly and quarterly goals by targeting key existing and new retailers to optimize buying behavior, i.e capitalizing on historically peak sales periods, and creating incentives for retailers to purchase during historically slower periods.
Customer Understanding: Demonstrate an excellent understanding of our stockists, their evolving needs, and actively pursue the opening of new accounts. We’ll also ask this role to take up the challenge of increasing average order values for existing retailers.
Relationship Building: Cultivate strong and healthy relationships with our stockists, with a focus on key accounts critical to our success. This may include occasional participation in art festivals and trade shows to cultivate wholesaler relationships.
// IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS //
You do not need to demonstrate all of these qualifications to apply. We encourage applications from those who feel their related experience or knowledge could be a good fit, even if not exactly as stated below.
Experience in market expansion: experience identifying, building, executing and scaling wholesale and outreach programs.
Industry awareness: possesses insight on this competitive home decor/home goods/interior design/fine art sector. Not required but potentially helpful: existing relationships in this sector, particularly with but not limited to small businesses and niche retailers.
Experience managing wholesale acquisitions or sales; an ability to relate with and understand buyers’ needs.
Five-star customer service: an ability to uphold our standard of unparalleled service to our retailers, ensuring that each interaction reflects the company's commitment to high-touch interactions and personalized solutions.
Experience using a customer relationship management platform (CRM) and/or project management platform (we currently use Asana) and a willingness to learn existing protocols while offering a fresh perspective for possible improvements.
Experience leading or managing sales teams: setting goals, providing supportive guidance and performance feedback.
Proficient in multitasking and effective prioritization with attention to detail.
A self-starter who is flexible, proactive and has a positive attitude.
Hands-on, practical problem solving and process improvement skills, often with little oversight or ambiguity.
Strong written and verbal skills to communicate positively, effectively and professionally.
// SCHEDULE //
This position is in-person at our Englewood, CO studio. Sorry, no remote option.
32-40 hours/week scheduled during standard work days Monday-Friday 9-5
// BENEFITS //
After a provisional period of employment, full-time employees are eligible to participate in:
401(k) with employer matching
Group medical insurance with optional HSA plan
Group dental + vision + disability insurance
Paid holidays and paid time off
Wellness reimbursement (yoga, gym, massage, etc.)
Bonuses based on company's sales success
// TO APPLY //
RESUME a resume citing previous related work experience with one reference
STATEMENT a statement of why you are interested in this position; if you would like to submit this as a video, we welcome this.
