Account Executive, KBIS

Emerald; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited vacation

Flexible working locations

401(k) plan

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Parental/caregiver leave

FSA benefits

Professional development

Mental wellness tools

Job summary

Emerald is seeking an Account Executive to join the KBIS sales team. You will drive revenue through exhibit space, sponsorships, digital marketing, and content programs while managing a territory of exhibitors and prospects.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in B2B sales, strong prospecting skills, and a consultative selling approach. Travel up to 15–20% and collaboration with marketing, operations, and media sales teams are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years in B2B sales, business development, or account management.
• Experience in trade shows, media, sponsorship, or marketing services sales preferred.
• Kitchen and bath or design industry experience is a plus.
• Strong prospecting and new business development skills.
• Proven ability to build relationships, negotiate, and close business.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; organized and detail oriented.
• Experience with Salesforce, Gong, Microsoft Office, and other sales technologies.

Responsibilities

• Meet and exceed exhibit space, sponsorship, and revenue goals for KBIS.
• Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities in key market segments.
• Manage and grow assigned territory through retention, expansion, and new business.
• Conduct discovery calls to understand objectives, challenges, and marketing priorities.
• Present and sell integrated solutions including space, sponsorships, advertising, and digital marketing.
• Build strong relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, agencies, and stakeholders.
• Oversee the sales process from outreach to contract execution and renewal.
• Use Salesforce, Gong, and CRM tools to manage pipeline and forecast.

Skills

Prospecting

Account management

Relationship building

Negotiation

Consultative selling

Communication

Presentation

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce

Gong

Microsoft Office

a2z

Job description

Forge (Emerald X) is a leader in building dynamic market platforms that connect buyers and sellers through live events, digital media, content, and commerce. Our portfolio includes some of the most recognized brands in their respective industries, including ASD Market Week, Surf Expo, Advertising Week, Pizza Expo, Overland Expo, KBIS, and many others. Across our portfolio, we help businesses grow through meaningful connections, industry insights, and innovative marketing solutions.

Forge is seeking a motivated and results-oriented Account Executive “hunter” to join the KBIS sales team.

This role is responsible for driving revenue growth through a combination of customer retention, account expansion, sponsorship sales, and new business development. The successful candidate will manage a territory of exhibitors and prospects while helping customers maximize their return on investment through exhibit space, sponsorships, digital marketing, advertising, content, and other integrated solutions.

The ideal candidate combines strong prospecting skills with a consultative sales approach, disciplined pipeline management, and a passion for helping customers achieve their business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Meet and exceed individual exhibit space, sponsorship, and revenue goals for KBIS
• Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities within key market segments
• Manage and grow an assigned territory through account retention, expansion, and new business acquisition
• Conduct discovery conversations to understand customer objectives, challenges, growth plans, and marketing priorities
• Present and sell integrated solutions that may include exhibit space, sponsorships, advertising, content programs, digital marketing, lead generation, and event participation
• Build strong relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, agencies, and industry stakeholders
• Oversee the sales process from initial outreach through contract execution, event participation, and renewal
• Conduct outbound sales campaigns and strategic account development initiatives
• Collaborate with marketing, operations, content, and media sales teams to maximize customer value and ROI
• Maintain the integrity of the online floorplan and adhere to established floorplan standards
• Utilize Salesforce, Gong, and other sales tools to manage pipeline activity, forecasting, customer interactions, and opportunity progression
• Maintain accurate account records, sales activity, forecasting, and customer communications
• Support collections efforts as needed
• Travel to industry events, customer meetings, and assigned Emerald events as required
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience
• 3+ years of demonstrated success in B2B sales, business development, account management, or related commercial roles
• Trade show, media, sponsorship, advertising, or marketing services sales experience preferred
• Kitchen and bath and/or design industry experience is a plus
• Strong prospecting and new business development skills
• Proven ability to build relationships, negotiate effectively, and close business
• Strong customer service orientation and consultative selling capabilities
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with Salesforce, Gong, Microsoft Office, and other sales technologies preferred
• Experience with a2z is a plus
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of customer responsiveness
• Willingness to travel approximately 15-20%, including customer visits, industry events, and show-site responsibilities

What Success Looks Like

• Consistent achievement of exhibit, sponsorship, and revenue goals
• Strong pipeline generation and new business acquisition
• Strong customer retention and account growth
• Accurate forecasting and CRM management
• Effective cross-functional collaboration
• Disciplined execution of Emerald's sales processes and operating standards

About Emerald

At Emerald, we strive to foster a diverse and inclusive community. We actively recruit and champion candidates who bring new perspectives from varied professional backgrounds and experiences, and we are intentional about ensuring a positive hiring experience for everyone. Our job postings don’t contain experience inflation, and most don’t require college degrees. Instead, they’re crafted to focus on outcomes and transferable experiences that are assessed in a structured interview process carried out by trained hiring teams.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Please note that this range reflects a reasonable estimate of the target compensation for this position. This range may ultimately vary based on a candidate’s qualifications and may be higher where required by applicable law.

• unlimited vacation for exempt employees
• flexible working locations
• 401(k) plan with a company match
• medical/dental/vision coverage with inclusive provisions including transgender services and fertility benefits
• parental and caregiver leave
• dependent, commuter and FSA benefits
• professional development programs like Toastmasters
• mental wellness tools

If you need accommodation in our application process or have questions about our posted salary range, please email our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

About Emerald

Emerald’s talented and experienced teams grow our customers’ businesses 365 days a year with products that create connections, deliver content, and drive commerce. We produce over 140 annual events, create and deliver content through print and digital channels, and power commerce through our seamlessly integrated in-person and digital platforms and channels. For more information, please visit http://www.emeraldx.com.