Market Development Contractor - Chicago

Mitra9 Brands; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Mitra9 Brands is seeking an independent contractor for field-based sales across the United States. You will aggressively prospect, open new accounts, and grow existing customers through strategic territory planning and relationship-building.

Travel within assigned territory and strong CRM discipline are required to drive incremental sales. Ideal candidates have at least 1 year of field sales experience, a hunter mentality, and excellent negotiation and presentation skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of professional field sales experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability for prospecting, cold calling, opening new accounts, growing existing accounts, and closing sales.
• Hunter mentality: competitive, persistent, self-motivated, resilient.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, negotiation, presentation, and closing skills.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed, able to work independently in the field.
• Highly organized with ability to manage a large prospect pipeline and multiple account opportunities.
• Comfortable using CRM systems and sales data to manage activity and measure results.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within territory.
• Available Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
• Must be located within the assigned territory.
• Bilingual candidates encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Aggressively prospect for new accounts in retail, on-premise, and other qualified accounts.
• Spend the majority of field time identifying and pursuing new business.
• Develop territory route and prospecting strategy to maximize selling time.
• Take ownership of sales goals and create activity to meet them.
• Build and maintain a healthy pipeline with clear next steps and disciplined follow-up.
• Develop account-specific growth plans based on customer needs and performance.
• Identify opportunities to increase SKU count, order frequency, and distribution.
• Visit accounts to identify opportunities, solve issues, and drive incremental sales.
• Maintain CRM records for prospects, visits, opportunities, and results.
• Report pipeline status and results to the Regional Sales Manager.

Skills

Prospecting

Cold calling

Opening new accounts

Growing existing accounts

Closing sales

Communication

Negotiation

Presentation skills

CRM systems

Self-motivated

Organized

Travel ready

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

What you’ll do

New Business Development & Sales Hunting

• Aggressively prospect for new retail, on-premise, and other qualified accounts throughout the assigned territory.
• Spend the majority of field time identifying and pursuing new business rather than simply servicing existing accounts.
• Build a consistent prospecting routine using in-person cold calls, territory canvassing, phone and email outreach, referrals, networking, distributor relationships, and market research.
• Identify owners, buyers, managers, and other decision-makers and create opportunities to present our brands.
• Conduct compelling sales presentations, communicate product value and differentiation, overcome objections, negotiate opportunities, and ask for the sale.
• Open new accounts and secure initial orders, new placements, and expanded distribution.
• Build and maintain a healthy, qualified pipeline with clear next steps and disciplined follow-up.
• Develop a territory route and prospecting strategy that maximizes productive selling time and new-account coverage.
• Take ownership of individual sales goals and proactively create the activity necessary to meet or exceed them.

Account Growth &Incremental Sales

• Build credible relationships with account owners, buyers, managers, and key decision-makers.
• Maintain existing accounts while continually looking for incremental sales opportunities.
• Develop account-specific growth plans based on customer needs, sales performance, and account potential.
• Identify opportunities to increase SKU count, order frequency, average order size, displays, shelf or cooler placement, distribution, and promotional activity.
• Regularly visit accounts to identify opportunities, solve issues, strengthen relationships, and drive incremental sales.
• Monitor account performance and use available sales data and market insights to identify areas for growth.

Field Execution& Market Development

• Pre-plan account visits with clear objectives, selling opportunities, and desired outcomes.
• Work closely with distributor partners and sales representatives to identify new doors, improve selling, expand distribution, and execute against opportunities.
• Ensure products are properly represented, priced, positioned, and available within active accounts.
• Represent the brand professionally during account visits, distributor work-withs, retail events, tastings, and other approved market activities.
• Educate buyers, retailers, staff, and consumers on product benefits, positioning, and points of differentiation.
• Complete merchandising, sampling, promotional, or other field-support duties when they directly support sales and account development.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the assigned market, including priority accounts, competitive brands, pricing, promotions, emerging trends, and whitespace opportunities.
• Identify new channels, neighborhoods, account types, and market opportunities that can contribute to sales growth.

Pipeline, Reporting& Accountability

• Maintain accurate and timely CRM records for prospects, account visits, opportunities, follow-ups, account plans, and results.
• Track prospects through the sales process and consistently follow up on open opportunities and customer commitments.
• Report new accounts opened, pipeline status, sales progress, market feedback, competitive intelligence, and challenges to the Regional Sales Manager.
• Track performance against agreed-upon activity and sales goals and adjust territory strategy as needed.
• Participate in sales meetings, training, distributor meetings, events, and other business activities as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of sales growth, market development, and company objectives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of professional field sales experience preferred, ideally in beverage, energy, alcohol, CPG, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated ability or strong aptitude for prospecting, cold calling, opening new accounts, growing existing accounts, and closing sales.
• A true hunter mentality: competitive, persistent, self-motivated, resilient, and comfortable hearing “no” while continuing to pursue the next opportunity.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, negotiation, presentation, and closing skills.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed, with the ability to work independently in the field with limited supervision.
• Highly organized and capable of managing a large prospect pipeline, follow-ups, and multiple account opportunities simultaneously.
• Comfortable using CRM systems and sales data to manage activity, prioritize opportunities, and measure results.
• Ability to identify opportunities rather than simply service existing business.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel throughout the assigned territory and visit multiple accounts per day.
• Availability Monday-Friday 9am-6pm during the hours key decision makers will be in the accounts
• Ability to cover approved business expenses, which will be reimbursed in accordance with company policy.
• Ability to obtain a solicitor’s permit if required.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Must be located within the assigned territory.

Contractor Requirements

• This is an independent contractor opportunity focused primarily on new business development, field sales, and market development.
• The contractor is responsible for managing their territory, developing and executing a prospecting strategy, generating new business, growing accounts, and achieving agreed-upon sales objectives.
• The contractor is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and take personal ownership of activity, pipeline development, territory coverage, and sales performance.
• This role is designed for an individual who is motivated by measurable sales performance and the opportunity to directly influence their success through business development.

Physical & Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel regularly throughout the assigned territory.
• Ability to drive to multiple customer accounts in a single day.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and work in retail environments.
• Ability to lift and carry products or materials weighing up to 35 lbs.
• Ability to ascend and descend stairs and navigate retail, warehouse, and distributor environments.

Reporting To: Regional Sales Manager

Location** :** Remote / Field-Based within Assigned Territory

Employment Type: Independent Contractor

Department: Conventional- North