Outside Sales Representative - West

Proven Winners; DeKalb (IL); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401(k)

401(k) matching

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Proven Winners is looking for a dynamic field sales professional to craft and execute a territory plan for liner products, build strong relationships with garden centers, brokers, and distributors, and drive growth through strategic account management and initiatives.

You will leverage Salesforce and standard sales tools to manage opportunities, forecast performance, and coordinate order management and fulfillment, while traveling to customer visits and trade shows as needed.

Qualifications

• Strong outside sales and territory management skills.
• Experience building and expanding customer relationships.
• Proficient with Salesforce for account management and forecasting.
• Microsoft Office proficiency (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Create and execute a territory sales plan to retain and grow customers.
• Travel at least 40% for on-road sales activities.
• Utilize Salesforce and CRM tools to manage accounts and forecast.
• Collaborate with brokers and distributors to expand reach.
• Develop new business through proactive outreach and trade shows.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure order accuracy and delivery.

Skills

Outside sales

Territory management

Relationship management

Sales analytics

Negotiation

Oral & written communication

Education

Associate degree or equivalent in marketing/sales/horticulture

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Classification:Full-Time
Year Round
Remote

Posted: September 17, 2026 at 12:00 am

Job Summary

Create and execute a sales plan with clearly defined goals, responsibilities, and sales priorities for liner products and programs within an assigned territory. Establish and maintain successful relationships with existing and prospective customers, identify and secure new business, increase purchases from existing accounts, and work effectively with broker and distributor representatives while promoting Proven Winners products and marketing objectives. Provide a high level of service through accurate communication and coordination across the order management and fulfillment process and maintain disciplined use of Salesforce and other sales systems as a critical part of account management, sales analytics, forecasting, and follow-through.

Essential Functions

• Create and execute a territory sales plan designed to retain existing customers, generate new customers, increase purchases from existing accounts, and expand Proven Winners market presence for liner products and programs.
• Travel at least 40% of the time for on-road sales activity, including customer visits, broker or distributor visits, trade shows, presentations, and other sales events.
• Utilize Salesforce and other approved customer relationship management tools to manage accounts, document activity, track opportunities, maintain pipeline visibility, prepare forecasts, and support sales analytics and performance reporting.
• Work closely with broker and distributor representatives to target accounts, increase existing customer purchases, secure customer commitments and expand reach within the assigned territory.
• Develop new business through cold calls, prospecting, referral follow-up, trade show follow-up, and ongoing outreach to target accounts and secure customer commitments and orders.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support optimum product sales, order accuracy, delivery execution, and strong customer satisfaction.
• Develop and deliver customer-specific presentations, seminars, and educational programs that support liner sales and customer understanding.
• Introduce, define, expand, and consistently maintain the Proven Winners brand in the marketplace through customer education, presentations, and Certified Garden Center training.
• Participate in weekly and monthly sales meetings and other team meetings to share customer feedback, industry trends, competitive developments, and recommendations for action.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong outside sales, territory management, relationship management, and business development skills with the ability to increase penetration in existing accounts and win new business.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, with a customer-service mindset and the ability to communicate effectively with customers, brokers, and internal teams.
• Demonstrated ability to use Salesforce consistently and effectively for account management, opportunity tracking, sales analytics, reporting, forecasting, and follow-through.
• Effective negotiation, problem-solving, and issue-resolution skills, including the ability to research concerns, determine appropriate action, and communicate clearly through resolution.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with customers, broker or distributor representatives, marketing, operations, and other internal departments.
• Strong organizational skills, follow-up discipline, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, seasonal business environment.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, adjust schedules as needed, and maintain accountability for results with limited supervision.
• Working knowledge of horticulture products, liner programs, merchandising, and customer education practices is preferred.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Associate degree or equivalent in marketing, sales, horticulture, or a related field preferred.
• Three to five years of sales experience with a verifiable track record; outside sales experience preferred.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Previous horticultural background preferred.
• Experience with Salesforce or related tools preferred.

Benefits and Compensation

This range reflects the expected compensation for candidates who meet the listed qualifications. Actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and internal equity.

Base salary:$50,000.00 – $100,000.00 per year.

This position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Paid time off (PTO, Paid Leave, holidays)
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance