No two days are ever the same when you’re an On Premise Sales Rep, but each day starts with a few presses of the snooze button and some hot coffee.
After I’ve had a chance to check my emails, I plan the day and organize my bag with the tools I’ll need. Having grabbed my cooler of cold samples, I head straight to the distributor to meet with the sales team to address issues, seek opportunities for placements, and grab my piles of updated signage to hang during my travels.
Some days, when I think my plan of attack is going to be flawless, a new challenge arises. That’s the part of the job that keeps me on my feet and allows me to learn and grow!
I always target 10 accounts per day. With a distribution report in hand, I have already sniffed out the opportunities before walking into an account’s door. A cooler with cold samples is perfect for an immediate sale! If the samples are not cold and can’t be tried immediately, I have already lost the placement—or had it placed on the back burner. My best successes come from the cold brews themselves, but a success story from a neighboring bar or the background of a certain brand can also seal the deal. Knowing the accounts is KEY for this position. It must always be “the right brands for the right accounts.” This helps build credibility when the product/program I’ve sold is great for EVERYONE’S business—next time, they will not be able to say NO!
Each account is recapped and surveyed during the visit, so sometimes I can be at any account anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. Somewhere around 3 p.m., I’ll realize I have missed lunch, but another cup of coffee tides me over until dinnertime. As the accounts start to get their evening crowd, I’m on my way home to recap any immediate issues for the day directly to my Distributor Sales Manager or Distributor so answers can be given by morning time to the account.
Quick turnaround and commitment to an account go a long way in the relationship. I get home, cook dinner, catch up on my DVR’d shows and pray I make it off the couch and into bed with some cozy PJs—many nights end in the clothes I started the day in!