Area Sales Manager

Role Definition

The Area Sales Manager (ASM) is responsible for driving sales growth, managing distributors, and leading a sales team within an assigned geographic area. The role involves developing sales strategies, increasing market share, ensuring strong brand presence, and achieving revenue targets.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Revenue Growth

• Develop and implement sales strategies to achieve regional sales targets.

• Drive primary and secondary sales through effective distributor management.

• Ensure consistent growth in market share and brand penetration.

• Identify new business opportunities and expand the customer base

Distributor & Channel Management

• Appoint, monitor, and manage distributors, wholesalers, and retailers.

• Ensure distributor ROI (Return on Investment) through efficient stock management.

• Address distributor concerns and resolve supply chain issues.

• Ensure timely payments and credit control adherence.

• Control costs of supply and sales

Market Development & Brand Visibility

• Increase brand visibility and market share by executing promotional activities.

• Ensure product availability and proper merchandising at retail outlets.

• Work with the marketing team to implement trade promotions and consumer engagement programs.

Team Management & Training

• Recruit, train, and lead a team of Sales Officers / Executives.

• Monitor team performance and provide coaching for improvement.

• Set clear sales targets and review progress regularly.

Market Intelligence & Reporting

• Conduct market research to track competitor activities and consumer trends.

• Analyze sales data and generate reports for management. • Provide insights for new product launches and marketing initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelors/Masters degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field. • Experience: 7+ years of sales experience in the FMCG sector, with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
• Preferred Industry: FMCG (Food, Beverages, Personal Care, Household Products, etc.).

Working Conditions

• Field work i.e. personal visit to retailers and distributors in own vehicle
• Document the work done in the sales force automation app
• 9 hours of field work from 1st outlet to last outlet for the day
• 8 hours incase the beat is at an outside location
• Working from Monday to Saturday, Sunday holiday
• Work with team members to enable them to cover outlets onboarded
• Report to Managing Director

Required Knowledge

• FMCG supply chain from manufacturer to distributor to retailer and consumer
• Business transactions like supply, inventory, payment, invoice, taxation in detail
• Marketing, Sales, Branding, Advertising, Cost control
• Use of smart phone, whatsapp, spreadsheet, sales force automation and camera applications

• Documentation, Spreadsheet, ERP, CRM on computers

• Speaking local language like Kannada and Tulu
• Reading, Writing and Speaking in English
• Familiar with the territory, places, roads, outlets etc
• Contacts with retailers and distributors in the territory
• Company, brand, products, process, industry, competitors, consumers
• Basic mental mathematical and logical calculations

Required Skills

• Managing own team members, their time and work
• Recruitment, Training and Development
• Planning, Organising, Goal setting and achievement, Cordination
• Personal Selling, Objection Handling, Negotiation and Closing
• Clear and persuasive communication
• Telephonic ettiquite
• Probing, Listening, Requirement gathering

Required personal traits

• Growth mindset, challenging the status quo
• Patience
• Soft spoken
• Honesty and Sincerity
• Belief in the product sold.
• Physical fitness
• Neat professional appearance
• Flexible in work timings and traveling

Compensation

• Fixed Salary defined in terms of CTC

• Incentives - ` 10,000 per month on achieving 100% of the monthly target, proportionally above 90% of the target

• Traveling expenses at ` 3 per km

• Daily Allowance of ` 150 per day

• Provident Fund and Health Insurance as applicable

• Paid Leaves