Steven Ford Email & Phone Number

Denver, Colorado, United States

Denver, Co

*Generated new client leads and followed up on inquiries.*Leveraged sales data to anticipate consumer demand at key accounts.*Maintained strong relationships with key retail customers and client senior leadership.*Attended industry events and conferences to promote company and interact with potential clients.*Used negotiation and persuasion skills to influence decision-makers.*Analyzed trends and results to determine annual unit and gross-profit plans.*Resolved customer complaints regarding sales and service.*Developed sales team through motivation, counseling and product knowledge education.*Managed sales team to consistently achieve growth and hit sales targets.*Monitored customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.*Oversaw regional and local Sales Directors and Account Executives.

Denver, Co

Greater Denver Area

*Implement customer headquarter calls and penetrate key positions in retailer departments.*Own and drive revenue growth; identify opportunities, utilize forecasting methods and align business unit resources to secure those opportunities*Meet and exceed Client goals for sales, distribution, pricing, shelving, and promotional volume*Manage and maximize manufacturer marketing/promotional funds to achieve sales goals while staying within financial guidelines*Participate in Client market visits and key account calls*Communicate Client priorities to Retail organizations to ensure in-store presence and business objectives*Provide feedback on the effectiveness of selling programs and initiatives and suggestions on how to further maximize sales growth

Greater Denver Area

* Create yearly business plan for Private Label SKUs across 200+ categories. * Create and implemented detailed pricing strategies by geographical area and category.* Create and implement a promotional calendar by category, that supports division merchandising strategy.* Design schematics and recommend adjacencies that support the role of the category. Determine the appropriate product assortment based on the category strategies. Authorizes new items entering the market and discontinue lines based on potential contribution to the category and department. * Maintains weekly, quarterly and yearly scorecards to track sales, gross profit dollars and share of each category.* Create sales and gross profit projections at the category level, rolling up to department and division projections quarterly and yearly.* Conduct in depth post-promotional analysis at the item and category level.* Plans ads and displays in support of the category plans and total department initiatives.* Coordinate and communicate between stores, merchandising and other departments in the division.* Act as primary contact within division for all vendors in assigned categories.* Meet with vendors on a consistent basis for deal negotiation and business updates.* Work closely with procurement on sales forecasts and promotional sales forecasts. Communicates category and promotional plans to ensure desired service levels and optimum inventory position.* Coordinate promotional plans (ads and displays), and merchandising messages to store sales ops.

Greater Denver Area

* Created customized marketing strategies through analysis of sales, profit, and market share reports by individual store and regional demographics.* Increase sales and profit of Safeway branded products through in-store merchandising displays.* Ensure full item distribution and sales optimization by shelf schematic item placement process.* Retail brand ambassador; culture created through presentations highlighting Private Label programs and initiatives to all levels of executive and retail management.* Increased sales by implementing and training best practice merchandising techniques.* Brand building through participation in local community marketing events and sponsorships.* Excellent retail in stock conditions achieved through accurate demand forecasting with both Corporate Brands production facilities as well as outside vendor partners.* Train, mentor, and develop employees at all levels for retail and backstage leadership positions.* Successfully managed and allocated funds for division Private Label marketing support budget.

* Coordinated division price area reorganization.* Developed and implemented category level promotional and regular retail pricing strategies for the division.* Monitor and analyze local competitive pricing activity and strategies through frequent and regular store checks.* Developed recommendations to address local competitive situations, working with strategic pricing team to estimate sales and gross margin impact.* Provide guidance to store level file maintenance clerks for price tag and store item file issues across multiple divisions.* Draft and publish store pricing bulletins on company Intranet site.* Identify and recommend solutions for promotional pricing issues that arise within the division’s retail stores.* Work closely with Category Managers and Buyers to ensure accuracy of weekly ads and coupons and overall regular product prices within the division.