Michael Sells
Shorewood
Summary
Highly motivated sales professional with 15 years of experience seeks a company culture that values strong customer relationships with a proven ability to achieve challenging sales goals and contribute to company growth. Accomplished National Sales Manager successful at cultivating and leading high-performance teams. Bringing a 15 year history of exceeding sales benchmarks, maximizing profits, and acquiring valuable new customers.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
National Sales Manager
Railhead Corporation
Burr Ridge, IL
01.2019 - Current
- Spearheaded the rail team to close deals and exceeded sales targets by 30% with a main customer base of class 1, commuter, and short-line railroads
- Developed and executed sales strategies for our team in the rail and transit markets, driving significant revenue growth
- Built and maintained relationships with key decision-makers at major rail and authorities as the primary contact for class 1 key decision-makers and purchasing managers
- Planned, scheduled, and led our sales team at industry trade shows and events
- Developed new products based on customer needs, requests, and improvements
- Introduced new products to Class 1 Railroads and established part numbers resulting in over $6,000,000 in revenue
- Assisted in developing and executing go-to-market strategies, including marketing/communication plans
- Identified strategic partnerships with distributors and alliances to deliver superior solutions to clients
- Continuously monitored market trends, pricing, competitor landscape, and technological advancements to inform strategic decision-making
- Utilized Acumatica and Phocas for day-to-day sales numbers and lead entry/follow-ups.
Account Manager
Railhead Corporation
Alsip, IL
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Spearheaded customer acquisition efforts, generating new accounts through targeted phone calls and field visits
- Developed and delivered compelling sales presentations that secured meetings with key decision-makers at corporate offices and local shops, contributing to sales growth
- Actively participated in industry events (trade shows, safety conferences, monthly association meetings) to build brand awareness and identify new business opportunities
- Resolved customer RMA inquiries promptly and efficiently via phone and email, maintaining high customer satisfaction
- Implemented and maintained a CRM database for all assigned accounts, optimizing sales pipeline management and reporting
- Ensured adherence to established sales protocols throughout the entire sales cycle, fostering consistency and maximizing sales effectiveness.
Residential Resale Sales Team Leader
ADT
Oakbrook, IL
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Developed strategies to effectively target potential resale/retention customers
- Managed a Salesforce database of over 10,000 current and former customers
- Professionally represented ADT at home shows, local police department's National Night Out, and numerous marketing/social events
- Worked with all levels of staff while solving problems and resolving conflicts
- Educated new hires on the latest sales policies, techniques, pricing, equipment, and technology demonstrations
- Conducted sales blitzes and ride-a-longs for newly hired sales representatives
- Gained managerial experience by running meetings, training, and conference calls
- Obtained growth by a minimum of 180 new customers per year
- Overachieved sales quotas and finished the sales years at a minimum of 118% to plan.
Residential Resale Sales Representative
ADT
Oakbrook, IL
01.2009 - 01.2013
- Located potential prospects using creative lead-generating techniques
- Developed a network of 92 promoters to boost leads and sales
- Mastered Salesforce, MMB, Informix, Admin, and other sales-related programs
- Delivered the ADT Model Sales Call Presentation to potential clients
- Identified positive features and advantages of our products over our competitors
- Designed security solutions to meet customer needs, concerns, and budget
- Prepared quotes, work orders, and final agreements following approved procedures for signatures
- Scheduled and attended customer installations
- Followed up with customers 1, 7, 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days after their installation
- Obtained customer referrals to help drive future self-generated sales.
Sales Team Leader
Kirby
St. Charles, IL
01.2008 - 01.2009
- Sold $2,000 vacuum cleaners door to door
- Obtained a minimum of 10 referrals from every customer
- Assisted in training new hires during sales ride-alongs
- Developed a daily action plan for a team of 10-15 sales representatives
- Demonstrated our products to engage customers during sales presentations.
Education
Electrical Engineering -
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL12.2009
High School Diploma -
Romeoville High School
Romeoville, IL12.2006
Skills
- Sales Leadership
- Networking expertise
- Sales Strategies
- Strategic Planning
- Market development
- Training and coaching
- Account Retention
- Revenue Generation
- Recruitment and selection
- Relationship Building
- Sales Presentations
- Key Account Management
- Client Relations
- Team Development
References
References and Letters of Recommendation available upon request
Timeline
National Sales Manager
Railhead Corporation
01.2019 - Current
Account Manager
Railhead Corporation
01.2015 - 01.2019
Residential Resale Sales Team Leader
ADT
01.2013 - 01.2015
Residential Resale Sales Representative
ADT
01.2009 - 01.2013
Sales Team Leader
Kirby
01.2008 - 01.2009
Electrical Engineering -
Illinois Institute of Technology
High School Diploma -
Romeoville High School