Account Executive | Smith Graphics Inc. | 317 Capital Ave., Mishawaka, IN 46544
Smith Graphics Inc. is seeking an experienced, results-driven Account Executive to develop new business while managing and expanding relationships with existing customers.
This is a senior-level sales and account-management position requiring direct experience in the large-format printing, vehicle graphics, vehicle wraps, signage, and visual communications industry.
The Account Executive serves as a primary point of contact for customers and is responsible for building long-term relationships, identifying opportunities, developing graphics solutions, and coordinating internally to ensure projects are executed successfully.
The ideal candidate must understand the technical and operational realities of custom graphics production, including large-format printing, fleet and vehicle graphics, wraps, signage, substrates, materials, installation requirements, artwork preparation, production timelines, and project execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities within targeted markets and customer segments.
- Build relationships with business owners, fleet managers, marketing teams, operations leaders, facility managers, and other key decision-makers.
- Conduct discovery conversations to understand customer objectives, budgets, timelines, branding requirements, installation needs, and graphics applications.
- Recommend appropriate solutions involving large-format graphics, vehicle wraps, fleet graphics, signage, decals, displays, and related products and services.
- Prepare and present proposals, estimates, recommendations, and strategic solutions.
- Maintain an active sales pipeline and consistently pursue opportunities from initial contact through close.
- Achieve established revenue, gross-profit, and new-business objectives.
- Develop referral opportunities and expand Smith Graphics' presence within existing customer networks.
Account Management
- Serve as a trusted business partner and primary relationship owner for assigned customer accounts.
- Develop a thorough understanding of each customer's business, graphics program, fleet, facilities, branding standards, purchasing process, and long-term objectives.
- Maintain regular communication with customers regarding active projects, upcoming needs, artwork approvals, schedules, installations, and future opportunities.
- Proactively identify opportunities to expand existing accounts through additional vehicles, locations, signage, graphics programs, rebranding initiatives, or recurring work.
- Conduct periodic account reviews and maintain strong relationships with key customer stakeholders.
- Address customer concerns promptly and coordinate appropriate internal resources to achieve resolution.
- Protect customer relationships through consistent communication, responsiveness, professionalism, and follow-through.
Project & Internal Coordination
- Coordinate with estimating, design, production, installation, purchasing, and management to move customer projects successfully from opportunity through completion.
- Ensure project requirements, specifications, measurements, substrates, materials, artwork, quantities, deadlines, installation requirements, and customer expectations are clearly communicated internally.
- Facilitate customer artwork reviews, revisions, proofs, and approvals.
- Monitor project progress and maintain proactive communication with customers regarding schedules, changes, risks, or required decisions.
- Work with internal teams to establish realistic expectations regarding pricing, production capabilities, lead times, installation schedules, and project feasibility.
- Confirm that commitments made to customers can be successfully executed by Smith Graphics.
- Maintain appropriate customer, project, pricing, and sales documentation within company systems.
Required Industry Experience
Candidates must have direct professional experience within the large-format printing and graphics industry.
Required experience should include familiarity with several of the following:
- Large-format digital printing
- Vehicle wraps
- Fleet graphics
- Commercial vehicle lettering and decals
- Vehicle graphics installation
- Interior and exterior signage
- Wall graphics and murals
- Window graphics
- Banners and displays
- Dimensional or architectural signage
- Printed vinyl and specialty films
- Laminates, substrates, adhesives, and related materials
- Graphic production workflows
- Artwork preparation and proofing
- Color, print, finishing, fabrication, and installation considerations
- Measuring and planning graphics or signage projects
- Coordinating field installations
- Managing multi-location or fleet graphics programs
The Account Executive is not expected to operate production equipment, but must have enough industry knowledge to confidently discuss applications, materials, production requirements, installation considerations, timelines, and potential challenges with customers and internal production teams.
Qualifications
- Minimum of 3-5 years of successful B2B sales, account management, or business development experience.
- Previous sales or account-management experience in large-format printing, vehicle wraps, vehicle graphics, signage, or a closely related graphics industry is required.
- Demonstrated success developing new business while managing and growing an existing customer portfolio.
- Strong understanding of large-format graphics production and installation processes.
- Experience working with custom, project-based products and services.
- Proven ability to manage complex sales opportunities involving multiple stakeholders.
- Strong commercial judgment with an understanding of pricing, margins, customer expectations, and profitability.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple customers and projects simultaneously.
- Ability to communicate effectively with customers as well as design, estimating, production, installation, operations, and leadership teams.
- Professional, accountable, responsive, and highly dependable.
- Comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with a cross-functional team.
- Proficiency with CRM, estimating, project-management, Microsoft Office, or similar business systems.
Preferred Attributes
The successful Account Executive will demonstrate:
- Strong knowledge of the large-format graphics and signage industry
- A strong sense of ownership and accountability
- Consultative rather than transactional selling skills
- Confidence communicating with executives, business owners, and operational leaders
- Strong relationship-building ability
- Technical curiosity and the ability to understand complex graphics applications
- Attention to detail
- Commercial and operational awareness
- A solution-oriented mindset
- Excellent follow-through
- Ability to manage difficult conversations professionally
- Ability to balance customer advocacy with Smith Graphics' production capabilities and profitability requirements
- A desire to build long-term customer partnerships rather than simply close individual transactions
Performance Expectations
Success in this position will be measured through a combination of:
- New revenue generated
- Growth within existing accounts
- Gross-profit performance
- New customer acquisition
- Customer retention
- Sales pipeline development
- Forecast accuracy
- Account penetration and expansion
- Customer satisfaction
- Quality and timeliness of internal communication
- Ability to successfully transition opportunities into executable projects
About the Role
This is not solely a new-business sales position and is not solely an account-management position. The Account Executive is expected to win, retain, and grow business.
Because Smith Graphics operates in a highly customized and technical industry, the Account Executive must understand the products being sold and the processes required to produce and install them successfully.
The individual in this role owns the customer relationship while working collaboratively with Smith Graphics' estimating, design, production, and installation teams to deliver a consistent, professional experience from the initial sales conversation through design, approval, production, installation, and ongoing account support.
The Account Executive should ultimately become a trusted graphics resource to the customer—someone who understands their business, fleet, facilities, brand, and operational needs; anticipates opportunities; solves problems; and makes it easier for customers to do business with Smith Graphics.
Pay: From $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
