Overview
Independent Sales Contractor New Business Advertising, Sponsorship & Exhibits Jobs in Remote at The Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation (FIERF)
Forging Industry Association (FIA)
Independent Contractor | Commission-Based | Remote
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is seeking an experienced Independent Sales Contractor focused specifically on net-new business development across FIA’s advertising, sponsorship and exhibit opportunities.
The primary objective of this role is simple: bring new companies and new revenue into FIA.
About FIA
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) represents the North American forging industry and the companies that support it.
FIA connects forging producers, suppliers and industry partners through education, events, market intelligence, advocacy, networking and business-development opportunities.
FIA’s audience includes executives, plant leaders, engineers, operations professionals, purchasing professionals and other decision-makers throughout the forging and advanced manufacturing supply chain.
FIA already has a strong base of repeat advertisers, sponsors and exhibitors. This contractor will be responsible for expanding beyond that existing customer base by identifying, prospecting and closing companies that are not currently purchasing FIA advertising, sponsorships or exhibit space.
This is a highly entrepreneurial, commission-based opportunity for a proven B2B salesperson who enjoys prospecting, opening doors and developing new relationships.
The Opportunity
FIA has an established portfolio of advertising, sponsorship and event products with significant opportunity for new-business growth.
Current annual revenue categories include:
- FIA Magazine Advertising
- Approximately 90% of current revenue comes from renewals
- Average of approximately 16 advertisers per issue
- Primary opportunity: attract new advertisers
- Website Advertising
- Currently averages approximately one advertiser per month
- Significant opportunity to develop new digital advertisers
- Newsletter Advertising
- Currently averages approximately three advertisers per month
- Significant untapped opportunity for new advertisers
- Forge Fair Exhibit Sales
- Approximately 80% repeat exhibitors
- 2027 goal: 160+ booths
- Primary focus will be identifying and securing first-time and returning-lapsed exhibitors
- Forge Fair Sponsorships
- Primarily repeat sponsors
- Opportunity to introduce new supplier companies to sponsorship opportunities
- Forge Fair Show Guide Advertising
- Approximately 70% repeat advertisers
- Opportunity to significantly expand the advertiser base
- FIA Annual Meeting Sponsorships
- April 6–8, 2027
- Approximately 90% renewal business
- Goal is to bring new companies into the sponsor portfolio
- FIA Fall Meeting Sponsorships
- Mid-October 2027
- Historically driven by repeat sponsors
- Opportunity to expand the sponsor base
Primary Objective: Net-New Revenue
This is not primarily a renewal-management position.
The contractor’s principal responsibility will be to generate revenue that FIA would not otherwise have received by:
- Identifying new prospective advertisers, sponsors and exhibitors
- Prospecting companies that have never purchased from FIA
- Re-engaging qualified former advertisers, sponsors and exhibitors that have been inactive
- Introducing FIA opportunities to new industries, suppliers and service providers
- Developing relationships with new decision-makers within target companies
- Converting prospects into first-time FIA customers
Primary Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of net-new prospects
- Identify companies that sell equipment, materials, technology and services to forging manufacturers
- Conduct proactive outbound prospecting through phone, email, LinkedIn and other appropriate channels
- Research prospective companies and identify appropriate sales, marketing and executive decision-makers
- Sell FIA Magazine, website, newsletter and event publication advertising
- Recruit & maintain new exhibitors for Forge Fair 2027
- Sell Forge Fair sponsorship opportunities to companies that have not traditionally sponsored FIA
- Develop new sponsors for FIA’s Annual Meeting, Fall Meeting and other programs
- Conduct discovery conversations to understand prospective customers’ business-development and marketing objectives
- Position FIA’s audience and programs as an effective way to reach decision-makers in the forging industry
- Prepare proposals and appropriate packages in coordination with FIA staff
- Follow prospects throughout the sales cycle from initial outreach through signed commitment
- Maintain accurate prospect, pipeline and sales activity records
- Provide FIA staff with regular pipeline and sales reports
- Transition closed business to FIA staff for fulfillment, billing, booth placement, artwork and sponsorship execution
Measures of Success
Performance will be evaluated primarily on new customers and incremental revenue generated, including:
- Number of first-time FIA advertisers
- Number of new Forge Fair exhibitors
- Number of new event sponsors
- Growth in website and newsletter advertising
- Reactivation of qualified former customers
- Total net-new revenue generated
- Year-over-year growth in FIA non-dues revenue
Renewals and upsells may be handled when appropriate, but they are secondary to new-business development.
Compensation
This is an independent contractor opportunity with compensation tied directly to sales results.
Net-New Business: 20% Commission
The contractor will earn a 20% commission on eligible net-new revenue directly generated and closed by the contractor, including:
- First-time FIA advertisers
- First-time Forge Fair exhibitors
- New event sponsors
- New website and newsletter advertisers
- Qualified former customers that have been inactive for a defined period and are successfully reactivated
- Other new customers approved by FIA
Existing Business Renewals: 5% Commission
The contractor will earn a 5% commission on eligible renewal revenue when the contractor is responsible for actively managing and closing the renewal.
Routine renewals handled directly by FIA staff may be excluded from commission.
Upsells and Incremental Revenue: 5% Commission
The contractor will earn a 5% commission on incremental revenue generated from an existing customer, including:
- Larger advertising packages
- Additional advertising placements
- Sponsorship upgrades
- Additional exhibit space
- Added products or promotional opportunities
Commission applies to the incremental increase in revenue, not the customer’s entire existing purchase.
Commission Administration
The independent contractor agreement will establish specific policies regarding:
- Definition of net-new business
- Prospect ownership and sales credit
- Treatment of lapsed customers
- Commission payment timing
- Cancellations and refunds
- Multi-year agreements
- Existing FIA relationships
- Renewal assignments
- Sales reporting requirements
The compensation structure is intentionally designed to provide the greatest reward for the contractor’s primary objective: creating new revenue for FIA.
Ideal Candidate
FIA is seeking a salesperson who is energized by prospecting and closing new business, rather than simply managing an established book of accounts.
Ideal candidates will have experience in one or more of the following:
- B2B new-business development
- Trade show exhibit sales
- Event sponsorship sales
- Association sales
- Advertising or media sales
- Manufacturing or industrial sales
- Supplier business development
Experience selling to manufacturing, metals, aerospace, automotive, defense, industrial equipment or related markets is highly desirable.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will:
- Have demonstrated success generating net-new B2B sales
- Minimum of 5 years withing B2B sales and sales process’
- Be comfortable with cold calling and proactive outbound prospecting
- Know how to build a sales pipeline from the ground up
- Be persistent and effective at opening doors with new companies
- Communicate effectively with marketing, sales and executive-level decision-makers
- Be comfortable selling based on audience access, visibility, relationship-building and business-development ROI
- Be highly organized and disciplined about follow-up
- Be self-directed and capable of working independently
- Thrive in a performance-driven, commission-based environment
- Represent FIA professionally with prospective customers and industry partners
- The consultant must be able to perform the essential services and responsibilities outlined in this posting and meet any applicable physical, travel, scheduling, or worksite requirements associated with the engagement.
Independent Contractor Relationship
This opportunity is structured as an independent contractor engagement, not an FIA employee position.
The contractor will generally determine their own schedule, work location and sales approach while coordinating with FIA regarding available inventory, pricing, event deadlines, sales materials and fulfillment.
Interested?
FIA is looking for a salesperson who can help us expand beyond the companies we already know.
If you are a proven new-business developer who enjoys prospecting, opening doors and turning new relationships into revenue, we want to hear from you.
Candidates should submit a resume or summary of relevant sales experience, including experience with new-business development, advertising, sponsorship, trade show exhibits or B2B industrial sales.
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Work Location: Remote
Title: Independent Sales Contractor New Business Advertising, Sponsorship & Exhibits
Company: The Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation (FIERF)
Location: Remote
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