Earl Cooke
Kinston
Summary
Committed job seeker with a history of meeting company needs with consistent and organized practices. Skilled in working under pressure and adapting to new situations and challenges to best enhance the organizational brand.
Store Counselor for Food Farm (Piggly Wiggly), working with 20+ retail outlets.
Results-focused sales professional with history of enhancing product presentation and driving revenue growth. Adept at leveraging market insights to create compelling merchandising strategies. Known for effective teamwork and adaptability to dynamic retail environments, ensuring consistent achievement of sales goals through keen visual merchandising and strong customer engagement.
Overview
41
41
years of professional experience
Work History
Sales Merchandiser
Acosta Sales & Marketing
Eastern NC
08.2023 - 07.2025
- Executed product placement strategies to enhance visibility and drive sales effectiveness.
- Analyzed inventory levels to optimize stock management and reduce out-of-stock occurrences.
- Collaborated with retailers to develop promotional displays that increased customer engagement.
- Trained new team members on merchandising standards and best practices for improved consistency.
- Conducted regular store visits to assess compliance with planograms and merchandising guidelines.
- Developed relationships with key stakeholders to support business growth and maximize sales opportunities.
- Increased sales by establishing strong relationships with clients and understanding their needs.
- Provided excellent customer service by addressing inquiries promptly, resulting in repeat business and positive feedback from clients.
- Analyzed sales data to identify opportunities for growth, implementing targeted action plans that drove increased performance.
Store Counselor
Food Farm
Kinston, NC
03.2015 - 08.2022
- Trained and mentored associates to teach daily tasks and procedures.
- Delivered excellent customer service and adhered to standard practices to maximize sales and minimize shrinkage.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction and store operations through relationship building and daily problem-solving.
- Built customer confidence by actively listening to concerns and complaints and quickly resolving issues.
- Updated and maintained store signage and displays.
- Answered product questions with up-to-date knowledge of sales and promotions.
- Established store tactics and strategies to achieve operational performance and sales goals.
- Identified operational issues and implemented appropriate process improvements to promote workplace safety and productivity.
- Oversaw storewide merchandising benchmarks to maintain operational excellence.
Reset Team Lead
Crossmark Sales and Marketing
Wilmington, NC
06.1984 - 01.2015
- Created merchandise displays based on planogram.
- Consistently put customers first by handling needs with sense of urgency and compassion.
- Featured product promotions to reflect special deals.
- Monitored stock to maintain sufficient quantity of featured product.
- Arranged items in favorable positions and areas of store to attract customers and optimize sales.
- Printed labels and tags for for-sale merchandise.
- Communicated and coordinated planogram execution with store management.
- Recommended merchandise to customers based on needs and preferences.
- Configured and arranged up-to-date advertising and marketing displays, creatively placed merchandise on counters or tables to promote visibility and sales.
- Followed prepared sketches and planograms to arrange consistent shelves, racks and bins across various locations.
Education
High School Diploma -
John T Hoggard High School
Wilmington NC06-1972
Skills
- Outstanding communication skills
- Employee training
- Store opening and closing procedures
- Team-oriented
- Program implementation
- Store operations oversight
- Employee supervision and motivation
- Reliable
- Retail inventory management
- Sound judgment
- Supervision and training
- Employee development
- Cross-functional team management
Hobbies
- Amateur Astronomer
- Wood Worker
- Vintage Audio enthusiast
Education and Training
other
Timeline
Sales Merchandiser
Acosta Sales & Marketing
08.2023 - 07.2025
Store Counselor
Food Farm
03.2015 - 08.2022
Reset Team Lead
Crossmark Sales and Marketing
06.1984 - 01.2015
High School Diploma -
John T Hoggard High School