Sales Representatives ?

[LEWENZ]

I think this is the right place for this posting.
Anyway, seems like a lot of shops are looking for work these days. I've entertained the thought of contracting with a sales rep. that would do the looking on a full time basis. The problem is that I'm not sure where to start. Wonder if it would be a good idea to open a section for sales rep's. This could serve as a place where sales rep's. could congregate and match themselves with potential shops. A place where shops could communicate their expertise and perhaps benefit from a partnership with a sales rep.?
Thoughts?
Thanks
LEW

[MikeMc]

It seems to me that seles reps are having the same issues as everyone else. Work is a little tight right now, for all of us. We contracted with a rep for a while, it has to be a pretty good person to do it right. If you decided to go forward with the arrangement, be VERY careful of the contract you sign. You could end up with a 3-5 year gig, with him taking 3-5% of everything that comes into your shop, even existing customers. The guy we used got a couple of big contracts, sat back and drew $$ every month, and we saw no new work, and wanted to expand. It was not a really good situation.

[harryn]

Hi - I am not really looking to do the kind of sales you are looking for, but having been in sales / business development most of my career (prior as an engineer), I do have some suggestions.

a) Consider Paying your sales people
- Salesmen / women are just like everyone else
- They need to eat and pay bills every month
- Everyone knows where their bread is buttered, and will work on that.
- From a practical perspective, it is not usually possible to live off of com only sales unless you get a long term, iron clad contract from a premium company. Only a fool or a fox would sign up for a com only sales plan from a small outfit.

b) Consider hiring a person part time
- I work for several companies as a "part time contractor"
- From a practical perspective, I am a virtual employee
- Individually, each company buys about 25 - 30 % of my time
- In actuality, I give them a bit more
- With some steady money coming in, I can work on short term, medium term, longer term, and some "sleeper' accounts.
- No pure % based pay person can afford to do what I do to make sure customers are taken care of and turn over stones.
- In return, I don't ask for much % - mostly it is in the form of a bonus.
- Since my interest is in the company - not just a com, I can focus on profit as well - and I bring in very good profits for my customers.

c) Make sure you actually are willing to pay for what you sign up for.
- There isn't a salesperson around that has not been shafted on com pay - which is one reason I just won't do it.
- If you cannot afford a "real" salesperson to beat on doors, consider having a good admin spend 10 hours a week looking up leads and making phone calls for you.
- When they get a hit - follow up yourself on the details.

If your business is like most, then closing 2 - 5% of the doors your admin brings in is pretty good.

[AlexBanich]

I am actually looking at getting in to sales in the field so as a starter newb I figure that as long as you would treat me right I'd treat you right. I honestly could say that finding the right rep is like anything else sometimes you get the best you could ever for the perfect price and sometimes you get the worst for way too much.

I kind of like how I offer my services which is whatever your shop quotes for the first year on the jobs is base price and I make whatever I get from on top of that. Sorta like a broker, but its easier for me since I'm new there is less for me to lose as far as reputation and shops that are just getting in to sales reps enjoy it cause there is less to lose. I figure that after a year or so if I'm doing a shop well we can renegotiate and figure something out. Its sorta like a free trial thing.

LEWENZ I'll message you and see what we can do.