Sales Reps

ARC

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We are thinking about hiring independent sales reps and having them work on a commission only. We would pay for their expenses related to printing, COC membership, and networking.

Has anyone here had any experience in doing this?
 
We have sales reps and I would say that the biggest part of the decision is the investment. Our sales people are given a training period and then a sal/comm. for a time period until they are "up and running." Once they are settled in they get one percentage for new accounts and another for repeat sales. It seems to take a little bit for them to get up and going to where they are making a living , that is why initially I look at it as an investment. It was a great decision for my company.
 
Sales folks

I would like to say that I hired a sales rep a month ago, and it has been the best thing to happen since the beginning. I pay 20% of the job, 1 time or repeat. basically, I felt that it would be worth it to do so. She has done a great job, and now I am going to be adding someone else to the mix. Another thing I would like to say, and maybe Beth could add to this. I decided to hire a good looking woman with a head on her shoulders. I did this because of the majority of managers in the resturants, or owners, are men. She has gotten monthly contracts with people that I couldn't even get in front of. She already has increased our business by about 300%. We are looking now at having a great year. By the way, I told her that I wanted to be able to collect a check when the job was done, and she has been able to get that done on the majority of her contracts. Since these have been with resturants, I was really happy. This also helps with the cash flow situation I was facing. So I would say go for it, and give it a shot.
 
Sound like its been worth every penny, concrats..


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I like the map on your site...
 
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Hi Rob,

Well, your post made me smile. Rod swears it makes a difference. But he's biased, I think.

Now at prior jobs I have been selling via phone and no one could see me, so I'll say skill has alot to do with it too.

When Rod and I go out and team sell, he lets me talk. He knows I will turn it over to him for questions I don't have answers to, or will find an opening to involve him. But he also knows our close rate goes through the roof when I am with him. Not many women step onto a construction site, and when a woman smiles and asks for a chance to do business, well..... draw your own conclusions. Personally, I think my background has as much to do with it as anything else does though.

Bottom line, when you hire a sales person, make sure they can:
1. listen well - Seek to understand!
2. follow up well - builds reliability!
3. ask intelligent questions that get them to where they need to go in the sales process - they'll tell you how to close them and how to keep them!

In December we got 100% of our fall prospects for commercial business to try our services. Now many had multiple jobs, and all we asked was one job from each one. We got it. In fact, of those new clients so far 75% of them are giving us other jobs now, and the other 25% don't have projects far enough along for us to bid yet. None have closed the door in our face.

Can GUYS do this???? YES!!!!!!! How? Well, it's not all about looks. It's about how you handle the prospect face to face. Psychology based selling works for men and women alike. Build rapport, find the pain, let them sell themselves. They will tell you how... they will tell you exactly why they were unhappy, thus handing you on a silver platter the very thing you need to avoid, and to do better. You don't have to be cute for that, but you MUST be a good listener and ask the right questions for their circumstances.

I feel so strongly about this method of selling that I'm covering it in Las Vegas at PWNA. It's going to be aimed at commercial business.

Anyway, I hope this helps. And I hope to see you in Las Vegas.

Beth :)
 
We are thinking about hiring independent sales reps and having them work on a commission only. We would pay for their expenses related to printing, COC membership, and networking.

Has anyone here had any experience in doing this?

This is an older thread from 2002 that was to the point,
I would like to revive this thread or I can start a new one to see how it has changed from several years ago
 
I recently hired a girl to do sales full time for us. It's still in the beginning phases (about one month now) but is going very well so far. She's already sold a pretty good size job, has put out about a dozen proposals and a few look like they are going to go through.

It's great having someone 100% focused on sales. I wish I could still do this myself, but my attention is always needed elsewhere in the business and I get distracted. I think having a rep is a great help to running a successful business.
 
I recently hired a girl to do sales full time for us. It's still in the beginning phases (about one month now) but is going very well so far. She's already sold a pretty good size job, has put out about a dozen proposals and a few look like they are going to go through.

It's great having someone 100% focused on sales. I wish I could still do this myself, but my attention is always needed elsewhere in the business and I get distracted. I think having a rep is a great help to running a successful business.
How are you working her %'s ?
 
1. Hourly rate for time worked
2. Gas compensation
3. % for initial sale
4. % for repeat biz (paid each time job completed)

Hourly rate may be tough for some, because it's hard to track. However, you can tell how much they're out there hitting the streets by the prospects they are bringing back.

She gets the contact info and details. I measure and inspect the property. I prepare the proposal. She drops it off and follows up/ schedules work.

She is learning how to inspect and measure now so I can give that part to her. Eventually she will be doing everything. Then I can train another rep! Well that's the plan.
 
I've got another girl who wants to work straight commission. I might try this soon and get back to you.
 
I have one sales person. Currently he is working with a company that will have 16 locations. He has sold 8 other locations in about a month and a half.
 
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