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Hiring Commission Only Sales Rep?

by im2park
15 replies
I have an offline marketing business. I can offer PPC, SEO, Email marketing, pinterest ads.

I want to hire an EXPERIENCED commission only sales rep. Should I just post on Indeed? Or craigslist? and just offer them no salary, 30% commission on profit?
Has anyone had any experience?

I'm super good at coming up with the big picture, the strategy. But I suck at sales, doing cold calls. and today I just thought, "why not hire an outgoing, talkative, experienced sales rep"?

I think I already know the answer to this question and just want some reassurance
#commission #hiring #rep #sales
  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Did you use the Search function?

    Some good discussions have been had on this topic. You're not the very first person with the question.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ple-where.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...rock-star.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...es-people.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ales-reps.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...sales-rep.html

    It's also clear you don't know much about selling. Search for that, too.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
    Originally Posted by im2park View Post


    But I suck at sales, doing cold calls. and today I just thought, "why not hire an outgoing, talkative, experienced sales rep"?

    I think I already know the answer to this question and just want some reassurance
    At best it's going to be difficult finding someone that is willing to perform something that you yourself cannot or will not do. Bare minimum, you will not have the right expectations for the people you hope will bring your big idea to fruition.

    I'm of the firm belief that any startup should make it a requirement to have the CEO/Founder/Originator bring in the first 25 accounts. It's going to set the path moving forward, or not, and best to lead by example as well as being up front about what TRULY needs to get done in order to succeed.

    If you, the originator, have no concept of what it takes to get 25 sales then you are never going to have the right expectations for anyone you may bring in to help in the endeavor.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
    Another option is to look for someone who is already out there
    knocking doors talking to business owners.

    Offer to pay them a spiff, maybe 10% of the sale, in cash. for
    every sale they bring to you.

    The advantage is, you don't have to hire or train. (PITA)

    You can put as many "feet on the street" as you want without
    incurring cost or risk.

    You don't have to create any sales materials. You don't need
    to create a list of prospects.

    They'll work their own prospect/customer list for you


    The results can be immediate, if you find a go-getter.
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  • Profile picture of the author im2park
    Thank you Jason Kannigan, I'm reading through those threads right now. thank you!

    and Ron lafuddy, any advice on finding someone that's ALREADY talking to business owners as you said?

    I'm going to post a job posting on Ziprecruiter, offering 40% commission. From what i've read its hard to find commission only sales rep
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    As someone that has hired commission only reps, I can tell you it's hard enough when you have a legitimate office... it will be nearly impossible if you don't have an office and are working from home.

    40% is more likely but only if the price point is high enough. 40% of a few hundred bucks isn't worth it.

    If you get some takers... don't have them sell everything you mentioned, have them sell one service, it's much easier that way.
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  • Profile picture of the author bob ross
    You will have an extremely difficult time finding any kind of quality salesperson to sell for you on a straight commission basis. You're much better off bringing on low-level inexperienced people who have great social skills and ambition -- and pay them a very low weekly amount with a high commission percentage on sales.

    Essentially use them to do a large amount of legwork for very cheap.

    And hire them, don't subcontract them or you'll be crapping your pants when the authorities find out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Zodiax
      If you are hiring commission only sales rep, you be grateful for what you get.

      You don't have a right to be picky.
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      'I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion'
      -Muhammad Ali

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      • Profile picture of the author SalesGod
        You can find good commission only reps as long as the commissions are big but if your not paying out a couple grand in commission that you won't find a closer because their already working somewhere making 250k a year. As for cold calling and phone sales I would t pickup the phone for under $30/hour.
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        • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
          Originally Posted by SalesGod View Post

          You can find good commission only reps as long as the commissions are big but if your not paying out a couple grand in commission that you won't find a closer because their already working somewhere making 250k a year. As for cold calling and phone sales I would t pickup the phone for under $30/hour.
          If your able to make 250K a year why would you bother calling in at $30 per hour ? your sums do not add up.?
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          • Profile picture of the author SalesGod
            Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post

            If your able to make 250K a year why would you bother calling in at $30 per hour ? your sums do not add up.?
            Im not sure what point your trying to make however what i was trying to explain is you wont find a good sales rep unless your paying a high commission. because all the good ones have options to go to high commission paying jobs. they wont waste their time doing little side work. as for the $30 an hour im explaining that your not going to find a good cold caller for $10/hour like most business owners think. any other questions?
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            • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
              Originally Posted by SalesGod View Post

              Im not sure what point your trying to make however what i was trying to explain is you wont find a good sales rep unless your paying a high commission. because all the good ones have options to go to high commission paying jobs. they wont waste their time doing little side work. as for the $30 an hour im explaining that your not going to find a good cold caller for $10/hour like most business owners think. any other questions?
              All Good, you did say that YOU would not call for less than 30 so was just a little confused but clear as mud now, based on averages and your maths, 250 k a year is approx 250 / 48 weeks = 5208 a week / 5 days = 1041 / 8 hours = 130 hour, just rough sums and so based on your words a tops sales person earns 4 times as much as a top phone guy ?

              30 per hour seems low I would have thought for a top person ?
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  • Profile picture of the author dgaunn4114
    You need to have policies that can make them rich so that you can advertise it as such. Another key is making the application process and interview process as arduous as possible so that you get committed people out of it. I also agree with the warrior above who recommended that he focus on one thing. Great advice.
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    • Profile picture of the author Naren Blaice
      This thread has lots of good replies on how to go about finding sales reps so I'll take another angle im2park.

      You say you suck at selling. When I read that I wondered where you got that attitude and what I could say to help.

      Most likely your mindset is missing some ingredients which could make the selling process so much easier for you. That's important because ultimately, sales is the lifeline of your current business... or any business you create.

      Take some time to learn selling. You don't have to spend months and months. Learn on the go, promote your business, bring in sales.

      It's not easy, but it's a learning process and it does get easier.

      If you skip this step, then you'll need to attract naturally talented salespeople who will most likely wing it on the phone and you'll have a hard time creating a duplicable script and sales process... to expand and scale your business.


      I've worked commission-only for a number of companies. It's surprisingly hard to find a good commission-only job. Most of the ad's are from people who have no numbers, no track record, no process, no leads and say the product has "huge earning potential" and "sells itself".
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  • Profile picture of the author SalesGod
    Good telemarketers =$30/hour
    Telemarketing= setting appointments or lead gen.

    Sales professionals = outside sales/inside sales

    Outside/inside sales = 250k/year via big commissions.
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    • Profile picture of the author SalesGod
      Originally Posted by SalesGod View Post

      Good telemarketers =$30/hour
      Telemarketing= setting appointments or lead gen.

      Sales professionals = outside sales/inside sales

      Outside/inside sales = 250k/year via big commissions.
      2 different departments, 2 different incomes
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