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Salesman Idea BUT How To Approach The Right Ones

by DNChamp
17 replies
Ok looking to get more clients and was thinking of a salesrep. They could cold call clients and if they get leads and I close them with SEO I would pay them the setup fee I charge (min $200 max $1000)

Now how do you find GOOD cold callers to get you leads?
#approach #idea #salesman
  • Profile picture of the author kirbymarketingconcierge
    good luck. be patient.

    offer alot.

    they do the front end, you do the backend

    when you speak to them : insult their cold-calling ability!

    YOU SAY : "I have a great offer, but really need someone to work 1st, to make great money...you don't sound real savvy, or experienced, or strong on the phone,...etc.., "

    how do they handle the rejection (if they can't handle your rejection, how can they handle a prospect????)

    those that comeback with good responses keep talking..those that don't tell them goodbye (in a nice way of course)

    hope this helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
      Originally Posted by kirbymarketingconcierge View Post

      good luck. be patient.
      offer alot.
      they do the front end, you do the backend
      when you speak to them : insult their cold-calling ability!
      YOU SAY : "I have a great offer, but really need someone to work 1st, to make great money...you don't sound real savvy, or experienced, or strong on the phone,...etc.., "
      how do they handle the rejection (if they can't handle your rejection, how can they handle a prospect????)
      those that comeback with good responses keep talking..those that don't tell them goodbye (in a nice way of course)
      hope this helps.
      I would come back with 4 words for anyone pulling that crap on a pro sales guy.

      "have a nice day"

      some business people with nfi think they can just get the number one guy in regardless if they are clueless themselves and treat them like dirt, here's another tip a top sales guy does not need to take crap from any employer, bank on those words as well. your pretty well telling somebody to try and play a player ?
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    • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
      My EXACT hiring process. I break them down, if they can't handle it how can they handle it in the field or over the phone.

      Originally Posted by kirbymarketingconcierge View Post

      good luck. be patient.

      offer alot.

      they do the front end, you do the backend

      when you speak to them : insult their cold-calling ability!

      YOU SAY : "I have a great offer, but really need someone to work 1st, to make great money...you don't sound real savvy, or experienced, or strong on the phone,...etc.., "

      how do they handle the rejection (if they can't handle your rejection, how can they handle a prospect????)

      those that comeback with good responses keep talking..those that don't tell them goodbye (in a nice way of course)

      hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author MoneyMagnetMagnate
    Good tip, and good point Kirby...
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanmckinney
    Originally Posted by DNChamp View Post

    Ok looking to get more clients and was thinking of a salesrep. They could cold call clients and if they get leads and I close them with SEO I would pay them the setup fee I charge (min $200 max $1000)

    Now how do you find GOOD cold callers to get you leads?

    Why would you have a max set up fee? I am about to propose a set up fee 3.5 times that, and wrap it into a package nearly 10X that for a set up..

    Ryan
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  • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
    Originally Posted by DNChamp View Post

    Now how do you find GOOD cold callers to get you leads?

    GOOD cold callers DON'T get you LEADS.

    GOOD Cold Callers get you SALES.

    Appointments setters get leads.

    There is a huge difference, and before you go shopping around for reps
    it would prob be in your best interest to learn the difference.
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    Selling Ain't for Sissies!
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      Oh geeez....not again! There must be one of these threads everyday....only thing different here is that you don't need a sales rep, as Ken said, you need an appointment setter.

      If you are willing to pay an appointment setter 200 a deal, you'll get some outstanding people willing to work for you.

      If you didn't phrase your request properly and really want a sales rep to "work" for you....if it were me....as a sales rep:

      I would want a resume of your experience and background as a business owner. I would want to know if you have a track record of paying your vendors on time so I could have some certainty that my time and talent aren't wasted. I would want to know your business plan, and how you provide support after the sale or if you would expect me to. I would want to know if this is a one time sale for me or if there are residuals. I would want to know why I should sell your product as opposed to other dozens of people offering the same thing you do......and frankly...this list goes on.

      Talented sales people aren't hanging around like day laborers in front of Home Depot. Good salespeople are a rare find and frankly, you're not going to find them just by tossing out some random commission numbers.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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      • Profile picture of the author harrydog
        Well said guys
        having been in sales for many years in various roles everyone thinks good sales guys are two a penny. Many people go into sales thinking its easy money - I know I did, how wrong was I!! Sales is a tough job
        Whenever I went to work for a company I spent as much time checking them out as much as they checked me out. I want to know that they have
        1) A quality product or service
        2) They have a good standing in the market place
        3) They have excellent customer services
        4) They have customers who would refer them
        5) They deliver
        6) They pay on time
        The list goes on.
        The fit has got to be right for me and the company. Any crap at the beginning of the process and I walk away -lifes too short.
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  • Profile picture of the author DNChamp
    Ok Appointment seller then LOL..I just want someone to cold call, get me the lead of someone that wants SEO. I go in to the meeting, close them and that set up fee that I charge is now there pay for that lead. PERIOD.

    I just want to know where to find people good like this.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      Originally Posted by DNChamp View Post

      Ok Appointment seller then LOL..I just want someone to cold call, get me the lead of someone that wants SEO. I go in to the meeting, close them and that set up fee that I charge is now there pay for that lead. PERIOD.

      I just want to know where to find people good like this.
      There's a few people around this forum that offer appt. setting. If you check a few of the MANY similar threads, you should find them.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay Rhome
    Harry and David, you sure have a point. I've been in sales before, and have also hired, trained and managed reps. You can't offer peanuts to attract the big guns.

    But how would you advise one go around the fact that most of our companies are start ups?


    1) A quality product or service
    We can show the market, our product, basically really sell the sizzle, as this is really a HUGE market.

    2) They have a good standing in the market place
    Not if new obviously. I can rely on my past experiences, and on my sales experience too in my case. Show all the sales material and tools that will help them be successful, the site, contracts (agreements), payment forms, etc.

    3) They have excellent customer services
    Again as a start up, we can't show that. But, the thing with most of the services most of us here typically offer, be it SMS or SEO etc, is that clients pay monthly. We HAVE to do a good customer service and work, or we lose them. So I'd say our customer service is an integrated part of the daily way we operate.

    4) They have customers who would refer them
    Not many as a startup obviously.

    5) They deliver
    We can show portfolios or even demos.

    6) They pay on time
    Well they'll have to trust us on that one. But good sales people will believe us when we say we know how precious good sales reps are. Not paying them on time would be dumb and unproductive, as we'd have to go through the process again and again.


    Any additional tips to help our positioning would be welcomed. I admit as a sales rep years ago I didn't think to check on the company I worked with. I trusted "my vibe", if they seemed honest and I liked the product. But didn't really do due diligence.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      @Jay Rhome - I understand the problem and I've been there quite a few times myself. For me personally, at this point, I just get on the phone and I'm perfectly capable of making a fool of myself without the need to pay someone else part of the profits to do it for me.

      First of all I totally disagree with the idea that you should challenge a sales person that expresses interest in what you are offering. If anyone did that with me I wouldn't give them the courtesy of saying goodbye.

      However, if you want to have a sales rep there are a few things that have to be considered if you want to get someone that will take your business to the level you hope for.


      #1 - Stop looking here, or Craigslist or any other random type of advertising. The person you need is not hiding behind a help wanted ad. Talk to everyone you know, let them know you need a sales person. Network as much as you can, because the person you need must be local to you. Even if what you are doing can easily be sold on the phone, in the early stages of the business, you have to have the ability to meet and plan in person.

      #2 - Be prepared to lay it all on the line. The fact that you're new, you don't know or like to sell, where you see the business going, how you view the market and why you decided to enter the market. Tell them why your offering is better, different, or whatever separates it from all the others out there. Be ready to share everything that you know about the business. You may be surprised to find out that many salespeople have a deep understanding of marketing and may be able to bring many aspects to light about your business that you were not even aware of.

      #3 - Be prepared to offer a partnership or at the very least, some type of residual. This person is going to help you establish a business. That's worth far more than a simple one time commission. I know that may be a hard pill to swallow, but in the end, it could be the difference between getting a business off the ground, and wondering how to get it off the ground a year from now.

      Now all that I've mentioned is not what I would do, it's what I have done and it has worked for me. If you look at most successful businesses, it's a marriage of sales and production working in harmony.

      Frank Sinatra did pretty well on his own....but he had a really great time with the Ratpack.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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      • Profile picture of the author Jay Rhome
        Originally Posted by David Miller View Post


        #1 - Stop looking here, or Craigslist or any other random type of advertising. The person you need is not hiding behind a help wanted ad. Talk to everyone you know, let them know you need a sales person. Network as much as you can, because the person you need must be local to you. Even if what you are doing can easily be sold on the phone, in the early stages of the business, you have to have the ability to meet and plan in person.
        This is what I plan on doing for sure. I will even advertise I will PAY up to $500 for a referral if I hire a sales rep (it will be in the form of $100 per sale for 3 sales, or $50 per sale for 10 sales to the referrer), and up to $50 for referring a telemarketer/appointment setter.

        I will advertise this in my ads. IMO, very few people use their ads to lead the candidates to a web page with a video and detailed explanation. By using a combination of free ads, paid ads, newspaper ads, boards, word-of-mouth, and asking for the referrals (and paying for them), I'm sure I will get some results sooner or later.


        #2 - Be prepared to lay it all on the line. The fact that you're new, you don't know or like to sell, where you see the business going, how you view the market and why you decided to enter the market. Tell them why your offering is better, different, or whatever separates it from all the others out there. Be ready to share everything that you know about the business. You may be surprised to find out that many salespeople have a deep understanding of marketing and may be able to bring many aspects to light about your business that you were not even aware of.
        I fully agree. People want to team up with people that are going somewhere, they want to hop on the winning wagon. Basically, we gotta sell our vision to the sales rep, otherwise forget it. The "Know Trust Like" factors apply to us when we're trying to hire reps/appointment setters.

        #3 - Be prepared to offer a partnership or at the very least, some type of residual. This person is going to help you establish a business. That's worth far more than a simple one time commission. I know that may be a hard pill to swallow, but in the end, it could be the difference between getting a business off the ground, and wondering how to get it off the ground a year from now.
        To me, it's not hard to swallow. I fully understand you have to pay top fees to get top reps that will get top results! And as in the end, it is a %, the cost is controlled. Affiliate marketing has certainly ingrained this model in me even further.

        Once a business is established and has a solid rep, the pay can be a lot less and still attract quality people, but not at first. In fact, I say candidly that I pay residuals and all that because I consider the sales reps that come with me at this stage as bona fide JV partners. (BTW I will only pay good producers residuals, not those that will produce a few sales here and there).


        Thanks for the tips!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
    I can agree with most of what's been said here except for the word partner. Partners assume the risk and liability of having partner status and that's why they get paid what they do.

    Sales people should in my opinion never be considered a partner because they don't assume any risk of owning the actual business. They don't pay the fees to be a legit registered company, they don't pay for insurance, they don't pay for office space, internet connection and phones.

    Last but not least you never want some one who's "working for you" to be considered a partner. You are the boss, you call the shots, you make all the critical decisions about your company. The moment you share that power you no longer have a salesperson.

    Besides, the original thing the OP is looking for is leads not salespeople, so he's basically looking for a telemarketer in essence.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben_R
    Originally Posted by DNChamp View Post

    Ok looking to get more clients and was thinking of a salesrep. They could cold call clients and if they get leads and I close them with SEO I would pay them the setup fee I charge (min $200 max $1000)

    Now how do you find GOOD cold callers to get you leads?
    commission only sales people are tough to find gd luck
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  • Profile picture of the author theemperor
    Here is my plan (doing it now...)

    1. Cold call yourself
    2. Improve technique, get more leads and sales.
    3. A few weeks down the line, work out the ratios - sales to calls, sales (fully paid up) per hour etc.
    4. Now you can work out what you can pay per hour or per sale
    5. And you can show the candidates it will be worth their while.
    6. And you can train them to do it your way, the way you know works.
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  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    Instead of looking for cold callers, look for warm callers. Target those people who already have relationships with your target customers and offer them an extra income oppty. Go to a bank that wants new commercial customers. The bank can offer free website or SEO services for new bank customers. Called 'soft money' sales when a third company buys your services from you and offers them in order to attract new clients for their businesses. So you are getting paid while they sell your services for you.

    Targeting restaurants? Talk to food brokers and food distributor sales people. They know every single owner/manager.

    What about commercial Re agents? They lease new space to new companies.

    Everyone is looking for some extra money and its much easier for them to ask their current clients about these things than some cold caller. Lawyers/Accountants are a bit more conservative in general so they may not be good targets but you can try.

    Talk to hardware/network IT guys, geeksquad, they see clients all the time and get asked about web dev, IM etc....They'd love to make more money and will be quick on the sales pitch uptake.

    Pay accelerated commission to get them up and running asap, pay them asap. The sooner they get a few bucks in their hands the harder they'll work.
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