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Leveraging salespeople of other organizations to sell your services...

by DaniMc
10 replies
Today I was sitting down with a sales person of an advertiser I do business with.

He told me he used to sell SEO, SEM, and PPC services for a large provider that has since gone under.

This got me to thinking, how can I leverage this guy to sell for me? I don't need a full-time sales person right now but if I built an offering specifically for him to sell...that could be easy extra money for me AND for him.

Have any of you guys ever leveraged the sales force of another organization to sell your product?

If so, how did it go? What structure did you put in place?

I mentioned this to him and he was very receptive. He didn't think there would be a conflict of interest with his current employer, and he already knows many of the business people in the community.

Any thoughts on how to proceed?
#leveraging #organizations #salespeople #sell #services
  • Profile picture of the author PaulintheSticks
    Not sure but thats a great idea. Sounds like Something Jay Abraham would come up with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    I think the best way would be to get his business involved as well.

    He gets something if he sells for you as does his main business. I would say a 90-10 split where he gets 90% of the commission and the business gets 10%.

    Make it a simply upsell. Many businesses do this already. "Thank you for your purchase. Before I leave I would like to tell you about a special opportunity made available to our clients. We have partnered with ______ to offer ________ for the special price of $_____ for the first __ months. Would you be interested in learning more about this offer?"

    That way it will never harm their sales but could add money to both his and his company's bottom line.

    A real world example of this would be satellite companies selling their customers DSL from another company as a bundle.
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by Aaron Doud View Post

      I think the best way would be to get his business involved as well.

      He gets something if he sells for you as does his main business. I would say a 90-10 split where he gets 90% of the commission and the business gets 10%.

      Make it a simply upsell. Many businesses do this already. "Thank you for your purchase. Before I leave I would like to tell you about a special opportunity made available to our clients. We have partnered with ______ to offer ________ for the special price of for the first __ months. Would you be interested in learning more about this offer?"

      That way it will never harm their sales but could add money to both his and his company's bottom line.

      A real world example of this would be satellite companies selling their customers DSL from another company as a bundle.
      That is a great idea Aaron, thank you.

      I was looking at it more from a "Hey you can do this on the side" perspective and he makes extra cash.

      You have opened my mind to a whole new way of looking at it. Why not create a formal relationship with his boss? They have several sales people and it is a small outfit...they aren't that busy. Perhaps they could use this.
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Originally Posted by Aaron Doud View Post

      I think the best way would be to get his business involved as well.

      He gets something if he sells for you as does his main business. I would say a 90-10 split where he gets 90% of the commission and the business gets 10%.

      Make it a simply upsell. Many businesses do this already. "Thank you for your purchase. Before I leave I would like to tell you about a special opportunity made available to our clients. We have partnered with ______ to offer ________ for the special price of for the first __ months. Would you be interested in learning more about this offer?"

      That way it will never harm their sales but could add money to both his and his company's bottom line.

      A real world example of this would be satellite companies selling their customers DSL from another company as a bundle.
      That's something I have done.

      I introduced a cost reduction expert to a hotel chain, my client, set up the meeting and went to it.

      If they struck up a deal, I'd get 15% of his fees.

      I couldn't get the largest chain of WOF testing stations on as a client,
      but asked if they would be interested in a seeing if their costs could be reduced.
      Yes he was interested in talking to my associate.

      I originally contacted him to see if any of his clients were retailers in which I could be a preferred supplier to his clients. He didn't have retailers as clients.
      But I said I could introduce him to some of my big clients that matched his criteria.

      Best,
      Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    Originally Posted by Dan McCoy View Post

    This got me to thinking, how can I leverage this guy to sell for me? I don't need a full-time sales person right now but if I built an offering specifically for him to sell...that could be easy extra money for me AND for him.
    Sounds to eager and buying right into him, if anything it should have been more , " not sure if we could do this, but if we could swing this cat ( and I am not making promises ) what would you like to see from your side to make this gig workable for everyone involved.

    As it is you may be handing out to much and to keen as mustard.

    I mentioned this to him and he was very receptive. He didn't think there would be a conflict of interest with his current employer, and he already knows many of the business people in the community.
    Tells me he may have plenty of spare time and that this person is just grabbing at what ever to try and grab some sales, I may be wrong but a top end pro would probably not just jump at any offer being thrown, they usually are making big $ and would not screw that for a few extra shackels. and even if you did go down the path you would put in place a trial period that gives you some outs if you need them. sometimes people talk crap in the sales game / even about their own ability to sell or relate to people and you do not want to be tied at the hip to a dead beat dinger.

    Any thoughts on how to proceed?
    with caution.
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post

      sometimes people talk crap in the sales game / even about their own ability to sell or relate to people and you do not want to be tied at the hip to a dead beat dinger.

      with caution.
      The way I'm looking at it now, this is just extra promotion. If he sells some, great! If not, oh well.

      Perhaps at the very least he would refer jobs to me for a small fee. It's not central to my operation, but my head is thinking how cool it would be to harness 10 salesmen from different advertisers around the community.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
        "It's not central to my operation,but my head is thinking how cool it would be
        to harness 10 salesmen from different advertisers around the community."

        Yep.

        Keep after that one, and you'll have your "10" in place and producing for
        you in no time.

        I've done this many times with salespeople in related and even non related
        industries.

        You can spiff them. (a one time, upfront)

        You can give them part of any recurring revenue.

        You can pass leads to them for their business. (this is probably the best way.)

        The best advice that I can give you here is.....deal only with salespeople in the top 20%.

        You'll get better quality leads.

        Your relationships will last longer.

        They will bring other "like-minded" salespeople to you - who will do the same.

        Be careful of the ones who are strictly money motivated.
        The best ones always care more about the customer, than they do the money.
        It's important to your well-being to be able to tell the difference.

        Don't try to convert someone who really belongs in the 80% group, into the 20%.

        Cherry-pick.

        It makes everything easier.

        p.s. doggone you, Dan! Thinking about this subject, as I was writing this response
        triggered all kinds of ideas & note taking.

        Now, I gotta do something about it.

        Nuts!


        Ron
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Thanks Ron. Great suggestions. I'm going to keep my eyes out for these people.
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    • Profile picture of the author harryharris
      Dan

      This is something I have done - with some great leads coming from it.

      I often found that stationery guys, you know paper and ink were in everywhere and had great contacts at the small business level.

      I gave them a cut or did a reciprocal introduction, depending.

      I called them my "scouts" - thought of giving them Indian names but that was taking it too far...;-)

      Because the was no conflict of interest it worked out well.

      At the very least they got me a name, a real name of someone who I could contact.

      At it's best I got to go in with him and get an introduction.

      Having a number on the streets I could see when new companies were opening up etc.

      Glad you posted here and brought it to everyone's attention.

      Thanks for the reminder!

      H
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Great info Harry! It's looking more and more like I need to give this a shot.
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