Jeff 232 Report post Posted February 19, 2006 Has anybody in larger PW companies ever hired a saleman Now I'm looking way in the future, but if I could find someone talented as a salesman to constantly be out looking for more work, I would think the skies the limit. This is my dream, have several crews & rigs working and me running them and doing sales and PR work, but also have a salesman who knows what he's doing getting me more & more work, let the saleman get me in the door and then I go meet or close the deals along with him Now I could sub work out, but why couldnt I do it all myself. I'm pretty confident I could do $500,000 within the next 2-4 years, But as a dream I'm thinking $1,000,000 or more could be done. Any body out there with saleman working and what do they do and how do they go about it Just dreaming, but dreams can come true JL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressurePros 248 Report post Posted February 19, 2006 Jeff, you're business(commercial) is a shoe-in for a salesman. Here are some suggestions for getting started without having to hire a full time guy right away that is going to cost you 30k+ per year. 1) Talk to your guys. Are any of them competent and well spoken? If you think you have a guy that can represent you well offer him added incentive on making sales in addition to his normal work. Tell him he will become a "partner". Offer him a decent amount of any sale he makes.. 20 percent of the net profit from any work he gets would not be unreasonable in my opinion. To add to his incentive set a smaller amount for every time that account needs work. If the a maintenace job is 3 grand he makes maybe $500 on the first round. After that he makes $150 every time the account is serviced. Let him know when he leaves your company all the accounts are 100% property of JL. If you don't have a guy on your crew that can do this, hire a part time salesman that already has a regular job and offer he same thing (no salary, all commission) 2) Join local business networking associations. I just started going to breakfasts with a local chapter that has builders, painters, mortgage broker, real estate agents and property managers. Check out www.bni.com for local chapters. 3) Read every marketing, sales and closing book you can. Attend seminars. Learn how to overcome objections. If you become a good salesman you will then be able to teach your staff good habits. I do not mean this personally in any way especially since you and I have never spoken but I will tell you from experience that most people that consider themselves excellent salespeople are actually very weak. You can never get enough education in marketing and sales. 4) Watch your profit margins. maximize your advertising budget. Get as much literature as you can on the streets and into key hands (sounds like you do a great job with that already) 5) Make sure you have good staff so you can handle exponential growth and do like you said.. PR work instead of holding a pressure wand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff 232 Report post Posted February 20, 2006 Jeff, you're business(commercial) is a shoe-in for a salesman. Here are some suggestions for getting started without having to hire a full time guy right away that is going to cost you 30k+ per year.1) Talk to your guys. Are any of them competent and well spoken? If you think you have a guy that can represent you well offer him added incentive on making sales in addition to his normal work. Tell him he will become a "partner". Offer him a decent amount of any sale he makes.. 20 percent of the net profit from any work he gets would not be unreasonable in my opinion. To add to his incentive set a smaller amount for every time that account needs work. If the a maintenace job is 3 grand he makes maybe $500 on the first round. After that he makes $150 every time the account is serviced. Let him know when he leaves your company all the accounts are 100% property of JL. If you don't have a guy on your crew that can do this, hire a part time salesman that already has a regular job and offer he same thing (no salary, all commission) 2) Join local business networking associations. I just started going to breakfasts with a local chapter that has builders, painters, mortgage broker, real estate agents and property managers. Check out www.bni.com for local chapters. 3) Read every marketing, sales and closing book you can. Attend seminars. Learn how to overcome objections. If you become a good salesman you will then be able to teach your staff good habits. I do not mean this personally in any way especially since you and I have never spoken but I will tell you from experience that most people that consider themselves excellent salespeople are actually very weak. You can never get enough education in marketing and sales. 4) Watch your profit margins. maximize your advertising budget. Get as much literature as you can on the streets and into key hands (sounds like you do a great job with that already) 5) Make sure you have good staff so you can handle exponential growth and do like you said.. PR work instead of holding a pressure wand. Thanks for the advise, all this is in the future, just thinking ahead, a few years back I would of been happy just paying my bills, because thats all I thought PWing would be able to do, just pay bills I now realize that this could be big biz. Without to many bumps, I can see the future of JL could really be something and I just wanted to expand on it. I think what helps me in sales, which I'm not really great at, is my sincerity, the ability to do the work good aand do it on time. The sincerity shows, I love whats going on in my biz and I love my customers. If I keep the good work up and customer service the sky is the limit and the reason I'm thinking salesman is to keep the prospects coming. Ive done some reading and have been listening to the links you gave me and it just reenforces my thoughts on growing my company thanks agian JL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressurePros 248 Report post Posted February 20, 2006 My pleasure, Jeff. I have a feeling with your work ethic, integrity and dedication JL will indeed one day be huge. Best of all to you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted February 20, 2006 Also make sure that if licensing is required in your state that you check to see if a salesman's license is needed. Here in Maryland for example, each person who works for you must have a salesman's license if they are writing estimates. Beth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Carroll 14 Report post Posted February 21, 2006 Not needed here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Carroll 14 Report post Posted February 21, 2006 I don't have a sales rep but I have friends that are out all the time and I offer them 10% of profit if the send a job my way. I go as far as taking address and company name from them. I can do the rest. Of course it is nice when the lead is a lot warmer, but if they did not tell me about a project then I would have possibly never known about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James 624 Report post Posted February 21, 2006 Jeff go at a pace you feel comfortable with. There is good stress and bad stress. Growing to fast and being out of control is a rude awakening. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don M. 14 Report post Posted February 21, 2006 What about a lead generator and not a salesman? We had a construction company send out someone asking if we were interested in new windows....then he writes down the info, the next day or two someone books a appointment then comes out so forth and so on? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff 232 Report post Posted February 21, 2006 Jeff go at a pace you feel comfortable with. There is good stress and bad stress. Growing to fast and being out of control is a rude awakening. I hear you James, just thinking ahead. I figure my goal of 500K in 2-4 years I'll be able to handle and when I get to that point I hope to have a couple reliable crews or more and also have all the kinks out and just maybe go with someone to generate sales to take me beyond the $500K goal. By that time I'll know if I want to go beyond 500k. If its to much I'll just go with what I have and enjoy. Just dreaming , just like when I had the $350,000,000 Power ball lottery spent. I didnt win oh well. Thanks James JL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JFife 14 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 Don Marler: That is a successful practice. That is what TruGreen/Chemlawn does. I browsed around a branch one time, and learned how their system works. Here is what they do: 1) People go door to door and generate leads, and I assume take necessary measurements. 2) Take to office, and then their telemarket employees call them, and define what the "generator" found, and what TruGreen suggests, and I believe you give a cost. 3) If you don't give a cost (cannot remember) I think another closer goes out to your home and seals the deal, and signs you up to a contract. Pretty smooth operation. JEFF: ....LOL, you sound like me and Ken F. We were talking on the phone yesterday, and I was telling him how my thinking is always 2-3 years ahead, but I have trouble getting the minutia of everyday work done. Sounds like you kinda have the same problem. It is called being a big-picture thinker, and can be good if harnessed. Ken advised me to work on current-time management, and get the work you HAVE to get done first, then allow yourself some free time to "let the wheels turn". Keep thinking ahead! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JFife 14 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 .....I shouldn't have implied that you also have trouble with taskwork, i.e. paperwork, etc. I have that problem, but I shouldn't project it on you, just because we have a similar thought process. Sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressurePros 248 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 Hey John.. It's 8 pm here. 8pm-8:30pm: respond to email and catch up on TGS..LOL. Never be ashamed to be an idea man. Like we talked about on the phone, task work is tedious and left to 9-5'ers. Balance. Stay strong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLD 14 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 Also make sure that if licensing is required in your state that you check to see if a salesman's license is needed. Here in Maryland for example, each person who works for you must have a salesman's license if they are writing estimates. OMG!! If I ever give consideration to living (or staying more than a day or two) in the Peoples Republik of Maryland, PLEASE kick me in the head until I lose all recollection of the idea... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikew 14 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 OMG!! If I ever give consideration to living (or staying more than a day or two) in the Peoples Republik of Maryland, PLEASE kick me in the head until I lose all recollection of the idea... Sounds like you may need a license in MD just to walk down the street! :lgsideway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted February 22, 2006 It has to do with the Consumer Affairs Act. If Home Improvement Licenses are requred in your state, you might need a salesman's license as well. Just a heads up... Beth :cup: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
