Where to find freelance Salesmen?

[DannySB1]

We are currently online only (Amazon, eBay, Website etc)

We are looking to supply our products direct to retailers and distributors (online & offline) however this is not our area of expertise.

Could anyone give us a pointer to where we can find freelance salesmen that would work on a part time basis for commission + wages?

 

[Mr D]

Jobcentre.
Or can find existing salespeople who want to add another portfolio to their existing selling. A number of reps have multiple companies they rep for, operating in a particular area.

 

[DannySB1]

Or can find existing salespeople who want to add another portfolio to their existing selling.

Where would we find these existing salespeople? As I stated, we have no contact with this industry at the moment

 

[Mr D]

Where would we find these existing salespeople? As I stated, we have no contact with this industry at the moment

Find a company. Email the salesperson for the relevant area.
May help to start with places that aren't your competitors.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Go to the media covering your chosen sector and look at ads etc for sales agents.

It's fairly common route into independent retail.

That said, you will need a very compelling offer/product to attract any agent of worth.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Just contact the retailer... it's quite simple. If they want your product they'll take it on.

 

[AlanJ1]

Just contact the retailer... it's quite simple. If they want your product they'll take it on.

I really wish it was that easy. Like really really wish.

I have products in retail now, that took months of contacting/phoning/brochures and other avenues to get first contact on. Buyers are flooded, actually flooded is an understatement and products are often missed on many occasions.

 

[Mr D]

There's also displaying at trade shows. Those who are interested will get details and give details, chase up afterwards.
Not cheap - but may be cheaper than sales reps.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I really wish it was that easy. Like really really wish.

I have products in retail now, that took months of contacting/phoning/brochures and other avenues to get first contact on. Buyers are flooded, actually flooded is an understatement and products are often missed on many occasions.

You are correct - it really is nowhere near that easy. Indie retailers need to have a strong justification for the space they give your product. An established, respectable sales agent will have their ear - but that agent will also need an incentive to promote your product above others - and confidence that it will sell.

AS @Mr D says, trade shows can also be useful if done well

 

[AlanJ1]

You are correct - it really is nowhere near that easy. Indie retailers need to have a strong justification for the space they give your product. An established, respectable sales agent will have their ear - but that agent will also need an incentive to promote your product above others - and confidence that it will sell.

100% agree with this. A sales rep you would hope has contacts into the places you want to go into, it doesn't mean anything though if the products aren't good enough/have enough margin and everything else.

I had a case where I went to multiple meetings about one of our products in a major major retailer, product customized with own packaging, POS agreed, terms and commercials agreed. It then got put to the buying directors to be told the brand isn't recognizable enough in the market yet and paused the deal.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I personally don't understand why everyone, who want's to sell to retail automatically aims for the big boys? It's daft!

Seriously, I've been selling in retail for over 25 years one way or another, even wholesale... I'm running a shop in the NW selling Security products retail and trade... if we get contacted by someone who has "the" product" to sell, we take it on...

contacting the big boys may well mean you sell 1000's but it'll also mean your margins are lower than a gnats backside.

go for the retailers who can support you and the product... it's really that simple.

Personally, I believe everything has it's place in it's specific market... it's not always about going for the biggest retail companies that are out there.

 

[AlanJ1]

I personally don't understand why everyone, who want's to sell to retail automatically aims for the big boys? It's daft!

Seriously, I've been selling in retail for over 25 years one way or another, even wholesale... I'm running a shop in the NW selling Security products retail and trade... if we get contacted by someone who has "the" product" to sell, we take it on...

contacting the big boys may well mean you sell 1000's but it'll also mean your margins are lower than a gnats backside.

go for the retailers who can support you and the product... it's really that simple.

Personally, I believe everything has it's place in it's specific market... it's not always about going for the biggest retail companies that are out there.

I wasn't specifying about just the "big boys" this is pretty similar for almost all online e-commerce shops and e-tailers / offline stores. Unless it's a one man band these buyers are overflown with products.

You are one of the only one who sells everyone's products then, most buyers will only take products of value on and products that work and distinguish from the other offerings.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

We stock over 20k product lines

 

[AlanJ1]

We stock over 20k product lines

I presume you dropship 99% of them?

I understand what you guys do in stocking a massive range, nearly all e-tailers won't though unless wanting to work from feeds etc.

 

[Mr D]

We stock over 20k product lines

Nice range to have.
Us etailers have the space to display all the goods, a B&M store has only certain space and may well be unable to stock everything.

 

[NickGrogan]

I really wish it was that easy. Like really really wish.

I have products in retail now, that took months of contacting/phoning/brochures and other avenues to get first contact on. Buyers are flooded, actually flooded is an understatement and products are often missed on many occasions.

It is that easy - if the product is right.

If there is demand for the product, the buyers will come to you. If it's taking months of you chasing, its because your product isn't worth it to the buyers.

It then got put to the buying directors to be told the brand isn't recognizable enough in the market yet and paused the deal.

Exactly. How is a salesperson doing to fix this?

 

[AlanJ1]

It is that easy - if the product is right.

If there is demand for the product, the buyers will come to you. If it's taking months of you chasing, its because your product isn't worth it to the buyers.



Exactly. How is a salesperson doing to fix this?

I have products that retailers have come to us for direct. I have a new range before we have even launched is in major discussions as they know the brand and want the products. For "common" items that are similar offerings you do need to put graft in, show why you are better than the competition. It also is clearly worth it when you do get the buyers face-to-face and they take the product/range on...?

I never said a sales person would fix that? My job is a salesperson (amongst many other things), and I couldn't fix it bar getting the brand into other channels and re-approaching.

 

[NickGrogan]

I never said a sales person would fix that?

My point is that you need to be working on these issues before looking at taking on salespeople.

For "common" items that are similar offerings you do need to put graft in, show why you are better than the competition.

Totally agree, but where do you put the graft in? You're spending your time chasing buyers if you spent the time making the products less "common" the rewards are potentially higher.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I presume you dropship 99% of them?

I understand what you guys do in stocking a massive range, nearly all e-tailers won't though unless wanting to work from feeds etc.

Not at all, we have a show room, where we stock about 20% of our product lines, ranging from Euro cylinders to Safes, the rest we order in from our distribution centre for next day delivery, it all depends on what the customer wants or needs replacing due to damaged or faulty products.

We have a retail/trade counter, we're a Locksmith's, access control, CCTV, Alarm & Fire Alarm installer.

We have a specific set of products which are our main lines, other branded products we have delivered in to us as and when we need them. We've never had an online presence other than our website which directs people in to us.

I pretty much know about 98% of the products in our market, whenever something new comes out both myself and our engineer offer a free service to the manufacturers where we will test the product for them... both myself and our engineer can pretty much open any lock between us.

Likewise, I can also create a key for any product that people bring in to us, so again we need to have the ability and the product line to be able to do this... every product although the same principle is different.

 

[AlanJ1]

My point is that you need to be working on these issues before looking at taking on salespeople.



Totally agree, but where do you put the graft in? You're spending your time chasing buyers if you spent the time making the products less "common" the rewards are potentially higher.

I agree with you if you manufacturer your own products, but in well our case we mostly distribute brands we like/offered to us we feel we can sell targeting similar or different market sectors, albeit it gets easier the more we supply through the years as we have more and more doors open. My point being we can't change the products in most cases bar putting the graft in.

You will also find in this world a few of the "majors" won't take new suppliers on if you only have a few SKUs to offer to them and try force you to there current distributors.

I also find you could be much better than current offerings but without putting the effort in and getting a call/face to face the buyers just don't know or are too busy in a lot of cases (not all).

 

[Jessica A.]

Onlinejobs is a platform catered to Filipinos where you can also find freelance workers. Just post a job there and wait for applications on your post or you can also directly contact the workers you are interested in hiring. Just be wary of their last active date as they may not be actively looking for a job when they haven't been active for a long time.

 

[Herbs]

If you are offering wages and commission then surely it's a standard part time role (with zero hour contract if necessary).

Advertise in the usual places, Indeed, CV Library, LinkedIn, Recruitment Genius etc and just make sure your advert is clear and concise for who you are looking for and what skills they must possess.

If you have no luck with that route then seriously consider a recruitment agency (there are some really good ones out there as well as a lot of very average ones) as the value a good salesperson brings to a company will be many times the agencies fee.

Good luck!

 

[bodgitt&scarperLTD]

Not at all, we have a show room, where we stock about 20% of our product lines, ranging from Euro cylinders to Safes, the rest we order in from our distribution centre for next day delivery, it all depends on what the customer wants or needs replacing due to damaged or faulty products.

We have a retail/trade counter, we're a Locksmith's, access control, CCTV, Alarm & Fire Alarm installer.

We have a specific set of products which are our main lines, other branded products we have delivered in to us as and when we need them. We've never had an online presence other than our website which directs people in to us.

I pretty much know about 98% of the products in our market, whenever something new comes out both myself and our engineer offer a free service to the manufacturers where we will test the product for them... both myself and our engineer can pretty much open any lock between us.

Likewise, I can also create a key for any product that people bring in to us, so again we need to have the ability and the product line to be able to do this... every product although the same principle is different.

All this time I just assumed you were a small carpentry outfit doing custom works!!

 

[paulears]

I'm a little confused - if you are looking for salmon to put your products into other security businesses, say country wide - then will not these businesses already be buying from the same sources as you? Surely the only sales that will work as extra are the ones to the end users? I was looking at me as an example. If I needed products to retail I'd research and buy on line. I'd not want to buy from somebody buying from the source - I could make more margin direct. I'd use a distributer only when the margin was good enough and the product unique. With end users being savvy and most retailers being up to speed - I can't see how the sales people could shift product?

 

[AlanJ1]

I'm a little confused - if you are looking for salmon to put your products into other security businesses, say country wide - then will not these businesses already be buying from the same sources as you? Surely the only sales that will work as extra are the ones to the end users? I was looking at me as an example. If I needed products to retail I'd research and buy on line. I'd not want to buy from somebody buying from the source - I could make more margin direct. I'd use a distributer only when the margin was good enough and the product unique. With end users being savvy and most retailers being up to speed - I can't see how the sales people could shift product?

Most manufacturers won't deal with retailers direct (the good ones or larger ones anyways) and will make you buy through the distribution chain. Nearly all distributors won't take a brand on if you are competing on supply with manufacturer because distribution will never win for larger contracts.

In regards to sales people shifting product, I think the OP has his own brand/line of products he wants to get into more channels, which is what he needs sales/distribution for.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

People Per Hour maybe ! Im not saying you will get an experienced sales person but someone that is hungry enough may do the trick

Furthermore in support of those who object
It is "Salesperson" you said "salesmen"

 

[MBE2017]

OP needs to search for sales agents in the same industries as his products, they are a dying breed but still plenty out there. Attend some trade shows, usually a board outside the hall with many agents details pinned to it, or simply ask existing clients if they can recommend someone they deal with.