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Your Website is the new Storefront

The year is 1993.  Meet John.  John owns a small Merchant Services company near Hartford Connecticut. Since the Time To Hire service hasn’t been invented yet, John uses the local newspaper to look for commission-based sales people.

John gets quite a few calls and is able to set up quite a few meetings; however, he can’t seem to find anyone who wants to come back for a second meeting.  Concerned, John pores over every aspect of his process.  John is offering a small draw against commission of $500 per week, medical benefits, a retirement plan and even paid training – much, much more than most companies.  What could be the issue?

John’s assistant gingerly offers an explanation. “The office could use a touch of paint, and possibly a new sign.”  John hadn’t considered the condition of the office up until this point.  He’s done everything himself in terms of the decor.  The office is in a professional building, however John used the local “Quick Sign” company, and it really looks like he got what he paid for.  Instead of a steel, professionally designed sign, he chose a vinyl one which is now covered by a thick coat of mildew.  The office conference room where John meets new recruits is devoid of any character.  The conference table was purchased second hand and the chairs are cheap and falling apart.  There’s no art on the walls or potted plants.  Just an old dry erase board and a lectern.

No wonder candidates failed to set up a second meeting.  First impressions are incredibly important.

In today’s world, your website is the new store front.  It’s the first thing that candidates come across when they learn about your company.  It’s important to understand that sales reps are constantly filtering information in the same way you do. After posting their resumes, job seekers can see ten or more emails every day, many of which are some kind of scam or multi-level marketing.  An easy way for candidates to spot a scam is to check out the quality of the employers website.  In addition to filtering out scams, sales professionals don’t want to waste their time with unprofessional companies.  A quick glance at a website is always the first step in this process.

Does your virtual store front need a face?  Have you asked your friends and business associates what they really think of your site?  Have you ever had a professional give you their opinion of the site?  It might be good idea to get some feedback on your site before embarking upon any marketing program, including a recruiting campaign with Time To Hire.

When you’ve finally come to the realization that your website stinks, what do you do now?

What would you pay for a new physical sign at your business? Probably several thousand dollars.  The answer is going to be slightly different depending on your budget.  I recommend spending as much as you can afford and then some.

If you’re on a budget, here are some services that can help:

99designs.com:  You set the price, and designers around the world offer basic designs for logo or web design work.  You chose the winner, who then goes on to finish your project.  Prices for logos range from $50-1000 and $500-$3500+ for websites.

bmobilized.com:  Will (mostly) automatically convert your existing site into a mobile site for only $9 per month.  Bmobilized is only as good as your current site, however.

The more money you can throw at the project, the better your results will typically be.  A better looking, well thought out website will yield many more conversions (e.g., leads, interested candidates).   High end design doesn’t come cheap. A professionally designed website that may include branding, logo, animation and web forms can cost you from $5,000 to $20,000 or more.

What is your current website costing you in lost sales or quality hires?

When you utilize our service we ask you to choose a recruiting area.  This usually consists of a single zip code and radius, a single state or the entire United States. As always, we can search additional areas or zip codes in the same campaign at additional cost.  If you choose a zip code or city, we’ll need to know how far out you’d like to go in all directions (the radius).   You can choose a 20, 30, 40, 50, 75 or 100 mile radius for your search. Keep in mind that this is “As The Crow Flies”, and not based on road miles.

Some clients want to make sure candidates are within an appropriate range of their business.  A standard radius for most Outside Sales Commission Based opportunities is usually 40-50 miles.  Inside or Telesales People usually commute into an office each day, so your recruiting radius will usually be 20 or 30 miles.  Other clients want to avoid an adjacent state due to territorial reasons.

Google Maps makes this an easy process if you follow the steps below.

First, you need to enable the Distance Measuring Tool by clicking on Maps Labs, as shown below.

Next, click “Enable” and then save.

Next, click on the tiny tape measure as show below.

Next click “English” for Miles and choose a starting location (usually your office) and then the farthest point out you’d like to go in all directions.

Easy peasy right?

While many companies hire based on candidates’ experience, others find raw talent to be a stronger harbinger of success. But, how do you identify and measure “raw talent” during the hiring process?

Austin Merritt, the COO at Software Advice–a website that presents reviews and ratings of software for sales professionals–recently shared how he objectively measures raw talent during his team’s hiring process. In a post on Software Advice’s New Talent Times blog, Merritt shares his “coffee scenario,” a role-playing scenario used when hiring for his commission-based inside sales team. It closely imitates the process his team goes through when placing sales calls. Except, instead of advising the caller on what software to purchase, the job candidate advises the caller on what coffee shop to visit. Here are a few key tips Merritt has shared about his process:

Develop a set of competencies to look for

What are the top uncoachable competencies required for a person to thrive in a role? For example, when hiring for their sales team, Software Advice grades along the following criteria:

• Articulation – Do they clearly communicate their thoughts?

• Energy – Does the candidate appear alert and genuine on calls?

• Ability to take control – Can the candidate steer the conversation?

• Ability to think on their feet – Can the candidate respond calmly, but quickly?

• Coachability – Does the candidate understand the scenario enough to apply?

Your competencies may (and probably should) be different. Identify what empowers current star performers to be successful, and make your list of competencies around these qualities.

Create a project that tests each of them

The “coffee scenario” is effective because coffee is a familiar subject matter. Candidates are familiar with coffee, and it allows interviewers to focus on talent over domain expertise. The topic should be common enough for sales candidates to complete successfully without much preparation. In Software Advice’s instance, they set up a 10-minute mock sales call, but it doesn’t have be a phone call. Create something you can present to an applicant before meeting them in person.

Use a universal grade scale for performance

To ensure that every candidate gets a fair shot, develop a scoring method that can be kept consistent. If someone scores low in one area, but nails the others, it may be worthwhile to give the candidate another shot at the role-playing scenario. It doesn’t take too long, and by giving people a second chance, you’re leaving no stone unturned.

Before you bring someone to your office, try out a short role-playing scenario for them to showcase their raw talent. It’s a quick and easy way to critically assess strengths and weaknesses during the early stages of an interview process.

We’ve very happy to announce that Sugar Shack Animation has finished our new intro/explanation video! The goal of the video is to help our new clients understand our service more quickly while maintaining our professional image.

We think they’ve nailed it!

Here’s Sugar Shack Animation’s Promo Video.  Check out their business videos here.

Before you decide to embark on the most challenging hiring choice a company can make, please take the following points into consideration.

1. Is your business model appropriate for commission only sales?

Do you have a short sales cycle?  Commission salespeople typically need to get paid as quickly as possible.  Pay them weekly if you can.  If your business has a longer sales cycle, you may need to pay a small base salary – at least at the beginning.  How easy is your product or service to sell?  If many weeks or months are required and if relationships are super important, you may want to consider offering some type of draw.

2. Be sure all your sales support systems are in place.

Salespeople working on commission want to do little else than sell.  They certainly don’t want to be bogged down with paperwork. Is the invoicing system you’re using the most efficient possible? Even if your business has a short sales cycle, you’ll likely need some way of managing clients and prospects. Check out cloud-based applications that let your salespeople work from anywhere such as Zoho CRM.

3. Offer more sales training than you think anyone could possibly need.

Most things seem obvious to you because this is your business and you know it inside and out.  The more training you provide, the better head start your  new sales reps will have.  If possible, videotape yourself during the process so you don’t have to repeat the process in the future.

4. Know your sales process inside and out.

Don’t make the mistake of expecting your new salesperson to create your sales process for you.  For example, if cold calling will be required, make sure you’ve been successful in the past with this yourself. Write down scripts as well as any tips that may help your new salespeople get their foot in the door.

5. Attract the best talent by paying the highest commissions.

The pool of high-performing commission only sales reps is highly competitive.Find out what your competitors are offering and pay them  more.  Consider offering additional incentives such as paid training, or providing a cell phone and laptop.  Offer yearly trips to exotic locations for your highest performing commission sales people.  Most commission salespeople will want to make $100,000 or more per year, so make sure your model supports this.

6. Be honest and upfront.

In general, it’s good to be honest with sales reps. Make sure they understand exactly what’s involved with your opportunity. How many cold calls will they have to make each day? How long will it realistically take before they close their first sale? What expenses will be involved?

7. Have a plan during the recruiting process.

When prospective sales reps are calling in to speak with you, it’s a good idea to know exactly how you’re going to respond to basic questions.  How much can I make? Is this commission only? It might make sense for you to put candidates through a series of steps.  The first step might be a really short 2-3 minute phone call. The second step could be a longer, 10-15 phone interview followed by an in-person interview.

8. Know what to look for in a commission sales rep.

This is very hard to determine.  How can you tell who will be successful in your opportunity?  Seasoned sales people often fail while complete newbies become superstars.  Most of the answer lies in their drive and determination.  Learn the traits of other successful commission sales people in your industry or those already in your employ. Some customers have mentioned that candidates involved with competitive sports have often been a good match.

9. Make sure candidates understand that they need you more than you need them.

Create an environment where the candidate feels comfortable and is pulled versus pushed into the opportunity.  Statements such as “I’m not sure you’d be right for this position, it requires a lot of hard work – especially at first.” might be good to consider. Since you aren’t paying a base salary, candidates may think it would be easy to get the job. Make sure they understand that the job requires more than simply fogging a mirror.

10. Put your best foot forward.

Treat commission only sales reps as if they were a prospective customer. If your office set-up doesn’t display a high degree of confidence, meet sales reps for coffee instead. How professional is your website? If candidates haven’t heard of your company, the first thing they’ll do is look you up on-line.  Commission reps will take a similar approach when evaluating your company as a new customer would, so make sure everything looks as successful as possible.  ”Home-made” or websites created with a template typically will contribute to the failure of your campaign.  Additionally, are there bad reviews about your company on-line?

11. Hire more commission based reps than you need.

Commission-based sales reps are going to be transitory by  nature.  You’ll need to keep a steady stream of sales reps going into the top of your recruiting pipeline to be successful.  While additional reps may require more administration headaches, you’ll have more to compare against.  Give under-performing reps the axe as soon as possible.

12. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

While we like to imagine that we’re the only source for hiring commission only sales reps, we know that just wouldn’t be prudent on your part.  Go to networking events and meet other small business owners.  Considering setting up symbiotic  hiring partnerships with other businesses who are also seeking sales people.  Offer to send them candidates that may be a better fit for their organization.  Check with your network on LinkedIn for referrals sales reps and join local organizations like Toastmasters.  The more exposure you have in your local market, the more opportunities you’ll run across.

13. Don’t give up!

Remind yourself that commission only sales people are the most difficult type of hire! We have clients that use us on a weekly basis who report that they often strike out on a given week.  While we’ll always do our best for you, sometimes you just won’t hire someone your first time out.  Those you do hire will probably drop out or fail at some point in your process, and that’s totally normal.  Keep trying new things and increasing your recruiting skills.

Remember, always be recruiting! Good luck.

During the financial collapse of 2001, I found myself in rough shape financially.  I answered an advertisement in the newspaper that simply read “Make $100,000, Call 555-1212″.  When I called the number, a pleasant young woman offered several interview times and provided directions to their office.  I honestly don’t remember asking a lot of questions about the job and I might have not even known what I’d be doing.  I drove to the interview later that week, wearing my best suit.  Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly by the receptionist who led me into a conference room with four other candidates who had already arrived.  ”What the [expletive] is going on here?” I said to myself.  Was I to compete against these other fellows?  I had just walked into my first group interview!

How do you keep your hiring costs down when it comes to hiring sales people?  I believe this is the number one issue managers and business owners are facing.  Costs can spiral out of control when hiring sales people due to attrition, training costs, recruiting costs, incompetence and lack of motivation.  Sales leaders realize that the key to running a successful sales organization relies on keeping expenses down.

Have you ever considered interviewing more than one salesperson at the same time?  Certain industries lend themselves to these hiring practices and among these are insurance sales, door to door sales, automotive sales and home improvement sales.  Opportunities that have a high degree of difficulty will have a correspondingly high failure rate.  Since many of your new sales representatives ultimately won’t make it, does it make sense to invest a lot of time in money in them?  While it may seem brutal, group hiring may be just the ticket to help you lower your recruiting costs and give you an advantage over your competition.

Over the yearsI’ve had many clients who were able to successfully recruit sales people using this tactic.  Here is what I’ve learned from them.

Here are the top 10 keys to hiring commission only sales reps in a group environment.

1. Be an impressive sales leader.  Typically the best person to host these events is the VITO (Very Important Top Officer) or owner of the company.  If you’re reading this, that’s probably you.  In order to convince new sales agents, you’ll have to demonstrate a high degree of confidence in your company and its products.  Consider honing your sales abilities by attending sales training such as Dale Carnegie or The Sandler Sales Institute. Improve your public speaking abilities by joining Toastmasters.  Become the best sales leader in your own company.

2. Create a welcoming and professional environment. When prospective salespeople walk through the door the first time, their initial impression will mean a lot.  Make sure there’s someone available to greet them and to help put them at ease.  If you don’t have a conference room available in your office, rent one at a nearby hotel or conference center. While I’ve heard of people turning around and walking out, it’s actually not that common.  Having already taken the time and expense to come down to your office and they’ll want to at least stick around to see what it’s all about!

3. Start out by explaining that this initial step is an orientation.  That you’ll go over all aspects of the opportunity, including compensation, what’s expected of them and what exactly they’ll be doing.  Ask them to hold their questions until the end.  This is what we used to call the “Dog and Pony Show”.  Your job during this phase is to sell them the opportunity without making it seem like you are selling them.  This is the most difficult part to do well and takes the most practice.

4. Make your opportunity impossible to pass up.  People don’t wake up one day and decide that they want to sell cars, insurance or sell things door to door.  While there are other perks to being a commission only sales rep, the reason they’ll stick around is the pay.  Save the compensation for last, and make it good!

5. Show them the money! During the presentation, provide as many real world examples of other commission only sales reps who have succeeded in your organization as you can. Communicate that while they’ll work incredibly hard at first, things will eventually pay off in the medium to long term.  As we used to say “It works if you work it!”

6. Highlight the non-monetary aspects of the position.  The incredible exhilaration of being their own boss, the flexible work schedule and the ability to work from or near their own home. In addition the sales skills they’ll learn in this position will probably serve them in good stead later in their career.

7. Provide literature and brochures during the orientation.  This will help your company appear more professional and help candidates make their decision later.  Consider handing out a short survey at the end of the orientation to help you gauge their interest level.

8.  Keep sales reps around after the orientation. Invite interested candidates to stay for a one-on-one, more personal interview.  If you have more than a small handful to interview, good for you! If you have other sales managers, you can lighten your burden by having them interview a rep or two on your behalf.

9. Introduce your future sales reps to your top salespeople.  This will help them feel more comfortable with your company and increase the likelihood that they’ll come on board.

10. Finally, don’t chase after your new recruits! It’s important for them to understand that they need you more than you need them.  It’s important to convey this feeling during the entire process.

Those are the basics of how to hire sales people in a group environment.

Give it a shot and tells us about your experiences. Good luck!

One question we get a lot, “What kinds of sales reps can you help find?”

In general, we can help companies find virtually all types of salespeople, except for certain types of specialized independent sales representatives.  Examples of specialized independent or “manufacturer sales representatives” that don’t do well with our service include cosmetics sales, beauty product sales, PCB (Printed Circuit Board) salespeople, or if you’re looking for help with marketing or publishing a book that you’ve written.

Some of the standard types of salespeople that we can help you source include Outside Sales, D2D (Door-to-Door) Sales, Inside Sales/Telemarketing Salespeople, Advertising Sales Reps and Sales Managers. Sub categories of these groups include Cable/Internet Sales, Merchant Services Salespeople, Automotive Salespeople, Construction Salesmen, Storm Damage Sales Reps, Insurance Sales Representatives, Energy Sales Reps, Technology Sales People (SAAS, Cloud, Managed Services, etc), SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Sales Agents, Time share Salespeople, Alarm System Sales, Furniture Sales Reps, Business Equipment/Copier Salesreps, Food Sales, Hospitality Sales people, Mortgage Brokers and Securities/Stocks salesman, Printing Sales Reps, Solar Sales, Pharmaceutical/Medical Device Sales Reps, Web Site/Mobile Web Sales People and many, many more.

Outside Sales Rep – A salesman who will use any means necessary to close a sale.  This is the hunter, never say die type of sales mentality.  Well versed with closing a sale.  Sales methodologies may include D2D (Door-To-Door) canvassing of businesses, phone sales (cold calling), networking, advertising/marketing and anything else they can think of to generate leads. Their favorite movie is probably Glengarry Glen Ross.

Door-To-Door Sales Rep – Fairly self explanatory! Sales representatives who come knocking at your door.  These types of reps are on everyone’s Christmas list every year and we’re always happy to see them.  Even in 2013, there is a great need for this type of sales rep, whether it be for Storm Damage, Energy Deregulation, Cable/Comcast, Pest Control, Alarm Systems, Water Purification, and Waste/Trash services.

Advertising Salesperson – Anyone involved in the various types of advertising sales, such as digital media, print, television or radio.

Inside Sales Rep – These are salesmen who may display the traits of the outside salesperson,  however they do it all from the telephone.  This could be inbound sales or outbound sales. Also known as “Telesales”, typically when inside sales reps are making outbound calls with the goal of closing the sale.  We can help your company find any type of telemarketing or telesales representative.

Click the image to see the entire article.

Hiring commission-based sales people or for commission only sales opportunities can often be tough; however, there are ways to make these positions more desirable to candidates.

If you have a commission only or commission-based opportunity to offer, here are some points that you should consider including to make your opening stand out from the rest:

1) Make sure you can provide an annual earnings figure for both an average/typical rep and a motivated rep. Commission sales reps are generally money oriented, and it is important to let them know their potential earnings right off the bat.

2) Are commissions uncapped? Or is there an unlimited earning potential? Sales people want to know that their hard work will be rewarded and may be inclined to accept the position if they can earn six figures.

3) Will there be opportunities for advancement, and if so, are these salaried roles? Knowing that a commission-only / commission-based structure is just a starting point could encourage candidates to seriously consider the role.

4) Do you offer a bonus or incentive structure? Again, sales reps want to know that their hard work will be rewarded, so performance-based bonuses and/or signing bonuses, and incentives such as cash, gift cards, prizes or trips are just some suggestions to get people interested in the opportunity.

5) Will sales reps receive reimbursements or an allowance for car or cell phone expenses? When candidates have to pay work related expenses out of pocket, providing them with an allowance or reimbursement always helps. Or, you might consider providing them with the use of a company cell phone or vehicle. You might also want to consider this for laptops if one is required for the role.

6) Is there a paid training program, or a guarantee that sales reps will earn while getting started? It could take a bit of time for a rep to build their client base, so offering paid training or an initial guarantee can ease them into a commission-based/commission only position.

7) Do you offer a draw against commission? People have bills to pay, so knowing that they will be receiving a regularly scheduled draw against commissions will help ease their reservations about commission only/commission-based roles.

8) Will salespeople be provided with leads, or will they be cold calling potential clients? Candidates are more inclined to consider a role if they are supplied with leads. This also works well for entry level type sales roles.

9) Can the sales rep work flexible hours? Candidates often look into these positions because they are offered the chance to create their own schedule and make it as flexible as needed. This way, they can work around picking up kids from school, little league games, or in some cases, their college studies.

10) Is telecommuting an option? Candidates are attracted by the prospect of working from the comfort of their home office. If this is possible in the position you are offering, make that clear from the outset, and also detail if there are any restrictions on telecommuting (e.g. 2 days a week they must be in the office for meetings etc. but can work from home the rest of the week).

While we fully understand that in many situations, none of these suggestions may make sense for you, please consider making the candidates fully aware of all benefits (tangible or intangible) that your opportunity has to offer them.

Next time you are looking to hire commission-based or commission only reps, be sure to consult these suggestions, and make your opportunity shine among the rest!

Have you ever considered attending networking functions to find new talent?   Networking events are the natural habitat of any self respecting B2B sales rep.  A quick Google search (eg., “Dallas networking events calendar 2012″) in your area should point you in the right direction.

Make it your mission to attend at least two events per week until you find the right groups.  These groups typically meet early in the morning or during lunch.  In addition to finding some new sales reps, you might meet quality vendors and even drum up new business for your own firm.

If you’re wondering how to get the most out of these groups, I recommend the “give to get” philosophy.  Your networking efforts won’t really be that effective unless you put others success ahead of your own.

When you meet with someone new, never offer your business card unless they ask. If they didn’t ask for it, they’re not interested right? When you offer your card without an invitation, you’re pushing your company on someone who may not have any interest in you or what you’re looking for.  Instead, be genuinely interested in what the other person is saying.  Ask yourself how you might be able to help this person.  Are they looking to fill a position? Maybe  they’re having issues with their accounting system and need a referral. If you think there may be a match, ask for their card.  If you really want to make an impression,  have your assistant send Thank You cards to each person you met — better yet, do this yourself!

The more people you help and connect, the more people will be talking about you in a positive light – and the more people will be willing to help you further your goals.

Effective networking takes a lot of time and patience, however the rewards can be phenomenal.  Start building your network and you’ll be amazed how far it’ll take you.

MLM (Multi Level Marketing) type businesses.

We have found over the years that, in general, MLM business is not good business for the majority of persons involved.  At least those who are not on the “ground floor.”  While you may feel that your MLM/Network Marketing business doesn’t fall into this category, it’s just too difficult and time consuming for us to evaluate each MLM business that comes across our desk.

How do we identify an MLM?  If a company charges a monthly ongoing fee to be employed with it, it is almost always an MLM.   Many companies may charge an initial fee but aren’t necessarily involved with Network Marketing.

Manufacturers Sales Reps / Independent Sales Reps

We don’t work with companies who are looking to partner with manufacturers  (AKA Independent Sales Reps) sales reps. This is an area that has created a lot of confusion – after all, an independent sales rep is also a commission only sales rep.  An Independent Sales Rep is a person who is self employed – someone working for themselves who is not affiliated with a single product or service.  They represent “rep” several products that typically have a common prospect/target company.

If you are looking for a Manufacturers/Independent rep, you probably are looking for a sales person who already calls on the type of businesses you are looking to sell into.

An example: A company has designed and is manufacturing a new clothing line/aircraft part/shampoo/makeup/automotive accessory and would like to get the product into the hands of distributors or retailers.  They would approach a Manufacturers Sales Rep who routinely walks into those prospective retailers and offer them a commission to “rep” their product or service.

There are many sites online that provide this service, such as www.rephunter.net or www.gotsales.com. If you’d like more, just ask, we’d be happy to help.

Build a Sales Team for You

While we’d like to, our company just isn’t set up to handle this.  Our goal is to find you some quality people and let you take it from there. A simple Google search will reveal quite a few companies that will allow you to outsource your entire sales process.

Are you ready to hire a commission salesperson?

Are you ready to hire a sales rep? When a commission sales rep calls, will you be ready to answer all their questions? What is the compensation structure? Is this commission only? Who will I be targeting in my sales efforts?

If you are expecting a sales rep to transform your business by creating and implementing a sales strategy for you, you may be disappointed. Nobody knows your business better than you, the business owner. In general, sales reps need to be led. They need to know how to be successful in terms of your business, so ultimately you are the one who must create the sales strategy. The sales process should be well documented and easily understandable.

Do you know what you’re going to pay your commission sales reps? Have you worked through the math? There is no exact methodology for paying commission only sales reps, but there are some general parameters which seem to work. If you’re selling a service, you should pay between 15-50%, with the most common number being 20%. Your number might be more or less, depending on your profit margin, difficulty of sale and whether you are providing sales reps with free leads. Just about every future salesperson who responds is going to ask this question, so make sure you’re prepared to answer confidently.

What does your messaging look like? When potential sales reps see your message, will they want to work with your company? Candidates are similar to prospects – they’re going to research as much as they can about your company before deciding to work with you. They’ll study your website and logo and make instant decisions about your company – decisions that may prevent them from picking up the phone to call. Does your website or candidate portal look as professional as it could?

How many commission sales reps will you hire? Don’t make the mistake of hiring more people than you can properly manage. Salespeople take time and energy. Do you have a comprehensive training program in place?

It’s your responsibility to have all the tools in place to help commission sales people be successful.

We’re very excited today to launch our new website!

When we started this project, our goal was to create a site with a more contemporary look which better represented the work we do. We hope you agree.

In addition to the new design, you’ll now be able to complete our customer questionnaire and complete your order online.

Many thanks to all the designers and developers at Gravitate, for taking our vision and making it a reality.

We hope you enjoy the new site and please let us know what you think.