Outside Sales

Q:My Computer business has been going for about 6 years. Last year, I had my best year because i hired a technician that turned out to be a selling fool. He was bringing in deals like mad! I have since lost him, and now i have a real problem. My sales dropped from 1.3M to about 600k. I can't really afford to do anything but hire on commission due to this tremendous hole I've gotten into. I realize that i can't afford not to hire someone to handle the street sales, but is there some way to offer a great incentive without a weekly pay check. How do I find the most qualified sales person without wasting any more time? Just about everyone that I do business with says i wish i found out about your company sooner. I have a great product and service, but running the business and tending to my employees keeps me off the street selling, where i belong. Any suggestions?

A:I've worked with a consultant who's very good, and extremely reasonable. He's a retired Colonel and has about 20 years of civilian sales and marketing experience. I know he'd be able to help you! You have the typical success spiral on your hands. The first thing you must do is contact your local Small Business Development Center, and request assistance. It is at no cost to you, your tax Dollars at work. They will 'force' you to spell out your business objectives, help develop a plan of action, and give you enough consultants to help you through the first phases of discovery and delegation. Your mindset will change from computer salesperson to business person, and you will see that your primary duties from now on will be in leadership, organization, and management. If last year with the super salesman, your revenue was 1.3 and YTD is ±600k, why did you wait so long to find someone? Or, Have you actively been seeking someone since the guy left? If so, why is it you haven't found someone? Answer the questions, make the changes (offer, package) and market accordingly for another "super salesperson". Ah. Sounds like you need someone to run the business while you do the selling. Rather than concern yourself with getting someone on a commission basis, while you draw salary or whatever, bring in someone to run the business on salary (yours) and sell yourself, living on commission. If you belong on the *street* selling, you can afford to give up your salary for someone to manage your business, right? :-)