Post: #1

Having decided that all sales jobs on Craig's List are scams, I'm trying to find some decent ones. I've done sales in various capacities for the past 8 years and have found it to be challenging, rewarding, but hard to make the $$$. Plenty of companies out there who will sell you the moon on potential earnings, but hand you a bag of sand when it comes time to delivery. I've tried Career Builder and took my resume off when I kept getting phoned by "commission only" retail jobbers. Sorry assholes, I'm not going to starve to death trying to hustle mattresses.
So I thought I'd ask the sales pros on this board where are the best places to look. What are the best things to sell? Or does it make sense to sell a service?

Post: #2

Something that may fly under the radar is construction materials suppliers.

I don't mean hardware stores (you probably realize this). I can't speak to exactly how they're compensated, but so long as you're near a big-enough city there will always be structures in need of repair. I know some guys who rep a major company (acronym: Buenos Aires San Francisco) who've been in the game for a while with a solid book of business.

The thing is, the older sales guys (late 40's through 60's) are pros. They know their shit, are great conversationalists, and (at least appear to) go out of the way for you. The guys from my generation (late 20's, even into their 30's) are every millennial stereotype come to life. No attention to detail, minimal follow through, and, worst of all, they really think that they're slick. I'm probably biased (Example: Schedule a warranty-related site visit with the owner in attendance. Snivel-dick calls fifteen minutes after he's supposed to be there to say he's sick and just woke up... yeah, go fuck yourself), but these younger dudes really stand out in a construction industry that isn't what you'd call "touchy-feely."

I'd imagine that if you work your ass off to bring value one of the older cats would take you under his wing.
The sea-change with older material supplier reps retiring + younger guys being crap = opportunity for someone who hustles.

Post: #3

Well said.

Industrial consumables are where the money is at up here in Canada. Anything that gets consumed by the energy, mining, forestry industry.

A friend of mine cleared over a million last year selling drilling mud. His advice was that of Baldwin. Find a company where the guys are pushing 60 and be the young, dependable, hustler they can count on.

Post: #4

Management Consulting.

Post: #5

(04-18-2014 12:00 PM)Laner Wrote:  Well said.

Industrial consumables are where the money is at up here in Canada. Anything that gets consumed by the energy, mining, forestry industry.

A friend of mine cleared over a million last year selling drilling mud. His advice was that of Baldwin. Find a company where the guys are pushing 60 and be the young, dependable, hustler they can count on.

Yes on consumables/industrials. Guys that sell heavy equipment, fixed or mobile and do well at it are well off. This gear costs 200-700k per piece so your boom/bust cycle is like being a realtor in terms of when and how often you get paid or go hungry.

Edit: Also fleet sales for trucks. If you get into a niche, aka selling F350s to rig pigs or loggers you can do well. Especially if you are consistent, old loggers would always get pissed when each time they'd call the dealership they'd have a new fleet sales guy to deal with who didn't know fuck all about using a truck offroad vs. using it to tow a gooseneck construction trailer around town.

Post: #6

Property & Casualty Insurance and commercial real estate are a couple that come to mind. If you're going to be in and out in a couple of years, it's probably better to find something else though because these take time to build up. Recruiters/headhunters can make money quickly but that is definitely a grind.

Post: #7

I was offered a job some years back selling CAD software. You need to be educated a bit about cad software and drawing but same with any industry gotta know what your selling. It was a great commission structure though. Ibe aldo heard sales of this software is very lucrative overall industrywide as well

Post: #8

Thanks Baldwin, I sent a resume to a lumber construction company today after your recommendation. We'll see where it goes.
Did have an interview last week with a company who sells used manufacturing equipment. A small family business with 3 of the 4 people on site being members of the same family. Didn't go anywhere because the boy wonder mechanic took a dislike to me and saw my presence as a threat to his taking over the company some day. Or so I felt from the body signals he was sending out. Funny how you can tell these things after being in sales for awhile.

Post: #9

(04-18-2014 09:45 AM)ColSpanker Wrote:  I've tried Career Builder and took my resume off when I kept getting phoned by "commission only" retail jobbers. Sorry assholes, I'm not going to starve to death trying to hustle mattresses.

What is a typical (i.e. market rate or standard) commission structure that is offered?

What type of overall compensation package (base salary, commission, benefits, 401K, etc.) should one expect?