Any advice--  how to excel/is it worth it/do YOU like your commission sales job?
I have to think some people do well, or it wouldn't even be a concept. I know tons of people must make their living on jobs that are commission pay.  

Does the type of product matter (example-- cars versus kitchen tiles versus handbags) in your success?

 
THANK!!!

-- Modified on 8/28/2015 9:15:32 AM

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I don't know what you're selling but if it's a big purchase/commitment for them, you want to know that they're qualified, and when they're looking to make a decision.  After a couple of closes, you'll get a sense of who your serious prospects are and who to spend your time and effort on (and who not to.)  Be excited about what youre selling!  Create urgency!  Find them exactly what will fit their needs rather than overwhelming them with options.

Cars - there is difference between selling Chevy, Camry, Chrysler versus selling Mercedes, Audi, BMW, versus Bentley, McLaren, etc.

Same with hand bags high end versus every day ones

Kitchen tiles- depends in store in designer store, Home Depot, lowes or door-to-door

If it is pyramid scheme you are screwed
 

Being a commissioned sales person is just like being in business or being a hooker for that matter.  

It is up to you just how successful you will be. One of the biggest things that will help you is to be honest with yourself, and be your own harshest critic in your quest to be the best. Unsuccessful salespeople, hookers, businesspeople et al will blame others for their failures. The surest sign of a loser is to blame "the stupid customer". In sales there will almost always be a key point in the presentation, negotiation, meeting where the sale will hang in the balance. You do one thing right and you get the sale, you do one thing wrong and you lose the sale. ALL of us are going to fuck up the occasional deal by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. The key is to be honest with yourself and to figure out where YOU went wrong so you can do better in the future.

Lastly, find a product/service that you actually like to sell. If you aren't a car person, don't try to be a car person. While there can be a certain amount of acting as a salesperson, just like there is in being a hooker, the more you can just be "you" the more success you are going to have.

Thinking back on my life, since my military service getting close to 40 years ago, I have not drawn a salary or been paid by the hour for more than maybe a year combined in my total adult life. I wouldn't know how to act if someone were to be me a paycheck not tied to productivity.

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GaG's comment has me thinking of one of Malcolm Gladwell's essays on top sellers.  He interviewed and described the attributes of the Number One national sales guy for (something; I forget).  He just seemed to have all the right skills and had a sixth sense for reading the customers, too.  I forget the title of that essay; it's in one of his books, too.  Anybody able to help

Even if it means you lose a sale. Better to lose that sale than have a dissatisfied customer.  And you'll sleep better at night.  

Find out what your customer really needs (it may not be what they say they need) and then find a way to satisfy that need so they're delighted.  Keep in mind that in order to satisfy their need, you may have to recommend that they buy what someone else is selling. But they'll come back to you when they need what you're selling, because they'll trust you.  

Also to be good at sales you need to take rejection well. If you can't deal with many people telling you "no" each day, find another line of work

Thank you for the very thought out and HELPFUL response GaGambler. I feel pretty confident about things now !

THank you to everyone who responded!! I Very much appreciate the feedback  
Xoxoxo

Selling takes time to master. I'm in industry with a lot of competitors that sell the same type of product that will fill the customers needs just as well as mine. That being said I have about a 90% closing rate. One thing to remember anyone can sell them widget x and maybe even cheaper than you can but, you are selling yourself as well. Maybe not the best choice of words for this site lol!! But seriously if you come across as genuine and personable your chances of closing the deal rise greatly. I don't know how many times I've spent an hour in a customers home and probally 45 minutes talking about everything but what we are selling after I've looked at the situation and what will suit thier needs. I find a common ground, kids sports, or the guy has a nice fish or deer mount on the wall. I just talk to them like someone I met at a bar and just shooting the breeze. On the way out I'll hand them a proposal and tell them to call if any questions. 9 times out of 10 when the homeowner and their significant other are setting down to make a decision they will think "that Case guy sure was nice lets buy from him"
That works if the customer isn't in dire need of my product. If they are then it's s more focused on what they need approach, still honest and friendly but not near as much idle chit chat. When this situation arises knowing your product inside and out as well as your competitors will usually close the deal on the spot. Know your competitors product not to talk trash about it, that comes off negative and kills any trust you've built with them. But know the advertised features of their product and how yours is better. Knowledge is power when closing a deal.  
Learn to read people some folks only care that it works some want to know how, learn the difference and be ready to present both pitches to whomever your dealing with that day.  

And don't judge a book by the cover I've had folks in 500k houses ask about financing or just say they can't afford it and guys in house trailers that look broke count out 5k plus in crisp 100 dollar bills from a coffee can.

Last and most important only promise what you can deliver. I've actually closed deals where a competitor promised something to be done in a timeframe that I know is impossible. When asked to match that I tell them the truth I honestly can't and offer reasons why with a simple I don't know how they can do that, since our services are so similar snd we are likely buying from the same supplier. Makes them second guess the other guys credibility.  

Ok enough of my soap box, good luck in your new venture!!

This should not be too hard a transition for you considering you have been your own "small business" for several years now, but one thing that hourly workers sometimes have difficulty getting there arms around is to "work smart, not hard"  

When you are only paid for what you accomplish, not how hard you work or how many hours you put it, you learn to make the most of your time. Technology is your friend. Depending on what industry you land in, I would recommend using the phone and your computer for as much of your customer contact as possible. Prospecting, qualifying, getting initial interest from a prospect, these are all things that in many businesses you can do without having to meet in person. The advantage of course being that you can contact a hundred people a day via phone or email, but only a small handful in person. Now sometimes you need those face to face meetings, but if you can master time management and talk to twice as many people as your fellow salespeople, you should be able to out sell them all. Naturally this is industry specific, but it can apply to many products and services, not just the ones you would think are suited for phone or email contact.

Once again good luck and I hope you find at least part of what I have said helpful.

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No matter the job, if you chase the money, you will never have it.

If you focus on the customer's needs and how to meet those needs and what you have to offer them ... then the money will chase you

Wow, that is absolutely spot on.

I have been in a business to business sales capacity for 30 years. I have managed and dealt with many salespeople over this time and the MOST successful exhibit the characteristics described above.

Many "money motivated" salespeople just can't seem to understand why they are not succeeding. It is because they focus on the outcome and not the process.  

It's great to have goals, but you achieve those goals by following a process and plan. Outcomes are based on inputs.

Best of luck. You've received a great deal of accumulated wisdom from the posters above.

Carpe Diem

To excel you have to be constantly prospecting. Either be at the office constantly cold calling or be outside constantly meeting potential clients through various types of ways. You can either go to them or position yourself so they find you. Your key to success in sales is to somehow establish recurring business and referrals. To do this you need to network, you need to be likable, you need to be able to quickly establish rapport, use every advantage you can.

Sales is a means to an end. The end goal is to always to have equity. Salesmen don't get rich off their commission, they get rich off their investments. Purchase rental property and rent them out, speculate condos, open restaurants, purchase stock, real wealth is not in dollars its in equity. Sales is not a steady income job so you need to get some equity in either the place you're working at or some other investment.  

The product does not matter. And reading advice off a forum wont help either. You have to go out their and try to sell, then learn and adapt. Common sense.

No matter how "honest" theymake themselves look, the more of a scam it is.

Tangible sales with immediate results is way easier than intangible sales. If you're selling a "widget" its easier to sell. If you're selling a concept, not so much. Here I would say you're selling something tangible. Its easier to sell pussy at a high price than something intangible at a very low price.

But if you're really good, competitive, and ready for rejection, try it. If not, well, might want to keep this on the side until you get a good client base and steady base income in the sales job.

It's hard.

is really good. I may archive this and read it at the start of each week to check who I'm blaming for my failures haha.

Facebook? Their business page digital marketing has a slew of options for you to spend $1 / day if you want - to target people searching for a similar product to what you are selling.

You can also use that ad to link to an interest form you can design, or a website, etc. etc.

You can target people in specific areas, say, people living in a rich neighborhood even. You can be so specific, and the person who's wall the ad is popping up on will have no idea you targeted their neighborhood lol.

Let's say a construction business needs to pull in a few more clients. They can throw out an ad on Facebook, (or individual contractors working on commission for sales who have developed their own business page,) targeting wives of guys who need something fixed, but aren't getting around to it. Set at "Female ages 25-45" and target a specific area. The ad can guide someone to your information where they can contact you.

Depending on the business, these types of things may need to be approved to make sure they are accurate, but if you're working with a business that has a little more freedom and doesn't have a lot of rules on wording, you may pull in quite a few.

It also gets your name out there.

I was a commission only salesman for about 8 years.  I sold the best hand tools on the market.  In my experience and opinion, what you are selling definitely matters.  Before I was introduced to sales, any time I would hear a reference to a salesman, I would think of a used car salesman.  You know, dishonest, untrustworthy, pushing product on you that you really do not want.  
I bought a tool franchise in 2006 and became a commission only salesman.  I loved it.  I never felt like I was "taking" people.  I never pressured anybody to buy anything.  I developed relationships with customers because they were helping me put food on the table for my daughter.  I sold them product that directly impacted their ability to make money.  I always felt like I was helping them and providing a service.  Generally speaking, the franchise managers would tell us not to get close with customers etc because they are not our friends etc.  I learned that was bad advice.  At least in my industry.  I treated my clients how I would want to be treated.  If they wanted a product from me that I knew was poor quality or whatever, I would tell them not to buy it.  You cannot ignore a salesman that tells you not to buy their product.  

A majority of the product I sold had a "lifetime warranty".  Many franchisees hated this part of the business.  They would feel like they were spending time repairing/replacing product for free and not making any money.  That was my attitude at first because, that is what I was taught.  At some point I realized it was the wrong attitude.  I began to use every opportunity to educate, inform and sell to my customer.  A free service is only free if you do not capitalize on the opportunity it presents you.  At the very least, I could repair a ratchet and hand it back to my client with a smile.  If nothing else, it was an opportunity to help the customer realize that I am diligent and happy to uphold the service that is included in the premium price he paid for his ratchet.  Better case scenario, I plant a seed about a tool box color coming out or some hot new tool to help the mechanic get a tough job done easier/faster.  Best case scenario, while customer is standing around waiting for repair, they notice something they need or want and buy it