anyone in outside sales?

[SpeckWrangler]

just curious if anyone is in this field. I have done retail sales for quite a while and other various sales jobs but never outside.

Just curious what these companies look for etc. TIA

[Armand16]

X2 I'm looking to get into outside sales as well.

[leblanc272]

I work in outside sales and had no previous exp in sales. I was exp and knowledgeable in my field and I now sell in that field. Exp and product knowledge is what my company looks for. What I would look at when considering outside sales, is how a company trains and supports its sales force. Things change quick, and a company has to have good communication and plan for educating its staff

[SpeckWrangler]

I am really looking into go into field but I know some companies are better than others and have high turnover and low wages.

Anyone have any recommendations on companies I've seen some openings with equipment rentals etc

[southern151]

Contact simplepeddler. He knows outside sales. He may have written the book on it...

[bgizzle]

I'm In outside sales. Slangin slime! Chem sales rep. Pm me of y'all got ques

[fishinpox]

Im not in outside sales , but the majority of materials i bUy are thru an outside salesman. So maybe this will help you be successful at what you do . 99% of the time i have many options of where and who to buy the same product from i make my decision by 1) how good the salesman knows the product( troubleshooting ect) , 2) if i feel i can trust him, 3) if he bends over backwards for me and makes me feel im his most important customer, 4) tell me the truth ,dosent make promises he cant keep, 5) to me the most important he answers the phone everytime i call him and if cannot calls me back or text back promptly even on weekends/evenings. When i first started my business(s) it was all about price didnt matter who the salesman was but i found myself going crazy, overworking, running all over the place trying to track stuff down but i was gettin a good price, i couldNT see that it really was costing me money because of all my wasted time. Now i feel its worth paying a little more to recieve premium service. Now if one of my salesman quits working for a vendor i use , i follow the salesman if his service is good . Hope this helps

[barbarian]

Been in outside sales most of my career in the construction industry (commercial/residential). For the most part, industry is irrelavant. As for landing a job, the company needs to feel you are self motivating, responsible, don't need constant supervision, go-getter, very likeable. From a customers perspective, Fishinpox is right on. And a great lesson - he is always right because he is the customer. I know that can be debated, but I mean he gets to choose what is important to him. Too many salespeople and companies try and dictate what the customer needs. I know a friend who wants to take every customer deer hunting because he loves to deer hunt. Some of them have no desire what so ever to go hunting. They would prefer to spend the same money and go play Pebble Beach. The key is find out what each customer considers important and do it. Service is a lost art and it is getting more rare by the day. Give it like you care (it helps if you really do) and you will be successful. The hardest part as I get older is befriending the customers that I really don't like. Most outside sales people fail because of 2 reasons. A bad product or service or usually just plain laziness. It is easy to do because you are on your own most days, but eventually it will reveal itself. Lastly, compensation now days can vary greatly. 100% commission, 1/2 and 1/2, or 100% salary. 100% commission has more upside potential, but much more risk. You better learn how to budget and stick to it. For every double month, you are going to have a welfare month. Some companies pay commission on the sale, some pay on the collection, and some take it back if the customer doesn't pay.

[SpeckWrangler]

Good stuff guys. I have been with me current comapany for a while now an I am lookin to make a move.

I want something where I can go and get my own business and win the customer over.

Just don't even know here to start. Oilfield usually wants someone who already knows what they are selling.

There is a lot I don't know but I pick up quick. I anyone has any suggestions on where to look with no experience as far as outside sales that would be much appreciated

[LPfishnTIM]

Originally Posted by SpeckWrangler

Good stuff guys. I have been with me current comapany for a while now an I am lookin to make a move.

I want something where I can go and get my own business and win the customer over.

Just don't even know here to start. Oilfield usually wants someone who already knows what they are selling.

There is a lot I don't know but I pick up quick. I anyone has any suggestions on where to look with no experience as far as outside sales that would be much appreciated

try looking up FASTENAL, or any other fastener or bolt company, most of em go to plants and different industrial shops and sell ppe, bolts, fasteners, every tool you can think of, consumables. if it is used in industry most fastener companies will try to get in some where to sell it to them, a very competitive field between companies, and there it isn't a super complicated job.

[SpeckWrangler]

Thanks lp

[barbarian]

It can be hard to get in. If you dont know somebody then usually you have to either have experience or lots of product/ industry knowledge. So i would focus on the industry you currently work in or look for an inside sales/support job and bust it realizing it might take 2-5 years to get a shot at outside