Outside sales. Who does it and what do you sell

[Buddy]

Who is in outside sales, what do you sell, and is there good money in outside sales?]

 

[BONER]

Me. I sell Office Technology. Phone Systems, Copiers / Printers, and IT Management. I came from the Car Biz.

Outside Sales is not just Sales. It's being an information gatherer, a Prospector, a Consultant, an Account Manager, a Problem Solver, and being dialed in on your follow up and Customer Sevice, understanding and knowing Contracts, etc. If you're good, you'll be a true Businessman.

I've heard alot of references towards outside Sales and this one is my favorite, "Outside Sales is the easiest $300k/yr Job, or the hardest $40k/yr Job on Earth".

The Money is there. I've tasted it, and I've seen it roll through the building on various deals that weren't mine. My 2 year Anniversary was July 5. I'm told it takes 5 years to get your Model really tuned in, efficient, and start clocking those big Accounts.

What Industry are you headed to?

 

[Bullet28]

I work for a Steel Service Center and Fabrication Company where our focus is fabrication. I have been in outside sales for the last 10 years of my 43 years working for the same company. I specialize in field measures. The company has taken good care of me and no commission as I have held many inside management positions over the years.

 

[riverbrian]

Building Materials.
I am a regional manager, but it has always provided for my family. I have been in the industry since I was 13/14 it’s all I know.

 

[sirbob]

Medical devices - great living

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I’m in Technical Sales for an IT integrator. I sell enterprise IT hardware and software solutions, cloud and business transformation services, staff augmentation, IT asset leasing and other creative finance options.

I’ve had outside sales roles for the last 10 years or so.

 

[ltbaney1]

Cutting tools, more specifically machine shop tooling. I have a mix of large aerospace and smaller 1-10 man shops. Good money, but you have to have to be able to trouble shoot and fix problems on the fly with customers staring at you every now and then. Before i worked sales i was a machinist.

 

[Floatin']

Cardboard Boxes

 

[sirbob]

Cardboard Boxes

I went to the Monaco Grand Prix with a guy that owned a cardboard box company - man was there money in that business !

 

[HBCraig]

I am a regional manager for a crane manufacturer
I sell things like this

 

[Uncle Dave]

Currently VP of global sales at an American company that sells TV/ film equipment.

Outside sales - the last frontier where all you have to do is be good at it - no degree needed in anything, and a a degree in anything means nothing.
Its also mostly fungible meaning if you are good over here- you almost always be good over there.....

A good gig at a hot and growing company can set you up for life- or you can do everything right and utterly fail.

Aside from a few starter jobs all I hav ever done is sell things starting retail, b2b inside sales, then working to outside sales, to a manufacturers rep, then to a manager, then a VP. I was a MOP at 30 from selling high ticket items.

Most of my guys clear 200K every year with sane work and travel hours. Its work though.

"Sales guy" stigma is a uniquely retail thing - a pro sales guy/ gal is every clients friend and trusted advisor.
You are basically an information broker and key to expidited company resources.

UD

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

Medical devices - great living

Id like to pick your brain about that line of work, I have been in the field as a medic for the past 14 years, I always thought about device sales for a part time or supplemental job to break up the monotony of running the same calls over and over again

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[DrunkenSailor]

My sis in law works for cintas and is doing pretty well.

 

[WhatExit?]

Sales / business development my entire career

I'm Regional Sales Manager selling custom metal components (precision die castings and MIM - Metal Injection Molded parts) for a global company. I'm in the top 5 globally in sales for the past 2 years.

We have many plants in NA and around the world including a 110,000 SF die casting plant in Lake Forest, CA! You may have driven by it and didn't know there are 80 die casting machines inside.

Selling to companies is the way to go. I've had some experience selling to the public - never again!

You need to work hard, work smart and be persistent - you have to like working with people (internally and externally) and that's just for starters.

 

[HavaToon]

I’m a strategic account manager for medical imaging devices, software and contrast for the largest player in the market. I only have 5 accounts but they total big $$$$ in annual spend, so they need lots of attention. I also have a team of sales reps that sell at the local level.

Best term I’ve ever heard for a good outside salesman is a “broker of resources”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lake p.a.l.]

I sell e-ride electric trucks and golf carts

 

[BONER]

Currently VP of global sales at an American company that sells TV/ film equipment.

Outside sales - the last frontier where all you have to do is be good at it - no degree needed in anything, and a a degree in anything means nothing.
Its also mostly fungible meaning if you are good over here- you almost always be good over there.....

A good gig at a hot and growing company can set you up for life- or you can do everything right and utterly fail.

Aside from a few starter jobs all I hav ever done is sell things starting retail, b2b inside sales, then working to outside sales, to a manufacturers rep, then to a manager, then a VP. I was a MOP at 30 from selling high ticket items.

Most of my guys clear 200K every year with sane work and travel hours. Its work though.

"Sales guy" stigma is a uniquely retail thing - a pro sales guy/ gal is every clients friend and trusted advisor.
You are basically an information broker and key to expidited company resources.

UD

Great Post.

Another thing I forgot to mention is Time Management. Time is my biggest Enemy.

I honestly couldn't be happier and am bummed I didn't find this Career 10-15 years ago. It really has changed my Life. Lots of mirror checks, lots of self reflection, and always adapting and evolving. Gotta dig. Gotta grind. On the gas!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

"Sales guy" stigma is a uniquely retail thing - a pro sales guy/ gal is every clients friend and trusted advisor.
You are basically an information broker and key to expidited company resources.

UD

This 1000%

And add 15% babysitter.

 

[Xring01]

I have been a Manufacturers Rep for over 20 years.
Outside sales is not a job, its a way of life. Its not for all people. The above pics are of a Huge Power Transformer that I sold to a SoCal Utility. Shipping weight was about 350,000lbs, fully assembled weight is closer to 600,000lbs, and will more than double in size once we put it all together.

Its not 40 hours per week, not at all, closer to 60 on average. I am up at 5:30am... typically doing last minute emails as I go to bed at 11pm....

Its not 9-5,
Sometimes your schedule is your bitch, and sometimes your its bitch, why because your job is to take customer service to a higher level than your competitors. That happens after hours and weekend, and anniversaries, B Days, Deaths, Vacations. Please ask me how I know.

Yes there is $$$, but you will earn every penny. Its not easy money. A few years ago, I looked at my deleted email folder... deleted it down to the last 12 months... I had 25,000 emails in 12 months. Thats not spam, or junk... those where permanently deleted... Thats a typical year for me. When you are on the road, you still have to do those emails before your on the road, or after you get home...

Even when I am on vacation, I still do a minimum of 2 hours per day on emails, and take most phone calls... So vacations are not true vacations... Ask my wife about that... uggg.... I feel an ass chewing coming... my vacay starts this weekend...

So you better like to work, long hours, lots of travel, and be very flexible with your time.

There are alot of positives...
You make money when you entertain customers.. like boating trips, golf, bars, restaurants, Super cross, football, and on and on...
Its requires you to get out of the office... outside sales, means going to see the customers... I am not an office guy...
For me: The best part is helping people solve real world problems, which helps them grow there business, which helps you grow your business/income. Believe it or not, that has alot of job satisfaction. Basically just helping your customers solve there problems. IF your not solving there problems, then you will not be making money, your competitors are...

Do a google search for MRERF - CSP and CPMR training... I am certified on both.. I highly recommend CSP for anyone getting started, and CPMR after you have 3-5 years under your belt...

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Great Post.

Another thing I forgot to mention is Time Management. Time is my biggest Enemy.

Jesus, no kidding. I could work 10 hours less per week, or spend 10 more hours selling if the internal back end processes I have to deal with were streamlined.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Currently VP of global sales at an American company that sells TV/ film equipment.

Outside sales - the last frontier where all you have to do is be good at it - no degree needed in anything, and a a degree in anything means nothing.
Its also mostly fungible meaning if you are good over here- you almost always be good over there.....

A good gig at a hot and growing company can set you up for life- or you can do everything right and utterly fail.

Aside from a few starter jobs all I hav ever done is sell things starting retail, b2b inside sales, then working to outside sales, to a manufacturers rep, then to a manager, then a VP. I was a MOP at 30 from selling high ticket items.

Most of my guys clear 200K every year with sane work and travel hours. Its work though.

"Sales guy" stigma is a uniquely retail thing - a pro sales guy/ gal is every clients friend and trusted advisor.
You are basically an information broker and key to expidited company resources.

UD

UD -

Do you sell actual film equipment - cameras, etc, or systems for editing, rendering, video capture, etc? Or Yes?

 

[Uncle Dave]

Great Post.

Another thing I forgot to mention is Time Management. Time is my biggest Enemy.

Time.... it's really all we have.

Its every sales pros nemesis.

Guys working for public companies live their lives in 90 day cycles. (make the quarter)
Guys working at small companies live in 30 days cycles trying to beat last years month.

You know this but guys that are new to the gigs have a hard time understanding the hallmark of a pro isn't simply selling - it's forecasting what he's going to sell and when- then hitting it.

I've gone back and forth between high dollar items 500K-2.M+ and little items 500-15K- but 10K a month of them.

When a 1.5M sale slides from one quarter to the next its not usually possible to make up the slip.

UD

 

[ChumpChange]

I sell money. It's like no other product. I have to find people that want my money and then I have to sell my financial institution on why we should give them money. Fortunately I've been pretty good at it. It's more like being an adviser to their businesses.

 

[Uncle Dave]

UD -

Do you sell actual film equipment - cameras, etc, or systems for editing, rendering, video capture, etc? Or Yes?

Kind of like 3M - we sell the components that make all that stuff work.

www.aja.com

UD

 

[milkmoney]

I sell free subscriptions to rdp ...

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[Xring01]

"Sales guy" stigma is a uniquely retail thing - a pro sales guy/ gal is every clients friend and trusted advisor.
You are basically an information broker and key to expidited company resources.

UD

He is correct on this.
If your customers think of you as a Salesman, you have already lost that customer..

My Customers.. honestly are not my customers, they are my friends.

It doesnt start out that way, but a Pro Salesman, develops that relationship. I know my customers wife's or husband's name, their kids names- genders/sports they play, where they vacation, hobbies, interests, sports they watch, charity's, dog or cat person, religion, vegetarian, etc etc etc.

Once you get to know people at that level, then when they have a problem and come to you, then you have a problem and want to help them. And you drop everything you can, and help them solve that problem... by the way, you just made $$$.

When you get to that level its not sales, truly it isnt. Its business management, and your business partners happen to be your friends. And you are looking forward to taking them fishing on San Diego bay next week... ohh by the way your son/daughter better be there, its time for him to catch his first fish....

Thats the difference between a used car salesman and a PRO.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Time.... it's really all we have.

Its every sales pros nemesis.

Guys working for public companies live their lives in 90 day cycles. (make the quarter)
Guys working at small companies live in 30 days cycles trying to beat last years month.

You know this but guys that are new to the gigs have a hard time understanding the hallmark of a pro isn't simply selling - it's forecasting what he's going to sell and when- then hitting it.

I've gone back and forth between high dollar items 500K-2.M+ and little items 500-15K- but 10K a month of them.

When a 1.5M sale slides from one quarter to the next its not usually possible to make up the slip.

UD

My VP of national sales says "Execution is a discipline, not an event." at the end of every call.

 

[sirbob]

He is correct on this.
If your customers think of you as a Salesman, you have already lost that customer..

My Customers.. honestly are not my customers, they are my friends.

It doesnt start out that way, but a Pro Salesman, develops that relationship. I know my customers wife's or husband's name, their kids names- genders/sports they play, where they vacation, hobbies, interests, sports they watch, charity's, dog or cat person, religion, vegetarian, etc etc etc.

Once you get to know people at that level, then when they have a problem and come to you, then you have a problem and want to help them. And you drop everything you can, and help them solve that problem... by the way, you just made $$$.

When you get to that level its not sales, truly it isnt. Its business management, and your business partners happen to be your friends. And you are looking forward to taking them fishing on San Diego bay next week... ohh by the way your son/daughter better be there, its time for him to catch his first fish....

Thats the difference between a used car salesman and a PRO.

The Harvey McKay method !

Book - How to swim with the sharks without getting eaten.

66 question every sales person should know the answers to.

 

[HBCraig]

I’m a strategic account manager for medical imaging devices, software and contrast for the largest player in the market. I only have 5 accounts but they total big $$$$ in annual spend, so they need lots of attention. I also have a team of sales reps that sell at the local level.

Best term I’ve ever heard for a good outside salesman is a “broker of resources”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting. A buddy of mine is a VP for Fuji film. His guys sell imaging, software, etc

 

[Uncle Dave]

My VP of national sales says "Execution is a discipline, not an event." at the end of every call.

He's right.

It's one thing to say that.

Actually transferring knowledge and best practices to your team to do that - is a lot harder than saying it.

VP's / Sales "managers" come in all sorts of - from peter principled "fredos" that read a book - to genuine talented leaders that grow their teams skills and improve organizations by transferring learned skills techniques and knowledge.

I've had everything in the spectrum.

UD

 

[Uncle Dave]

Medical devices - great living

GREAT vertical.

We're in the market now as an OEM partner for some big companies - Kaypentax, Karl Storz, and DaVinci, Endochoice

Were definitely investing in this space - well be at RSNA for the first time this December.

UD

 

[ArizonaKevin]

I work at a lot smaller scale than most of you on here but I am an outside sales rep for Liberty Mutual insurance doing auto, home, and life in AZ and CA. Definitely a constant grind and it was difficult to adjust to the weekly turn. You can kill it one week and be on top of the world, shit the bed next week and be public enemy #1

 

[Xring01]

The Harvey McKay method !

Book - How to swim with the sharks without getting eaten.

66 question every sales person should know the answers to.

I will look this up... havent read it.

 

[Uncle Dave]

He is correct on this.
If your customers think of you as a Salesman, you have already lost that customer..

My Customers.. honestly are not my customers, they are my friends.

It doesn't start out that way, but a Pro Salesman, develops that relationship. I know my customers wife's or husband's name, their kids names- genders/sports they play, where they vacation, hobbies, interests, sports they watch, charity's, dog or cat person, religion, vegetarian, etc etc etc.

Once you get to know people at that level, then when they have a problem and come to you, then you have a problem and want to help them. And you drop everything you can, and help them solve that problem... by the way, you just made $$$.

When you get to that level its not sales, truly it isnt. Its business management, and your business partners happen to be your friends. And you are looking forward to taking them fishing on San Diego bay next week... ohh by the way your son/daughter better be there, its time for him to catch his first fish....

Thats the difference between a used car salesman and a PRO.

So true.
A great number of my clients are also good friends.
I've lost count the number of lifelong friends the profession has allowed me to come into contact with.
I spent fathers day weekend in Havasu with my buddies from NBC.

I dont so much have a problem with car sales guys because of their chosen vertical
I have a problem with them because are so bad at what they do they drag down the whole profession.
Its rare they even know their own product.

UD

 

[Cdog]

Interesting thread. I've been in Real Estate for almost 20 years now. Residential and commercial. I've been offered sales positions here and there by customers and people I run across. Latest one is an aftermarket OEM wheel company. I'm always open to new opportunities. I tend to be a relationship person and enjoy the on going friendship and value I can provide. It's hard to do that in real estate though.

I did sell two homes (One in California & one in Phoenix) from Austria this week.

 

[BONER]

Time.... it's really all we have.

Its every sales pros nemesis.

Guys working for public companies live their lives in 90 day cycles. (make the quarter)
Guys working at small companies live in 30 days cycles trying to beat last years month.

You know this but guys that are new to the gigs have a hard time understanding the hallmark of a pro isn't simply selling - it's forecasting what he's going to sell and when- then hitting it.

I've gone back and forth between high dollar items 500K-2.M+ and little items 500-15K- but 10K a month of them.

When a 1.5M sale slides from one quarter to the next its not usually possible to make up the slip.

UD

Yessir! This is a Pipeline / Funnel Business. I'll take any deal I can get my hands on because I'm building my Business. Of course we always want those "Thumpers" and Whale Account / Deals, but what I've learned is all of that low hanging fruit ( small deals ) pay the Bills. The big ones that take time and skill, buy you the Trucks and Boats.

 

[Xring01]

So true.
A great number of my clients are also good friends.
I've lost count the number of lifelong friends the profession has allowed me to come into contact with.
I spent fathers day weekend in Havasu with my buddies from NBC.

I dont so much have a problem with car sales guys because of their chosen vertical
I have a problem with them because are so bad at what they do they drag down the whole profession.
Its rare they even know their own product.

UD

Small world, I have worked with NBC Universal..
Provided the majority of the big equipment inside their substation, that powers NBC Universal. We do alot of the annual maintenance in that substation for them. They do not have the internal resources for that kind of work.

 

[BONER]

Interesting thread. I've been in Real Estate for almost 20 years now. Residential and commercial. I've been offered sales positions here and there by customers and people I run across. Latest one is an aftermarket OEM wheel company. I'm always open to new opportunities. I tend to be a relationship person and enjoy the on going friendship and value I can provide. It's hard to do that in real estate though.

I did sell two homes (One is California & one is Phoenix) from Austria this week.

We're always looking for good Sales Guys. Like I was saying when we texting a few weeks ago, let's do lunch sometime.

 

[Nordie]

I always thought being a good outside sales person was. Be a good golfer and at swiping credit cards...but I am just construction scum...

 

[Xring01]

I always thought being a good outside sales person was. Be a good golfer and at swiping credit cards...but I am just construction scum...

Yep, thats all we do...
Well not all, we do have to drink alot beer with customers also....
Its suxs, but someone has to do it... might as well be me...

IF IT WAS ONLY THAT SIMPLE... I would be a billionaire by now.
I would love to know how much money I have spent on bar tabs in the last 20 years... thats a very very large number

 

[rivrrts429]

I’m a sales manager for a construction rental equipment company. It’s an awesome ride but agreed it’s a lifestyle. It’s the families lifestyle too.

My wife has learned to deal with it. Vacations are just you being able to work wherever you want lol

I can’t sit still in one place very long so Sales just works for me. I’m up every morning by 4am and wrapping up emails by 10pm and enjoy every minute of it.

 

[Nordie]

Yep, thats all we do...
Well not all, we do have to drink alot beer with customers also....
Its suxs, but someone has to do it... might as well be me...

IF IT WAS ONLY THAT SIMPLE... I would be a billionaire by now.

The credit card swiping is a reference to lunch and copious amounts of beer consumed. I really do believe it's more than I said, but I know for a fact that I am not wrong about the golf part. I've actually always been interested in outside sales, but never pursued it.

 

[Cdog]

We're always looking for good Sales Guys. Like I was saying when we texting a few weeks ago, let's do lunch sometime.

I've got a couple of busy weeks ahead of me. I'm flying somewhere over the Great Lakes currently. August/September I'll take you up on that. Cheers!

 

[Xring01]

The credit card swiping is a reference to lunch and copious amounts of beer consumed. I really do believe it's more than I said, but I know for a fact that I am not wrong about the golf part. I've actually always been interested in outside sales, but never pursued it.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...... but in my industry.... golf is practically no more...
20 years ago... I was evaluated on how many rounds of golf I took customers to per month... 4x or more was awesome, 3x was good... 2x was bad and I was calibrated.

Today, most Millennials dont play, more senior guys just dont have the time.

I honestly play about 1/year lately, and thats is with the same friend/customer, and it typically on a 3 day weekend... Say monday on memorial day... something to that effect...

But thats my industry, not all are the same...

 

[Nordie]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...... but in my industry.... golf is practically no more...
20 years ago... I was evaluated on how many rounds of golf I took customers to per month... 3x was good... 2x was bad and I was calibrated.

Today, Millennials dont plan, more senior guys, just dont have the time.

I honestly play about 1/year lately, and thats is with the same customer, and it typically on a 3 day weekend... Say monday on memorial day... something to that effect...

But thats my industry, not all are the same...

So you're saying there is a chance for me, I've never played golf before, but I do drink beer

 

[BONER]

He is correct on this.
If your customers think of you as a Salesman, you have already lost that customer..

My Customers.. honestly are not my customers, they are my friends.

It doesnt start out that way, but a Pro Salesman, develops that relationship. I know my customers wife's or husband's name, their kids names- genders/sports they play, where they vacation, hobbies, interests, sports they watch, charity's, dog or cat person, religion, vegetarian, etc etc etc.

Once you get to know people at that level, then when they have a problem and come to you, then you have a problem and want to help them. And you drop everything you can, and help them solve that problem... by the way, you just made $$$.

When you get to that level its not sales, truly it isnt. Its business management, and your business partners happen to be your friends. And you are looking forward to taking them fishing on San Diego bay next week... ohh by the way your son/daughter better be there, its time for him to catch his first fish....

Thats the difference between a used car salesman and a PRO.

So I'm seeing this transition in my personal Career. I landed the Business being fresh in the Industry " a sales guy", to solving their problems and being Johnny On The Spot with Account Management. People want to be taken care of and want their Solutions managed by me, because they have other shit to do. This has built numerous Relationships for me and the Referrals are starting to come in. In my slower Accounts that don't many issues, I'm in their face or on the phone with them every 3 or 4 Months. Business is extremely hard to win for me and I'll be damned if I'm going to lose one of my Accounts over something that I can control. A shitty "Sales Guy" gets the Ink and disappears like Kaiser Sose. Lol

 

[BONER]

I've got a couple of busy weeks ahead of me. I'm flying somewhere over the Great Lakes currently. August/September I'll take you up on that. Cheers!

No rush. I / We will still be here, for sure!

 

[HavaToon]

Interesting. A buddy of mine is a VP for Fuji film. His guys sell imaging, software, etc

I work for Bayer Radiology, have some friends at Fuji as well. Hell I have friends at just about every major medical device company...it’s a huge small industry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Uncle Dave]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...... but in my industry.... golf is practically no more...
20 years ago... I was evaluated on how many rounds of golf I took customers to per month... 4x or more was awesome, 3x was good... 2x was bad and I was calibrated.

Today, Millennials dont plan, more senior guys, just dont have the time.

I honestly play about 1/year lately, and thats is with the same friend/customer, and it typically on a 3 day weekend... Say monday on memorial day... something to that effect...

But thats my industry, not all are the same...

Last game of golf I played for business was in 2008.



UD

 

[OutCole'd]

I sell trim in Vegas.