Job offer, is it good? Expanding a store through sales

[pirer]

Hi there,

I would like to ask for advice in the following subject. I`ve been offered, from a cloth designer who owns his own local, to try an sell outside his local.His intention is to try and expand his merchandising to other neighborhoods or provinces, but always mantaining his high quality and prices so I shouldn`t enter into every store available out there. He wants to place his collection in exclusive stores.

I will get the 10% of every sale or client I get even if they start to deal directly with him afterwards. The thing is I`ve got absolutely no idea about fashion, sales or whatsoever. It`s a collection for women over 30 years wich has already made a name as high quality but isn`t as known as he would like.

Actually I`m studying bussines administration and I`ve got two years left. Hes bussines is kind of small but he has been doing this for thirty years so I think this would be a good experience for me and something I should take for a start.

I haven`t got plenty of time to work cause I`m on a full-time university. My job experiences before where in restaurants and pizza delivery. Knowing this, he told me I`ve got freedom to arrange my times for my convenience.

Me questions would be:

Could anyone give me any inside as a salesman? ( Remember I won`t be working as a salesman in the local. I would be in charge of expanding the sales ) Is the 10% ok?

What do you think of this proposal? Would you take it?

Any kind of response would be highly welcome.

Thanks in advance

pirer (sorry for the spellings but english isn`t my mother language [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] )

[BradleyT]

Just curious why this guy picked you if you have no experience in sales.

[pirer]

BradleyT,

Cause I`m a friend of his son.

Anyone with an idea on how to start?

Thanks

[funkytown]

As an Executive Recruiter, the first thing I'd do is call my attorney and have your guy checked out. It'll cost you $500 or so, and will probably save you money when it's all said and done.

Also, I recommend you buying the book "How to Master the Art of Sales" by Tom Hopkins. It's the salesmans bible. I do wonder if this 10% is for repeat orders or just for your first closing and bringing in the account. Money makes people strang my friend. If you start to make it for this guy, be very careful and get everything you do in writing.

Good Luck

[Ben_Grimm]

Im no expert, but to me you sound extremely unqualified in every way. You have no experience or formal training and you seem to have a lot of restrictions on your time. I think you should be doing this job about as much as I should be president of the united states.

-Grimm

[pirer]

funkytown,
Thanks for the advice on the book I^ll check it. The 10% is on every sale I make. I`ve already told the guy I would do this for a couple of weeks and will see later how we are going. Is this 10 % ok? What would you recommend to do?

President Grimm, any ideas?

Thanks

[elus2]

Pirer,

The contacts and experience it gives you will easily make up for being paid below industry standards. That said I don't know what sales for clothing manufacturers usually get.

I worked for a few manufacturing companies in the power industry and they made only a couple % on each sale but that was for bigger ticket items that required heavy amounts of r&d and labor to create. Their contracts would be a minimum of $20k to a few million dollars.

[maxtower]

I wouldn't take any sales job without a base salary. You don't have any experience.

[pirer]

maxtower, you have a point there but, as well as elus2, I also think that the experience I`ll get there would pay for itself.

How would you guys plan your sales? I mean? What should I try to do, start introducing the product in every good store I see or should I aim for a big buyer?

Thanks

[Emperor]

Zig Ziglar started selling when he was in the womb. Experience isn't a requirement to selling.
Selling is.

I'd suggest watching some salesman movies, Glengarry Glenross, and Boiler Room to start. These will show some things not to do, and some things to do. :P

Google is your friend, you can learn a lot about sales on the net.

Base salary? I have never had a base salary in sales. I have had deals ranging from 50% of gross profit margin to 8% of revenue based on prices set by the owner.

Sell some, see if it is worth it. If not renegotiate.