Consider being an independent sales rep.

Many of you may have been laid off, or are working for a company that’s in trouble. You have an entrepreneurial streak, or at least think you do, otherwise you would not be visiting this site. You’ve acquired a lot of knowledge of your industry, know a lot of key players in your line of work.

I say you have all the tools to excel as an independent sales rep.

Why go through the hassle of working for another company when you can call the shots and work for more than one company, perhaps dozens?

Look at it from the standpoint of these companies too in this economy: Why would they want to spend tens of thousands of dollars in training and benefits to expand their sales force, when they can pay commission-only for an outsider (you) who can hit the ground running and bring in accounts they may not have had before, or even heard of?

Being an independent rep can be tough, as any work-from-home career can be. Consider these aspects of pursuing this career choice:

• The best reps often work from home and you’ll save a good deal of money doing so if you have some extra room or space to dedicate.
• You can, and should, use your knowledge, skills and contacts acquired through your years dedicated to your career and industry. Being an indie rep isn't an entry-level position; do get experience under your belt and work up a sizeable Rolodex for your particular field. And don't burn bridges! As for myself, I worked in my industry (in retail, purchasing and warehousing) about eight years before becoming an independent sales rep. Experience other than sales served me well to empathize with my accounts—better than having a strictly sales oriented background, by the way.
• You won't require much overhead in supplying yourself with tools of the trade--computer, copy machine, phones, fax, a decent car...most of this stuff you probably already own or can easily afford.
• You can start small and keep working your way up. Take a part-time job in retail or some service industry if you've been laid off, and then work on getting a few lines into some accounts you have established contacts with...next thing you know, you have some more customer contacts, then more lines to sell…and by this time you’ve quit working that part-time retail job and are close to making six figures as an indie rep…see how it works?

What are the advantages of being independent vs. being an in-house sales rep working for one company? Some advantages were touched upon above, and again, if you’re visiting this site, odds are you have an entrepreneurial/independent mindset anyway. If you’re still wondering “Why chance it by going independent?”, the three main reasons are:

1. Money—many reps may take a while getting started, but after a year or so they are making far more money than they would have working for someone else. And you have no limits—sell as many lines as you can, expand your territory as much as can be allowed…find new accounts overseas on your next trip out of the country, etc. Most independent reps average from high five-figure to six-figure incomes.
2. Freedom-which was alluded to in the last point. Some vendors you represent may impose some rules on you…but then you can rep many other vendors who don’t. You don’t necessarily have to limit yourself to one kind of product—pick up related products your customers will find a need for. While you can juggle your schedule to satisfy personal needs and wants, this doesn’t mean an independent rep can goof off. You’ll put in the work hours that gets the job done just as any work-from-home entrepreneur will. But if one line fires you, you have many others, and can always look for more.
3. Vindication—for lack of a better word. Newer reps often feel a sense of accomplishment that comes from proving to themselves and others that they can go it alone and be successful at it. This feeling of success often feeds upon itself and grows, leading to more success. How many times have you heard of a sales professional working for one company who reaches a certain level and then has his territory reduced in size, or has a plum account transferred to being a “house” account? If anything like this occurs with an independent rep, he can just turn around and sell a competing line to that plum account, right?

More small- to mid-sized companies are going to have to look at the option of using independent reps to supplement their sales force. Regulations like minimum wage, benefits packages, and other entitlements… our government seems to think all companies have money growing on trees in never-ending supply. This will make it tough for companies to hire and train new sales personnel. Outsourcing will become more common in all aspects, even sales. That’s where you become of value.

Put the knowledge you have of your industry to use, and become an independent sales rep. The future will need the expertise and objectivity of good middlemen in B2B situations, and rewards will be there for the best of them.

---William Cornell

Mr Cornell has been an independent sales rep for more than 20 years, serving the licensing/entertainment/fashion industries. He is the author of the book The Independent Sales Rep available on Amazon.com