Sales Rep's

MP818
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132
Joined
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Location
Grand Prairie, TX US
Edited Date/Time 2/25/2015 12:46pm
How does one become a sales rep for some of the top companies? It has always been something I was interested in.
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moscrop940
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1078
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4/20/2010
Location
Temecula, CA US
2/24/2015 12:40pm
MP818 wrote:
How does one become a sales rep for some of the top companies? It has always been something I was interested in.
Outside or inside?

If you really want to get some info you can send me an email. I have some family that is in the industry.

ryno9401@aol.dom
MP818
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132
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Location
Grand Prairie, TX US
2/24/2015 12:58pm
Email sent, thank you!
KTMShane699
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Colchester, CT US
2/24/2015 1:53pm
Usually you start off by working at a shop or spending a lot of time at the races to build connections. It's really all about networking. And once you have a network, you'll find it much easier to get your foot in the door as a rep, or to get your product into shops.

Start at the bottom. And work your way up. Learn how a shop works. Then you'll understand what to offer your different shops to make your product work for them. Without the understanding of the industry and how a shop works (hint: it's not really like people here tend to think it is), you'll be far more effective as a rep.

Shane
mgifracing
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1523
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1/25/2007
Location
Newton, KS US
Fantasy
357th
2/24/2015 2:16pm
Good advice there Shane, I'm waiting on my parts unlimited rep to retire myself. MP818, I was a WPS/Fly rep for a couple of years and sometimes it's not all that its cracked up to be, especially when most dealers are fighting hard to compete with the online game. If you can find a good company, Good luck and Go for it.

The Shop

LoudLove
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1751
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7/16/2010
Location
US
2/24/2015 2:27pm
Step 1: find a sales job. Any sales job. That experience will pay huge dividends, because understanding how to sell is your most important skill. Your resume must demonstrate your potential value to the employer, and a track record of sales will separate you from the legions of moto-dudes wanting an industry gig.

Step 2: start engaging companies in your chosen field. Simply establishing contacts and putting yourself on the radar will build momentum. And people are more likely to respond if you're not looking for anything from them (like a job).

Step 3: Be successful at your sales job. Sure, it might not be your dream position, but success is translatable and transferable.

Step 4: Be professional. Always. From your first phone call, to your resume, to your appearance. Sure, tattoos, piercings, and Fox t-shirts might seem cool to your average 17 year old, but employers want people they can trust. So hide the tats, ditch the piercings, and wear something with a collar. Basically, dress like you're going to church with grandma. Sounds silly, but the goal is to keep red flags to a minimum.

Hope this helps...
TeamGreen
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Thru-out, CA US
2/24/2015 4:17pm
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
Jarid332
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Somewhere north of Toronto CA
Fantasy
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2/24/2015 5:17pm
Know you product and how it functions.
MX Culture
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3104
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6/19/2009
Location
Lake Geneva, WI US
2/24/2015 5:27pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
That's not correct.
The sleeve isn't needed.
I've been a rep for 19 years.
Plenty of hats and socks and 35" tires but no sleeves here.
Spooner
Posts
1932
Joined
1/8/2011
Location
Kansas City, MO US
2/24/2015 5:42pm
mgifracing wrote:
Good advice there Shane, I'm waiting on my parts unlimited rep to retire myself. MP818, I was a WPS/Fly rep for a couple of years and...
Good advice there Shane, I'm waiting on my parts unlimited rep to retire myself. MP818, I was a WPS/Fly rep for a couple of years and sometimes it's not all that its cracked up to be, especially when most dealers are fighting hard to compete with the online game. If you can find a good company, Good luck and Go for it.
Ha! Curly is never going to retire!

I'm a PU rep in Kansas City and some good advice here. Really its like most jobs, a lot of it is knowing the right people. Shop experience is pretty much a must IMO as well.
Huckster
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2572
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Location
Woodstock , NY US
2/24/2015 5:45pm
seth505 wrote:
Be an ex pro rider
Or mechanic. If you work for the right company it's a great job. Not so much if it's not. Like ALL sales jobs! you are as good as you #'s and next months goals. Really IMHO, sales guys are a necessary evil to most companies in this industry no matter what they tell you at the annual sales mtg.
KTMShane699
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1307
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Location
Colchester, CT US
2/24/2015 5:50pm
seth505 wrote:
Be an ex pro rider
I actually disagree with this statement. People who work in shops tend to be less enchanted by someone's "pro" experience. Just because they can ride a motorcycle well doesn't mean that they're going to be good at selling product. Ex-pro's (and current one's) are just normal people who ride a motorcycle fast. It doesn't translate to real world skills.

Shane
TeamGreen
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29097
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Location
Thru-out, CA US
2/24/2015 6:11pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
MX Culture wrote:
That's not correct.
The sleeve isn't needed.
I've been a rep for 19 years.
Plenty of hats and socks and 35" tires but no sleeves here.
Yo, Bro!

Where do you roll?
526
Posts
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5/4/2009
Location
Colgate, WI US
2/24/2015 7:34pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
6" Lift in front 4" in the rear !!!
seth505
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SD, CA US
Fantasy
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2/24/2015 9:04pm Edited Date/Time 2/24/2015 9:05pm
seth505 wrote:
Be an ex pro rider
I actually disagree with this statement. People who work in shops tend to be less enchanted by someone's "pro" experience. Just because they can ride a...
I actually disagree with this statement. People who work in shops tend to be less enchanted by someone's "pro" experience. Just because they can ride a motorcycle well doesn't mean that they're going to be good at selling product. Ex-pro's (and current one's) are just normal people who ride a motorcycle fast. It doesn't translate to real world skills.

Shane
I was just kind of poking fun at the part of the industry that does hire ex rider for position the aren't good at. I actually think your original advice was best haha
Racerx930
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Stillwater, OK US
2/24/2015 10:24pm
mgifracing wrote:
Good advice there Shane, I'm waiting on my parts unlimited rep to retire myself. MP818, I was a WPS/Fly rep for a couple of years and...
Good advice there Shane, I'm waiting on my parts unlimited rep to retire myself. MP818, I was a WPS/Fly rep for a couple of years and sometimes it's not all that its cracked up to be, especially when most dealers are fighting hard to compete with the online game. If you can find a good company, Good luck and Go for it.
Spooner wrote:
Ha! Curly is never going to retire! I'm a PU rep in Kansas City and some good advice here. Really its like most jobs, a lot...
Ha! Curly is never going to retire!

I'm a PU rep in Kansas City and some good advice here. Really its like most jobs, a lot of it is knowing the right people. Shop experience is pretty much a must IMO as well.
Someone just told me the other day that Curly was retiring.
KTMShane699
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1307
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Location
Colchester, CT US
2/25/2015 3:09am
seth505 wrote:
I was just kind of poking fun at the part of the industry that does hire ex rider for position the aren't good at. I actually...
I was just kind of poking fun at the part of the industry that does hire ex rider for position the aren't good at. I actually think your original advice was best haha
My apologies. I couldn't tell you weren't serious.

Shane
mxdude105
Posts
628
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12/5/2011
Location
MD US
2/25/2015 3:31am
mehow2g wrote:
Sell your soul.
This. I worked in sales for a while before going back to school.

Are you prepared to do and say whatever you have to in order to close a deal? No matter how much of a doucher it makes you look/feel like? Yes? That's a start.
Spooner
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Kansas City, MO US
2/25/2015 4:36am
Racerx930 wrote:
Someone just told me the other day that Curly was retiring.
I saw him last weekend and he didn't mention anything. It was just funny seeing you post about it since we always joke about him retiring so us surrounding reps can take parts of his territory.
Loftin79
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5/22/2012
Location
OK US
2/25/2015 5:50am
I'm trying to find the same type of gig right now. I've got 14 years dealership experience but those jobs are hard to get because the reps now just never leave.
huck
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Location
Mountain Home, AR US
2/25/2015 5:52am
TeamGreen wrote:
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
526 wrote:
6" Lift in front 4" in the rear !!!
Gotta look 'baja', bro!
IWreckALot
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8677
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Fort Worth, TX US
2/25/2015 5:57am
mehow2g wrote:
Sell your soul.
mxdude105 wrote:
This. I worked in sales for a while before going back to school. Are you prepared to do and say whatever you have to in order...
This. I worked in sales for a while before going back to school.

Are you prepared to do and say whatever you have to in order to close a deal? No matter how much of a doucher it makes you look/feel like? Yes? That's a start.
Ha. Pretty true. I used to work close with sales reps and some of the stories our clients would come to me with were unbelievable.

I blame it on the guys in charge of the sales reps. They set borderline unattainable goals and start applying disciplinary actions if and when the goals aren't met. Meet your quota? The quota gets increased. . .

If there is a need for the product in the market place, it'll sell. If there's not, sales reps are forced to oversell the product.

My advice is to find a company with a unique product line. Pretty difficult in this sport, but worth the extra hard work to get involved with.
Trav138
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1472
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3/8/2012
Location
PA US
2/25/2015 6:29am Edited Date/Time 2/25/2015 6:29am
sell pharmaceuticals instead..... Thank me later
mgifracing
Posts
1523
Joined
1/25/2007
Location
Newton, KS US
Fantasy
357th
2/25/2015 7:15am
Spooner wrote:
I saw him last weekend and he didn't mention anything. It was just funny seeing you post about it since we always joke about him retiring...
I saw him last weekend and he didn't mention anything. It was just funny seeing you post about it since we always joke about him retiring so us surrounding reps can take parts of his territory.
Spooner:I have to believe you're right about Curly taking his PU catalogs to his grave. He and my dad worked together back in the 70's (My pops is the castle rep)at Cycle parts distributing. I can at least hope. You and I probably know each other. I have talked to John in Janesville and it does sound like his territory will get rearranged if he ever retires.
TomZ
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Location
West Bloomfield, MI US
Fantasy
4428th
2/25/2015 7:39am
TeamGreen wrote:
Flat Bill

Black Sox pulled knee hi with black shorts.

Full SizeTruck, lifted w/ 35s.

Carey Hart starter kit: minimum, 1 sleeve.
MX Culture wrote:
That's not correct.
The sleeve isn't needed.
I've been a rep for 19 years.
Plenty of hats and socks and 35" tires but no sleeves here.
You are cool so you can get by without the sleeve..........plus you have a great voice.

The average guy needs all the advantages he/she can get.

DD....you have worked as hard as anyone for as long as I can remember.

I wonder how many events we have seen each other at over the years ? .
TailSoHard
Posts
1657
Joined
10/18/2014
Location
Beer City, MI US
2/25/2015 8:07am
I'd check malakye.com every once in awhile to see what's out there for industry jobs

Or go apply to be a rep for Arctic Cat. They could use the help IMO lol

Seriously though, being a independent rep would be a decent route to go too. Then you can somewhat pick which brands you would like to represent. Lots of shows and travelling though, plus the pay-schedule is pretty out-of-whack sometimes. For example, you'll fill your snow-orders in February/March for the following winter season but you won't get paid for those orders until they ship out to the dealers in the fall. So basically you have to wait 5 months to get paid for all the work you do now...

But if you can get past that, you'll be fine!



Loftin79
Posts
180
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5/22/2012
Location
OK US
2/25/2015 8:13am
Racerx930 wrote:
Someone just told me the other day that Curly was retiring.
Spooner wrote:
I saw him last weekend and he didn't mention anything. It was just funny seeing you post about it since we always joke about him retiring...
I saw him last weekend and he didn't mention anything. It was just funny seeing you post about it since we always joke about him retiring so us surrounding reps can take parts of his territory.
Isn't Curly retired from the railroad or some other good paying career? He probably doesn't even need the money just does it for something to do but yet he does really well at it
mgifracing
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1523
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Location
Newton, KS US
Fantasy
357th
2/25/2015 8:59am Edited Date/Time 2/25/2015 9:00am
Loftin79 wrote:
Isn't Curly retired from the railroad or some other good paying career? He probably doesn't even need the money just does it for something to do...
Isn't Curly retired from the railroad or some other good paying career? He probably doesn't even need the money just does it for something to do but yet he does really well at it
Curly is retired from the railroad, Has been for quite awhile. He has it made in our area because most of us have been his same counter guys for twenty years so all he has to do drop in and buy us some Pizza every now and then.Cool Being a rep is tough if you don't have one of the 3 or 4 main distributors to rep for. My Fox rep recently quit and I figured that was a good gig.

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