Considering becoming a sales agent? Let us give you all the information you need to help you take that first step towards becoming a professional self-employed salesperson. With the right attitude and know-how, there's no reason why you can't kickstart a successful career as a sales agent in no time at all.

Taking on the role of a sales agent takes a passion for the job and determination to make things happen, but once they do, you'll be able to enjoy a fruitful career for many years to come.

What are the requirements?

It's relatively simple to become a sales agent. It's recommended that you have at least some sales experience before taking on a self-employed career in the field, but some people find that the skills come quite naturally to them, even without the experience. That being said, you're more likely to win your first client with at least some sales experience under your belt.

At the very least, a successful sales agent will have excellent communication skills, as well as fantastic negotiation skills and the ability to create and present pitches.

Why you should consider becoming a sales agent?

A successful career as a sales agent can bring about a multitude of benefits. Many are attracted by the ability to be your own boss and to have the ability to decide what you're going to be selling on a day to day basis.

The salary potential is fantastic, too. As a sales agent, you won't have to worry about hitting a brick wall when it comes to your pay potential - you'll see you paychecks grow over time, as you develop more skills and become increasingly competent as an experience sales agent.

Steps to take to become a sales agent

We're here to make becoming a sales agent as smooth and simple as possible. With our opportunities page, you're able to browse the various sales agent jobs available and reduce these adverts down to a select few that you might be interested in. From there, all you have to do is get in touch with any companies you would like to work on behalf of, to kickstart your journey towards securing your first client as a sales agent.

Many of the adverts on our opportunities page will state what kind of experience they are looking for. If you're new to working as a sales agent, it's best to make a move on any opportunities looking for the least amount of experience.

In your role as a sales agent, you might find that some companies would love to have you work for them, but on a commission only basis. This is a very frequent occurrence in the world of sales, but it's understandable for those who are new to industry to have some doubts or concerns.

We have plenty of information on commission only sales, to help you understand the process a little more and to answer any questions you might have about this way of payment, before embarking on your career as a sales agent.

Are commission only sales worth it?

A commission only basis is more risky than sales agent jobs that pay a salary as well as commission, but that doesn't mean these jobs aren't worth pursuing. In fact, you'll find that commission only sales are a lot more common than you might think. Companies are wanting to test your abilities as a sales agent out, before they agree to paying you more for your efforts.

Many commission only sales jobs come with a rather large commission rate, much larger than those with salaries added in. As such, by working hard and achieving your KPIs, you're bound to receive a fantastic payment for showing the company how good a sales agent you are.

Are commission only sales jobs legal?

The legalities behind commission only sales can be confusing, and before you kickstart your career as a sales agent, it's vital that you're aware of what makes a commission only sales job legal.

The key component of what determines a commission only sales job as legal is how the sales agent works with a company. If you are employed by the company, whether that's on a temporary or permanent basis, they cannot offer you a commission only sales job unless they can prove that you will earn more than the minimum wage. However, if you work for the company as a self-employed sales agent, which the vast majority of agents choose to do, then it's legal for the company to offer you a commission only sales job.

How much commission can you get?

Commission rates can vary greatly, but you should expect at least 5% from a fair and responsible business. If a company isn't willing to offer at least 5% commission, the job isn't worth pursuing. Of course, there are companies who will offer much more than 5%, with some businesses offering 20% for your hard work and for selling their products and services to their target audiences.

Some businesses might offer higher commissions for products and services with longer sales timeframes. At the end of the day, it depends entirely on the company and the type of product or service they are asking you to sell.

What are sales agents?

Sales agents are typically defined as professional sales representatives who have been hired by companies to focus on selling their products or services. Sales agents are experts in pitching and selling a company's products to their target audience. A specialist sales agent will have the best skills required to get the job done, as well as good relationships with the business' target audience, to make selling their product or service as simple as possible.

Sales agents tend to work within a dedicated territory. This is usually determined based on a certain location to sell within, or a particular product or service they have been asked to sell.

Are sales agents classed as self employed?

The vast majority of sales agents work with companies on a self-employed basis. This means that they can take on a commission only contract, or one that offers a salary with commission on top. Self-employed sales agents typically have more control over how they work, when they work and what work they choose to take on.

In some cases, a sales agent may choose to work with a company as their employee, whether that's full-time, part-time, permanently or temporarily. However, it's much more common to find self-employed sales agents who work for themselves.

How are sales agents paid?

Sales Agents are usually paid on a Commission Only basis. This means that whenever you make a sale you should be receiving a percentage of the sales value. When you receive your payments can vary from business to business, so it's important to understand when you'll get paid when you take on the opportunity. Things you may want to look out for are any delays between the sales going through and you getting paid, along with whether you're going to get paid after each sale or is the business planning on sending payments in monthly batches.

Where do you work from as a sales agent?

Because a sales agent is usually asked to sell products or services within a specific geographical limit, they usually from their own home or from another location of their choosing. This makes it simpler for the agent to work within the specific location they are asked to sell to, much easier than if they were asked to work from within the company's headquarters.