Q: I have never hired a salesperson in our industry before. Should I do it?

A: It really depends on your goals. If you want to grow primarily through your own personal sales efforts, then no. If you want to grow by hiring others, then yes.

Hiring salespeople is not for everyone, as it changes the dynamic of your entire organization. So this is a really important decision, and it should be made as early as possible in the life of your organization.

Growing your business through your own personal sales efforts is very different from growing your business by hiring a sales team. The former requires a focus on your personal sales and marketing skills, while the latter requires a focus on management and administration. Your strategy should be determined by the activities you see yourself performing on a daily basis, and the size and structure of the company you want to build.

Q: When is the best time to start hiring salespeople?

A: You should start hiring salespeople the moment you have made the decision to build your business that way (as opposed to building it primarily through your own personal sales efforts.)  Many people hold off on hiring, and inadvertently end up building a business with themselves at the center, as the primary salesperson.  Once this has been established, it becomes harder and harder for the business owner to escape that role. It’s much better if you make the call early and structure things the way you want them from the beginning.

Q: I am a sole proprietor.  I do not have any sales people now, so I would be starting from scratch. Am I too early to integrate this into my business?

A: If you have actually made the decision to hire new salespeople, then now is the PERFECT time to integrate this into your business. It is only premature for those who are still “toying” with the idea.

Q: Should I hire my salespeople as W2 employees or 1099 independent contractors?

A: You really need to talk with a CPA (certified public accountant) before making that decision, as there are very specific rules that determine if a person providing services to your company qualifies as an employee or an independent contractor. For an overview of the IRS guidelines, click here.

Q: So what exactly is Promo Academy?

A: Promo Academy is a resource that allows you to hire, train and motivate promotional products salespeople that pay for themselves quickly.

Q: Does that mean you actually provide the sales training for myself and my people?

A: Yes. Promo Academy delivers online training for you and your salespeople 24/7/365.

Q: So I send them to you for training?

A: Yes. You send them online to Promo Academy for training.

Q: Can this be used to teach brand new people how to sell promotional products?

A: Yes. Upon completion of the Getting Started and Customer Acquisition training, your new salespeople will have the benefit of more and better industry-specific sales training than 95+% of the people operating in the promotional products industry today.

Q: Is this only for new people or can you help my established people as well?

A: Promo Academy provides industry-specific sales training for all levels, from total newbies to established million dollar producers. For a quick video tour of what’s available inside Promo Academy, click here.

Q: Do you actually hire the salespeople for me?

A: Since we are not an employment agency, we do not hire salespeople for you. Instead, we empower you with the tools, structure and training you need to hire, train and motivate a sales team of your own. As a result, you do not have to pay the overrides, fees or commissions of an employment agency.

Q: I own several of your training programs and love them all. How is Promo Academy different than the sales training material I already have from you?

A: Beyond simply handing one of our packaged training programs to a salesperson and asking him or her to listen to it or watch it, Promo Academy delivers a level of control and accountability that is not possible with a packaged training program. When your salespeople take a course in Promo Academy, they are tested and graded on each lesson. This means that in addition to listening or watching, they have to demonstrate that they have actually retained the material.

Q: How can I be sure that my salesperson has actually completed a Promo Academy course?

Upon meeting all the requirements, your salesperson will be able to print out and show you a certificate of course completion. We also recommend requiring your salespeople to provide you with a copy of the notes they are asked to take during each lesson.

Q: I like idea of being able to delegate the training of my salespeople to Promo Academy. But do you offer one-on-one help with procedures for recruiting & hiring?

A: Yes. We can help with everything from your recruiting ads, to your interview process, to your hiring procedures, to your job descriptions and documentation. Call 1-800-494-2721 or 610-685-9700 for complete details.

Q: How do I know who to hire?

A: The short answer is that you don’t. You need systems and processes for recruiting, screening, hiring, training, evaluating, promoting and firing. Some people interview well, then perform poorly. When you have the appropriate procedures in place, it’s far less of a problem. Promo Academy can help with all of that.

Q: How do I compensate a salesperson?

A: There is much payment flexibility in promotional products sales. You can compensate salespeople based on straight commission, draw against commission, hourly plus commission, salary plus commission, hourly only, salary only, etc. The correct answer for you will depend on your comfort level, your current business structure and the availability of talent in your market.

Q: How much does Promo Academy cost?

A: The costs depend on the number of salespeople you want to train and the amount of one-on-one help you require. Call 1-800-494-2721 or 610-685-9700 to get pricing based on your specific situation.”

Q: What if I train a new salesperson and they leave?

A: Here’s a better question. “What if you don’t train them and they stay?”

Q: I have a question that’s not answered above or in any of the videos. What should I do?

A: Just enter it in the box below.