Pro Audio Sales

[Jay Barracato]

I suck at sales. I have known that since 6th grade when every club I was in suddenly wanted me to sell fundraisers.

However, I have known several friends who have done obnoxiously well in commissioned sales. It was mostly about the hustle. It seems to me that the skillset that makes a good salesman may or may not overlap with the skills needed to run a profitable distributorship.

So rather than trying to do both at once, with no experience in either, if you held me down and forced me into sales, I would look for an established dealer with the industry connections, and go out and hustle the sales.

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Also another reason Im interested in sales is someday I know I'll be sick of touring or traveling or doing soooo many shows that I have no time for a family. This way I can still stay in the industry and do some shows here in there. Trying to have as normal of a life as possible in such a crazy industry

 

[RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

I live a normal life. No touring. I do travel a bit but not bad and often my wife comes along too. I do some sales but it definitely isn't the cash cow that you somehow think it is.

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Im glad you say that because thats one thing that scares me is not being able to have a normal family life some day

 

[Tim McCulloch]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Im glad you say that because thats one thing that scares me is not being able to have a normal family life some day

It's too late, you've already received the implants... <evil laugh>

Here's the deal, JP... go on tour NOW. Don't start a relationship with "honey, I'll be out for 6 months with......" You'll come home to an empty house at worst or a bitter, soon to be Ex at best.

Beginning a sales career now means you're unlikely to do any touring as you'll get into a relationship much sooner.

Don't fret, there are lots of ways to be involved in the industry. You need to identify 3 or 4 of them that best fit your personal goals and aspirations.

 

[RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Touring takes a special kind of stupid. Pro audio sales is just plain stupid.

Only time I am willing to spend more than a week or so away from home is while fishing.

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

It's too late, you've already received the implants... <evil laugh>

Here's the deal, JP... go on tour NOW. Don't start a relationship with "honey, I'll be out for 6 months with......" You'll come home to an empty house at worst or a bitter, soon to be Ex at best.

Beginning a sales career now means you're unlikely to do any touring as you'll get into a relationship much sooner.

Don't fret, there are lots of ways to be involved in the industry. You need to identify 3 or 4 of them that best fit your personal goals and aspirations.

besides sales, and doing shows, what else is there? haha

 

[RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

besides sales, and doing shows, what else is there? haha

The other 99% of the business.

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

besides sales, and doing shows, what else is there? haha

Touring is like running away to join the circus... Sales is more like a regular job but I wouldn't expect it to be very rewarding unless you are very good at it. Running your own shop is both smarter (for profit potential), and dumber (because that potential comes with risk and exposure to huge capital loss).

Being a sales rep involves a lot of travel so not like a regular job either. If you have decent mechanical skills perhaps a job in the install side working with fixed sound.

The industry is far larger that the tip of the iceberg involved in touring, but not large compared to other industries.

Good luck.

JR

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Touring is like running away to join the circus... Sales is more like a regular job but I wouldn't expect it to be very rewarding unless you are very good at it. Running your own shop is both smarter (for profit potential), and dumber (because that potential comes with risk and exposure to huge capital loss).

Being a sales rep involves a lot of travel so not like a regular job either. If you have decent mechanical skills perhaps a job in the install side working with fixed sound.

The industry is far larger that the tip of the iceberg involved in touring, but not large compared to other industries.

Good luck.

JR

Everyone keeps saying unless you're good, what classifies a good sales person? And would a class like marketing or something like that help?

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Everyone keeps saying unless you're good, what classifies a good sales person? And would a class like marketing or something like that help?

You can be taught what salesmen should do, you can't be taught how to be a natural.

You have to really like dealing with consumers. I have found that can require more patience than I can readily muster in large amounts.

Success in any job is all about how much value can you create. In sales that means selling more stuff for higher prices to create more profit. Retail sales is a low margin business so not usually much profit to start with so less available to filter down to the sales force. The musical product business is mature so lots of competition for those sales.

JR

 

[Dick Rees]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

You can be taught what salesmen should do, you can't be taught how to be a natural.

You have to really like dealing with consumers. I have found that can require more patience than I can readily muster in large amounts.

Success in any job is all about how much value can you create. In sales that means selling more stuff for higher prices to create more profit. Retail sales is a low margin business so not usually much profit to start with so less available to filter down to the sales force. The musical product business is mature so lots of competition for those sales.

JR

It's sort of like doing sound:

Learn how to listen.

Know what to listen for.

Proceed.

 

[Jack Arnott]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Success in any job is all about how much value can you create.
JR

Great post. Pay attention JP. (You don't seem to be listening so far. You have been called out for using no punctuation, and no note has been made.) (And your haha's a bit smarmy to me.)
When I asked who your customers are, how had no clue. There is not a void in St. Paul. There are shows going on, installs going in, and people buying gear already.
You need to find a niche. Somewhere that you think needs your services. Something that you can do better than what is being offered.
Your lack of professionalism here seems to indicate that you don't have a clue what is going on.
This will only be magnified when dealing with potential customers.

Get out there. Work for someone as a salesman. Work for an installer. Work for bar bands mixing shows.
Provide sound for grassroots events. There is a pyramid of audio providers, and the bottom feeders take up a whole lot of space. For a reason.
Be one of them.

Then when you see a service that can be provided, and for more others can do, jump in there.
Don't be a ankle biter. That is someone that undercuts, underbids, and starts a race to the bottom.

FWIW, I do a fair amount of my income in sales. I like it. For the most part.

Regards, Jack

 

[Philip Roberts]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

besides sales, and doing shows, what else is there? haha

Let's see:
- House Production/Mixing/Coordination at a
- - Performing Arts Center (Justice)
- - Churches
- - Universities

- Local Providers need:
- - Installers
- - Designers
- - Sales
- - Production Crew

- Manufactures hire:
- - Rep/Rep firms
- - Customer Support Team/Trainers

- Freelance mixing (Mac)

- Broadway style touring (Jake Scudder)


This is just a partial list.

Philip

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Great post. Pay attention JP. (You don't seem to be listening so far. You have been called out for using no punctuation, and no note has been made.) (And your haha's a bit smarmy to me.)
When I asked who your customers are, how had no clue. There is not a void in St. Paul. There are shows going on, installs going in, and people buying gear already.
You need to find a niche. Somewhere that you think needs your services. Something that you can do better than what is being offered.
Your lack of professionalism here seems to indicate that you don't have a clue what is going on.
This will only be magnified when dealing with potential customers.

Get out there. Work for someone as a salesman. Work for an installer. Work for bar bands mixing shows.
Provide sound for grassroots events. There is a pyramid of audio providers, and the bottom feeders take up a whole lot of space. For a reason.
Be one of them.

Then when you see a service that can be provided, and for more others can do, jump in there.
Don't be a ankle biter. That is someone that undercuts, underbids, and starts a race to the bottom.

FWIW, I do a fair amount of my income in sales. I like it. For the most part.

Regards, Jack

Terribly sorry about the punctuation. It's the 19 year old on the internet syndrome that seems to be clogging that up. As for the clients, I really don't know and had no answer to it because I'm new to the sales and consumer part of it. I just figured there were people out there who wanted stuff, and someone needs to sell it. Simple. I have been listening and taking notes, people have contacted me about helping them and I've contacted people about helping. So I'm not just sitting here doing nothing about it while everyone feeds me this advice. As for having a clue about what seems to be going on here. I do and I don't. I have a little bit of knowledge about what goes on in this industry only because I have been in this since I was 17 and like stated earlier, I'm 19 now. I can only get so much information and what not in a professional, real solid company. Im not originally from St Paul, I'm from a small town in Iowa where we had no venues or companies or very big shows going on regularly. So I'm still trying to figure out what all of this is. So sorry if I have offended anybody, did not mean for that happen. Lots of information to process and research etc etc.

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

Let's see:
- House Production/Mixing/Coordination at a
- - Performing Arts Center (Justice)
- - Churches
- - Universities

- Local Providers need:
- - Installers
- - Designers
- - Sales
- - Production Crew

- Manufactures hire:
- - Rep/Rep firms
- - Customer Support Team/Trainers

- Freelance mixing (Mac)

- Broadway style touring (Jake Scudder)


This is just a partial list.

Philip

Much appreciated! I never really think about all the universities and schools that need it...

 

[Ivan Beaver]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

I just figured there were people out there who wanted stuff, and someone needs to sell it. Simple..

So do you mean there is gear that is available and nobody will sell it? That is not what I have seen.

You can buy all kinds of gear all over the place.

I don't think there is any shortage of people wanting to take others money.

As already said-identify BOTH your customers AND your competition. Figure out what it takes to make you stand out.

If you don't stand out in some way-its going to be a long tough road.

Good luck.

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

So do you mean there is gear that is available and nobody will sell it? That is not what I have seen.

You can buy all kinds of gear all over the place.

I don't think there is any shortage of people wanting to take others money.

As already said-identify BOTH your customers AND your competition. Figure out what it takes to make you stand out.

If you don't stand out in some way-its going to be a long tough road.

Good luck.

As with the rest of this industry..if you don't stand out, you're kind of left dead in the water. Or that seems to be the case. I'm not sure if you watch Future-rama but there's an episode where Fry goes to get a sketchy phone system (iPhone parody kinda) installed in him (because it is the future) and the guy says "this may cause damage to you.." and before he could finish Fry goes "Yeah yeah yeah just take my money". Even though it's wrong, I feel like theres people out there that are like "yeah yeah yeah just take my money" and that's what I was hoping my customers would be, I know that's the dream, but a kid can hope...

 

[Ivan Beaver]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

As with the rest of this industry..if you don't stand out, you're kind of left dead in the water. Or that seems to be the case. I'm not sure if you watch Future-rama but there's an episode where Fry goes to get a sketchy phone system (iPhone parody kinda) installed in him (because it is the future) and the guy says "this may cause damage to you.." and before he could finish Fry goes "Yeah yeah yeah just take my money". Even though it's wrong, I feel like theres people out there that are like "yeah yeah yeah just take my money" and that's what I was hoping my customers would be, I know that's the dream, but a kid can hope...

As my boss likes to say- "You have to figure out a way to make a living while on your way to becoming rich".

You keep saying "your customers"-have you figured out who they are- or how to contact them and let you know you just want to take their money?

Of course you also have to figure out how to provide them with the things you are selling-have you figured out how to get them yet?

 

[JP Huff]

Re: Pro Audio Sales

As my boss likes to say- "You have to figure out a way to make a living while on your way to becoming rich".

You keep saying "your customers"-have you figured out who they are- or how to contact them and let you know you just want to take their money?

Of course you also have to figure out how to provide them with the things you are selling-have you figured out how to get them yet?

I haven't figure out how to get them, so the "my customers" thing is loosely based. And I probably made it sound like I just want their money, but in reality another big part is the relationship part. The fact that they feel comfortable with me and can come to me about problems they have or what their needs are without me saying "Oh yeah you need a Clair rig and an XL8 for that." When they only need a Pro1 and a few EV XLD's.