Editor’s note: This article was first published in March 2011, during Spain’s economic crisis. The statement that distributors saw demand for their services rise refers to that period.
If there’s one thing I’ve always liked about sales work, it’s that it is supposedly a profession that shouldn’t suffer unemployment in times of crisis: as sales fall, companies ought to go out and find their customers in person and open up new markets. That’s the idea, but business thinking rarely works that way. Companies tend to shelter from the crisis by doing nothing except staying profitable by cutting contracts, including those of their sales staff.
If you’re a salesperson and you’re out of work, then, as we said in a previous article, don’t look for a job: create one yourself. There are plenty of companies, both Spanish and international, looking to break into new markets, so right now there are firms searching for people with the sales skills to introduce them into the market in your province.
The business idea I’m proposing is what we might call a distribution company, or simply a free agent, self-employed or freelance sales agent. Not on a “small” scale, though, but in a big way.
Every day companies try to bring new products to market: new foods, new drinks, clothing, innovative products and so on. Some of them catch on and others don’t. When they don’t, I’m convinced that what fails is the marketing strategy and the launch campaign. In a nutshell, the failure lay with the firm they hired to introduce the product.
Today, a free agent or distribution company can’t just focus on going out on the street in search of new customers. They’ll need to agree with the company that hires them on the terms and budget for a small or large marketing campaign, including a social media presence targeted at the province where the product is being launched. In other words, an initial investment in advertising.
Nor should they limit themselves to a single product. They should find a way to group similar products for a particular type of customer. (If your product is pencils and your customers are bookshops, take on products like paper and printer ink as well.)
Probably the hardest part of this business idea will be making yourself known to these companies, although once you start reaching your goals, word will get around in their world.
In Spain specifically there are two large distribution companies with a presence in more than 10 provinces, so a great many of the new products being launched pass through their hands. These companies say they have seen demand for their services rise during the crisis.
If you’re wondering what advantage a company gets from hiring a distributor or free agent, the answer is simple. It saves a considerable amount by not having to open a physical office in the area, while still gaining visibility there with minimal investment.
Further reading
- Business ideas for this year
- The advantages of starting a business in a crisis
- How to lose your fear of starting a business
- How to start a business with no money
- The 15 commandments of the entrepreneur
Featured image: Jegadeeswaran natarajan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
