You don’t even need a product, let alone a company, to make money in sales. Wait…what?!? Sales is simply brokering a transaction for a good or service in exchange for money. I often think I could be a great movie producer with my skillset (which you will learn more about in the Chapter of my book, “What Really Happens in a Sale”). So what does a movie producer do? Producers find a product (script, book, current event, etc.) and assemble a package to sell to a studio. Their commission is a producing fee, with sometimes a cut of the box office. How might this principle apply in other situations?
Referral fees – You can get paid for making introductions. Most good employers have an employee referral program where you can earn $$$ for referring someone for a job opening. That concept can also apply to just about anything. Here’s an office furniture store in the UK that formalized a referral program.
What about referring a friend to a real estate broker or business associate to your banker? You can ask for a fee if there’s a transaction. The same goes for any introduction you make with your personal and professional contacts. You are monetizing your network.
Create a simple agreement (or automate it through an app such as Introducely), and whenever you feel you can add value
by introducing different parties, ask for your cut! Think about the companies you already do business with; do they want more customers? Of course! Will they pay you to refer business to them? You don’t know if you don’t ask! To quote Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Happy Selling!