Should I take a sales job to market myself?

Question

Hi All, My husband and I are looking for quick ways to increase our income so that we can reach our goal to be able to purchase our first property. Earned income isn’t exactly our favorite option but for me it seems the quickest. So I’m wondering if a door to door sales job would benefit me in my real estate investing career in aspects of marketing and selling my own businesses??

Curtis Mears · Answer

@Kares Waters-Polk

Having sales experience is always a benefit. But sales is also one of the hardest jobs to do well. Do not go into a sales job thinking how it helps your real estate dreams. Go into sales to sell your products and to learn the art of selling.

Kamil Baldyga · Answer

Hey Kares! There is absolutely nothing wrong with earned income. I know general investor mentality is to avoid it at all costs. But if it helps you reach your goals, who cares? As far as door to door sales job, it would be a good opportunity to get face to face with people to advertise your investing business as well, however I don't think there would be a high conversion rate. My thoughts are that people tend to be wary of anyone trying to sell them anything. I think a more effective way of advertising would be to just put it out into the universe (social media, go to meet ups, telling your friends, etc.) Pretty much every conversation you have should include the fact that you invest. Opportunities will come of this organically. Just my thoughts, hope this helps!

Chris Pasternak · Answer

What’s the rush?  Everyone is in a rush.  What are your degrees in? What do you have experience in? I would build on your specific skill-set before I ran out and started slanging solar and security systems.  The only thing “quick” will be burnout.

Laura Jennings · Answer

I referee lacrosse and field hockey on the side. I pick my own hours, pay is 1099, and each game is between $40 to $140 depending on the age level. I have met so many other referees in various careers. It has been a fantastic way to tell them what I do for my “day job”. I have worked with people all across the country. My advice find a job that allows you to pick your schedule so if you need time off to take care of your investing tasks it’s not a huge hassle. Plus to echo what  some one else said you don’t want to be selling your business on someone else’s dime. good luck🍀

George Azita · Answer

Door-to-door canvassing can be a terrific way to earn money and to hone in on marketing and sales. I have an employee who earns $5,000 to $7,000 every week (his paycheck) canvassing door-to-door and he sells home services i.e. plumbing, heating, roofing, house painting, etc..

My company has been hiring door-to-door canvassers for about 20 years and it is the best and most-productive marketing and sales arm reaching out that any business can have. Anyone interested in marketing and sales should do a lot of internet research and you will find many successful businesses that use only door-to-door for their marketing and sales like a window company on the east coast that does $350 million per year in sales.

Like every profession, door-to-door marketing and sales requires a lot of skills and anyone interested in it should seek as much training and mentoring as possible. I have another employee who earns $5,000 per week doing door-to-door. This employee is the laziest person I ever met. He works only 3 hours per day 3 to 4 days per week and still earns $5,000. The reason this employee is so successful is because he is street smart and he has a very rare ability to read and profile people. So, he doesn't waste his time talking sales pitches to mannequins. He has the ability to profile people based on the type car they drive and the appearance from the outside of their house. I can tell you some stories about how he spoke with people on the phone he never met and he described the clothing they were wearing, their height, whether or not they had a mustache, when they had a morotcycle, what brand motorcycle and even the pattern and color of their clothing. This may be hard to believe, but I've personally witnesses this several times. Not every, but enough times to wonder about his special abilities to read and profile people.

I am also very good at doing door-to-door sales and I have a super simple approach. I knock on doors, never introduce myself by stating my name and never state the name of my company. I get right to the point!

Me: "Knock Knock"

Homeowner: "Can I help you"

Me: "Hello! I noticed your home needs a new roof"

Homeowner: "I've been thinking about putting on a new roof for a long time. Can you give me an estimate"

It is that simple and long introductions tend to scare people, turn them off and allows them to build a block wall barrier.

I relate door-to-door sales like asking you if you want a bottle of water. I never met you before. I see you walking through a park and I put a bottle of water in your face. I don't have to explain to you what water is and I don't need to tell you my name to be friendly and to offer you the water. You smile and take the water, or you tell me you are okay, smile and walk away.

Will Clark · Answer

Door 2 Door selling is in my experience one of the most beneficial work experiences. A note on the art of D2D—the best representatives don't do it for the money, it is a game to them, a hobby almost. You will learn so much about people skills, and you will realize how much influence you have on how a given interaction pans out. The tautology, if you love the people you interact with, they will love you back.

In addition, you will gain an understanding that sales are integral to the prosperity of any business, yourself included. Look, everyone does D2D selling in some way, you are always persuading someone of something, be it who is the best hairstylist, the best house, the best restaurant, when applying for a job, and yes real estate. NO MATTER WHAT DISCIPLINE, YOU WILL SELL!

I do D2D every summer, and the money I earn is the by-product. Apply the same sales principles to yourself. Make a nice big goal, yet when you prospect, still be grateful even if you get nothing. Also, quick fixes are literally the reason people stay in the same income bracket. Be in it for the long haul, make it a part of you, yes, it will help you in all facets of life!

Karl McGarvey · Answer

I think if you told your W-2 sales job that you were marking something other than them on your sales calls they would kick you to the curb pretty quickly. I would just start sending letters to all of the neighborhoods you want to target.

Kares Waters-Polk · Answer

Thanks for the replies! There is so much valid advice in each post that we are going to apply. The rush was that we made a goal to purchase with in the next 3 months, but obligated to pay off a couple loans first. So now the goal is to come up with those funds before we can even get pre-approved. It works out because we have been studying since October 2021 yet there is still so much to learn and that can be done during this period.

As far as sales, skills, and earned income, my new criteria will be even more flexiblilty as well as something I enjoy. Again thanks for the replies!!

Kares Waters-Polk · Answer

Thank you so much for your input!! I will definatley take this advice. I was speaking in aspects of doing a sales job to get a feel, while earning vs taking a marketing class..if that makes sense??

Should I take a sales job to market myself?

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