Summer Sales Questions and Answers on BYU's 100 board

Brigham Young University's 100 board is a place where anyone can submit any question and receive an answer in 100 hours. A search of the 100 board's archives using the search term "summer sales" yielded the follow relevant results:

QUESTION

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Last Summer I worked in California selling pest control and I plan on doing something similiar this summer as well. I was wondering if you knew which companies pay the best, are most honest, have the best incentives, etc.? - Point me in the right direction...

ANSWER

Dear Pointer,

You mean they conned you into that garbage last summer and you're wanting more? I have to assume that since you aren't returning to the company you worked for last summer you find them dishonest or in some other way unreputable.

My opinion is that EVERY summer sales company is somewhat dishonest/unreputable. Every thing they do/every perk they give/every expense they pay is calculated towards making the job look better than it really is. So, beware, and do some VERY careful research before signing with a company.

That said, your life/summer earnings are on the line here, so you're gonna have to do the research yourself. There are simply too many summer sales companies for us to figure out which of them is least dishonest.

-Phoenix

QUESTION

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I was wondering about selling alarm systems over the summer. My friend "A" told me "Don't go they will mess you over. My friend "B" is working at a calling center for Apex and is estimated to make about $10000. The people that I met with "C" wants me to work with Icon and they will pay really well. Is it hard to make money off of that?

Plus any ideas over the Summer time to make around $14 and up in Utah?

ANSWER

Dear Plus,

I'm with friend A.

Allow me to point out a word from your question that I believe is particularly relevant. "My friend ‘B'…is estimated to make about $10,000." Yes, estimated.

It kind of reminds me of fundraising in like, elementary school. Remember how the people would come to your school and show you all the prizes that you could win if you sold x items? And after their little shpiel, you were probably super excited that you could go to lunch in a limo or whatever the top prize was. You probably went home with your order forms, showed your mom that night, and then forgot all about it until the night before the fundraiser was over when you'd convince your mom to buy like 3 things so that you could at least win a pencil or something. That's right. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Basically, from everything I've heard, these little multi-level marketing schemes are door to door sales, right? Think back to when you lived in a house. When people came to your door, were you/your parents particularly receptive to what they were selling? Probably not. That said, I think it would be a really, really hard job if your income is based purely off of you selling people things that they don't really need/want. Yeah, there may be one or two top sales people in the company that earn like a car or something but for the most part, I think people don't end up sticking with it (and rightfully so). And, if you don't stick with it, you've basically worked for free. Notice how all the things they promise you are always going to be given to you at the end of the summer, even if you win them now. Why is that, do you think? Because nobody stays. And then, by the time you come home, all the real jobs you could have had are taken by other people. See what I mean?

Don't do it. Just don't do it.

As for what you should do this summer, just look around. It all depends on your experience and field of interest. Honestly, it may be hard to find somewhere that pays that much. But I'd rather an honest job that will for sure pay $11/hour than some (no offense) shady job that is estimated make you get rich quick. And really, if it's just for a summer, you might want to try looking outside of Utah or, at the very least, outside of Utah County.

Good luck!

- Lavish

QUESTION

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I want to do a sales job this summer to earn some serious moolah. However, I don't want to go to the former Confederacy (i.e., the South) to do so--my girlfriend wants me to stick around. Can you suggest any good opportunities to make the same kind of $$$ while staying here in the Provo area?

- Utah TypeStereo

ANSWER

Dear Utah,

I found this in the Daily Universe today:

PROVO SUMMER Sales Reps/Mgrs
Wasatch Pest work evenings, time for
school 30-45% comm stay in Provo, have a life 371-9302 wwasatch@hotmail

I would check the Daily Universe everyday and call up every sales position they list and ask if they sell in Provo.

- FCSM

ANSWER

Dear Utah TypeStereo,

I am just going to give you a warning. Don't believe the pay figures these companies give you, but instead inquire VERY carefully, and read the fine print. Most of these companies include all of your expenses (which they pay for) as part of your pay. You never see this money, but you do have to pay taxes on it. I guess I'm just trying to say "Don't count your chickens before they hatch".

-Phoenix

QUESTION

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I'm interviewing for one of those summer pest control technician jobs today, and I was wondering if any of yall have ever done one of these. It's not sales, just doing the spraying... the pay sounds too good to be true, and I get mixed reactions from those I talk to about it. The sooner yall can reply the better! I gotta decide ASAP! Thanks!

- The BYU Buckeye

ANSWER

Dear the BYU Buckeye,
See Board Question #12740, Board Question #12574, and Board Question #12336.

-Scout

Question #12740

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Actually, I know a lot of people who have gone and done those marketing things and sold either pest control, alarm systems or satellite dishes. And yes, they are a legit way to make a lot of money. Many people I know have made around $40,000 in the summer alone. When the company brags that you can make $50,000-80,000, that is very rare and usually you have to have been doing it for a few summers in a row to make that much. They pay you more depending on how many years you've done this. It is really hard work however, but one of my friends told me that if you've been on a mission, it is a lot easier! I hope this helps those who are inquiring. Bottom Line: It is legit, but still hard work!

- Me

Question #12574

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I keep getting asked to go sell with marketing companies based out of Utah who sell anything from pest control to security systems. They all tell me that I can make 50 thousand dollars in 4 months but I have yet to find a source that gives me an unbiased opinion of legitimacy or the whole experience. It all sounds too good to be true. Where can I go/what do I do to find out if it is?

ANSWER

Dear Anonymous,
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The best thing to do is find these people and ask to see their employment details in writing. Watch out for the fine print. You might make that much money, but you might have to pay them back for a bunch of fees the charge. Good luck.

- Qupinthy

Question #12336

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I want to do a sales job this summer to earn some serious moolah. However, I don't want to go to the former Confederacy (i.e., the South) to do so--my girlfriend wants me to stick around. Can you suggest any good opportunities to make the same kind of $$$ while staying here in the Provo area?

- Utah TypeStereo

ANSWER

Dear Utah,

I found this in the Daily Universe today:

PROVO SUMMER Sales Reps/Mgrs
Wasatch Pest work evenings, time for
school 30-45% comm stay in Provo, have a life 371-9302 wwasatch@hotmail

I would check the Daily Universe everyday and call up every sales position they list and ask if they sell in Provo.

- FCSM

ANSWER

Dear Utah TypeStereo,

I am just going to give you a warning. Don't believe the pay figures these companies give you, but instead inquire VERY carefully, and read the fine print. Most of these companies include all of your expenses (which they pay for) as part of your pay. You never see this money, but you do have to pay taxes on it. I guess I'm just trying to say "Don't count your chickens before they hatch".

-Phoenix

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