A sales representative takes your product to regions and customers you cannot reach on your own, but they only sell well if they can explain what you do in a few seconds. Before looking for someone, put that message together in the Pitch Generator: it is what the representative will use to open doors on your company's behalf. This guide shows how to find a sales representative, how to assess candidates before signing and what to settle from day one.
When it makes sense to have a sales representative
A representative is an independent professional (or a sales agency) who sells other companies' products and earns a commission on what they sell. For a small or medium-sized company without a sales team, they solve a concrete problem: covering territory and customers without the fixed cost of hiring salespeople.
Some signs that the time has come:
- You receive orders from regions where you have no one to visit customers.
- The owner still makes every sale and there is no time left to run the business.
- Your product is bought by a type of store, manufacturer or distributor that is already served by other brands' representatives.
- You have enough margin to pay a commission without compromising the final price.
If the product still changes every week, if you do not know who your ideal customer is or if you cannot deliver larger volumes, sort that out first. A representative scales up what already works; they will not figure out on their own what your company sells.
What to have ready before you start looking
Good representatives choose the brands they carry. They assess whether your product will sell, whether you deliver on time and whether the commission is worth the effort. Come prepared.
Customer profile and territory
Describe who buys from you: segment, company size, job title of the decision maker and region. Define which territory you want to cover first. A representative who covers the interior of a state is not the same as one who serves chains in the state capital.
Sales materials
An up-to-date catalog, price list, payment terms, delivery times, minimum order policy and samples when it makes sense. Also include your short pitch and answers to the most common objections you have heard from customers.
Commission proposal
Have a clear proposal: the percentage, the basis for calculation (amount invoiced or amount received), when the commission is paid and what happens in case of returns or non-payment. A representative who does not understand how they will make money will not prioritize your brand.
Where to find sales representatives
There is no single place. The best results usually come from combining a few sources:
- Your current customers. Ask which representatives visit them and who they like buying from. Someone already well received by your ideal customer is halfway there.
- Complementary companies. Manufacturers of products sold alongside yours, to the same buyer, often work with representatives who could add your line.
- Regional Councils of Sales Representatives (Core). These are the bodies that register the profession in each Brazilian state. It is worth contacting the one in your state to confirm a candidate's registration and to check whether it runs any channel for posting opportunities.
- Business associations and industry unions. Many bring representatives and suppliers together and help with referrals.
- Industry trade shows and events. Representatives walk the booths looking for new lines. Bring materials and make it clear that you are looking for representation.
- LinkedIn and professional groups. A straightforward post saying which product, which region and which profile you are looking for usually generates qualified contacts.
- Online business rounds. In a business round, you declare what you offer and what you are looking for, and the platform suggests short conversations based on fit. It is one more door for meeting sales agencies and distribution partners, alongside the other sources on this list.
How to assess a representative before signing
The first conversation is almost always pleasant. The real assessment is in the details. Follow these steps with each candidate.
1. Understand their portfolio
Ask what types of customers they visit, in which cities and how often. Ask for examples of customers they serve today (no confidential data needed). What matters is knowing whether their portfolio matches your ideal customer.
2. Look at the lines they already represent
Complementary lines are good: they already visit the right buyer. Competing lines are a warning sign: someone selling a product just like yours will choose which one to offer on each visit. Ask directly and agree on what happens if they take on a competing brand in the future.
3. Ask for references
Ask for the contacts of two or three companies they represent and call them. Ask how long they have worked together, whether the representative sends visit reports, whether they respect the price list and whether orders arrive complete. A reference who is slow to respond or speaks with reservations tells you a lot.
4. Check their formal status
Check their registration with the state Core, their CNPJ (if they operate as a company) and whether the declared activity is compatible with sales representation. A contract with someone whose situation is not in order can cause headaches later on.
5. Run a practical test
Explain your product and ask them to present it back to you, as they would to a customer. Within a few minutes you will see whether they understood what sets you apart, whether they ask good questions and whether they speak the buyer's language. This test reveals more than any résumé.
| What to assess | Useful question | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Who do you visit every week? | Vague answers or a portfolio in another segment |
| Current lines | Which brands do you represent today? | A direct competitor with no clear agreement |
| Routine | How do you report visits and orders? | No tracking at all, just "I'll let you know" |
| References | Can I talk to two companies you work with? | Refusal or delay in giving names |
| Expectations | How long until the first order? | Promises of immediate results |
The sales representation law and the contract
In Brazil, independent sales representation is governed by its own law: Law 4,886/1965. It covers points such as the professional's registration, the content of the contract, the territory, exclusivity, commission and what happens when the relationship ends. That is why hiring a representative is not the same as hiring any other service provider.
This article is not legal advice. The recommendation is simple: before signing, take the draft to a lawyer experienced in commercial contracts. They will adapt the document to your situation and explain the obligations of both parties. When you talk to the lawyer, have the answers to these questions at hand:
- What is the territory (cities, states or type of customer)?
- Will there be territorial or product exclusivity, for either side?
- What is the commission, on what basis and within what timeframe is it paid?
- Who sets the price, discounts and payment terms for the customer?
- What are the targets and how will they be tracked?
- How does the partnership end if it does not work out?
Putting all of this in writing protects both sides and avoids the most common dispute between a company and its representative: what each one understood had been promised.
The first 90 days with your representative
Hiring is half the job. The other half is getting the representative to sell your brand among all the ones they carry.
Short, practical training
Set aside time to show the product in action, the factory or the operation, and success stories from satisfied customers. Hand over the ready-made pitch, the most common objections with their answers and a list of priority customers in their region.
Activity targets, not just sales targets
At the start, track visits, presentations and quotes sent. Sales come later. If the visits are not happening, you find out early; if they happen and do not turn into orders, the problem may be the price, the product or the approach.
Short, frequent meetings
A quick conversation every week, or every two weeks, is worth more than a long meeting every quarter. Ask what customers said, what got stuck and what materials they need.
On-time payment
A late commission is the fastest way to get a representative to set your line aside. Keep your word and maintain a clear statement of orders and commissions.
Common mistakes when hiring representatives
- Hiring the first one who shows up. Talking to three or four candidates gives you a basis for comparison.
- Not checking competing lines. The conflict appears precisely when the customer asks for a quote.
- Agreeing on everything verbally. Without a written and reviewed contract, each side keeps a different version of the deal.
- Leaving the representative alone after signing. Without follow-up, your brand goes to the bottom of the folder.
- Expecting results in the first month. In B2B sales, the customer needs to test, approve and fit the new supplier into their purchasing process.
A summary of the path
Knowing how to find a sales representative is, in practice, a matter of following a sequence: define your customer and territory, prepare materials and a commission proposal, look for candidates through several sources, assess their portfolio, lines, references and registration, run a practical test, formalize the contract with a lawyer's help and follow up closely in the first months. Every step you skip tends to come back as a problem later on.
Want to meet sales agencies, distributors and business partners in short conversations organized by business fit? At RodadaDeNegocios.org, each company's first round is on us, with just an active CNPJ and once per CNPJ. See the dates of the upcoming online business rounds and register your company.