Question about Independent Sales Reps/Account Managers offering my Service

[raistlin]

Firstly, a big thanks to all who post on this forum. I stumbled across it whilst 'Googling' my question and there's a wealth of information I've been digesting.


Secondly - I have a couple of questions..


Background:
- I offer a service to local businesses in my area. I currently have a Sales Rep/Account Manager for this area.
- He takes care of marketing, networking (online with FB, Linked In), customer relations, manning the phone(his number) etc etc. Essentially he has all the contact with the clients(more of an Account Manager than a Sales Rep) and I carry out the service.
- He fields all the questions and I get involved if the questions get too difficult.
- It works quite well for this area, so I've been thinking of expanding into others.


Questions:
- If I want to expand into other areas and have other Independent Sales Reps/Account Managers working for me from home, can I do a Google Places (and then Local +) page for each Rep separately (with hidden address but verifiable land line in that location) ?
- Or would Google consider it all as one company (even though they would be Independent and not fixed to work for me (e.g. my current guy actually sells his own service aswell).


- If Google did allow me to do this, Would it be better for me to set them up with an indivdual site each or have them with their own sub-page on mine? (e.g. mydomain.com/banff_service.html with all their contact details and hours).


On one hand, one site would be easier to manage, but on the other hand, I'm not sure if Google would allow a separate places(and Google Local+) listing for each sub-page - particularly if they see them as Sales Reps for one company.

Thanks Again - great site

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi raistlin,

Welcome and thanks for starting off with a great but somewhat complicated question.

Technically, it's not allowed. But the trickier part is that Google is not very good at dealing with fringe cases like this. When it's a brick and mortar store it's easy. When it's a service area business things can get muddy fast.

SABs are only allowed one listing for the main location - your home or office. Employees are not allowed to have a listing. If they were some businesses would have 100s of listings for all their sales reps.

But in your case I understand they aren't employees, but they aren't exactly individual businesses entities it does not sound like either. If the independent reps already have their own (real) business with their own brand that would be fine.

 

[raistlin]

Hi Linda,

Thanks for the quick response.

Just to clarify, I'm thinking of having one Account Manager per location/city/town. They will be self-employed and free to market anything else they want.

I've also seen somebody mention roto-rooter (I'll look for the thread) - so when I Google for 'plumbing Atlanta' or 'plumbing Washington' for example - I get to sub-folders.

Are Roto Rooter offering something different to what I'm thinking of (they look like a Service business to me) - i.e. Am I missing an angle that I should be thinking about - paid franchise or something that allows them to do that - or is it because they have a physical address listed?

 

[Linda Buquet]

No with Roto-Rooter they are franchises so individual business owners, each with a business license in that city, yellow page listings, etc. Actual businesses not just a sale rep in the area.

 

[raistlin]

ok, thanks.

Maybe I need to look at a business model where my Sales Reps actually become business owners and instead of selling my services - actually buy my services and re-sell on at whatever price.

Something to think about.

Thanks for your help

 

[raistlin]

Sorry - one more question..

I'm assuming if I were to set up a physical office/retail location (not Virtual) in each city I expand into and my Account Manager were to work from that location full-time - that would be ok?

Thanks

 

[whitespark]

Hi Raistlin,

Yes, that's the best way to rank locally in additional cities. Don't forget to build citations for each location.

This post might be helpful for you:
5 Ways To Rank Outside Of Your Physical Location In Google Places

 

[raistlin]

Thanks Whitespark

Great Article aswell