How to become an independent sales agent Instructions for use

Independent sales agents negotiate and enter into contracts for a company. They're agents who use their technical and relationship-building skills to negotiate the best deals for their clients. Their goal is to sell products or services to third parties.

Companies can handle this skill internally, but that means a significant fixed cost. For more flexibility, they often prefer to use independent sales agents.

In France, they are present in all sectors of activity, with the exception of banking, insurance, advertising and travel. The most common independent sales agents work in the real estate sector. Many former employees or young graduates are choosing to try the entrepreneurial adventure. Would you like to join them?

Let's explore together everything you need to know to launch your business under the best conditions!

How to become a sales agent?

The profession isn't regulated by the government, and no official diploma is required. However, it's super helpful to show off some quality training to win over potential clients.

The most popular courses include a BTS (Advanced Technician Certificate) in « Customer Relations », a DUT (University Technology Diploma) in « Marketing Techniques », a Bachelor's or a Master's degree from a Business School.

In certain specific sectors of activity, it is not uncommon for the company to require its representative to have specific training (pharmaceutical industry, real estate, chemicals, industry, etc.) Also, a good sales agent must be available, responsive, skilled in negotiation, and convincing!

How do you choose your legal status?

To become an independent sales agent, you can create a micro-business. The micro-entrepreneur status is particularly easy to set up, manage and close down.

Your social security contributions are calculated based on your gross turnover.

This is capped at €176,200 for sales activities and €72,500 for service provision.

Alternatively, you can create a single-person company:

• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker. It benefits from a specific social protection scheme, less effective than that of salaried employees.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.

What administrative steps need to be taken?

Becoming a micro-entrepreneur is super easy: just head to the official government websites www.lautoentrepreneur.fr or guichet-entreprises.fr. Your business start-up declaration is just one form to fill in online, and you just need to enter the following information:

• The business address for your company
• Contact details for the sole shareholder
• Choice of health insurance organization and declaration of rights
• Preference for payment in full discharge of income tax.

For a company, you will absolutely have to write your articles of association.

They must include all the mandatory information required by law, as well as any other information necessary for it to function properly.

Next, publish a legal announcement for your company in an approved legal announcement journal. To register your company, you'll need to go to your local CFE (Centre de Formalités des Entreprises - Business Formalities Centre) and submit your complete application. If it's accepted, you'll then receive your Kbis extract, as well as your SIREN and SIRET numbers.

How to expand your network of contacts and clients?

A sales representative must inspire the trust of their customers. To do this, they must display a well-groomed image on the web. Be present online by referencing your activity in general and specific professional databases (Yellow Pages, Google My Business, etc.). Depending on your sector of intervention, it is possible to make yourself known to specialized networks.

LinkedIn is a preferred social network for sales agents. Finally, create an official page on social networks to share your news and the evolution of your services! It should inspire trust and legitimacy.

Finally, there's a valuable element that is all too often overlooked when it comes to facilitating the success of your project: using the services of a domiciliation company.

A domiciliation company offers legal domiciliation services to individuals or legal entities. Approved by the prefecture on which it depends, it provides its clients with a registered office as well as a postal, commercial, and administrative address.

Using your home address means you have to put your home address online, which puts your privacy at risk. It's also a more affordable solution than renting commercial premises. It will also allow you to improve your local SEO ranking on search engines, thanks to the keywords specific to your registered address!

Finally, you can reduce your taxes by choosing a municipality with low CFE (Corporate Property Contribution) rates.

With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your certificate of domiciliation in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized, secure virtual office!