When you first start a power washing business, you’re likely the one doing it all—spraying surfaces, answering phones, giving quotes, posting on social media, and closing sales. But if you’re serious about scaling, you’ll eventually hit a point where you can’t grow any more without help. One of the best hires you can make to break through that ceiling? A dedicated salesperson.
Bringing someone on board to focus entirely on selling your services can unlock explosive growth—if you do it right. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to hire, train, and manage a salesperson to boost your revenue and take your business to the next level. 📈🧼
📊 Why You Need a Salesperson
Here’s what a great salesperson can do for your power washing business:
✅ Follow up with every lead quickly
✅ Book jobs faster and more efficiently
✅ Upsell services like sealing, soft washing, or gutter cleaning
✅ Build relationships with commercial clients
✅ Free you up to focus on operations, hiring, or service quality
If you’re losing leads, undercharging, or struggling to keep your schedule full, it might not be a marketing problem—it could be a sales bottleneck. 🧠
🔍 What Kind of Salesperson Should You Hire?
There are two common options:
- Inside Salesperson (Office-based) – Handles inbound calls, quote requests, and emails. Ideal for residential-focused businesses.
- Outside Salesperson (Field-based) – Visits properties, builds B2B relationships, and closes commercial deals.
You might start with an inside salesperson part-time and grow into outside sales as your business scales.
Also decide if you want:
- 🧑💼 A full-time W2 employee
- 🧾 A 1099 contractor
- 💼 A commission-only rep
- 🔄 A base + commission hybrid role
Each has pros and cons. Many small businesses start with commission-only to keep costs low, then evolve into a salaried role as revenue grows.
✍️ Writing the Right Job Description
Make sure your job listing is clear, compelling, and tailored to your industry. Here’s what to include:
📌 Title: Sales Representative – Power Washing Services
📌 Responsibilities:
- Respond to inbound leads and book estimates
- Perform site visits when needed
- Follow up with quotes and proposals
- Close residential and/or commercial jobs
- Maintain CRM notes and activity tracking
📌 Requirements:
- Strong communication and customer service skills
- Sales experience preferred (field or phone)
- Understanding of or willingness to learn power washing basics
- Self-motivated and results-driven
📌 Compensation:
- Base + commission (e.g., $500/week + 10% of sales)
- Bonus for upsells or monthly targets
Post it on local job boards, Facebook groups, Craigslist, or Indeed. Or ask around your network—you may know someone perfect already. 🔍📣
🎓 How to Train a Sales Rep for the Power Washing Industry
Don’t just throw them a brochure and hope for the best. Invest in proper onboarding:
🧽 Teach them the basics of your services (pressure vs. soft washing, chemical types, surfaces)
📸 Show real-life before/after photos so they understand the value
📋 Walk through pricing strategy and minimum job sizes
💬 Practice phone scripts, in-person pitches, and handling objections
🧠 Role-play different scenarios: residential, commercial, price-sensitive clients
Also give them access to:
- A pricing sheet or calculator
- CRM or sales software (e.g., Jobber, HubSpot, Pipedrive)
- Templates for estimates and follow-up emails
The better their tools and knowledge, the higher their confidence—and your close rate.
💰 Compensation Models That Motivate
Here are a few common commission structures in power washing:
- Straight Commission: 10–20% of gross revenue on closed deals
- Base + Commission: $500/week + 10% commission
- Tiered Commission: 10% up to $10K in sales/month, 15% after that
- Bonus Incentives: $200 bonus for 5 upsells/month, $100 bonus for $15K+ in sales
Make sure your structure is sustainable but motivating. Great salespeople want to know they can earn more the harder they work. 💵🔥
🔁 Set KPIs and Track Results
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Set clear expectations and review weekly:
📞 # of outbound calls/emails
📆 # of estimates booked
📈 Conversion rate on quotes
💸 Total revenue closed
📦 # of upsells or add-on services
Use a simple dashboard or CRM to track these. Even Google Sheets can work when you’re starting out.
🧠 How to Keep Your Salesperson Engaged
Sales is a grind. Keep morale high with:
- Weekly sales huddles or check-ins
- Leaderboards or contests (e.g., “Top upseller of the month”)
- Shoutouts on social media or team group chats
- Clear paths to promotion or increased commission
Also encourage them to attend local networking events or join business groups like BNI or chamber mixers. It builds confidence—and pipelines. 🤝
🚩 Red Flags to Watch For
If your salesperson is:
🚫 Not following up with leads
🚫 Complaining about pricing or your service quality
🚫 Failing to track their activity
🚫 Blaming others instead of problem-solving
🚫 Closing less than 20–30% of quotes
…it may be time to reevaluate. Sales is a results-driven role. Either support them better—or find someone else who can perform.
💬 Final Thoughts
Hiring a salesperson isn’t an expense—it’s a growth engine. With the right person in place, your calendar stays full, your upsells increase, and your business moves from reactive to proactive.
Start by documenting your sales process, setting a compensation plan, and carving out time for training. You don’t need a sales “rockstar.” You just need someone who’s consistent, coachable, and hungry to help you grow.
Because in the world of business, sales fix almost everything. 💼💬💦
