As a commission only agent you will be representing one or more companies, selling their products on a commission. There are many companies requiring agents. You could be selling cards, jewellery, gifts or clothes to retailers or selling specialised/ technical goods to manufacturing businesses. You may be given a territory and often you are quite literally on your own! If this excites you, you will should sign some sort of legally binding agreement about what you and the company expect from one another. Also, consult with the Manufacturers Agent Association (www.themaa.co.uk). The website Easy Forms (www.easyform-docs.co.uk) provides downloadable model agreements for a reasonable fee. Again, with all legally binding agreements you are strongly advised to seek legal advice before signing anything!

You will be cold calling and presenting/ pitching for business to potential customers. You will be negotiating new orders and repeat business. You will probably be driving a lot, so ensure proper insurances are in place and you may, on occasions, need to stay overnight in other towns. You may be provided with an office, or you could be home based.

There is no single source for sales opportunities. If you are experienced in a specialised area you may be best approaching companies in that field directly. Companies like Agent Base (www.sales-agnets.com) have listings of companies looking for agents and a regular newsletter. Opportunities may be advertised in relevant trade magazines, or approach companies exhibiting at relevant trade shows.