About ToddBRau Selling, Outside Sales in the Upper Midwest.

My Story

I have sold some sort of product or service my entire sales career.   The last 15 years have had me on the road during the week, 2 - 4 nights on average.
Most of my travels have been throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Dakotas, and most recently Montana.
I enjoy the travel and most of the people I come across.  And not all of involve sales.   You would be surprised who owns what and what you might come across from town to town.  There really never is a boring moment.
I've used my windshield time to listen to multiple audio books on Audible.  Not all are sales related but they are all educational as I learn something from from most of them as I put on the miles.
I have had the privilege to meet some interesting people from all walks of life, all sorts of different personalities, and many different backgrounds.
Over the past 15 years selling different products, I noticed a evolution of my sales as my travels overnight increased. With Wizards I was in a company van selling the best buffing compounds and detail products in the automotive market (Mist n Shine) to body shops, jobbers, and any retailer who had ties or interest to the car detailing and car show business.  I was selling and actually demonstrating and delivering the very product I sold.  This product wasn't overly expensive, but I measured my success by the sales dollars I accumulated. 
Not long after being in this fun outside sales position, they brought in a consultant and they pulled all outside sales reps off the road and within a few months I would find myself without a job.
I was so very fortunate to find Jasper Engines & Transmissions.  Ken Williamson, the best sales manager I have ever met, decided to give me a opportunity as a outside sales representative.  Just short of my two year anniversary with Jasper, he offered me a Sales Manager position.   I had never been promoted in my life and had never received a pay increase!   For the next 6-7 years I sold and managed the St Paul and Milwaukee branches.   I went from selling a product of a lower dollar value to selling someone of a very high cost to the average consumer, engines and transmissions.  And you didn't sell these on the spot very often, it was all about the relationship.  Man, did I learn a lot and did Ken teach me a lot.  He told me from day one that he was going to teach me how to be a better salesman/person.   And he did.
I thought I'd retire from Jasper, I loved my job.   But a small company in Pella Iowa had a unique opportunity.  Fuel trailers for the agriculture business and for construction and the oil fields.   I found it very interesting.    
I decided to start the interview process over the phone and once I met the staff on a personal interview I was sold on the product and the huge opportunity the new position would offer.   
Now I'm selling the most expensive and the best product in these particular industries.  Here I am at this later stage in my sales profession and it is time to learn all over again about a product and company.  But like Jasper, I developed  a passion for it and slowly building a book of good customers and I am seeing the fruits of just a little bit of labor.   The exciting thing...I have just scratched the surface!
The future is bright.  I know this new opportunity won't all be fields of flowers and sunny days, but it's bright and the opportunity for me and my family is endless.  I look forward to the next 15 years!
This website is just something I want to share with those who may be interested.  Maybe my stories on the road will catch your attention and be just interesting enough to bring you back.   If so, tell a friend, spread the word.
If you came this far, Thank You.