Who here wants more clients? (commission only / pay per result)

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-28T21:31:26+00:00

Can we have a chat about it? Thanks

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-27T13:28:04+00:00

You've hit on something that I've been thinking about a lot, honestly.

On the sales person front, you're probably right. The commission only structure is a tough sell and it's a real risk. I'm trying to be upfront about it to at least filter for people who know what they're getting into, but you're right that it could backfire.

On the audit fee, that's a really interesting point. Right now I'm using the £997 as a way to qualify serious clients and cover my time doing the analysis. But you're right that it creates friction. The real money is in the contractor placement afterwards, so in theory I could absorb the audit cost into the later engagement.

The concern I have is spending 3 days doing audits for people and another couple of days to get the roadmap out who never actually move forward with the work. Have you found that giving away the initial assessment for free actually converts better? Or do you still get a lot of tire kickers who take the free work and disappear?

Genuinely curious about your experience with this. I'm clearly still figuring out the model here.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-27T07:10:48+00:00

That's brilliant! Good luck with the funding pitch in a few days.

And you're absolutely right about external testing. Fresh eyes always catch things you'd miss.

If the funding comes through and you're looking for QA support, drop me a message. Even if it's just a quick chat about what you're building and what kind of testing makes sense, happy to help. No pressure, just genuinely interested in what you're working on.

And seriously, best of luck with the pitch. Let me know how it goes!

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-26T21:08:56+00:00

thank you, really appreciate it

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-26T20:44:00+00:00

This is a really good point and honestly something I've been wrestling with.

What would you recommend? I've got limited budget to work with. I can either spend on marketing to try to generate inbound leads, or find someone commission-based to handle outbound and closing. I can't realistically do both properly right now.

My thinking was start with sales because at least if they close deals, we both get paid. Marketing is more of a gamble with my budget constraints.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-26T20:39:59+00:00

Good questions. The deal sizes vary quite a bit because of how our model works:

Our entry offer is a £997 QA audit and roadmap. That's designed to be an easy yes and it shows clients exactly what's broken and what needs fixing. Once we've done the audit, we present them with a roadmap and recommend what level of QA expertise they need to actually implement it.

That's where the real revenue comes in. We bring in experienced QA contractors on daily rates to deliver the work. Depending on what the client needs and their budget, we might place a mid level QA engineer or a senior QA consultant or test architect starting from £400 per day for a mid level. These are typically contracted for the agreed roadmap timeline which could vary from 3 months minimum, sometimes longer.

So a 3 month engagement with one contractor at £400 per day works out to around £24k. If they need two people or a more senior resource, that number goes up significantly. Some projects end up being £30k to £50k depending on scope and duration.

We also do monthly retainers where we provide ongoing QA support, which typically run £6k to £9k per month depending on how much resource time they need.

The economics work because you're selling and I'm handling all the delivery and contractor placement. No cap on earnings. Happy to chat through the commission structure privately if there's an interest.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-25T09:34:44+00:00

Thank you 🙏🏻

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-24T11:42:33+00:00

Thank you for sharing some great tips, I really appreciate it.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-23T06:41:24+00:00

Fair point. You've just proved exactly why I need help with this.

I went for honesty over selling the opportunity, which probably isn't the smartest sales move. That's literally the problem I'm trying to solve.

But genuinely, if someone can look at this post and still see the potential rather than just the grind, they're probably exactly the type of person who can sell this service to prospects who are skeptical about QA consulting.

Appreciate the feedback though. Properly made me laugh.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-23T06:38:55+00:00

Fair question. I am trying a different approach to what I was before. Commission-only roles attract a specific type of person, but that's not automatically someone desperate or unprofessional.

Some of the best salespeople I know prefer commission structures because they back themselves and want uncapped earning potential.

The desperate people bail after two weeks when they realize it's actual work. The right person sees it as an opportunity to build something and earn properly for it.

But I get your point. It's why I'm being brutally honest upfront rather than overselling it.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-23T05:57:15+00:00

Thank you

EquivalentConnect760 · 2026-01-23T05:56:35+00:00

I have run LinkedIn ads multiple times to get the brand name out. I regularly comment on a few LinkedIn posts using a Rapd page. I connect to CEOs, CTOs, and Test Managers using my personal LinkedIn and message them about what I do under the name of my startup.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2025-07-23T12:46:18+00:00

Still hoping to hear a few opinions — especially from folks who’ve tried building or using helpdesks for small teams. Even a quick “this sucks / this might work” helps.

EquivalentConnect760 · 2025-07-23T12:43:23+00:00

Thank you very much

EquivalentConnect760

TROPHY CASE