Sales commission for helping sell a horse

[tobiano1984]

I have a 4yo who will be sold this year, and have one person who schools him and will prob compete him too a few times and then also my instructor who occasionally rides him or gives me lessons. Both are way more hooked into the industry than me and have loads of contacts. Just wondering what the 'done' thing is re. commissions if I was to ask them to help sell him via their networks? He lives with me, and I'm paying per session for him to be schooled/competed. Is it a case of setting a 'bonus' (ie if one of your contacts buys him I'll give you £500) or a percentage? He'll be a 5 figure sale price. I will also be marketing him myself but also know that his type are often sold through word of mouth via respected people/at shows etc.
Just interested to hear what others have done so I do the right thing whilst not diminishing my profit anymore than necessary..!😊

 

[be positive]

I think you work out what suits you and your rider/ instructor if they are directly involved with bringing in a client then 10% would be normal but as he is fairly high value they may be happy with a fixed amount for doing very little other than a bit of promotion in the right direction.
I once sold a horse through a friend to a client of her friend and they both asked for 10% which as all they did was make a phone call each was rather steep, we settled on 10% between them, when I sell directly for clients I take 10% although will often take less if they have been at livery for some time, whenever I set up a sale I am happy with a small bonus if I have done no more than make a call and often with the lower end ones am happy that a sale has gone through so expect nothing more than a thank you.

The easiest thing to do is ask them what they want or expect out of it.

 

[Bernster]

Only personal experience but I've paid 20% using a formal sales agent who takes the horse in to sell, and have heard of 10% for the more informal arrangement you seem to be talking about. But obv depends v much on exactly what they are doing for the money and what other income they might be getting from it if anything.