MANA and attorneys who work closely with the association achieved a notable court victory earlier this year that strengthened the rep’s position in the face of termination by a principal.

Last year in a case before the Federal District Court of Massachusetts, the Court issued an opinion that the “Waiver of law prohibited” provision in the Georgia Commission Protection Act was invalid, and that Massachusetts law prevailed in a lawsuit of a Georgia-based representative against a Massachusetts-based manufacturer. The manufacturers’ representative was represented by MANA Attorneys Kramer & Kramer, LLP, who alerted the association to the potentially devastating effect of … Read the rest

Ameron International produces fabricated steel products. Its sales rep in Western New York, West Empire Associates, learned that the Buffalo and Fort Erie Peace Bridge Authority, operator of the famed Peace Bridge (connecting the United States and Canada), was considering re-coating the entire bridge. West Empire quickly arranged a meeting between Ameron and the Authority.

West Empire then worked the phones for a few months with the Authority and Ameron, but did not otherwise assist in the preparation of Ameron’s proposal for the Peace Bridge project. Shortly after participating in the initial testing of Ameron’s bridge coating, Ameron terminated West … Read the rest

Selling in a broad swath of industries is arguably more difficult today than at any time in the last half century. No matter what the optimists may say, competition for customers is horrendous. Ask any salesperson. As one said recently, “I have never seen anything like it.”

Along with everyone else, those in sales constantly look for signs of hope from the latest economic reports — whether it’s relevant or not. Like everyone else, salespeople are faced with doing their job whatever the economic conditions.

Hoping for a better tomorrow is the right attitude, but it takes more than that … Read the rest

Since the dawn of mankind we have been buying and selling “stuff,” and over the centuries a predictable pattern has developed between buyers and sellers. The buyer-seller dynamic can spell “commission catastrophe” for the sales professional who lacks the artful skill of effective questioning.

The Old Way — The Buyer Stalls

Essentially the old way involves the purchaser following a reliable pattern when choosing to come off his or her hard-earned cash to buy something and the unskilled seller who can easily fall victim to this insidious game.

The dynamic begins with buyer gaining as much information about the product … Read the rest

While the following article, which appeared in the July 2010 issue of Electrical Wholesaling magazine, is based on research gathered from the electrical industry, its findings are applicable to independent representatives in other industries.

Key Survival Skills

Many reps are more comfortable dealing in the present rather than the future. They spend most of their time reacting to what is happening in the moment and do not see the future implications of their actions. They are stuck in a “peddler” mindset and are sales driven, not market driven. I believe these reps will wither and die. The reps who survive … Read the rest

Effective Information Management is the Key

Kathy is the office manager for a large corporation. The great news is that the company is growing and Kathy is looking for employees to handle all the new clients. The bad news is that she has no office space for these new employees to work in. The truth is, the office and storage areas are full of filing cabinets and the desks are covered in stacks of paper. The worst part is, Kathy and her staff don’t even know what all that information is. It’s no surprise that Kathy can’t find space for … Read the rest

When your rep firm is visible, good things happen

What are the “magic words” in the rep business? Magic happens when a sales manager asks a good customer, “Who are the good reps who call on you?” These magic words should result in your firm being named, but how often are you short listed? If your name is not on the tip of your customer’s tongues, you are doing something wrong.

The most important thing you can be doing constantly for your firm is making sure that you get a smell of every opportunity of any size in your territory. … Read the rest

Would you like to sell to 40 prospects at the same time? Well, step up to the microphone. Service organizations such as Kiwanis Clubs, Rotary, Lion’s or Optimist Clubs are always looking for a speaker to address their group for free. It’s a win-win situation. They get a speaker at no charge. You have a terrific promotional tool and more importantly are perceived as an expert in your field. Does that sound like a good head start over your competition?

Tips for Your Talk

We’ve all heard that the fear of death is often surpassed by the fear of public … Read the rest

Marketing In Today’s Economy Back To The Basics

A marketer recently wrote, “In the age of Facebook and Twitter the winners will be those who know how to work the phone.” In today’s soft economy that’s a perfect segue to the perennial question that is more important than ever. How do I maximize my marketing and advertising dollars, and how do I close the sale?

The advance men for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus have for years exercised an extraordinary talent. And it isn’t their media buying expertise; though in that regard they are savvy. Nor is it … Read the rest

Proven Techniques To Skyrocket Your Performance, Even During Uncertain Times

Why is it that people with the most sales talent are often not the most successful? What gets in their way? How can some salespeople with less talent over‑achieve and reach much more sales success than their more talented colleagues? Are there specific mental skills that can lead anyone toward championship levels of sales performance? What separates the mindset of a champion from that of the also-rans?

This article addresses these key questions. Traditional sales training programs ignore the biggest obstacles to success. Instead, they focus on specific sales and … Read the rest