We recently asked one manufacturer what method he preferred when it comes to having his reps communicate with him and he surprised us with an answer similar to “no one size fits all.”

“It depends upon a number of factors, not the least of which is the rep himself,” he responded. “Here’s my reasoning — not all reps, all territories or customers are the same. As a result, we don’t have to be communicated with in the same manner. Let’s assume for a moment that all of our reps are ones that we want to work with long-term. Now let’s plug in some variables. For the rep that operates in a thriving market where there is a lot of expected and repeat business, we don’t need the same sort of communication we may desire from someone else. We know what the expected level of business is, and as long as the numbers line up properly at the end of the month, that rep need only check in occasionally or whenever something important needs to be addressed.

“For the rep in another territory, however, where there isn’t the same level of business, we’d like more regular communication. We want the communications to be proactive on his part. If he’s working on something big or unusual or is involved with something that will take a great deal of time to develop, we just want to be kept up-to-date on how things are progressing. The bottom line is, if we rarely hear from the rep, we don’t know what is happening out there in the real world.”

New Reps Impress by Sharing Their Business Plan

Fresh from the “what have you done to impress me lately” category comes a communication from one manufacturer concerning two of his reps. “We needed to fill representation holes in two territories and went through our standard process for locating and signing agencies. As usual, we did a thorough job and made excellent choices. However, we were surprised with something that our two new reps did. Both reps, each of whom boasts the MRERF CPMR certification, made it a point (right out of the box) to sit down with us so they could share their annual business plans. Not only did they share information with us, but they asked for our input as to what they could do to better serve our needs and the needs of our mutual customers in the territory.

“To say we loved this proactive approach is an understatement. We’ve even gone so far as to suggest to our rep council that more reps follow that approach. Our suggestion was readily accepted. We couldn’t be more pleased by this huge step in the direction of improving communication.”

The Value of a Professional Website

One manufacturer reports to us his opinion on the value of his reps having professional websites. “One of the things that impresses us with any rep firm is the type of presence they have on the Internet. It’s gotten to the point where that’s of paramount importance to us. Unfortunately, too many firms, especially some of the smaller ones, don’t put the proper effort behind their Internet ventures. When that happens, we’re quick to get in touch with them and provide them with some suggestions to improve their online presence.

Make sure you don’t do it yourself unless you’ve got a qualified professional on staff. Too many times a smaller rep firm will rely on a friend or a relative to get the job done. Sure, that will get them up and running in a hurry and guarantee a space in the ether that makes up the Internet, but the proof comes when we ask them what kind of traffic they generate.

We’re never going to recommend a company that can help them, but we have learned how to point them in the direction of finding a trained professional. More times than not, once they’ve followed our advice, they (and we) are more than pleased. To bolster our argument regarding the importance of websites, we’ll also refer them to the pages of Agency Sales. After all, why does the magazine dedicate so much time to writing about technology and the Internet if it’s not important to reps? The answer: Obviously, it is.”

Video Conferencing Works

“One of the reasons we get along so well with our reps,” reports one manufacturer, “is that we listen to their suggestions. An example of that happened recently when one of our reps made the suggestion that we get into video conferencing with them instead of always conducting face-to-face meetings.

“Their reason was that even though we weren’t located that far away, whenever we got together we either had to travel there or they came to the factory, and it always involved at least one night on the road. Not all of these meetings really required us to be seated across the desk from each other, but over the years, we had developed a high level of comfort by seeing each other and perhaps even reading each other’s body language.

“As an experiment, one rep showed us how he was able to work with a couple of his sub-reps and even some of his customers that were located at a distance from the agency. All it took was the installation of a small camera on top of the agency’s PC and the downloading of some software. The clarity of the picture and the sound were topnotch. The cost was affordable enough that we set ourselves up as an experiment with this rep, and it couldn’t have worked better. We’re now expanding this form of video conferencing with some of our other reps and haven’t hit a snag yet. And, over the course of the one year that we’ve been doing this, we’ve already more than recaptured our investment. Everything from now on is a plus.”

A Decision Made Professionally

After he got over the shock of his rep of many years terminating the relationship, a manufacturer reflected on the experience. “Just as so many other manufacturers,” he said, “I’ve usually been the one who’s terminated a relationship — not the rep. But all things considered, the rep’s decision couldn’t have been carried out in a more professional manner. It was done so well that the relationships we’ve worked so hard on developing over the years, will likely go harmed.

“As it appears to me, and for the most part it was communicated this way to me by the rep, he was just looking to fine-tune his marketing approach in the territory. His goal was to limit the number of lines he was carrying in order to concentrate more on the remaining lines. He’s not taking on another line with similar products to ours.

“In addition, he’s still working with us and has promised to continue representing us until we find a home in the territory. And, he’s taken it a step further by communicating with other reps he knows in the territory and alerting them to the fact that our line is available. I’m sure we’re going to find a good home, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this agency to any other manufacturer — although they’re not taking on new lines in the immediate future.”

Captivating Your Audience

Manufacturers and reps can recite a litany of complaints related to what goes on during sales meetings and rep council meetings. Generally, complaints focus on wasted time. Here’s what one manufacturer has done to keep his audience alert and interested:

• “Avoid sleep-inducing meals by replacing them with light and healthy snacks.
• “Call on silent members of the audience rather than waiting for someone to raise their hand to contribute.
• “Emphasize the importance of communicating in a focused, concise manner (with the goal of avoiding long, rambling statements).
• “Make presentations interactive (and avoid long speeches).
• “Plan frequent short breaks and adhere to a schedule. Everyone should be expected to appear on time and ready to contribute.
• “Ensure that each participant has a lead role on at least one agenda item.

“Our plan may not be perfect, but everyone does stay awake.”

Business Cards and Brand Recognition

The following question was posed to a group of manufacturers at a recent industry event: “Do you want your reps to carry your company business card?”

Among their responses (all were in favor of the practice) were:

• “We’ve worked hard on developing our brand recognition nationwide, and in just about all the markets where we work, we’re highly recognized. It’s my feeling that presenting our company’s business card will only enhance the rep’s reputation in the market.”
• “There really is no down side to the rep presenting our company’s business card — with his name and agency prominently displayed. That shows the customer that this rep is the individual with a direct line to the factory and he is, in fact, our eyes and ears in the field. It helps all of us.”
• “My mother always told me that you’re judged by the company you keep. If a rep can show and even boast of his association with our company, it’s to his advantage.”