Without stretching the imagination too much, it’s conceivable that in a discussion of rep councils this Hollywood-crafted quote from Field of Dreams might apply: “Build it and they will come.”
The “they” in this case might very well be other reps, not to mention prospective customers.
For years now, MANA and Agency Sales magazine have been proponents of manufacturer rep councils. The councils have been fodder for discussions at industry gatherings, on MANA discussion boards and in letters to the editor of Agency Sales. Overall, the association philosophy has been that well-put-together rep councils only act as a benefit to rep, manufacturer and ultimately customers. In a MANA special report (which is available on the MANA web site) entitled Open Doors by Building an Effective Rep Council, a number of case histories present positive experiences with rep councils. The report concludes with several guidelines that ought to be followed in order to have workable rep councils. Included in those guidelines are:
Communicating Goals
The value of communication for manufacturers and their reps can’t be repeated often enough. Especially in this discussion of rep councils, all involved should be included in the communication loop. Initial talking points should include the stated goals of the council and the role of each participant (rep and manufacturer) should be detailed.
Selecting Members and Council Size
Time in the trenches ought to count for something here, but in the selection of rep participants on a council, tenure certainly should be weighed heavily. That doesn’t mean that new or newer reps should specifically be excluded from the process, but there’s a special value in having the participation of reps who have known and worked with the manufacturer the longest. They not only know the manufacturer, its products, goals and personnel, they might also exhibit a willingness to bring forth issues that rookie reps might be reluctant to offer.
As far as manufacturer members of the council, they should be senior personnel who believe in working with reps. In addition, they should be personnel who carry decision-making authority.
One other bit of advice from a rep concerning manufacturer council members: their numbers should never exceed those of the rep participants.
Length of Council Service
Continuity is one of the first words that comes to mind when considering how long an individual should sit on the council. In any event, given that various tasks must be accomplished by the council, a one-year term is probably not long enough. Many manufacturers tend to lean toward two- and three-year terms with the thinking that members should serve long enough to ensure tasks or projects can be seen through to the end.
Another consideration is to stagger terms so that the entire council doesn’t turn over at the same time. Employing that strategy ensures that there will be some continuity.
Marketing the Council
It hardly makes any sense to go to the trouble of putting together a rep council and then burying its existence under a rock — that’s why letting all interested parties know about it is so important. What that means is that once the council is up and running, it should be constantly marketed to the entire representative sales force. This can be accomplished through newsletters, having the manufacturer’s regional managers communicate the council in person, or having the rep members of the council communicate to their peers.
Maintaining the Council
To ensure the council keeps on going and operates to the benefit of reps and manufacturers, it’s important that before and after formal meetings it stays in an operational mode. Whether that means planning, communicating or implementing new plans, its job never ends.
Expenses and Meeting Locations
Since manufacturers appreciate the fact that they’re taking their council member reps out of the territory for rep council meetings, they generally cover the expenses of such meetings. Locations for the meetings vary, with both the plant and off-site, less-formal venues fitting the bill. A vote in favor of the former approach has been heard from many manufacturers who offer that holding the meetings at plant locations allows the reps to become more familiar with the manufacturing process and the personnel they are so dependent upon.
