The year was 1947. Harry S. Truman was president, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and on October 17, 1947, the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association joined the community of not-for-profit trade associations.
To celebrate our 70th MANAversary year, each Agency Sales magazine through October will include a “blast from the past” article from the early issues of The AGENT and Representative magazine, which eventually became Agency Sales.
These nostalgic looks back at how our counterparts from seven decades ago conducted their businesses and their lives are really eye-opening, in some cases because they conducted their business so differently from a modern manufacturers’ representative, and in some cases because it seems that nothing has changed in all that time. Enjoy!
Edgar A. Wilcox
Straight From the Shoulder
By Edgar A. Wilcox, First MANA President
(Reprinted from September 1949 The AGENT and Representative magazine)
A number of manufacturers’ agents with whom I recently talked spoke highly of Manufacturers’ Agents National Association, its accomplishments and plans.
In the same breath, however, many of them — not yet MANA members — gave excuses for their failure to join.
Some agents hadn’t gotten around to it — seemed to be waiting for someone to solicit their membership in person. But any such personal solicitation, as I endeavored to point out, simply isn’t in the cards.
Some checked off a miscellany of other organizations to which they belong, the time such organizations take, and claimed they could not very well involve themselves in additional organization activity. Again I pointed out that such agents were overlooking the fact that the success of MANA is more closely related to their own professional and personal welfare than any other commercial organization could possibly be.
There were other and lesser excuses offered, but they are not important enough to mention here.
These conversations lead me to believe that practically all agents who know about MANA approve what it is doing and what has already been done. The trouble, however, is that many are prone to assume that MANA can succeed without their individual support, and that they will benefit whether they become members or not.
Such can be true, of course, only temporarily at most, because to accomplish what needs to be done and what MANA has set out to do requires the backing of a really large representative membership.
Chas B. Roth pointed out in our columns last month, in “The Selling Parade,” that salesmen are “still not professionals.” But sales agents had better be professionals — in business, as they are, for themselves — although there admittedly remain many things yet to be accomplished for the well-being of such agency profession. MANA aims to elevate such profession in the opinion of manufacturers, suppliers, and others, as well as in the opinion of agents themselves; to make it an object of true respect rather than of weakness, or ridicule; and to improve its position morally, politically and legally.
MANA has set out to do these things to the lasting benefit of all, and to the injury of none. And these being worthy objects, they deserve — and require — the support of a large and representative membership.
It scarcely need be mentioned that in united action there is strength. But such strength can only be in proportion to the size of the united body. The supplicating voice of the individual is scarcely a faint whisper in the business world today. But confident words spoken by representatives of strong, organized groups are not only heard but usually heeded.
The sales agency profession is just about the last to seek the advantages of group organization, and the benefits and protection inherent in such organization — so badly needed in this postwar period. Even the lowly hobo has been more far sighted!
“Every man will be what he is becoming,” is something for every agent to think about today.
It takes energy, initiative, and a great deal of unselfish devotion to a cause, to found and establish a national association like MANA — an organization in which any agent, no matter how large or small, may indeed be proud to be a member. It can mean more to you, bring you more satisfaction, and increase your income to a greater extent, than any group to which you as an agent could possibly belong.
So, let’s put first things first. If for no other than purely selfish reasons, let’s support this worthy cause — NOW!—when support is urgently needed.
A number of members have sponsored new members — but not enough! A number of members have called our A & R magazine, and its advertising service, to the attention of their principals — but again, not enough!
This is the kind of cooperation urgently and widely needed:
“Will you kindly send your initial literature regarding membership in MANA to (Name on request), — St. Louis 15, Mo.
“I have given him a sales talk on the merits of the Association and the reasons why I believe every MA of good standing should join. He said he would write you and I think you will have a new member but I never count on an order until delivered in writing.
“George has all the earmarks of a desirable member and I unhesitatingly recommend him. Best regards and all good wishes for the excellent work you are doing.” — T.S. Co., Milwaukee 2, Wisc.
“Attached is our check to cover dues and annual subscription to the A & R magazine, plus 10 extra copies of the first edition which we wish to forward on at once to our principals.” — J.T.H.S. Co., Los Angeles 15, Calif.
Again, please remember that the modest MANA dues do not permit the use of paid membership solicitors. Even repeated mail solicitations are a heavy burden — in cost of printing, postage and personnel.
In the final analysis, members make or break an organization. A few alone cannot carry the entire burden. It is time — NOW— that the Executive Office recehives a much greater degree of cooperation from each and every member!
What can you do?
- Pay your renewal dues promptly when invoiced.
- Display your Association insigne on your stationery.
- Read your A & R magazine carefully from cover to cover, and then tell others about it — whoever you see and wherever you go.
- Obtain some extra A & R copies — and send one to each of your principals, with a personal letter. This is most important — to you and to MANA.
- Sign up at least one new member, as quickly as possible. (The membership badge you will receive as a reward is purely incidental, but you will like it and be proud indeed to possess it.)
- Write to the Executive Secretary. Give him some hints and helps for future issues of your monthly magazine.
In these, and other ways, you can and should make yourself a greater part of your own professional organization — Manufacturers’ Agents National Association — and I can confidently assure you, straight from the shoulder, that you will never have cause or occasion to regret it!
