During the course of an informal lunch with a 45-year member of MANA early this fall, he related that one of the keys to his agency’s continued success was the willingness of the agency staff to continually make use of the products and services that association membership provided.

According to the agency president, “Over the more than four decades we’ve been members, I’d maintain that we’ve gotten more than our membership dues back. But, it’s only because we took advantage of what is offered.

“We determined long ago that we wanted much more than just a MANA decal or membership plaque to put on our wall. If we were going to join an organization, we wanted to make sure they could do something for us and that’s exactly what MANA has done.”

This member is hardly alone in his advocacy for availing himself of the association’s products and services. His thoughts on association membership mirror what was written in Agency Sales two years ago in answer to the question “Why join MANA?”: “MANA is the association for professional manufacturers’ representatives, those who aspire to be professional. The more you develop as a professional manufacturers’ representative, the more successful you become.”

A key to unlocking the tools to become more professional can be found by visiting the MANA website (MANAonline.org). It’s there that the full menu of products and services available to the association’s constituents can be found.

Among the many more-touted services that MANA provides, according to its members, are some of the following.

Social Media

There’s a wealth of information available via the social media tools. For instance, Facebook alone features a variety of quickly viewed videos covering everything from:

• Starting an agency.
• Handling the proposal of a commission cut.
• Effectively using the MANA RepFinder.
• Agents viewing challenges as opportunities.
• The benefits of outsourcing the sales function.
• And much more.

And Facebook isn’t the only social media tool that can benefit members. LinkedIn’s MANA discussion group is devoted to timely subjects that members face on a regular basis. Whether it’s how to locate dependable legal counseling, succession planning or finding qualified employees, members will find like-minded individuals more than willing to share their experiences and advice. It’s not uncommon for members to contact MANA staff with a question or problem that we can quickly refer them to on LinkedIn. And, Twitter remains a location where members make concise comments on agency activities and the association’s varied products and services.

Association Networking

An ongoing practice of MANA is to constantly be in touch with other industry-specific rep associations. It’s from years of experience that MANA and its leadership have learned the benefits of learning from others. Whether it’s NEMRA, ERA, PTRA, AIM/R, IHRA or any of the other rep associations, MANA has learned the benefits of meeting with them and sharing solutions to mutual problems. This remains an ongoing process.

RepFinder Directory

One of the more visible and valuable MANA services remains the online RepFinder directory. A visit to the MANA website provides specific directions for reps to find principals and sub reps and for manufacturers to locate prospective rep agencies.

Special Reports

Even the quickest of visits to the “Special Reports” section of the MANA website provide members with a virtual library of printed downloadable resources that offer guidance to reps and manufacturers on everything from:

• Starting a Rep Agency — The how-to’s of opening the doors to a rep agency are detailed. Included is an examination of the individual to determine if he has what it takes to be his own boss.
• Strategies for Rep Success — Similar to a SWOT exercise, this report addresses the pressing need to become the complete business person, engage in consultative and synergistic selling, become tech savvy, wise exercise of time management, and most important the importance of using their association. As the report maintains “MANA preaches the value of association membership to its members. Furthermore, the list of MANA members includes many who see the value of their membership in more than one association. But the fact remains that maintaining membership is not enough. The member of an association should use the information, knowledge, educational and networking opportunities that abound in these non-profit organizations. Associations like MANA have access to the collective wisdom of tens of thousands of members over more than half a century. Why try to redesign the wheel yourself if the design already exists in association archives?
• Understanding the Outsourced Sales Professional — Written by consultant Harry Novick, this book-formatted report serves as a guideline to provide an understanding of alternate sales channels in the field of sales management. Among the advantages of the sales rep vs. the direct sales force are the variable vs. a fixed sales cost, reduced sales force turnover, wider field sales coverage, and deeper penetration by the sales force in the territory.
• Selecting the Right Representative or Principal Partners — While making use of a fictional — but very close to real-world — scenario of a manufacturer realizing it needs rep sales support, the report follows steps manufacturers and reps need to follow in order to find each other.
• Open Door by Building an Effective Rep Council — This lengthy report emphasizes how rep councils can effectively serve as a manufacturer’s eyes and ears in the territory providing information that might not always be forthcoming via a direct sales force. Included in the examination of rep councils are the length of service for a rep, the importance of a pre-determined agenda, how to choose the correct location, responsibilities of all participants, and the importance of follow-up.
• U.S. and European Rep Law — Making use of a number of legal resources, MANA examines the differences in U.S. vs. European rep law, a special area of interest for the many independent agencies that deal with overseas suppliers.

Teleforums

Just about any and all subject matter concerning independent manufacturers’ representatives and their principals can be found in the MANA/Sales Wise Teleforum recordings accessed via the MANA website. Have a question on how to excel in high-tech sales or attracting and interacting with Millennials (and much more), chances are an answer will be found in the more than 60 recorded sessions.

Manufacturer Seminars

Just two months ago, MANA conducted the latest in its series of manufacturer seminars. These day-and-a-half seminars specifically address manufacturers’ expectations as they begin or continue to work with an outsourced sales network. A key element of these sessions is the question-and-answer sessions at the end of the seminar geared to examine manufacturers’ expectations and ensure those have been met. The seminars are constructed to cover everything that manufacturers need to know about working with reps. Who are they? What makes them tick? How can you become their emotional favorite? What are some of the legal implications of working with reps? How are territories established and how do they work? What about house accounts, or the lack thereof?”

Legal Counseling

One of the major benefits of MANA membership is access to a list of more than 20 attorneys who have been recommended to MANA as being experienced and knowledgeable on matters relating to the manufacturers’ representative business and laws that govern rep-principal relationships. In addition to access to these attorneys, members are entitled to an annual free half-hour consultation with one of them.

The purpose of this short consultation is to enable members to get a quick answer to a general legal question. It is not intended for detailed legal advice or services such as a contract review or even a contract clause review.

The attorney with whom a member will speak will decide whether the consultation falls under the no-charge member benefit category or under a fee-for-service category. If the attorney believes the consultation does not fall under the no-charge member benefit category, the attorney will notify the member and allow them to decide whether or not to proceed. This notification should include the hourly rate and an estimate of the amount of time involved.

In addition to access to these rep-savvy attorneys, a valuable resource — also found on the MANA website — is a complete and up-to-date list of the states which presently have rep commission protection legislation on the books.

Agency Sales Magazine

MANA’s monthly publication remains one of its members’ most visible connections to the association. Year after year, the printed magazine — together with its online access — addresses subjects of interest to independent agents and their principals.

And, there’s much more. Editorial space limits descriptions of the number of valuable services that MANA provides its membership. But as previously mentioned, the key to success remains in joining the association — but much more important, to use all that MANA has provided its membership for more than 70 years!

MANA welcomes your comments on this article. Write to us at [email protected].