Matt O’Grady’s father, grandfather and uncle were all policemen, so naturally — he became an independent manufacturers’ representative. While obviously not following the same career path as some other family members, today he sounds perfectly happy and content as president of CAM Associates, LLC, with locations in Itasca, Illinois and Delevan, Wisconsin.

As he looks back on how and why he became a rep, O’Grady explains that as a student at St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin, “I majored in communication because I felt no matter what career I pursued, I would have to be an effective communicator. At the … Read the rest

While it may be impossible to identify what follows as a trend, the fact remains there have been a number of MANA members who have recently contacted the association with their thoughts on what some term as “onerous” requirements that they provide regular updates to their principals on their principals’ CRM systems. At the very least, if it’s not a trend, it’s certainly an area of concern.

Perhaps serving as a preface to a discussion of this subject are comments that have appeared recently in Agency Sales. For instance:

• “Maintaining a manufacturer’s CRM (often salesforce.com), rep salespeople lose time

Time hurdles and what to do about them.

When I talk to sales reps who aren’t hitting their numbers, it usually comes down to a lack of activity; in other words, they aren’t making enough calls to get the prospects and ultimately make the sales. “I don’t have enough time” is the biggest excuse I hear regarding why they aren’t making the necessary calls. Not having enough time can be due to a few factors. Here they are and here’s what you can do about them.

Time Hurdle #1: There Really Isn’t Enough Time

This is the person being pulled … Read the rest

A month can be long or short. In the rep business a month should be the key measuring point for running the business.

Most of us have heard the expression, “work on your business — not in it!” Unfortunately, most reps are so far in the business that they are like frogs in a pot of boiling water, just swimming so hard to stay alive that they never think about the vital few things that make them successful.

The Vital Few

What are the “vital few” for a rep firm?

1. Time to think — as mentioned above, reps are … Read the rest

I’m sure you’ll agree that establishing credibility is one of the most critical elements in securing a new customer. The customer must see you as a credible and trustworthy resource. When we ask our program participants to describe the elements of credibility, they often will suggest things like a proven track record, a list of satisfied customers, number of years in business, financial strength, business size, etc. — all items that contribute to credibility. Our next question is, “How do you establish that credibility or convey that credibility to a prospective customer?” Invariably, the response is, “We tell them.”

Now … Read the rest

Very few companies remember and use customers’ names. Employees rarely, if ever, remember and consistently use the names and remember the faces of the customer they see most often, let alone the customer they see only occasionally.

There is nothing more precious to a customer than their name. It is the highest level of customer service. In a year the typical customer can count on one hand the times an employee will use their name. Most companies and employees don’t care. Few realize the impact it makes on a customer.

This is a stealth approach to keeping customers and stealing … Read the rest

As a veteran sales trainer, I’ve often wrestled with this question: Why is it that some salespeople do so much better in the long run than others of equal skill and competency?

I’ve identified a number of reasons for that. Probably the most powerful and pervasive reason has to do with their unique set of beliefs. I’m not talking about political or religious beliefs here; I’m referring to a more commonplace set of beliefs that rule their jobs and their vision of themselves on the job.

Beliefs That Hinder

They entertain ideas and beliefs that seem comfortable and right to … Read the rest

According to one of the world’s richest persons, “content is king.”

That’s what Microsoft founder Bill Gates declared in an essay he wrote in 1996. You could make the argument that content is even more royal today than it was in the ’90s. Content attracts attention and draws prospective clients.

I’m a big believer in writing fresh, original content because it makes a revenue generator’s job so much easier.

As a professional speaker, I do zero advertising. The only “marketing” I do is write articles that are intended to be valuable for people in my target audience and post similar … Read the rest