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Boosting Membership Value

By Mark Hogan

October marks the founding of MANA, a milestone we celebrate by enhancing the benefits and content available to our members.

Beginning this month, Agency Sales magazine readers will notice a new addition: a curated list of relevant trade shows. A new contributing author, Robin Copple, makes his debut. And you will also start seeing more relevant and useful advertisements, such as the productivity tool called RescueTime.

Our association’s loyal membership base allows us to secure significant discounts on products and services that benefit both your business and personal life. In this edition, you will find a few pages previewing these exclusive benefits, along with the next steps we encourage you to take.

Regarding this publication, we have heard your feedback that you enjoy receiving it each month, but that you are not exactly reading it cover-to-cover. You will soon see new features and better content that is more consumable.

Our monthly email newsletter will continue to have the timeliest information on innovative programs and benefits. For example, in September we included a link where MANA members get a 15 percent discount on a database solution from a national vendor. This database is a lead generation tool enabling you to reach customers by serving up comprehensive company and contact data.

And just for fun, we are anticipating December’s holiday gift-giving season. You will see instructions (only in Agency Sales) on how to get a free personalized gift from MANA starting in December!

Where Does All the Time Go?

By Marilyn Kahler

Recently a conversation I had with a few fellow reps resulted in an interesting and useful exercise — examining how I, as a rep, spend my days. This exercise was really an outgrowth of the larger question: “Where does all the time go?”

Well, here goes! Here’s a partial list of what I do on a given day:

Selling — Speaking directly to customers obviously remains the number-one activity that a rep must perform. Some conversations are short and others, depending upon the details, are quite lengthy. Many of the conversations I have with customers … Read the rest

Finding a Comfortable Fit as a Rep

By Jack Foster

photo of Glen Baines — Glen Baines is the owner of Baines Group, Inc.

Glen Baines enjoyed early business success with his own landscaping business that he began in college and continued after graduation. However, “After getting married, I realized that things were pointing me in a different direction than just cutting grass.”

Thankfully, having grown up around the rep business, he found a comfortable place to park his lawnmower and began a new career as an independent rep. “My father was a factory salesman for 18 years prior to opening his own agency. He had always made it clear that if I was interested … Read the rest

Reps Face Emerging Challenges

By Jack Foster

When it came to identifying and facing myriad challenges to the way they conduct business, a group of MANA members found no shortage of subject matter to consider earlier this year in the course of a three-day MANAchat. Communication challenges, the threat posed by venture capitalists purchasing rep firms, and considering something called the Entrepreneurial Operating System — among other subjects — were all discussed.

Communication challenges, specifically as they apply to the rep’s ability to contact and stay in touch with customers, appear to be something that is a universal concern. The discussion on this … Read the rest

Avoiding Landmines: Don’t Fall Asleep at the Switch

By John Haskell

Reps who aren’t doing something to advance key parts of their business are asleep at the switch and will pay a price sooner rather than later.

It is a never-ending frustration to me to speak with reps who say, “We know we need to do something.” Then they disappear into the ether and I never hear another thing. These reps are not thinking of their best interests. Regardless of the size of the agency, there are things that need to be done proactively to place the business in a better position for the future.

The … Read the rest

You Want to Hear “I See You Everywhere”

By Jeff Beals

The most successful sales professionals tend to work long and hard. A significant chunk of those hours is typically dedicated to prospecting activities: networking, making phone calls, placing outbound emails, responding to calls and emails, hosting guests, visiting people who refer or recommend them to clients and developing raving fans who champion their cause.

Prospecting must be perpetual, and in many sales jobs, networking is an important part of prospecting.

No matter how busy you may be, it’s beneficial to get out of the office and show up at networking events. We need to reach out … Read the rest

The Importance of Communication for Sales Leaders and Their Teams

By Nathan Jamail

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful sales leadership. It is the vital link that connects sales leaders to their teams, ensures alignment with organizational goals and drives consistent performance. Without robust communication strategies, even the most skilled sales teams can falter. In this article we will explore the importance of communication for sales leaders and their teams, highlighting key strategies to enhance communication and drive success.

1. Establishing Clear Goals and Expectations

One of the primary roles of a sales leader is to set clear goals and expectations. Effective communication ensures that every team member … Read the rest

Reasons Salespeople Can’t Close

By Mark Hunter

Are you doing enough in the sales process to close the deal?

Salespeople are always quick to say, “My price was too high. That was the reason the customer didn’t buy.” That’s garbage. I want you to take that off the table.

I want to share 11 reasons salespeople can’t close. Don’t look at these as excuses! Instead think: What do we need to change?

1. Failing to uncover priorities that are keeping their attention focused elsewhere.

We may think that we have the only opportunity, or the only decision they need to make, but … Read the rest

Night Owls, Morning Owls: The Myth of the Morning Person

By Robin Copple

It’s too prevalent a concept. It’s infected offices and workspaces the world over.

Buried among all the mugs that proclaim, “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee,” and memes about “Hoping this email finds you well,” you hear a consistent refrain: “I’m just not a morning person.”

Those morning people are the winners, we tell ourselves. They’ve got it all figured out. Or, worse yet, they were just born that way.

There might be one in your own life. They likely have made sure you were aware.

“There’s so much time in the … Read the rest

Steps to Moving Up the Ladder of Success

By John Tschohl

Are you tired of being stuck on a low rung of your company’s corporate ladder? Are you looking for ways to move up in your career? I can help you do that.

It all begins with a dream that you can turn into a solid, workable goal. It will take some work on your part, but anything worth achieving is worth working for.

The first step in turning your career dreams into reality is recognizing and addressing these four principles:

Beliefs.
Dedication.
Focus.
Skills.

They are spokes in the wheel that will drive you and your … Read the rest

Take Time to Communicate

By Jack Foster

At least that was the view of one manufacturer who explained, “I can’t count the number of times that I’ve heard my fellow manufacturers say that their reps claim they didn’t know what the manufacturer wanted out of the relationship.”

He went on to explain: “I’d maintain that it always comes down to keeping open the lines of communication. And to accomplish that goal, what has to be done? I’d maintain that it’s not all that difficult, but it does take some time and effort.

“In my opinion, here are some things to keep in … Read the rest

More Clarity on When the Procuring Cause Doctrine Can Garner Post‑Termination Commissions

By Scott Sanders

Shocking but Not Uncommon Abuse of a Salesman

A genetic testing company and a sales/marketing specialist sign a contract naming the individual as VP of sales and marketing. The two-page contract provides for an annual base salary of $145,000 and for “at-will” employment. It also states: “Your commission will be 3.5 percent of your net sales.” The contract is slim and is absolutely silent on the issue of further commission rights upon termination.

The VP (as specifically requested by the company) negotiates a supply contract amendment with the number-one purchaser of the company’s products, to greatly extend … Read the rest

MANA In-Person Meet Up

Steve McClure and Mark Hogan — Steve McClure (left) and Mark Hogan, right, MANA’s CEO and president, at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo 2024.

MANA members gathered at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on August 7-8, 2024, for some friendly face-to-face conversations. Manufacturer members seeking outsourced sales solutions had insightful conversations with experienced reps. Reps also engaged with member associates, exploring potential collaborations. Additionally, reps shared their outlook on future market conditions within their industry and beyond.

MANA’s mission is to foster strong connections between manufacturers and independent manufacturers’ reps. We’ve heard the feedback: manufacturers really appreciate hearing back from reps, even if a … Read the rest