There is a Tide in the Affairs of Independent Manufacturers’ Reps that Leads to Fortune

Each year every rep firm is presented with numerous backselling opportunities which, if carefully planned and executed can help the firm position itself with its key principals.

The goal of all backselling is to keep principals happy and keep them paying. Nothing is more important to a rep firm than happy principals. Smart reps acknowledge that principals are more important than customers. The principals are really customers.

Here are key opportunities for successful backselling. How does your firm do on a 1-10 scale with 10=perfect and 1=lousy; we could get fired and 5=adequate?

General Communication

Day in and day out what impression does the communication from your firm make on those at your principals’ offices?

Are e-mails clear, concise, and articulate? Do you and your people check spelling beyond spell check? Remember both “there” and “their” will be considered properly spelled, but writing “Please send me there address” makes you look illiterate.

Do your people have good telephone manners? When someone makes a call to a principal are they polite, patient and appreciative for the help? You would be surprised how important the phone impression of you and your people can be. A nasty remark or impatient attitude gets noted. A general feeling that you and your people are nasty, impatient, or unappreciative gets translated into a low rating for your firm.

Handling Issues

There is no doubt about the fact that stuff happens. You should be pleased that it does because every issue in the territory is an opportunity to showcase your firm’s expertise, quality, and abilities. But, mishandling a situation can be a disaster. Your paranoia will kick in and you’ll be trying to make up for a bad situation for months.

Every issue also provides a chance to backsell your firm. How you handle the situation becomes the basis of a story that can be told to sales managers, vice presidents, and even the ownership. Outstanding performance by your rep firm can become legendary.

Rep Councils

Being selected to be on the principal’s rep council is an honor. It can also become a disaster. You need to remember that the involvement in the council is a showcase opportunity. There are definitely things you want to say to the management of a company that you represent. There are things you would like to see changed, improved, modified, etc.

But, no matter how bad the situation is with quality, delivery, engineering, customer service, traffic or a hundred other elements of the company’s interaction with you, customers and the marketplace, you have to remember the backselling issues.

Speaking your mind too freely or too aggressively can result in real negatives for your firm with the principal. Saying what you think can be very dangerous.

I am not arguing to be a “yes” person or to hold back. But, I am arguing for very judicious use of your platform as a member of the rep council.

Preparation pays big dividends — Before you go to the rep council you want to think about the issues and what you want to say. If the principal provides an agenda, good. You do not want to be one to take them off the agenda. If you think that there are issues that really need to be addressed before the council meeting, use the phone to contact the leader of the council to see if the issue or issues can be made a part of the program. If not, let it go for then.

Don’t talk too much — Most reps talk themselves into trouble. It is very simple: “loose lips sink ships” and reps too. More than one termination notice can be traced to an overzealous rep at a rep council meeting. It may be years later, but sales managers never forget. Don’t sow the seeds of your own demise at a rep council meeting.

Trade Shows Offer Major Backselling Opportunities

Your role for a major principal at a trade show can provide great backselling opportunities.

How do you plan your participation on behalf of the key principals? What do you tell your people in preparation for a trade show? How do you coordinate your activities with your key principals? How do you follow up after the show?

You and your people can never drop your guard during a show. One of the most dangerous situations is a slow show. Picture you, your people and key people from the principal sitting around all day with time to kill because the show is a bust.

This is a really dangerous situation. Other reps are present. A gripe session begins. People begin to pick on things that the principal does or does not do. A disgruntled employee of the principal is saying bad things about the company.

You and your people have to remember backselling is your mission. You don’t want to participate positively or negatively. Again, memories are long. You don’t know if you are being set up and the disgruntled employee is just probing to see what the reps will say so he can report on them.

Now my paranoia is showing; it should be. Never drop your guard around principals. Principals are not your friends. They are not the enemy, but they can quickly turn into the enemy if one of them sees a benefit to his or her career or needs to fight for his or her job. Everyone takes care of number one. Never forget it.

Bars are negative backselling situations — Alcohol has destroyed more than one rep firm. Sitting in the terrace bar at the Las Vegas Hilton during a trade show, more than one well-lubricated rep has sounded off about something and been overheard by the wrong person.

Again, remember “loose lips.” You and your people have to regulate your drinking and know that someone can be listening anywhere anytime. Watch out for conversations in restaurants, bars and on elevators. You never know who is there.

Field Visits Are Perfect Backselling Opportunities

When a principal comes to visit, you have him/her on your home turf. These opportunities need to be planned and organized for maximum effectiveness.

How do you organize a trip for a principal in the territory? Do you provide an itinerary in advance? Do you provide a briefing on each call? Do you provide a review of your firm? Do you give your guest a copy of your profile and line card?

Do you review your lines to let the principal understand your multiple-line selling tactics?

Do you follow up the visit with an immediate trip report by e-mail which is received no more than 24 hours after the visit?

Do you follow up every action item that was developed during the trip and make sure the principal knows how you have handled it?

Remember, in your business the motto is “When in doubt, blame the rep!”

I rest my case — backselling is a full-time activity for every rep in every rep firm.