That’s a very short declarative statement that brings to mind reps and manufacturers skipping through the morass of the business market place enjoying mutual profitability and growth. But underlying that declarative statement is a plethora of details that can get in the way of a successful working relationship.

Let me offer this cautionary tale of a manufacturer that made product marketing decisions that influenced the effectiveness of its rep network, not in a positive way.

This large manufacturer with a well-established rep network had a history of being very rep friendly and offered significant compensation for functions performed by their … Read the rest

You can ask most 20-something-year-old males, “What is your ideal car?” The answer that you would most likely hear is a Ferrari or a car of similar ilk. Ask a sales manager or a principal or manufacturer, “What is an ideal rep?” He or she will most likely answer “one that has sales growth year after year.” Both visions are ideal for the short term but lack depth and success in the future.

So the definition of an ideal rep from the principal’s point of view is not as simplistic as one might hope. It depends on the principal’s goals, … Read the rest

This is addressed primarily to you, sales managers and rep-managers who are responsible for a rep network. I hope you have figured out that reps, like your teenage kid, will tell you what you want to hear when you ask a question. Unlike your teenage kids, there is a good reason or perhaps a better reason for reps to tell you what you want to hear. They don’t want to antagonize a good principal and get on your wrong side. Being on the wrong side of a principal can lead to the loss of income or the line. This is