It is seldom that I read the verses of great poets, but when I fortuitously stumbled upon the words illustrated below in my opening paragraph, they made an impact. Read on — I hope you’ll agree that they depict the perfect rep-principal-distributor relationship.

I believe in the words of the American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks: “We are each other’s business; we are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” In other words, we are interdependent entities.

With the aforementioned in mind, wouldn’t it be ideal if we respected each other without an iota of greed or malice? This … Read the rest

This article exposes 10 rep myths that deserve to be eradicated. If you have any additional rep myths, kindly share them with me, and please don’t submit, “All reps are rich.” We all know that is the ultimate myth!

Reps Don’t Understand Distribution

This is a plausible statement if the rep that you refer to sells only to OEM accounts and lives in a cave. Also, there is a strong possibility that he won’t be around for the long term. Perfect reps embrace all sales channels to achieve maximum market share and penetration. The distribution channel is the most viable … Read the rest

Are electronic manufacturers’ reps tomorrow’s dinosaurs, or are they here to stay?

Based on the mortality rate, one may wonder. Six years ago, there were more than 2,000 high-tech rep firms selling electronic components and materials in North America. Today there are fewer than 500. What does that tell you? Mergers and acquisitions are only part of the reason. Electronic component reps are fighting their version of the “war on commission-rate terror.”

Some fatalists believe that the attrition rate will continue and that the proud profession of today’s electronic manufacturers’ rep will vanish into oblivion. They may espouse that the … Read the rest