I’m glad he did, because I’ve been building websites ever since! MANA is re‑launching our website on January 1st 2025. It’s not just a website, but a re‑invigorated platform in which MANA fulfills its mission to its members.

Benefits of the Updated Website

• Members will get more qualified opportunities.
• New manufacturer members will be coached on how to work with reps before they join.
• All new members will be properly onboarded before joining.
• Reps will be able to find other rep partners with the new SubRepFinder®.
• Learning resources will be reformatted and reorganized.
• Member profiles will truly reflect the business goals that are pursued.
• Easier access to all of the new MANA benefits and programs.
• Retired members will have honorary access to stay engaged with MANA.
• The site will attract new members to the rep profession.

Operational Updates

• An onboarding fee will be charged for all new members that seek to join MANA. Existing MANA members are grandfathered-in.
• Starting in 2025, if any membership lapses more than six months, the member will be considered a new member and the onboarding fee applies even if they were previously grandfathered-in.
• Dues payments will be made by credit card or bank ACH only, with a discount for auto-pay.
• The monthly membership dues program will end. All dues will be paid on an annual basis. A scholarship program will be implemented to help out new rep firms.
• MANA is amicably parting ways with eight sister associations whose members receive access to MANA resources. We welcome the affected reps and agencies to re-join as a full-time member.

What are the next steps? You will get the most value out of your membership by interacting with the association: Log in to update your profile, use the learning resources provided, take advantage of new programs, and provide feedback. On that last point, let’s have a conversation at MANAfest 2025. You read it here first. The large gathering of MANA members, known as MANAfest, is returning! Registration opens on the new and improved www.MANAonline.org on January 1, 2025.

Starting this month, members in the USA can start taking advantage of a suite of new benefits. Nearly 500 members submitted the survey in October, which allowed MANA to secure the best discounts on business insurance, national vendor programs, and more. Did you miss the webinars or are you uncertain how to start? Simply send an email to [email protected] and our benefits coordinator will guide you through the process.

There is more big news to share. MANA is in the process of redeveloping our entire technology platform to better service our members. Your membership will soon become even more valuable because we are implementing a new website with enhanced functionality. It will be fully operational by the end of January and members will see dramatic improvements such as:

• Search results that are accurate and actionable.
• Accurate email outreach that provides truly relevant opportunities.
• Organized educational resources that are easier to access and read.

The new system will use a Member Compass™ that gives members the tools to build an accurate profile to achieve their goals. An obvious goal of a rep is to find great lines. An obvious goal for manufacturers is to find great reps. The new system will create better matches because members can properly input information that describes who they are and what they want to achieve.

MANA will schedule webinars to inform you about the next steps to take. Please watch for future email communications to learn more about these exciting new developments.

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!

Don’t judge a book by its cover, right?
The content is still relevant today!

When I was implementing process improvements on the manufacturing floor many years ago, it became clear that each worker wanted just three things: tools to do their job, information to do their job, and no hassle. Over the years, I’ve realized that this notion holds true for every working person, regardless of their title or industry.

The importance of having the right tools and information to achieve sales results is straightforward. However, friction can arise in the rep-principal relationship when each party has a different view of what tools and information are necessary. This friction, the feeling of an irritating inconvenience, is what I would label as a hassle. Many sales professionals can relate to examples such as priorities that change unpredictably, excessive data entry requests, and constant spreadsheet reporting requests.

What can reps do when these hassles reach a breaking point? If you want to maintain the relationship and not end it entirely, two methods have served me well over the years: 1) Quantify the issue, and 2) Make time-based suggestions for improvements. For instance, you might say, “Updating spreadsheets and your sales software system takes six hours away from prospecting and selling. For the next two months, can we touch base weekly on the phone to share information?” It’s also worth noting that hassles tend to increase when sales numbers are unfavorable. An obvious way for a rep to minimize these hassles is to continue doing the right sales activities that lead to orders.

In the spirit of providing Agency Sales readers with tools and information, scan the code below to get a PDF copy of Harold J. Novick’s classic book Understanding the Outsourced Sales Professional. This book remains relevant in managing the interdependent relationship between reps and principals. If you prefer, skip to Chapter 7. The QR code below takes you directly to the file, but you will need to log in to your MANA account first. This is also a good opportunity to review and update your MANA profile.

Eight hundred eighty-six point one pounds of magazine archives arrive at the new MANA storage facility.

It is both a literal and figurative heavy responsibility to be the new curator of the MANA archives. When I collected 39 boxes from my predecessor, Mr. Charles Cohon, I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how much they weighed. To my surprise, the total weight was a staggering 886.1 pounds, equivalent to the size of an adult moose!

I am determined to take the bull by the horns and make these archives as useful as possible to our members.  The plans for these archives are straightforward yet crucial: to keep them safe and sound while making their valuable contents accessible to our members.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” — Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909.

Early Agency Sales magazines, originally named The Agent and Representative.

The archives contain all the magazines from 1947 onward, full of insight and history. If there is a particular year you’re interested in, please let me know, and I’ll make it a priority to provide you with access to the content of those specific magazines.

Email me at: [email protected].

Jeff Witt
May 30, 1945 – March 9, 2024

I simply wish that my mentor, Jeff Witt, could witness my inaugural words as president and CEO of MANA. His recent passing weighs heavily on my heart. Jeff epitomized the quintessential manufacturers’ representative: thoughtful, diligent, knowledgeable, and ethical. Jeff set an exemplary standard as he assisted this young engineer 18 years ago.

We collaborated on several projects but then lost touch for about a decade. When I embarked on establishing my own rep firm in 2016, Jeff was the first person I called. His introduction to the Manufacturers Agents of Cincinnati (MAC), a regional group of reps formed in 1971, proved pivotal. It is undeniable that I owed my career as a rep to Jeff›s simple yet profound gesture of introduction. I first heard of MANA at this regional meeting of reps and it’s also where I met my business partner.

In 2017, John Davis, former MANA chairperson of the board, attended a MAC luncheon searching for a business partner. We discovered that my engineering and sales background aligned with his needs for selling technical motion control automation products. My tenure as a sub-rep during those years proved fruitful and enjoyable.

Serving on the MAC Board and subsequently being elected president in 2021 provided the experience I need to run an effective association. I am fascinated by the extensive histories of both MANA and MAC. While I may not have had the privilege of knowing past MANA executives like Lionel Diaz and Joe Miller, I have had the pleasure of getting acquainted with Charles Cohon over the past few years. Cohon and the team have admirably maintained MANA’s relevance and utility to its members, and I am honored to serve in this leadership role.

As I step into this new role, I carry with me the profound lessons and values instilled by my mentor, Jeff Witt. His legacy of integrity, dedication, and mentorship will continue to guide me as I endeavor to lead MANA with the same passion and commitment.

Do you have a mentorship story to share? Email me at [email protected].