Category Archives: Feature

Lessons Learned From a Long Career

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When the author of this article was asked to recall some of his experiences with manufacturers and customers, he was quick to cite a couple of instances that bore out the axiom, “No good deed remains unpunished.” At the same time, with more than 50 years under his belt as an independent manufacturers’ representative, he offers some valuable advice for his fellow reps. Read on to learn if any of his experiences sound familiar.

Here’s what happened to me. It was a number of years ago when I was calling on a major industrial manufacturer who consumed large volumes of … Read the rest

Present Your Way to the Top

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How Presenting Makes Careers

It’s easy to understand why so many otherwise capable people are distressed, anxiety-ridden, and almost paralyzed if they’re called upon to make a presentation — even to a friendly audience of three — let alone 300. They often reveal how they feel by starting out with “I only wish I had more time to prepare” or “I’m not really good at public speaking.” Unfortunately, what follows proves it.

It isn’t surprising that with successful presenters the story is different. We view them as possessing leadership capabilities, as well as being committed, competent, and rising stars. As … Read the rest

Controlling the Prima-Donna Salesperson

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Rep firms exist for one reason — sales! Selling is the first, second and third activity of a manufacturers’ rep organization. But, too little time is devoted to the sales process, management of the sales force, and directing overall sales performance.

Numbers Matter, but….

We know that the top salespeople in any sales organization are revered and in some cases, “worshiped.” But, the top performers can provide challenges for management. For example, Mr. or Ms. Number One might have some bad habits — like not getting expense reports in on time. But, the bookkeeper is afraid to challenge Number One … Read the rest

The Reputable Rep: Success in Sales and Life

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This month’s article is the second in a serialization of the author’s life and career as an independent manufacturers’ representative.

Reprinted with permission from The Reputable Rep, Success in Sales and Life, by Sig Schmalhofer.

The Secret Business

If being a manufactures’ rep is a secret career, then plumbing is the secret business.

cartoon plumber fixing toiletWhen the word “plumbing” comes to mind, most people think of the scenario pictured. They think about the guy who drags a drain snake to a home to unplug a toilet.

It’s seen as a nasty job that, unfortunately, somebody has to do. So, when I … Read the rest

Harnessing the Talent of the Future

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We live in a very dynamic world. What we know now will not be good enough for the future and selecting people to move us forward and who are open to learning is what we need to focus on.

In my book, Moving Up, I tell readers it’s about your life — it’s about succeeding. It’s about taking chances, dreaming big, being proactive and being ready when the opportunity presents itself.

Steve Jobs stated that young people need to: “Think about what it is that you really want. Go ahead and put in the time and energy to learn … Read the rest

Sales Reps and How They Benefit Small Businesses

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I was a national sales rep for 14 years before switching sides and founding or co-founding 16 start-ups, one of which made the Inc. 500 list three years in a row.

As a result, I feel qualified to speak on this subject which I think is misunderstood and not taught at school. This is why I’ve written Sales Reps: How Manufacturers and Reps Can Better Work With Each Other for Mutual Gain, a comprehensive and practical guide to help sales reps and manufacturers understand each other better, to create a positive partnership that will yield more profits for each, and … Read the rest

Blast From the Past — Are You Looking for Good Sales Agents?

MANA 70th AnniversaryThe year was 1947. Harry S. Truman was president, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and on October 17, 1947, the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association joined the community of not-for-profit trade associations.

To celebrate our 70th MANAversary year, each Agency Sales magazine through October will include a “blast from the past” article from the early issues of The AGENT and Representative magazine, which eventually became Agency Sales.

These nostalgic looks back at how our counterparts from seven decades ago conducted their businesses and their lives are really eye-opening, in some cases because they conducted their business so differently from … Read the rest

Revisiting: The Perfect Buyer

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More than 15 years ago, long-time MANA‑member Harry Abramson authored a series of articles for Agency Sales magazine focused on the importance of perfection. Before he was done, Abramson, who founded Electronic Salesmasters, Inc., over 40 years ago, had tackled the subject of perfection from the vantage point of the rep, principal, customer and other perspectives. While Abramson retired from his agency in 2015, he is still “hands-on” in his capacity as a consultant to ESI.

Beginning in May and continuing through this month, Agency Sales revisits the subject of perfection as it applies to the rep, principal and customer … Read the rest

Defining the Perfect Customer in the Eyes of the Rep and Principal

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The perfect customer must also have the perfect rep.

The perfect customer-rep relationship occurs when the customer and the rep have mutual respect. This customer is not necessarily the largest client of the rep. The key component is not the dollar volume, but rather the wonderful relationship that has been developed by both parties over a period of time. This relationship does take time and cannot be rushed into or faked in any way. The relationship must be authentic. Usually at the beginning of the business relationship, both parties “see” a potential wonderful business relationship. Both parties know they need … Read the rest

The Reputable Rep: Success in Sales and Life

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This month’s article marks the first in a serialization of the author’s life and career as an independent manufacturers’ representative.

Reprinted with permission from The Reputable Rep, Success in Sales and Life, by Sig Schmalhofer.

The Secret Career

The biggest challenge in the manufacturers’ rep business is explaining to people outside of our world what we actually do. Why do we pack the trunks of nice cars with reams of brochures and odd-looking displays and samples that would never make it through airline screening?

When loading a truck with a barbeque, coolers, tables, and all the trimmings, my neighbors … Read the rest

Addressing CRM Online Report Requests

MANA hears from manufacturers’ representative members that principals want them to fill out reports in their online CRM software. Most tell us they find this time-consuming and costly, and the exercise provides little if any value to the principals, who often don’t have time to read the reports. A few tell us they find the reports helpful.

We asked the MANA Professional Development Council (PDC) and Manufacturers’ Educational Development Council (MEDC) to write this article to help our members deal with this issue. We wanted a solution that provides value for both them and their principals. High-quality manufacturers who appreciate … Read the rest

The “No Sale” Signals — Why Customers Won’t Buy From You

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Salespeople are always alert for “buying signals,” those indications that the customer is ready to say yes. When this happens, the savvy salesperson knows it’s time to stop talking and ask for the order.

But salespeople often miss the warning signs that all is not well. Mostly unspoken, these are the “no-sale signals” customers send when they’re dissatisfied with a salesperson. Here are several of them:

  • You Don’t Connect With Me

You think you do with your small talk and feigned friendliness. It’s all an act, the same one you put on for every customer. Your efforts at manipulation are … Read the rest

The Importance of Continuous Training

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I was looking for a word that describes the passion that I have and how to relate to companies what I believe about “customer service.” It’s what I firmly believe is necessary to operate in the world today. The word is “overt” or done or shown publicly and not secretly. I have been dealing with customer service in an overt manner for 46 years. It has been the focus of my entire adult life. Here’s what I have discovered and continue to share with companies.

It’s ALL About Training

Why do I believe in investing in continuous employee training and … Read the rest

How Do You Change the Behavior of an Experienced Salesperson?

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Every client I deal with, in one way or another, eventually asks that question. The words may be different, but the question is the same. In this economic environment, it’s a universal question. If you haven’t confronted the issue yet, it’s only a matter of time before you will.

Here’s the context in which this question surfaces. The company needs to make some change that impacts the sales force: A new compensation program, a new automation tool, a new sales process, a new way of working with inside salespeople — a new something. Most sales forces are made up of … Read the rest

Focus on the Principal….

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The principal’s foundation for rep success is reverse backselling. There are questions that manufacturers should be asking and questions that reps should be suggesting their manufacturers ask themselves.

Remember your independent reps work for you. They make a lot of money. So why should you be worrying about them and their feelings about your company?

Why should you care about the rep’s thoughts and feelings about your personnel? After all you are “the boss” and they’d better do a good job or they are gone — with 30-days’ notice.

That is often the attitude of a manufacturer about their reps. … Read the rest

Blast From the Past — An Invitation

MANA 70th AnniversaryThe year was 1947. Harry S. Truman was president, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and on October 17, 1947, the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association joined the community of not-for-profit trade associations.

To celebrate our 70th MANAversary year, each Agency Sales magazine through October will include a “blast from the past” article from the early issues of The AGENT and Representative magazine, which eventually became Agency Sales.

These nostalgic looks back at how our counterparts from seven decades ago conducted their businesses and their lives are really eye-opening, in some cases because they conducted their business so differently from … Read the rest

Revisiting: The Perfect Principal

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More than 15 years ago, long-time MANA‑member Harry Abramson authored a series of articles for Agency Sales magazine focused on the importance of perfection. Before he was done, Abramson, who founded Electronic Salesmasters, Inc., over 40 years ago, had tackled the subject of perfection from the vantage point of the rep, principal, customer and other perspectives. While Abramson retired from his agency in 2015, he is still “hands-on” in his capacity as a consultant to ESI.

Beginning last month and continuing this month and next, Agency Sales will be revisiting the subject of perfection as it applies to the rep, … Read the rest

Following a Path to “Perfection”

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There are really only a few, very important, things that a principal must do in order to make their agents happy and really want to sell a lot of their products. All agents want to be treated as professionals and true partners with the principal. Below are the main attributes each principal should strive to achieve if in fact they want to be considered “perfect.”

  • Integrity
  • Teamwork
  • Open communication
  • Friendly
  • Mutual respect

Integrity

Without a principal being totally upfront and honest with an agent, there is no chance for a great relationship. The agent will never trust the principal and … Read the rest

One Rep’s Advice: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

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Well into his 51st year as an independent manufacturers’ representative, Howard Collier took the occasion to recall a conversation he was engaged in at the beginning of his career. “Years ago, as a very young man, I attended a MANA luncheon in Cleveland. Situated at my table was a sales veteran who asked me one simple question: ‘What is the highest point of your relationship with a manufacturer that you represent in sales?’ I didn’t know so he quickly answered: ‘When you both sign a contract for sales representation!’”

That question — and more important the answer — have stuck … Read the rest

Risks

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Smart Entrepreneurs Avoid and Manage Them

A Google alert directed me to an article entitled “Beating the Odds When You Launch a New Venture,” authored by Clark Gilbert and Matthew Eyring, in the Harvard Business Review. It was one of the best pieces I’ve read about entrepreneurs, their attitudes, and management of risk. They maintained that entrepreneurs aren’t cowboys — they’re methodical managers of risk.

I contacted one of the authors, Clark Gilbert, the president of Brigham Young University-Idaho and formerly a professor at Harvard Business School, to discuss his ideas and decided I wanted to share his thoughts … Read the rest

Take a “Vow to Wow”

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I am in the process of updating one of my books and I came across a heading that I had written in for Costco: “Vow to Wow.” Since day one Costco has had an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing for their members, employees, suppliers, and the community. Their strategy is to make sure its customers come back. Its merchandisers are meticulous about their choices of product for their customers and have set detailed standards on everything from the size of cashews to the thread count of bed sheets.

That unbeatable value proposition on quality products and customer service … Read the rest

Why Prospecting Fails and What to Do About It

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Engaging prospects so they want to find you

Prospecting is arguably the number‑one hot topic in sales. In spite of all the seminars, podcasts, training programs, books, and pressure from managers, most salespeople are prospecting excuse experts. Even when cajoled, pushed and incentivized, salespeople have a tough time getting their prospecting engine to run on one cylinder — at most.

Why is there so much resistance to getting out and finding new customers? Why do people who enjoy selling find it so difficult to sell themselves to prospects? The answer may be that selling and prospecting require two different skill … Read the rest

Phrases That Pay

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Simple statements that increase your perceived value

Quick — name two words which, when frequently used by waiters and waitresses, increases tips by 12 percent. (Hint: it’s not please or thank you).

Give up? The answer is, “…for you.” So, rather than saying to a customer, “Would you like some more coffee?” the savvy waiter would say, “I brought more coffee over for you.” The patron thinks, “Gosh, you did that for me, how thoughtful!” and tips accordingly — on average 12 percent more.

That’s what I call easy money. If you answered correctly — ignore the rest of this … Read the rest

Blast From the Past — The Selling Parade

MANA 70th AnniversaryThe year was 1947. Harry S. Truman was president, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and on October 17, 1947, the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association joined the community of not-for-profit trade associations.

To celebrate our 70th MANAversary year, each Agency Sales magazine through October will include a “blast from the past” article from the early issues of The AGENT and Representative magazine, which eventually became Agency Sales.

These nostalgic looks back at how our counterparts from seven decades ago conducted their businesses and their lives are really eye-opening, in some cases because they conducted their business so differently from … Read the rest

Revisiting: The Perfect Rep

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More than 15 years ago, long-time MANA-member Harry Abramson authored a series of articles for Agency Sales magazine focused on the importance of perfection. Before he was done, Abramson, who founded Electronic Salesmasters Inc., more than 40 years ago, had tackled the subject of perfection from the vantage point of the rep, principal, customer and other perspectives. While Abramson retired from his agency in 2015, he is still “hands‑on” in his capacity as a consultant to ESI.

Beginning this month and following up in June and July, Agency Sales will be revisiting the subject of perfection as it applies to … Read the rest

A Rep With a View to the Future

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A visit to Coastal Technology Group’s website has an interesting notation under memberships. The agency’s owner, John Ahlering, is not only a long-standing member of MANA, he’s also active with the Association of Professional Futurists. A conversation with Ahlering quickly shows that membership in that organization is hardly an afterthought. Thinking about the future is an integral part of what he does for a living.

photo of John AhleringEstablished in 1999 by Ahlering, Coastal Technology Group (www.coastal-technology-group.com) is a technical sales and business development organization located in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina, with a virtual office in London.

Ahlering maintains … Read the rest

Working in a Rep-Friendly Environment

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HV logo on a flag“In my experience, there’s no more rep-friendly company than Harvey Vogel Manufacturing.” Those few words in an e-mail from a MANA-rep member directed Agency Sales to the Woodbury, Minnesota, manufacturer.

For close to two decades a cost-benefit look at using independent manufacturers’ representatives has made sense for Harvey Vogel Manufacturing (HV). The manufacturer of metal stamping, fabrication machining and more, currently takes its products to market via 23 rep firms and more than 50 independent reps.

photo of Matt MountainAccording to Matt Mountain, director of sales and marketing for the company, “We firmly believe in the rep relationship that has been so successful … Read the rest

Executive Calling:The Wisdom Behind Calling Higher

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“In a 60-hour workweek, there are only so many 30-minute increments….” “It is amazing how many representatives call to get acquainted….” “I see them all once; then I select who I will see again.”

For several decades, sales leaders and managers have favored the practice of calling higher in customer organizations. Over the same time span, this idea has persisted, but the business environment has undergone many changes. Technology has changed the way we sell and the way our customers shop and buy. Recessions have given way to recoveries, and yet we still take it for granted that calling higher … Read the rest

Sales Force Management — The Name of the Game

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Nothing is more important than managing your sales team. The headline says it all — you are in the sales business. That means that you are responsible for managing all aspects of the sales process.

Do you have a sales manager? How many salespeople do you have? What is the quality of your individual salespeople’s results? What do your principals think of your salespeople?

These questions along with many others are key to success in the independent rep business.

Your Salespeople — Your Principals

There is nothing more important than what your principals think of your salespeople. This is an … Read the rest