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May 2026 By Jerry Leth MANA is committed to helping our manufacturers’ representatives and manufacturer members build strong, mutually profitable, and long-lasting relationships. To support this goal, we are pleased to announce that we will be increasing the frequency of our MANAcast and... Continue Reading
May 2026 by Marilyn Kahler If I’ve learned anything in my more than 40 years as an independent rep it’s that if the customer views me simply as a salesperson who’s looking to walk out of his office with an order, then our relationship isn’t going to last. The formula for... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Jack Foster Trading in the guaranteed salary and accompanying benefits that come with working on the manufacturer’s side of the desk in order to become a rep can be a daunting decision. For Regan Jones, the move was straightforward — he had locked in the principals he... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Jack Foster When MANA members got together on two teleconference call sessions — each one covering different ground — earlier this year, there was a good deal of crossover in the ensuing discussions lending credence to the belief that the more rep firms are different, the... Continue Reading
May 2026 By John Haskell The first step to having a good year is for each salesperson to analyze the customer base and line package. Starting with last year’s results for each of the lines, some questions will set up the planning. Which lines produce 80 percent or more of commission... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Jeb Blount You set goals in January. By March, they are forgotten. It’s because most salespeople confuse wanting something with planning for it. “I want to close more deals this year.” That is not a goal. That is a wish. “I want to be better at... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Mark Hunter Not every lead is a prospect — and not every prospect is worth your time. When it comes to sales, you have to look beyond the name and the company logo. The question is: Do they truly fit the kind of customer you can serve? Let’s walk through key questions... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Jeff Beals I was presenting a prospecting workshop last week, and something interesting came up during the Q&A section. One of the participants, who seemed a bit agitated by my training content, said: “I don’t do any of this cold calling — I only make warm... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Troy Harrison What does “onboarding” mean? If you said that “onboarding a salesperson” consists of doing the HR paperwork, giving a facility tour, a few days of shadowing existing salespeople and then expecting the salesperson to “hit the ground... Continue Reading
May 2026 | Principal Focus By Jack Foster It’s not an unheard-of concern — a manufacturer noticing the advanced age of the owner of one of its most long-standing and most effective independent manufacturers’ representative firms. According to the manufacturer,... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Nathan Jamail AI is powerful. It can predict outcomes, analyze data, automate workflows and save you hours of busy work. But there’s one thing AI will never do — it will never lead your people. AI won’t inspire your people. It won’t build belief. It... Continue Reading
May 2026 By Adam J. Glazer Latex foam sales rep Kevin Callinan, a fixture in the mattress industry, was starting to contemplate retirement. Shevick Sales Corp. (SSC), owned by industry acquaintance Karl Shevick, sold latex mattress toppers. Fully transparent, Callinan shared with Shevick how he... Continue Reading
