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August 2025 By Mark Hogan Read between the lines of every article in this issue and one message comes through clearly: success belongs to those who take ownership. Whether it’s the rep who moves beyond the comfort of distribution to bring measurable value to OEMs, the salesperson who... Continue Reading
August 2025 By Rick Pierce I have been a manufacturers’ representative since 1994 and have always seen confusion from both principals and customers as to my profession. We are independent businesspeople who have formed companies, and we sell. Most are very professional and have spent... Continue Reading
August 2025 By Jack Foster After 12 years working for a distributor, Brad Dwyer concluded that in his opinion, “It’s hard to bring real, measurable and quantifiable value to OEMs through distribution. Sure, we offered economies of scale on standard parts and detailed logistic... Continue Reading
August 2025 By John Haskell Every rep needs to think about backselling all the time! There is nothing more important to a rep firm than their relationship with the manufacturers they represent. But a lot of things can get in the way of good relations and a profitable relationship. Ray Hall,... Continue Reading
July 2025 By John Chapin Most of the following is from a recent conversation with my business partner, Steve Siebold, one of the top mental toughness coaches in the world, and his book, 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class. Other pieces are my interpretation and from my 37 years of... Continue Reading
July 2025 By Mark Hunter In today’s competitive sales world, selling in a slow market can be a daunting challenge. If you’re feeling stuck, you’re not alone! Many sales professionals are finding it difficult to keep momentum when the market is slow. Fear not! Here I’ll... Continue Reading
July 2025 By Nathan Jamail Let’s consider the difference between managing and coaching — because yes, there’s a difference, and it’s a big one. If you’re a leader who’s constantly checking reports, pushing your team to “hit the numbers” and... Continue Reading
July 2025 By Kate Zabriskie It starts innocently enough. You want to ensure everything runs smoothly, so you check in often. You spot a typo in a presentation, so you fix it yourself. Someone misses a minor detail, and you think, “I’ll just handle it next time.” Before long,... Continue Reading
July 2025 By John Tschohl Attracting customers is relatively easy. Advertising that announces that you have quality products and good prices will do that — once. The problem is this: How do you keep those customers from leaving you? Most businesses don’t have a clue, so they... Continue Reading
July 2025 By Dave Kahle Chances are, if your business is at all successful, you are going to be presented with the opportunity to borrow. At some point, you’ll need a larger space, more computers, more sophisticated software, and more equipment. You’ll have to buy raw materials,... Continue Reading
July 2025 | Principal Focus By Jack Foster During a conversation between a manufacturer and a rep on the subject of marriage, the discussion evolved into something that described their professional relationship. According to the manufacturer, “An extended time of working together can prove... Continue Reading
July 2025 By Scott M. Sanders In 1998 a sales rep in the plastic injection molding industry contacted my firm to have us file a lawsuit over an alleged failure by his principal to pay commissions. The sum wrongfully denied was approximately $150,000. It was our advice that the client try to... Continue Reading
