Early in my sales management career, I was tasked, as a National Sales Manager, to launch a new product line and my sales team was made up entirely of Manufacturer’s Representatives (not my idea). Not one salesperson was on our payroll. Some may call that a steep learning curve, some may call it a nightmare. The key was understanding what motivated the reps and keeping my product line top of mind.
Here are some of the lessons I learned:
- Reps work for themselves and their commissions.
- I needed to learn how to have them work with me and not for me.
- My product line, typically, is one of many the rep is selling.
- The reps schedule their own time and they are representing products other than mine.
- The customers belong to the reps and not my company.
- The reps are running a business and I am a supplier of goods.
- Reps are seasoned professionals that have already been trained in sales methodology.
So let’s take my example of launching a new product line. Reps follow the money. If after two or so sales calls they do not get an order, you’ve lost their attention. Call reports do not exist, so don’t expect them. I found that my personal presence in the sales territories and trade shows kept my product top of mind for the reps and the reps gave my product more attention. The downside was the amount of time I had to spend in the field to coach and direct.
Here are a some bullets that helped me manage the independent rep team:
- Clear, constant communications – phone calls, email, face-to-face visits, etc.
- The reps perform to what you inspect – sales goals, touches with prospects and customers, weekly orders placed and invoiced by rep. Reps need to know you are watching.
- If there is a question or problem, who is available, other than you, within your company to help the rep?
- What is the sales process or sequence of events needed to close an order and do the reps know that process?
- Treat the reps as if they are part of the company and let the reps know the company’s success depends upon their performance.
At the end of the day, manufacturer’s reps are great resources who are selling because they love it. Set you expectations to the reality of who they are and not what you can change them to be.
Dave Harman is an associate with Sandler Training. He has over 30 years’ experience in sales and sales management with Fortune 500 companies as well as small, family-owned organizations. He has held positions from sales to senior management with companies such as Conoco/Vista, Amresco and Ohio Awning, and owns his own business. He earned his MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. You can reach him at [email protected] or (888) 448-2030.
