Exciting New Benefits for MANA Members

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 benefits@manaonline.org 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.

Legal Consultation Benefit

One of your benefits as a MANA member is access to a list of attorneys who have been recommended to MANA as being experienced and knowledgeable about the manufacturers’ representative business and laws that govern rep-principal relationships. Go to one of them when you need help with finalizing an agreement with a manufacturer. They also provide an annual free half-hour consultation. The purpose of this short consultation is to enable you to get a quick answer to a general legal question. It is not intended for you to get detailed legal advice or services.

Rep Relies on Relationships

Trevor Smith heads Technical Sales Reps, Inc. When it comes to describing the strengths and benefits of going to market with independent manufacturers’ reps, reps most frequently cite the relationships they’ve developed and maintained with principals and customers. No exception to that rule is the experience of Trevor Smith, who heads the Southern California‑based Technical Sales Reps, Inc. As an example, Smith, who maintains that “My whole life has been driven by strong relationships,” describes how a relationship and a belief in going the extra mile for a customer paved the way for him to become a rep.

Agency Size Debate

What’s better in the eyes of principals: The large, multi-person agency, with plenty of feet on the street that represents 15-20 lines? Or, the small, in many cases single-person agency, representing relatively few lines? That was just one of the many questions asked and answered during the course of a MANAchat devoted to the concerns and challenges of the single-person agency. While there was obviously a bias in the way the participants of the chat addressed that topic, here are some of the views that were expressed.