How to Find Products to Rep
As an independent sales rep, finding enough of the right products to make a living takes time and effort. With many companies opting to hire independent reps over in-house sales staff, you will need a good deal of experience selling the products you specialize in if you want a fair shot at a contract.
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Instructions
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Attend industry trade shows for the types of products you represent and network with both customers and manufacturers. This will give you the opportunity to take a look at both new and existing products, and find out which products may offer the most potential for both adoption in the marketplace and profitability. Networking with customers will also provide you insight into the needs of end-users, giving you an inside track on what products you should seek to represent.
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Sign-up for a membership with all the trade associations in your industry that you can afford. This will give you the opportunity to market directly to both manufacturers and customers. Becoming a member also gives manufacturers a chance to find you. Often manufacturers that need quality sales reps will contact various trades associations for recommendations.
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Get a membership with the independent sales representative association that serves your industry. This gives you the opportunity to benefit from training and advice from the leaders in your field, as well as the opportunity to network with other independent reps and manufacturers. As in the case of trade associations, many manufacturers will contact these associations for recommendations on independent sales reps.
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Use the Internet to extend your network. Sign up for professional networking sites such as Linked In to make connections with sales executives. You will also want to list your profile on sites geared towards linking sales reps and manufacturer, such as RepLink. Online networking can be a far more efficient method of networking than knocking on doors.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are just starting out as and independent rep, you may wish to take on some new start-ups to gain experience and to prove your worth. The objective with start-ups is to scrutinize the products closely and gather feedback from your customers before making a final determination whether or not to represent the product.
Prepare to do more than sell. Often companies will look for value added services such product training, marketing and sales consulting or wholesale sales training.
Resources
- Photo Credit sales office sign image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.com
