A manufacturer’s representative carries more than a product line.
They carry the manufacturer’s reputation.
Every distributor meeting, customer visit, demonstration, and plant-floor conversation reflects on the company whose name is on the product.
So what should manufacturers expect from the people representing them?
Relationships
A strong rep should know the territory.
In Michigan, that means developing relationships with industrial distributors, their salespeople, and the end users they serve.
Relationships open doors. But relationships alone aren’t enough.
Product and Application Knowledge
This is especially important in industrial abrasives.
A salesperson needs to understand more than the product number. What material is being worked? What’s the required finish? What’s being used today? Can we increase abrasive life? Can we reduce labor? Can we lower the cost per finished part?
The goal isn’t simply to sell an abrasive. It’s to improve an application.
Plant-Floor Willingness
There is a time for emails, catalogs, and presentations.
There’s also a time to put on the safety glasses and go see the application.
Some of the best industrial opportunities aren’t discovered behind a desk. They’re discovered on the plant floor.
Distributor Support
A good rep doesn’t simply ask distributors for orders.
They help distributors create them.
Training. Joint calls. Samples. Demonstrations. Application assistance. Follow-up.
Getting the product into distribution is only the beginning. Sell-through is the objective.
Follow-Through
This may be the simplest quality of all.
Do what you say you’re going to do.
If you promise a sample, deliver it. If you need an answer, get it. If an end user tests a product, follow up.
Consistency creates credibility. Credibility creates trust. And trust creates long-term business.
The E.H. Standard
At E.H. & Associates, LLC, these are the standards we believe manufacturers should expect from their representatives.
We’re not interested in simply carrying another line. We want to represent it.
If you’re an industrial manufacturer looking to establish or strengthen your presence in Michigan, we’d welcome the conversation.