[Printable Version]

June 2010
Volume 9, Issue 1

Don Elfstrom, PTRA'S President

President's Perspective
by Don Elfstrom
PTRA President

Get It While the Getting Is Good

I am excited about my business and our industry. I feel confident that our agency will have sustainability for the coming years, and that the industry will also have the same sustainability. I have been saying for the last 10 years that the PT rep has had, and will have, an opportunity for a strong future due to a large industry trend to outsource whatever is possible. So much in business today is outsourced – IT management, administrative services, engineering services, component assembly and manufacturing, human resources, outside sales representation …shall I go on? The list is practically endless.

Corporation XYZ is having a board meeting at their headquarters where the highest executive management convenes to cover many agenda items. One of those items is to discuss the hiring of salespeople, which is badly needed now that business has picked up and inventories have increased to accommodate the increased demand or now that inventory is higher than demand requires and the timing is right to strategize about selling those inventoried products in the marketplace. During that conversation, we know the following observation will be made: “We can hire more salespeople, yet if the economy becomes unsustainable we are at risk of having to let these people go if we have to cash up again .”

This is our opportunity! It is vital at this time as individual agencies that we do all that we can to be very effective at providing the value that we claim to have. Sometimes that involves an investment in time and money that we are frankly afraid to spend. It may involve making a hard decision about the value or lack thereof of someone on our team. Principal members, it may be an opportunity for you to know the agencies better … to give valuable input or guidance to them that could improve their performance for your company and strengthen the agency which makes us all better. Whatever those investments may be, NOW is the time.

It is also timely to strengthen our industry and the association . As we’ve all been taught, we are ambassadors to our cause. We collectively tell our story as being a better, lower cost, more effective, more sustainable channel to our marketplace than a direct outside sales force. We serve PTRA by bringing in more members to further our industry. We are not afraid of other reps competing for our lines and that kind of thing because we know the industry for us is GROWING! In all territories, if the outsource trend is true there is enough business for everyone. Since we believe in our cause, we strongly encourage our Principals to become PTRA Members because we know they will benefit from their membership and their attendance at the annual conference.

Let’s all be strong and confident as we make investments in the future of our industry. We have enough indicators to show it is well worth it and a financial return can be made. I wish you all well, and that you have a fantastic summer.

Industrial Motor & Controls has hired two new inside sales team members . Don Moore started in our Cincinnati office in December. Don comes to us with over 10 years of inside sales experience. Robert Lowe joined our Cleveland office after two years with Rexel. Please join us in welcoming these two new associates to our team.

Reliable Power Transmission (RPT, LLC) would like to announce the addition of Ryan Broders to our sales staff. Ryan is a recent graduate of Texas A&M and will be in a training program until June 2010. He will them be calling on west and south Texas in support of our growing customer base. Ryan’s addition will increase our sales force to six people covering Texas and the surrounding states.

Research:
Fly on the Wall — Interviewing Sales Candidates

• Do you interview salespeople?
• Have you ever made a hiring mistake?
• Do you ever wonder how other sales managers interview and hire?

If you answered yes to any of the above, please consider participating in a new research study on hiring sales candidates.

AxiomOne, a company specializing in employee selection strategies, is currently con-ducting a study on the interviewing and hiring practices used for salespeople . In this “Fly on the Wall” project, our hiring experts will be invisible observers during sales candidate interviews.

In exchange for allowing us to be a “fly on the wall,” we will:

(a) Provide feedback immediately after the interview that includes some “quick wins” your organization can implement immediately for better hiring results .

(b) Provide participants with a full copy of the study upon its completion .

For more information or to participate in the study, contact:

Mike Norton
AxiomOne, LLC
602-490-0380
mnorton@axiomone.com

Gale F. Linster, Principal

I am pleased to announce LINSTER CONSULTING, LLC offering services to PTRA Representative Members, Principal Members, and Industrial Products Reps, to mentor the business model and business plan. For more information visit www.linsterconsulting.com.

Strengthening the business model