larabryn’s Blog

Overall sentiment country-wide is that trade shows from Atlanta to Chicago to Dallas are trending down in both foot traffic and written sales. But can’t we all use some good news? Here it is: Buyers, reps and manufacturers are still attending trade shows, planning for the future and working together to make it through a tough retail environment.

I often receive phone calls from people in the kid’s industry. Usually from recruiters, sales managers, entrepreneurs or moms soliciting advice and ostensibly, building their network. These callers speed through the “niceties” portion of the call and, after their lightning-fast self-introduction, I often don’t know the name of who’s calling me, or why they’re calling.

Lately I get calls almost daily asking me to rep a line. Most often, my answer is “No Thanks,” followed by a genuine “Good Luck!” This response leaves a lot of frustrated designer/manufacturers out there who often hang up the phone maybe feeling a little bitter at yet another refusal.

Finding a sales rep—the right rep—isn’t easy. Here are a few suggestions to help make your search a success.

Online resources in your industry are a great way to find reps. In the kid’s industry, the following websites are terrific resources that give vital information about regional sales reps including contact information, the territory that they cover, trade shows that they attend and other lines that they represent:

• www.jamesgirone.com
• www.earnshaws.com
• www.thegiggleguide.com