Education & Professional Development

Professional Development
Continuing education is a primary focus of ERA. Some of the most valuable learning occurs on an informal, rep-to-rep basis among members, but organized activities and easily accessible resources, like the following, are also critical.

• Webinars - live, one-hour, interactive educational seminars are designed for:
  • rep firm owners, presidents and managers;
  • rep firm salespeople; and
  • manufacturing sales executives.
    
    
• The CPMR (Certified Professional Manufacturers' Representatives) program, for rep firm owners/presidents/successors, runs one week a year for three years (every January at Arizona State University).
  
  The CSP (Certified Professional Salesperson) program, for rep firm salespeople is a multi-day class conducted in various cities several times each year.
  
  - also visit http://www.CPMR.biz ...
  
  
• ERA University
  This exciting service offers ALL ERA member firm personnel (and families) HUNDREDS of low-cost, ON-LINE courses to boost your knowledge, skills and professionalism.
  
  
• Commitment to Performance program through which ERA members pledge to their principals and customers that they will uphold qualitative professional standards
  
  
• Academic research projects and other resource development provided by the Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation - MRERF

Events

• The Conference
• Webinars (coming Fall, 2007)
• Trade Shows
• Special Interest Group (SIG) programs and
• Chapter activities

... provide outstanding opportunities for both continued learning and networking. In addition to attending how-to and informational programs, reps and manufacturers find ERA events give them access to their peers' experience and expertise. This is how reps often find new lines, how manufacturers meet new reps, how new contacts are established and referrals are made. ERA events also offer the chance to exchange industry information and learn how fellow reps and manufacturers are solving current problems.

Publications
Included among ERA's Publications & Resources are many educational materials for both reps and manufacturers, and most are FREE to members. Chief among these are:

• The Representor and it's article archive;
  
  
• publications describing Why and how manufacturers benefit by selling through reps;
  
  
• contract and evaluation guidelines; and much, much more.

Expert Access (Free Phone Consultations for Reps) ...
... offers legal, tax, insurance and public relations/marketing advice from ERA's team of rep-savvy consultants.

State Law and Legislation

• Monitoring of and Lobbying for State Rep Laws - is conducted in cooperation with other rep associations. Passing and/or updating state laws to protect rep commissions are an ongoing focus of attention;
• Updates on federal legislation that protects and benefits outsourced field sales firms

What's New?

Webinars - coming in Fall 2007 ...