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All ERA Webinar audio and PowerPoint files are now available. To order ...
FREE ERA annual keynote breakfast at EDS ...
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: How Tyco Electronics Is Using 'Voice of the Customer' to Reinvent the Distribution Channel
Speaker: Carla Mahrt
Wednesday, May 7 - 7 am - 8 am (complimentary continental breakfast included)
Download form ...
Countdown to Connections: Your EDS Checklist
EDS 2008 is fast approaching. While your appointment-making and agenda-setting are what bring about your EDS ROI, your attention to the nitty-gritty is what makes it all possible. Use this email as your check-list of the things you need to do to make EDS successful.
Are you registered?
Hotel Accommodations
The Paris/Bally's complex is the best place to stay. The rate at Paris Las Vegas is only $179 per night, and $135 per night at the adjacent Bally's Hotel. You'll be onsite where the networking is optimum, and you'll be at the heart of EDS and Las Vegas action. Call either hotel today to make your reservations: Paris (888) 266-5687 or Bally's (800) 634-3434.
NOTE: You must mention that you are attending EDS to qualify for these special show rates. www.parislasvegas.com.
Appointment Scheduler
Use the EDS scheduler to make and record your EDS appointments, and then simply download to your Outlook calendar and/or PDA.
Meeting Facilitator
A handy adjunct to the EDS scheduler is the EDS Meeting Facilitator Program, powered by Beganto. It allows you to search product categories, find manufacturers looking for distribution and distributors looking for specified categories of new lines. When you find your match, just click to the companies you are interested in meeting with to request an appointment at EDS. A couple of clicks could lead to new and profitable business opportunities!
We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas for EDS!
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Your Principals' Sales Meetings
As ERA's Marketing Committee, we are requesting your help in promoting the educational programs of our association among your principals and your fellow reps.
Specifically, we hope you will join us in contacting principals who will be
holding national or other sales meetings any time this year and requesting a few minutes on the agenda to remind reps about ERA's educational opportunities. If you feel it's appropriate, link to a sample e-mail you can send as a follow-up. (You can also "borrow" from the sample message for your initial communication.
We are confident that your principals will view your initiative favorably.
This concept has been very successfully implemented already this month at three national sales meetings.
ACTION ITEM: Once you have approval from a principal to schedule time on a meeting agenda, just notify Tess Hill (mailto:thill@era.org) of the name of the company, date of the meeting and number of reps expected to attend. You will be sent copies of a quick-reference, one-page handout.
We deeply appreciate your help and support. Bringing more reps into the educational "loop" of ERA benefits every one of us and our profession as well.
Many thanks!
ERA Marketing Committee
Dan Parks, CPMR, Committee Chair, West Electronic Sales Team
(dan@westelec.com )
Alan Ahern, D. A. Crowley & Associates (aherna@dacrowley.com)
Ted Curtin, CPMR, Repworks, Inc. (ted@repworks.com)
Tom Griffin, Catalyst Sales (tgriffin@catalyst-sales.com)
Rich Hobby, CPMR, RAH Associates (richh@rahassoc.com)
Paul Nielsen, CPMR, Brainard-Nielsen Marketing (paul@bnmsales.com)
Mark Rossi, CPMR, Empire Technical Sales (mrossi@empiretechnical.com)
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2007 JESS SPOONTS - ERA WHITE PIN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED
The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) White Pin Group has announced that Richard A. Hobby, CPMR, of RAH Associates in Crown Point, Ind., is the 2007 recipient of the Jess Spoonts - ERA White Pin Scholarship. Hobby will receive a $1,000 award that he can use to fund his continuing education as a professional field sales representative.
The ERA White Pin Group was founded in 1960 and is comprised of member reps who have held volunteer leadership posts at the national level of the association for at least three years and have given extraordinary amounts of time and talent to ERA. The group established the Jess Spoonts - ERA White Pin Scholarship in 2006 to honor its long-time chairman, E. Jess Spoonts of Dallas, Tex. Spoonts, a half-century veteran of the electronics industry, is a past president and chairman of ERA and one of only 23 members of the association's Hall of Fame.
Nominees for the award must be from ERA member firms, must have been involved in ERA activities and leadership on the local and/or national levels for a minimum of two years, and must be willing to devote significant volunteer time to ERA in the foreseeable future. In addition to Jess Spoonts, this year's judging panel included: Mark Motsinger, CPMR, of Wallace Electronic Sales, who succeeded Spoonts as the White Pin coordinator; Chet Zaslow, CPMR, of Zaslow Sales, the first recipient of the award in 2006; and Tom Shanahan, executive vice president and CEO of ERA.
"We had outstanding nominees again this year, and it's a great pleasure to recognize Rich Hobby with the 2007 award," says Motsinger. "Rich has served in Chicagoland ERA leadership positions for more than 16 years, including as president and chairman, and he is now in his third term as that chapter's delegate to the ERA Board of Directors. He earned his CPMR [Certified Professional Manufacturers' Representative] designation in 1995
and was inducted as a White Pin member in 2001. In addition, Rich is now a member of ERA's Marketing Committee and is also a past board member of the Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation [MRERF] Institute for Professional Advancement [IPA], a post that allowed him to
pursue his passion for rep education. He was instrumental in MRERF's introduction of the Certified Sales Professional [CSP] program and is always urging fellow reps to take advantage of all the educational opportunities that MRERF and ERA have to offer."
Hobby will be able to use the scholarship to defray the cost of attending the next ERA Conference and/or to participate in other educational events to maintain his CPMR status.
"The intent of this award is to honor both Jess Spoonts and each
recipient," Motsinger adds. "Jess has been dedicated for decades to helping reps improve their professionalism, so tying the award to continuing education is an ideal fit."
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SAMPLE MESSAGE TO PRINCIPALS
(to be adapted as you see fit):
Dear ________________;
Thanks for talking to me about your upcoming sales meeting.
As I mentioned, in addition to being your rep, our firm is a member of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA), the 73-year-old organization that provides many business education programs for both reps and manufacturers.
We are members because we firmly believe that the continuing education of our personnel is mutually beneficial. It enhances our professionalism and improves our value as your field sales team.
Would you please support ERA by taking just a few minutes at your sales meeting to remind your reps about the educational opportunities our association offers and to distribute a one-page ERA flyer? I will provide the flyer for your review in advance of the meeting. Or, if it is more convenient, I will be happy to speak to the reps during the meeting.
We will deeply appreciate your support. By helping to spread the word about ERA's programs, you will send a powerful message confirming the value of continuing education for ALL your reps.
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you.
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