Group Therapy

Like the Maytag repairman, sales reps are, in many cases, among the loneliest guys or gals around. Their office comes with four wheels, a trunk, and (if last year was good) leather seats. The water cooler discussion is pretty one-sided and usually involves Howard Stern, Kojo Nnamdi, or Rush Limbaugh. A coffee break means hoping you don't spill your latte when you hit the brakes. "Doing lunch" means finding the shortest line at the closest drive-thru.

It's great to set your own schedule — to be the master of your own destiny, the captain of your own ship. You can come and go when you please and answer to no one. But the truth is, you've got as many bosses as you have lines. Besides having to answer to them, you've got a territory full of retailers, each of whom assumes that he or she is your best account. And don't forget customer service and credit departments, or the UPS and DHL guys. Also, the post office, the mailman, and your tax person. As it turns out, you have lots of bosses, and no coworkers to gripe to or celebrate successes with. No one to badmouth your boss with, or hit happy hour with. Lonely, lonely, lonely.

Let me tell you a story about when Lisa Ashcraft was a rep. When I was 22, I worked for an alternative greeting card company, and I was a lamb. Hello slaughter, I'm next in line. I knew my product inside and out, but I didn't know anyone else who was selling to my accounts. In truth, no one had pointed out that other reps could actually help me, so I just assumed that they were the enemy — encroaching on my customers, trying to steal my space with my accounts. Bad, bad, bad. If I walked into an account and one of "them" was there, I would retreat to my car until I saw them leave. If they walked in at the end of one of my appointments, I would drop my voice to a whisper as I finished my (top-secret) orders and warily hustled out the door.

Little did I know that there was a fellowship, a fraternity/sorority of compatriots out there with whom I could discuss our industry, get the inside track on how others do their job, and even share my successes. Not me — at least not until just a few months ago when I learned from Leah Katz about The Houston Gift Rep Group. Seven years ago, Leah, a key account rep for The Kennedy Group, was one of the first members of this unique and amazing group.

The Houston Gift Rep Group has nearly 50 members and is open to local reps in the gift industry. Its brochure states that it was started by a small group of reps who wanted "to share experiences and ideas on how to better serve our customers."

Since then, the Houston Gift Rep Group has grown into the type of organization that should be duplicated in every territory in the country. Not only does it meet to network, share successes, and listen to speakers, but the group works to keep area retailers up to date and connected. It meets every other month at 8:30 a.m. in the cooking-school area of Rice Epicurean, a popular Houston gourmet grocer. Most meetings last about two hours, and include breakfast for which members pay $5. It also donates to several charitable organizations.

Henry Gabb, a rep with JAS & Associates, joined the Houston Gift Rep Group half a dozen years ago. Prior to that, he and his wife, Louise, had owned Hallmark stores. He learned about the group through member reps that called on him. "I thought it was a great idea and a good way to create better, more knowledgeable reps," said Henry. He loves the camaraderie, the networking, and the support system that comes from the group.

Gabb and Katz also praised the speakers that have addressed the meetings. They include a policeman, who discussed personal security while on the road and in hotels; an insurance industry expert, who spoke about hospitalization insurance; an interior designer, who discussed upcoming design trends; and an organizational expert, who provided tips on how to get organized.

Speaking of organized, this group is definitely that, with officers, dues ($35 per year), and an accountant who handles the money. The group uses the dues to print its brochure, which they send to their accounts. They also buy a small gift for retailers at Christmas, and make charitable donations to several needy organizations. Last year, they donated gifts to Camp Periwinkle, a camp for children with cancer. Pretty amazing.

When I asked Rep Group principal Betsy Winters if she knew of any similar organizations in the New England area, she recalled that a few years back another group had invited one of her reps to join them. The rep went to the first meeting and reported back to Betsy, "They were evil!" she said. "All they did was talk about other reps and retailers, and they wanted me to do the same."

I asked Leah Katz if the Houston group had ever had any members that didn't fit in, or who had tried to undermine the group's good intentions. "Oh, no. Anyone who doesn't fit in figures it out pretty quickly, and just doesn't come back," she said. "There are too many of us who are in it for the good stuff."

Henry Gabb said that the Houston group doesn't spend a lot of time discussing retailers. But when it does, "We share things that would benefit everyone," he said. "New stores, stores that are closing, and occasionally those with really bad debt situations. Information that's truly helpful."

Gabb added that he's been very impressed with the impact that the Houston group can make when dealing with a problem. Several years ago there was concern about some issues at the Dallas Market Center. The group members wrote a letter to the Center's management, and they got an immediate response. "Not only did they send two representatives to our next meeting," said Gabb. "But they also hosted a reception at a local account to thank customers for their support and to encourage business — that was impressive to me."

Judy Rubin, St. Louis rep for Palmer & Associates, is part of another group with similar goals but a totally different setup. "There are six of us, and we've all been sharing information for about 15 years," she said. A cousin got her into the business and they spoke often to compare notes, share selling ideas, and keep one another motivated. Since then, Rubin has gotten four other area reps involved. They don't meet formally, but they speak regularly and they make sure that they share information.

"Sometimes it's about a new account, but it might also be about a great deal on a piece of equipment or an idea on better organization. Honestly, we're much more social, which is fun. We often make sales trips to outlying areas together, and even share hotel rooms on the road." They also occasionally meet for lunch or dinner and even involve their spouses in some of the outings. "It's social as well as business for us."

With such groups, manufacturers win because they get reps that want to improve, share, and excel. Retailers win because they can tap into a network of professional and connected reps that want to help them. The big winners, however, are the reps. Having a standing appointment six times a year to connect with comrades is a great form of therapy. Being able to share frustrations, successes, obstacles, and news with people who know and understand where you're coming from is the best water cooler discussion you can have. And tapping into the brainpower of 49 others who can help you is truly invaluable. Whether you're a new rep looking for answers or a more senior rep looking for a jump-start, a group like this is ideal.

How do you begin? Start small. Take a few minutes between appointments to call four other reps in your territory and invite them to meet you for coffee one day before your accounts open. If you're like I was when I started out, and don't know any other reps, go to the best source — your retailers. They can tell you which reps they like, who's good at what they do, and whom you might gel with — and they'll have the phone numbers for you.

Once you're together, the rest should come naturally. After all, you're a sales rep — you're paid to talk to people! Use this article to launch the conversation. Your first discussion might just be simply getting to know one another. Don't worry if you don't feel like the best of friends after the first meeting — that will come with time. Do exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and remember to plan your next meeting before you leave and schedule it on your calendar.

Hey, you just started your own rep group organization! Whether it ends up being a formal relationship or a loose and casual one, it will definitely benefit you, and that's what it's all about. The motto that the Houston group publishes on its brochures sums it up perfectly: "To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe. Together we can accomplish great things."