20 Years of Sales Training

The Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF) is a not-for-profit educational foundation that provides sales training through its Certified Sales Professional (CSP) program and training for independent manufacturer representatives through the Certified Professional Manufacturers Representative (CPMR) program. The organization originated in 1984 when a group of sales representatives wanted to create a unified body of knowledge that defined what made a good sales rep.

The company's main Web site is at www.mrerf.org, and information about the CSP and CPMR programs is available at www.csp-usa.org and www.cpmr.biz, respectively. (For more detailed information about the CSP, see the Tech Tidbits article in this issue of the Faustson Forum.)

MRERF promotes the use of independent representatives as an outsourced sales channel for manufacturers. The benefits to manufacturers under this arrangement include:

• lower expenses, as there is no need to hire a salesperson directly
• less risk, as the reps are paid on commission, and only when they sell something
• broader reach, as a representative firm can have multiple people in the field, rather than just one

Although the manufacturer does give up some control with this arrangement, the customer also benefits. Customers come to expect that their reps will provide them with useful information that can help solve specific problems.

In January 2009, MRERF will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first CPMR class. The organization has offered the CSP program for about four years. The CSP program was originally developed by the Canadian government, and MRERF is the only U.S. distributor of the program. The organization has a variety of member organizations that endorse these training programs. As a result, each of the member organizations avoids the need to reinvent the wheel and develop its own sales programs.

If you are looking to improve your sales skills and approach, do what the Faustson sales staff did — attend CSP training. Or, if you are an independent rep or want to become one, or you own or want to start your own rep firm, enroll in the CPMR program.