Main Street USA retailers have long embraced the “Shop Local” movement, a powerful initiative aimed at encouraging consumers to support local businesses. This movement has been instrumental in reminding consumers of the importance of keeping their spending within their communities, thereby fostering local economies and ensuring vibrant, thriving main streets. Now, there’s a new initiative on the horizon that aims to extend this local-first mentality to another crucial aspect of retail: ordering with local sales reps.
Reps Are Local Too is a movement uniting more than 35 sales rep agencies, like Road Runners, across the United States highlighting the significance of working with local reps. These agencies encompass hundreds of dedicated local reps who bring fantastic products to their communities, playing an essential role in the retail ecosystem.
Why Local Reps Matter
With over 4.6 million retail establishments in the US, many of which are served by local sales reps, it’s clear that local reps are the lifeline of their communities. They work tirelessly to fill stores with new, exciting products, helping generate local revenue and ensuring every Main Street remains vibrant with flourishing independent businesses.
By ordering from local reps, retailers are directly investing in their community’s economy. The reps who work with local retailers aren’t just business contacts; they’re neighbors who live, shop, and engage in the same communities. This close-knit relationship allows local reps to go the extra mile to meet the unique needs of retailers and their customers.
The Unique Value of Local Reps
Local sales reps offer an experience that goes beyond transactional. As industry experts, they have an intimate knowledge of the communities they serve and the surrounding areas. They understand local consumer preferences, introduce unique products, share invaluable insights, and truly listen to and comprehend the needs of the retailers.
Here are some key benefits of working with local reps:
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- Personalized Service: Local reps provide exceptional service, often assisting with inventory management, restocking, and even working events.
- Access to Exclusive Offers: Retailers gain access to bestsellers, special promotions, and incentives not available through other channels.
- 24/7 Wholesale Buying: Retailers can buy wholesale online with their local rep via their agency’s website, like this one, at any time.
How Retailers Can Support Local Reps
Retailers can play a pivotal role in supporting local reps and, by extension, their local economy. Here are a few ways to do so:
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- Seek Out Local Reps: Go the extra mile to find out if the line or product you’re interested in is represented by a local rep. They’ll be more than happy to visit your store, show samples, and share enticing promotions.
- Engage with Reps: When a rep contacts you, take a moment to review their offerings. Feel free to request communication in the manner you prefer, whether it’s via phone, email, or in-person visits. A good rep will always respect your communication preferences and strive to be efficient with your time.
- Provide Feedback: When you receive excellent service from a rep, let the brand they represent know about it. Compliments from retailers are invaluable and help establish the value of a great salesperson’s work.
- Schedule Appointments: Make appointments with your reps during Market events. This ensures you get priority attention and access to perks like goodie bags, special promotions, and more.
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By embracing the Reps Are Local Too movement, retailers can continue to foster a strong sense of community while benefiting from the personalized, expert service that local reps provide. Explore more about this initiative at www.repsarelocaltoo.com and join the conversation on social media at @repsarelocaltoo. Let’s work together to keep our communities vibrant and thriving, one local business at a time.