Frequently Asked Questions | Manufacturers Reps | Independent Sales Rep | Sales Agency | Sales Force | Manufacturer Agent

 

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions Asked by both  Principals  and  Sales Reps 

Manufacturer Testimonial

Member #29786"The service at rephunter is amazing! I have managed to find 17 possible reps for my line, more than enough for me to cover the entire market at the moment. Only a few minutes ago I was on the phone with a rep from the Midwest. There is no doubt that I will sign up at a later date when I need to find more reps. I shall also refer rephunter.net to my associates on the island, since I am sure they will find it to be a valuable tool in their marketing efforts. Money well spent as they say." - Neil Gosine, N-Luvi
  1. Where can I learn more about using Independent Sales Reps?
  2. I have heard RepHunter is "like a dating service". What does this mean?
  3. I have been referring others to your site. Do you have a program where I can earn a commission when I do this?
  4. How do I create a RepHunter profile?
  5. How do I log in to my profile?
  6. I am having trouble logging in. Can you help?
  7. How long has RepHunter been in business?
  8. How do I change roles? For example, I signed up as a Rep but I am really a Principal?
  9. What is a Contact Request?
  10. When I receive a Contact Request, is it from a real person or is it generated by your system?
  11. Where are my Contact Requests? I know I have received or sent them, but they do not appear in my Track Contacts page.
  12. How do I download my Contact Requests?
  13. How do I reset my password?
  14. What are the main strategies for using the RepHunter database?
  15. How do I best search the RepHunter database?
  16. How do I use the Saved Search feature?
  17. What is the difference between a Saved Search and a Search Agent?
  18. I marked profiles as "Favorites." How do I view them?
  19. How do I update/change/save my profile?
  20. How do I print a profile?
  21. How do I email myself a profile?
  22. The RepHunter site says cookies are not enabled in my browser, but they are. Why is this?
  23. I cannot connect to your site. How can I verify that your site is reachable over the Internet?
  24. Your site does not seem to be working well. What can I do?
  25. I updated my profile, but the changes did not "stick." Why is that?
  26. When I try to paste into the text box, I get an error message about "more than 2000 characters." I have less than 2000 characters, so why is this happening?
  27. I am not receiving my RepHunter email. Can you help?
  28. What is wrong with using free email services?
  29. What affiliates or useful links do you have?
  30. RepHunter technical support has asked me for a "screen shot." What is a screen shot, and how do I capture a screen shot on Windows?
If you need an answer to a different question,
click here to Contact Us, or Call Us
TOLL FREE at 877-895-2909 for assistance
International 1-763-557-2539

Questions Asked By  Principals 

Manufacturer Testimonial

Member #4205"RepHunter has proven to be the perfect solution to develop a national sales team. In just two months we have identified four outstanding Reps who are introducing Awards International to their existing customers, as well as using our catalog and Web site to attract new customers. Utilizing RepHunter to identify professional, established Reps could not be easier. We just upgraded our subscription for 13 months, what a bargain!" - Peggy Pisani, Dir of Sales/Marketing, Awards International
  1. How does it work? What is the big picture?
  2. How does it work? What are the details?
  3. How much does RepHunter cost?
  4. What subscription plans are available?
  5. How do I know RepHunter has reps in my industry?
  6. How do I search for reps by territory?
  7. What is the RepHunter guarantee?
  8. How can I improve the visibility of my sales opportunity?
  9. How do I effectively search for and contact the reps I am looking for?
  10. Why should I search on my customer base rather than on my product lines?
  11. How can I find the newest reps or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?
  12. How do I find out which reps have tried to contact me?
  13. How do I look up the profile of a rep using their Member ID number?
  14. How do I get contact information for a rep who has tried to contact me?
  15. What happens if a rep does not respond to my contact request? (The RepHunter Rep Credit Policy)
  16. How does RepHunter treat duplicate contact requests?
  17. How does RepHunter determine whether a contact request counts against my allotment?
  18. How can I get an invoice?
  19. How do I update my credit card number?
  20. How do I cancel my subscription?
  21. After I cancel my subscription, can I still view profiles?
  22. After I cancel my subscription, what happens to my unused contact requests?
  23. What sets RepHunter apart from the competition?
  24. What makes RepHunter different from other ways to find reps?
  25. Can we get a reference?
  26. I have not worked with reps before. Do you have any tips for working with reps?
  27. What terms do the reps agree to?
  28. Do you have other training materials?
  29. How big is RepHunter?
  30. Why RepHunter?
  31. What is your success rate in placing reps?
  32. I only want to hire one rep. Why do I need so many contacts?
  33. Why do I have to respond via Track Contacts?
  34. Why do you keep sending me reminder emails? I don't need reps now.
  35. What membership statuses are there for principals?
  36. How should I write the ad that is posted as my sales opportunity?
  37. What customer and industry categories does RepHunter use?
  38. What are the specifications for a Display Ad?
  39. What controls where my Display Ad appears?
  40. How do I contact a rep that is advertised in the Search Agents?
  41. What are some good interview questions to ask of candidate Independent Sales Reps?

Questions Asked By  Sales Reps 

Sales Rep Testimonial

Member #14240"Rep hunter is fantastic. In all my years of being a rep (29) this is the very best organization I have ever seen as a positive influence in assisting reps. You have it totally organized and professionally managed." - Fred A. Zohlman, Sales Rep
  1. What membership statuses are there for reps?
  2. How can I find the newest sales opportunities
    or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?
  3. How do I confirm my availability?
  4. Why should I refresh my profile?
  5. Can I use my Resume in place of a Line Card? What is the difference?
  6. Why are principals listed in the search "By Customer Category" section in many different categories?
  7. How do I find out which principals have tried to contact me?
  8. How can I look up the profile of a manufacturer or distributor who has tried to contact me?
  9. How do I contact a principal that is advertised in the Monday Morning Email?
  10. How do I contact a principal that is advertised in the Search Agents?
  11. My company is a sales agency. How would I use RepHunter?
If you need an answer to a different question,
click here to Contact Us, or Call Us
TOLL FREE at 877-895-2909 for assistance
International 1-+1 763 516 2057

General Answers for both  Principals  and  Sales Reps 

  1. Where can I learn more about using Independent Sales Reps?

    Click here for Replocate's eGuide to Independent Reps

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  2. I have heard RepHunter is "like a dating service". What does this mean?

    We explain that our business model is "like a dating service", where the dates are between Manufacturers and Manufacturers Representives. We guarantee that you will have dates, but we cannot guarantee what will happen on your dates. That is up to you.

    Sometimes people ask if we guarantee placements. While there are such services that make a business of guaranteeing the results and performance of the "date" participants, such services are much more expensive. Using the "date" analogy, they would be like a marriage arrangement service.

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  3. I have been referring others to your site. Do you have a program where I can earn a commission when I do this?

    RepHunter has an affiliate program where you can earn a commission by putting a link to RepHunter on your website. We will pay you a 10% commission for every subscriber that is referred directly from your website. That's USD $199 on a USD $1999 plan, and USD $49 on a USD $499 plan.

    How it works:

    1. Post a link to RepHunter on your website.
    2. Our systems will track those users that click on your link and purchase a subscription.
    3. We will mail you a check quarterly.

    To set up your RepHunter Affiliate Link, do the following: :

    1. Login to your profile if you are not already logged in.
    2. On your member home page, click the orange "burst" that says "Earn 10%".
    3. Follow the instructions.

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  4. How do I create a RepHunter profile?
    1. Go to our home page.
    2. Click on Find Sales Reps or Find New Lines.
      • Click on Find Sales Reps if you are looking for independent sales reps to take your line.
      • Click on Find New Lines if you are looking for new lines to represent.
    3. Click on the Register tab near the top of the page.
    4. Follow the instructions to fill out the first page and following pages.

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  5. How do I log in to my profile?
    1. Go to our home page.
    2. Click on Login found at the upper right of the page.
    3. Enter the email address and password you used when you created or last updated your profile.

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  6. I am having trouble logging in. Can you help?

    Trouble logging in to RepHunter may be caused by one of the following reasons:

    • You are using the wrong email address. Please be sure to use the email address or account number you entered into your profile, regardless of whether that address still is used for email. Many times members come back to the site and are sure they are using the right credentials. When we look them up, we find that the password may be correct, but the profile was created with a different email address.
    • You are using the wrong password. To see your password as you type it, click on the lock to the right of the password box; your password will be visible. To reset your password, go to the RepHunter home page, click Login on the upper right, then click on Forgot your password.
    • Rather than logging in, you have navigated to the Register page. If you already have a profile and try to fill out the Register page, you will get a message that your email address is already in use. That is because you already have created a profile and the system will not let you create another one with the same email address. To login, do not try to register again. Instead follow the instructions from the question above. (Click here to see login instructions.)

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  7. How long has RepHunter been in business?

    We have been in business since 2001.

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  8. How do I change roles? For example, I signed up as a Rep but I am really a Principal?

    There are two cases:

    Case 1: you have gotten into the part of our website for Reps but you are a Principal, or you have gotten into the Principal side but you are a Rep. But you have not yet created a profile. To get back to the other "side" of the website, simply click on the "RepHunter" logo at the top of the page. Then select the other "side" by clicking on Find Sales Reps or Find New Lines as appropriate.

    Case 2: you have created a profile as either a Rep or a Principal, but you are the other role. It is not possible to convert a Rep profile into a Principal profile or vice versa. You have to create a new profile with the correct role. It may be helpful to copy some of the text you entered on the second page of the first profile to your new profile. The second page is where a Rep explains their Industry Expertise and a Principal explains their Sales Opportunity. When the new profile is complete, please remove the original profile by changing its status on Screen1 of the profile under Your Profile Status.

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  9. What is a Contact Request?

    If RepHunter is like a "dating service", then a Contact Request is like asking for a date. We guarantee that you will have dates; but we do not guarantee what will happen on the date. If as a principal you have 30 Contact Requests in your present allocation, this does not mean that you will place 30 Reps. It means that you will have 30 conversations, or "dates".

    You use a Contact Request to initiate contact with one of our members.

    If you are a Principal seeking reps, and you find a Rep in our databae, click on the Contact button when viewing the Rep's profile and our system will send email to that Rep with your profile information. In addition, you will receive an email with the Rep's contact information.

    If you are a Manufacturer's Rep seeking new lines, and you find a Principal in our database, click on the Contact button when viewing the Principal's profile and our system will send email to that Principal with your profile information.

    In addition to email, you may be able to view for active members their contact information within their profile.

    Finally, our system tracks all Contact Requests sent and received, as well as allowing you to respond to each Contact Request when you are logged in. While we encourage you to directly contact the member via phone or email, by using our system to make your responses, all of your Responses may be viewed on our Track Contacts page.

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  10. When I receive a Contact Request, is it from a real person or is it generated by your system?

    When you receive a RepHunter Contact Request, that means that a real person has selected your profile and has sent you a Contact Request because they would like to contact you. Our system does not generate "matches" automatically, nor create fake expressions of interest.

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  11. Where are my Contact Requests? I know I have received or sent them, but they do not appear in my Track Contacts page.

    All Contact Requests are kept in your Track Contacts page, which is found by logging in to your profile, clicking on Manage Contacts > Track Contacts.

    There are four sub-tabs on this page, which keep separate Contact Requests in the following categories:

    • Received: Require My Response
    • Received: I Have Responded
    • Sent: Waiting Response
    • Sent: Received Response

    The two "Received" categories are Contact Requests sent to you; the two "Sent" categories are Contact Requests that you have sent.

    Please note in addition that there is also a View Archive page. By clicking on the icon in the far right column titled Archive, you may move Contact Requests from the main section to the Archive section, so you can avoid having to look at them. You can also bring them back from the Archive section in the same way, by clicking on the icon at the far left.

    We have found that people sometimes forget that they have Archived some of their contact requests, so please check if you have done so by clicking on the View Archive link.

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  12. How do I download my Contact Requests?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage Contacts.
    3. Click Track Contacts.
    4. Click Export to CSV/Excel which is located immediately to the bottom, left of the Track Contacts table.
    5. Follow any instructions that may display. Some systems do not display any instructions.
    6. Depending on your system and how you responded to the instructions, the Track Contacts information may open in Excel, or be saved to a file on your system.
    7. If the information opens in Excel, then save the file from within Excel.

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  13. How do I reset my password?

    If you are unable to login you will have to reset your password. To do this please follow these steps:

    1. Follow the instructions on our Reset Password page and new temporary password will be emailed to you.
    2. After receiving the temporary password, to login please copy and paste the temporary password from the email into the password field.
    3. Click here to go to our Reset Password page.

    To change your password to one of your choosing, please do the following:

    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click on Manage My Profile.
    3. Click on Change My Profile.
    4. Change your password.
    5. Click Save & Continue to save the change.

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  14. What are the main strategies for using the RepHunter database?

    The two main strategies for using the RepHunter database are "Active Searching" and "Passive Listings."

    Active Searching

    • More effective than only Passive Listing.
    • Actively search our database of thousands of members using keywords and other options.
    • Search by Keyword is our most powerful search method because it allows you to focus on your industry, your customers, your products, and to filter on territories and other criteria of interest to you.
    • Search by Category to easily see how many candidates we have in your industry who have updated their profiles in the last 60 days.
    • Search Agents allow you to have our system send you an email when new candidates meeting your criteria come in to our database.
    • By ID to look up a candidate directly by their ID number.

    Passive Listing

    • Your sales opportunity is posted so members can search and find you.
    • Your results will depend on:
      • How compelling is your ad?
      • How many markets did you post it in?
      • How often do you press Move to Top of Searches?

    Best Search Strategy: Our users tell us that the best results come from using both Active and Passive search strategies together.

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  15. How do I best search the RepHunter database?
    1. Click on Find Sales Reps or Find New Lines.
      • Click on Find Sales Reps if you are looking for independent sales reps to take your line.
      • Click on Find New Lines if you are looking for new lines to represent.
    2. If you are logged in to your profile, click By Keyword.
    3. Enter keywords and click Go.
    4. Click on View to look at the individual profiles to see how relevant they are.

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  16. How do I use the Saved Search feature?

    To easily set up a saved search, first set the search criteria, and click Go. Refine your search by changing the criteria until you get the desired results. Then go back to the Search By Keywords page. Your latest search criteria will still be set on that page. Enter a name for the search in the Manage Saved Searches section and click Save.

    • To save your search criteria: enter a name and click Save
    • To use one of your saved searches: click Use
    • To change one of your saved searches: adjust the search criteria and optionally change the name; click Save
    • To delete one of your saved searches: click Delete

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  17. What is the difference between a Saved Search and a Search Agent?

    A Saved Search allows you to save your often used search criteria. Its purpose is to make it easy for you to repeatedly use the same complex criteria.

    A Search Agent allows you to set up a keyword search which runs automatically every night and sends you all new profiles that meet your keyword criteria. Once you set it up, it continues to run each night until you change or delete it.

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  18. I marked profiles as "Favorites." How do I view them?
    1. Login to your profile with the email address and password you used when you created it.
    2. Click Find Sales Reps or Find New Lines.
    3. Click By Keyword.
    4. Check the Favorites Only box.
    5. Click Go.

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  19. How do I update/change/save my profile?
    1. Login to your profile with the email address and password you used when you created it.
    2. Click Manage My Profile.
    3. Click Change My Profile.
    4. Make your changes.
    5. Click Save & Continue at the bottom of the page.

    Don’t forget: every time you update your profile, it moves to the top of search results.

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  20. How do I print a profile?
    1. View the profile you want to print.
    2. Click on the Print Profile link near the top of the View Profile page.
    3. Use the Print dialog box that appears to print it.

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  21. How do I email myself a profile?
    1. View the profile you want to email.
    2. Click on the Email Profile link near the top of the View Profile page.
    3. The profile is immediately emailed to the email address in your profile.
    4. Close the popup window.

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  22. The RepHunter site says cookies are not enabled in my browser, but they are. Why is this?

    You may have directly navigated to a page in our site without going through our home page and clicking on the links. For example, via a bookmark or "favorite" or by typing or copying a URL into the address bar.

    If this is the case, please go back to our home page, and navigate to the desired page.

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  23. I cannot connect to your site. How can I verify that your site is reachable over the Internet?

    On occasion, your browser may report that our site is unavailable. However, other than for scheduled maintenance, we have only had one time when our server was actually down, and that was for a few hours over a weekend. If you cannot reach our server from one of your computers, the cause is more likely to be a problem somewhere else in the Internet.

    The following steps will verify whether our site is reachable from your computer, and if not, show the place in the Internet where communication breaks down.

    To verify the path to our server, please do the following (assuming you are using a recent version of Windows):

    1. Open up a command prompt by clicking Start > Run, then typing "cmd" (without the quotes) into the box, and clicking OK.
    2. In the command window, type "tracert www.rephunter.net" (without the quotes) and press Enter.
    3. Observe the display that follows. It will show you each node along the way to our server. It will either end with a final node that says "rephunter.net" towards the right side, or will show where in the Internet the failure is.
    4. The information displayed will be very useful to tech support at your ISP. If you have also been requested to email the information, please use the following steps.
    5. With the last portion of the "tracert" display showing in the command window, right click on the icon at the top, left of the command window.
    6. Click Edit > Mark.
    7. With the shift key depressed, use the down arrow key to highlight the rows of the report in your display (don't worry if some of the first lines have scrolled off the top.). With the shift key still depressed, then use the right arrow key to extend the highlighting across the full width of the screen. The full screen will be black on white (rather than white on black as usual). The press Enter and the screen will go back to normal.
    8. Open up an email message and position the cursor in the body of the message. At the top of the email window, click Edit > Paste. You should see something pasted into your email similar to the
      "---- Example Listing ----" shown below.
    9. Send the email to tech support at your ISP if requested, or to webmaster@rephunter.net.

    Example Tracert Listing

    	1      9 ms     9 ms     7 ms  10.40.32.1
    	2      9 ms     9 ms     9 ms  g2-1.mplsmn02-rtr1.mn.rr.com  [24.26.161.117]
    	3     10 ms     9 ms     9 ms  srp0-0.mplsmn01-rtr2.mn.rr.com  [24.26.162.18]
    	4     20 ms    18 ms    20 ms  so0-1-2.chcgilL3-rtr1.kc.rr.com [24.94.160.13]
    	5     20 ms    20 ms    20 ms  so-2-0-0-0.gar2.Chicago1.Level3.net [67.72.124.17]
    	6     20 ms    20 ms    20 ms  so-0-3-0.bbr2.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.68.96.45]
    	7     20 ms    20 ms    60 ms  so-7-0-0.edge1.Chicago1.Level3.net [209.244.8.14]
    	8     20 ms    19 ms    20 ms  att-level3-oc48.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.68.127.166]
    	9     30 ms    21 ms    19 ms  tbr2-p014001.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.123.6.70]
    	10    27 ms    27 ms    28 ms  tbr2-cl7.sl9mo.ip.att.net [12.122.10.46]
    	11    49 ms    52 ms    51 ms  12.122.10.137
    	12    53 ms    50 ms    50 ms  tbr1-p012501.attga.ip.att.net [12.122.9.157]
    	13    57 ms    56 ms    59 ms  gbr4-p10.ormfl.ip.att.net [12.122.12.122]
    	14    66 ms    68 ms    67 ms  gar1-p360.miufl.ip.att.net [12.123.200.237]
    	15    63 ms    63 ms    64 ms  mailbox.rossindinc.com [12.118.175.42]
    	16    97 ms    65 ms    63 ms  216.87.0.45
    	17    64 ms    63 ms    64 ms  rephunter.net [66.132.198.20]
    
    	Trace complete.
    			

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  24. Your site does not seem to be working well. What can I do?

    Many technical problems can be easily solved using one of the following procedures:

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  25. I updated my profile, but the changes did not "stick." Why is that?

    When you refresh your profile, you must remember to scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save & Continue. Otherwise your refresh is not saved. When you click this button, the system will acknowledge by displaying a notice. If you did not see this notice, most likely the changes to your profile were not saved.

    You can verify that your changes "stuck" by navigating away from the Change My Profile, then returning to that page to see if the changes are still there.

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  26. When I try to paste into the text box, I get an error message about "more than 2000 characters." I have less than 2000 characters, so why is this happening?

    Often when pasting text into a text box from another source, there are many "hidden" characters. You do not see these characters because they are used in that source for formatting, but they are not displayed.

    To correct this issue, you must eliminate these hidden characters.

    An easy way to do this is to first paste the text you are trying to copy into your profile into a plain text editor, which does not use any hidden characters. Then do a second copy/paste from that text editor into your RepHunter profile. For example, it may be easiest to use Windows Notepad or Mac TextEdit for this purpose.

    If you are still having difficulty, another alternative would be to request us to update your profile on your behalf. To do this, please email your request, your text, and your Login Email Address or Member ID to us at brenda@rephunter.net.

    Note: if you got to this help by clicking on the link on a profile page, your profile is still open in another browser window or tab. To get back to it, please find that window or tab.

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  27. I am not receiving my RepHunter email. Can you help?

    Trouble receiving RepHunter email may be caused by one of the following reasons:

    • You have not kept your email address up-to-date. Please login to your profile and make sure that the email address in your profile is correct and frequently monitored.
    • You have a spam blocker which is filtering out RepHunter email. Please adjust the settings of your spam blocker to allow email from RepHunter to be received. Please add our domain "rephunter.net" to your "safe senders" list (also known as a "whitelist") so we can notify you of opportunities.

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  28. What is wrong with using free email services?

    It is our suggestion that you not rely on AOL or Hotmail or similar free mail service for business purposes. There are continual problems with such accounts, such as suspended accounts, mailbox size limits, spam blockers, etc. which interfere with your ability to receive email, and thus with your ability to do business.

    If you are relying upon email to drive your business, it is a must that your email service be more dependable than such free services.

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  29. What affiliates or useful links do you have?

    When you are logged into your profile, you will have access to our Free & Deals page.

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  30. RepHunter technical support has asked me for a "screen shot." What is a screen shot, and how do I capture a screen shot on Windows?

    To capture a screen shot, follow these steps:

    1. With the window that you want to capture highlighted (its top bar is bright blue), hold down the Alt key and press "Print Screen" (usually at the right of the function keys at the top of the keyboard);
    2. When you press the Print Screen key, nothing will appear to happen. That is fine;
    3. Move your cursor into the body of your reply email, and press Ctrl-V. The screen shot will be pasted into the email.

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Answers For  Principals 

  1. How does it work? What is the big picture?

    The easiest way to see how RepHunter can find you Independent Sales Reps is to listen to the Guided Tour Videos on our web site. To do this, take these steps:


    1. Go to www.rephunter.net.
    2. Click on How Does This Work? ( at lower right)

    Another way to see how RepHunter can find you Independent Sales Reps is to listen to the Audio Overview on our web site. To do this, take these steps:


    1. Go to www.rephunter.net.
    2. Click on Need Sales Reps?
    3. Play the audio and follow the 3 steps.

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  2. How does it work? What are the details?

    RepHunter has been recruiting independent sales reps since 2001.

    RepHunter advertises all over the internet for sales professionals seeking commission-only sales opportunities.

    Interested sales professionals come to our web site and profile their sales expertise.

    Today we have over 14,000 independent sales reps profiled in our database who are seeking new lines.

    Our database is unique because the reps must agree to these terms:

    • They understand that all of our opportunities are commission-only.
    • They are actively seeking new lines.
    • They must respond to all contact requests, whether they are interested or not.

    Our database makes it easy to match your sales representation need with a rep’s sales expertise. Simply use your profile to search for reps in your industry; then contact those who are qualified.

    You save time and money by using RepHunter:

    • You only contact reps that are seeking new commission-only lines.
    • You only contact reps in your industry--because you chose them.
    • RepHunter helps initiate the first conversation.

    RepHunter helps you contact independent reps two ways:

    • First and most importantly, you search the database and contact the reps of your choice.
    • Second, your sales representation need is posted; reps seeking commission-only lines can find your profile on our search By Customer Category page.

    To contact a rep, you search our database. The information in the reps’ profiles will help you decide who to contact. That information includes the following:

    • When the rep created and last updated their profile.
    • If they have more than one rep in their group.
    • Their location and territories covered.
    • If they carry related lines and call on the right markets.

    Once you have selected a rep that you would like to contact, you simply press the contact button at the top of the rep’s profile. The following three things will happen:

    • The rep will receive an email with your sales representation need and instructions to contact you.
    • You will receive an email with the confidential portion of the reps profile: contact information, line card, resume; everything the rep has provided in their profile.
    • It will take one away from your pro-active allotment. The size of that allotment depends on which subscription plan you purchased.

    The second way RepHunter works is to help interested reps find you. Your profile is posted on our search By Customer Category page. You manage the content of your listing and its exposure.

    • You determine the categories in which your profile is listed by the NAICS codes you select for your Target Markets. You can be in as many or as few categories as you choose.
    • Your profile is moved to the top of your categories every time you update your profile. Your visibility is improved when you are at the top of the page.

    Reps that you contact are counted towards your subscription contact allotment. Reps that find and contact you are not.

    We have two subscription plans:

    • Twelve Month
    • Month-to-Month, Cancel Anytime

    The subscriptions plans differ in the number of reps that you can contact, as follows:

    • Twelve Month - 300 rep contacts
    • Month-to-Month, Cancel Anytime - 30 rep contacts 1st month; 15 in each subsequent month

    All subscriptions include online training. After you login to the Principal’s home page, at the lower left there is a link to our Training page. The tools on that page will help you to use RepHunter effectively.

    All of our subscription plans include unlimited telephone support. If you have any questions or concerns as you move forward, simply call us TOLL FREE at 877-895-2909.

    Remember — you can view the independent reps we have in your industry before you subscribe.

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  3. How much does RepHunter cost?

    RepHunter subscriptions start as low as USD $99 for returning clients. Click here to view our pricing.

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  4. What subscription plans are available?

    Your subscription plan determines the number of reps that you can contact over a determined period of time:

    • 12 Month Plan (300 total contacts requests)
    • Month-to-Month, Cancel Anytime Plan (30 contacts the first month; 15 in each subsequent month)

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  5. How do I know RepHunter has reps in my industry?
    1. First, do a keyword search. Click the Find Sales Reps tab, then Search for Reps, then By Keyword. Enter keywords that describe your target customers.
    2. Second, search By Customer Category.
    3. Third, contact us for assistance.

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  6. How do I search for reps by territory?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Find Sales Reps.
    3. Click By Keywords.
    4. On the Find Sales Reps By Keywords page, click Advanced Search.
    5. Enter your search criteria, including the territories you wish to search.
    6. To search multiple territories, hold down the Ctrl key while you click on the territories.

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  7. What is the RepHunter guarantee?

    We guarantee access to qualified, commissioned, reps in your target industry. Placements are determined by your sales opportunity, the marketability of your product lines, the reputation of your company, and most importantly, your ability to communicate and form agreements with independent reps.

    Please refer to the question about our "dating service" for more information on our guarantee.

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  8. How can I improve the visibility of my sales opportunity?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage My Profile.
    3. Click Move to Top of Searches.
    4. Click Move to Top at the bottom of the page.

    In addition, every time you update your profile, you move your opportunity to the top of our search pages.

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  9. How do I effectively search for and contact the reps I am looking for?

    All of our subscriptions come with training and unlimited telephone support. We will show you how to use our service to its full potential.

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  10. Why should I search on my customer base rather than on my product lines?

    Most people new to searching will automatically enter words that describe their product lines. While searching on your products is a step you don't want to miss, many people stop at that point. It is often more valuable to search on your "Target Market", or "Customer Base."

    The reason for that is two-fold:

    1. A rep may not be carrying your product line, but desire to. For example, if you make lawn sprinklers, it would be short-sighted to restrict your search to those reps that are already carrying lawn sprinklers. In fact you would want to search on your customers, such as garden stores, home improvement stores, and hardware stores.
    2. In fact if the rep already carries a line of lawn sprinklers, he may not want your line as it represents a conflict of interest with his existing lines.

    Both of these drawbacks are overcome by searching on your target customers.

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  11. How can I find the newest Reps or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?

    The listings in both the By Keywords and By Customer Categories searches are shown in the order of how recently they were updated. In the Search Results delivered via the By Keywords search, you will see the date of last update in the fourth column from the left.

    To see the newest entries, change the sort order to Entry Date by clicking twice on that column heading. The search results will be redisplayed in Entry Date order. Make sure the arrow near the column heading is pointing down, which indicates descending date order.

    If you are trying to "search the whole database" to see what is new, there is a much better way. Use the By Keywords search and determine what criteria will show you what you are looking for. Experiment with the search criteria using keywords that are appropriate for you, with specific territories you seek, plus any other criteria that are useful.

    Then just repeat this search every time you come back to the web site. Since the results are always listed with the most recently updated Reps first, you will only have to look at the top listings with the new entries since your last visit.

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  12. How do I find out which reps have tried to contact me?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage Contacts.
    3. Click Respond to Contact Requests.

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  13. How do I look up the profile of a rep using their Member ID number?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Find Reps.
    3. Under Member ID# enter the Member ID number and click Go.

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  14. How do I get contact information for a rep who has tried to contact me?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage Contacts.
    3. Click Track Contacts.
    4. If the Rep is contacting you first – click on the Received: Require My Response tab.
    5. If the Rep is responding to your inquiry, click Sent: Received Response tab.

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  15. What happens if a rep does not respond to my contact request? (The RepHunter Rep Credit Policy)

    The integrity of our database is a top priority. If you encounter any reps that warrant removal, you can contact us via a link provided on the Manage Contacts page.

    You will receive credit for a rep and be able to pick a new one in the following situations:

    1. For a rep that has BOTH an invalid email address AND an invalid phone number.
    2. For a rep that has stated they are seeking employment or requesting a salary.
    3. For a rep that does not respond within 14 days.
    4. For a rep that responds "Sorry – not taking new lines now."
    5. For a rep that responds "Sorry – Out of business."

    Please note: when a rep responds "Not A Match" that is not grounds for a rep credit. Our service is guaranteed to provide communication between you and the rep, but not that each rep you contact will be a match. Finding reps is a "numbers game" and that is why there are more reps in your allotment than you will typically engage.

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  16. How does RepHunter treat duplicate contact requests?

    Duplicate reps do not count against your allotment. Our system automatically takes into account the duplication.

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  17. How does RepHunter determine whether a contact request counts against my allotment?

    The following types of contact requests do not count against your allotment:

    • Duplicate contact requests
    • Requests where the rep contacted you first
    • Contact Requests for which you have received a Rep Credit.

    Here is how to see if a particular contact request is counted against your allotment:

    1. Navigate to your Track Contacts page
    2. On the first two tabs (Received: Require My Response and Received: I Have Responded), the Contact Requests do not count against your allotment. You can received an unlimited number of Contact Requests from reps.
    3. On the third and fourth tabs (Sent: Waiting Response and Sent: Received Response), look in the first column titled "Contact Count."
    4. Each contact request that counts against your allotment has a number in parentheses in the lower right of the "Contact Count" cell. If instead of a number in parentheses there is one of the following indicators, the Contact Request does not count against your allotment.
      1. "Dup" means that the Contact Request is a duplicate of another one. You would be able to find that one somewhere else on your Track Contacts page.
      2. "Rep 1st" means that the rep contacted you first, and even though you later issued a Contact Request for that rep, it does not count against your allotment.
      3. "Cred" means that you have received a Rep Credit for this Contact Request.
    5. If you roll your mouse cursor over either the number in parentheses or indicator, a specific explanation for this particular Contact Request is displayed.

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  18. How can I get an invoice?

    The easiest way to get a billing statement is follow these steps:

    1. Log in to your profile at www.rephunter.net.
    2. Click Manage My Profile.
    3. Click View Payment History.
    4. Click Printable view of This Statement and print it. Alternatively, you can click Send Me This Statement Via Email to receive it at the email address in your profile.

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  19. How do I update my credit card number?

    Please contact us by phone TOLL FREE at 877-895-2909 to change your credit card number.

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  20. How do I cancel my subscription?
    1. Login to your RepHunter profile.
    2. Click on Manage My Profile.
    3. Scroll down if necessary and click on Cancel Subscription on the left side of the page.

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  21. After I cancel my subscription, can I still view profiles?
    • After your subscription is cancelled, it remains valid until your next renewal date, at which time your subscription expires. You may continue to use it normally until then, including searching, viewing profiles, and issuing contact requests.
    • After your subscription expires, you will still be able to view the contact information of previoulsy contacted members. Such information is available by clicking the View button on the Track Contacts page.
    • In addition, after your subscription expires, you will still be able to perform unlimited searching. However, you will no longer be able to view the contact information for members you have not previously contacted.

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  22. After I cancel my subscription, what happens to my unused contact requests?
    • After your subscription is cancelled, it remains valid until your next renewal date, at which time your subscription expires. You may continue to use it normally until then, including searching, viewing profiles, and issuing contact requests.
    • After your subscription expires, any remaining contact requests in your subscription that you have not used will automatically "roll over" into a future re-subscription. For example, if you have 30 unused contact requests when your subscription expires and you later re-subscribe to our Maintenance Plan, the 30 unused contact requests will be added to the new allotment of 15 contact requests from the the first month of your new subscription, giving you 45 contact requests at the start of your new subscription.

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  23. What sets RepHunter apart from the competition?
    • You can search our database; determine whether we have reps in your vertical market. Ask our competitors if they allow you to search for reps.
    • We have been in business since 2001, with over 14,000 reps.
    • We guarantee our reps: if they don't respond within 14 days, you can request another rep.
    • We have unlimited phone support. Ask our competitors if they have any phone support at all.
    • Check out our Testimonials and our Display Ads pages.

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  24. What makes RepHunter different from other ways to find reps?

    We have over 14,000 reps in our database that are seeking new lines. You can search and contact qualified reps AND you can post your opportunity and receive inquiries from interested reps. Bottom line: we save you time and money by targeting your efforts.

    • Our reps understand the opportunities are all 100% commission.
    • Our reps are already calling on the decision makers within your vertical market. The reps use our database to obtain new product lines to represent.
    • The reps in our database have confirmed they are seeking new lines.
    • Our reps are required to respond to your contact request, whether they are interested or not.
    • You only need communicate with reps in your industry seeking new lines.

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  25. Can we get a reference?

    We protect the privacy of our customers and would never expect you to take a call on our behalf. However, we do have testimonials on our home page. We would not expect you to pay us one dime before you have searched our database and are convinced we have reps for you.

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  26. I have not worked with reps before. Do you have any tips for working with reps?

    Placing productive, independent sales reps is a numbers game. Period.

    Using RepHunter will improve those numbers but you, most likely, will need to communication with several reps to place that one that will ultimately be productive.

    For example: to have 10 productive reps you may need to place 30. To place 30 reps you may need to have discussions with 100.

    Therefore, it is important that you proceed with the proper understanding. These tips are designed to help you do so.

    1. Create a Professional impression:
      • Placing a rep is like getting a new customer. You do everything you can to create a professional impression so the rep is willing to represent your line.
      • The number one reason that a rep will not take your line is if they do not perceive your company to be professional and reputable.
      • All communication, phone calls, emails, etc. must be professional.
    2. Patience and Persistence:
      • As we said above, placing a rep is like getting a new customer.
      • You must exercise patience while waiting for reps to respond and be persistent when necessary.
      • Note: request contact with the rep via phone AND email TWO times. Call once immediately. If no response, then call again in one week. Then, if the rep does not respond, use the Rep Credit link and the rep will not count against your contact allocation.
    3. Use a Letter-of-Intent: a one page email that identifies the basic points of the original probationary working agreement. It should identify:
      • the probationary time frame;
      • mandatory communication schedules;
      • progress milestones;
      • a clear cut vision of your expectations for the probationary period;
      • There is an example Letter of Intent on the RepHunter Training Tab, which is accessible after you log in to your principal profile.
    4. Commission Amounts:
      • 90% of all commissions paid to reps are between 5% and 20% based on gross sale amount.
      • Commissions differ with each industry.
      • The best way to establish your commission amount is through conversations with interested reps in your industry.
    5. Samples:
      • It is best to establish a relationship with the rep before sending any samples.
      • Depending upon the cost of your samples, the best way to protect yourself from reps not returning samples is to have your reps "secure" the samples you send with a credit card. "Secure" here means "authorize only--do not capture" the cost of your samples.
      • You only charge the card if the rep does not work out and you do not get your samples back.
    6. Contracts and Exclusives:
      • Long term contracts and exclusives must be an incentive, not an entitlement.
      • Long term contracts and exclusives should be discussed AFTER your rep produces a purchase order for your product.
      • There is an example Sales Rep Agreement in the RepHunter Training, which is accessible after you log in to your principal profile.
    7. What If A Rep Responds "No?"
      • You can still benefit from contact with such a rep.
      • Send a response email including the following points:
        • A "thank you" for considering your offer.
        • A clear description of why your opportunity makes sense.
        • A request to contact you should they find a home for your product in the future.
        • A request for names of anyone they know that may in interested in your line (a small finders fee could jog their memory).

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  27. What terms do the reps agree to?

    RepHunter Independent Sales Reps Agree That:

    Immediate communication is the backbone of RepHunter.

    1. I will return to www.RepHunter.net and confirm my status AT LEAST once every 30 days.
      • My profile has a status of Featured, Active, Inactive or Removed. I control the status of my profile.
      • I must ACTIVELY be seeking new commission-only lines if my profile is Featured or Active.
      • I will keep my profile up-to-date with a valid phone number and email address that I actively monitor.
    2. I will respond immediately to all contact requests.
      • I am required to respond to all contact requests, whether I am interested or not.
      • A contact request means that a company has paid RepHunter for my contact information.
      • I respond by logging in to my profile and going to my Track Contacts page.
    3. RepHunter sales opportunities are commission-only.
      • There are no jobs, salaries, or draws available through RepHunter.
      • If up-front fees are required, I will indicate this in my profile.
      • If I appear to be seeking employment, my profile will be inactivated.
    4. I will receive email from RepHunter.
      • RepHunter uses Opt-In email. Emails from RepHunter are solely for the purpose of helping my sales representation business and are not spam.
      • I will receive emails from companies seeking sales representation and from RepHunter.
      • I will make sure that my computer does not block emails from RepHunter.
      • I will assure that my actively monitored mail box is not full for unreasonable lengths of time.
    5. I am obligated to return Principal’s Samples.
      • I will either pay for or return any samples sent to me by a principal upon request by the principal.
      • My failure to return samples will result in a permanent ban from using RepHunter.

    My failure to abide by these terms may result in removal from the RepHunter database.

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  28. Do you have other training materials?

    The following training materials are provided in the RepHunter Training, which is accessible after you log in to your principal profile:

    1. Top 10 Reasons RepHunter Will NOT Work For You
    2. How To Use RepHunter
    3. Getting Started With Independent Sales Representation
    4. Frequently Asked Questions On Independent Sales Reps
    5. Tips For Working With Reps
    6. Letter Of Intent
    7. Sales Representation Agreement
    8. Subscriber Checklist

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  29. How big is RepHunter?

    Thousands of manufacturers and tens of thousands of reps. We are growing everyday and expect to be the largest source of independent sales representation within the next few years.

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  30. Why RepHunter?

    We help manufacturers, distributors, service companies and independent reps find each other.

    We have over 14,000 independent reps and rep groups profiled in our database. Our database grows every day.

    Our database is unique and our service is of value to you because our reps must agree to these terms:

    • They are seeking new commission-only lines;
    • They will respond, interested or not, to any contact request.

    We save you time and money in locating qualified reps and then initiate your first conversation.

    Our service works in two ways to create a constant stream of independent reps interested in your opportunity:

    • Most importantly, you have the ability to search our database and contact the reps of your choice.
    • Your sales opportunity is posted and independent reps find you.

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  31. What is your success rate in placing reps?

    Success in placing reps is a direct result of your sales opportunity, your company and your ability to form relationships with independent reps.

    RepHunter can put you in contact with reps in your industry that are seeking 100% commissioned lines. Although many of our customers have placed reps immediately using our service, your success will be determined by your sales opportunity.

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  32. I only want to hire one rep. Why do I need so many contacts?

    Placing Reps Is A Numbers Game:

    • RepHunter will save you time and money in locating and communicating with reps. However, placing productive, independent sales reps is still a "numbers" game.
    • For example, to have 10 productive reps you may need to place 30. To place 30 reps you may need to have discussions with 100.

    Effectively Play The Numbers:

    1. Search our database and contact the independent reps of your choice.
    2. Post your opportunity on our Search by Customer Category page so interested reps can contact you.
    3. Receive credit for non-responding reps.

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  33. Why do I have to respond via Track Contacts?

    Our Track Contacts system allows us to verify the response of the rep. We require the rep to go to our web site and indicate his response, and you are notified of that response. Likewise, we ask you to go to our web site to respond to rep contact requests.

    There is a good reason for this extra step: in the past we have had many situations where the principal has reported that the rep "did not respond." Our policy is to remove reps from our database who do not respond.

    We end up caught in the middle, with no way of confirming who was right in these situations.

    When the rep or you mark your response on your Contact Tracking page, there is no doubt that he or you did respond. This eliminates controversy and protects the rep from being removed from our system unfairly.

    In the long run, this simple step of going to our web site and indicating your response saves everybody time.

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  34. Why do you keep sending me reminder emails? I don't need reps now.

    Please remember that as a member of our opt-in website you will receive automated emails from time to time. Just disregard them and notify us when you are ready to subscribe. Keep in mind that reps can find your opportunity in our database. When that happens you will receive an email stating so.

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  35. What membership statuses are there for principals?

    Your Status controls your access to the RepHunter database and your visibility to Reps.

    Featured — You have full access to our database and will be found in keyword searches by Reps. Your Sales Opportunity Text will be found on our Search by Customer Category page. Your profile is put into this status for 60 days every time you update it, and at all times while you are a subscriber. This change occurs automatically over night.

    Active — You have full access to our database and will be found in keyword searches by Reps, but not on our Search by Customer Category page.

    Active / Hidden — Identical to Active except that your profile will not show up in searches by Reps. You may choose Active / Hidden status if you wish to be able to use the service actively (that is, to search and initiate contacts with Reps), but do not wish to use it passively (that is, receive contacts from Reps).

    Inactive — You will not be able to request contact with a Rep. Your profile will not show up in any searches, nor on our Search by Customer Category page. You may choose Inactive status if you are unable to handle more Rep contacts for now, but would still like to keep your RepHunter profile. You will be able to log into your profile at any time to change its status back to Featured or Active.

    Removed — Your profile is effectively removed from our system. You will not be able to log back in to your profile. You will have to contact us when you are ready to reactivate your profile.

    Note: to change your Status, click on Manage My Profile > Change My Profile.

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  36. How should I write the ad that is posted as my sales opportunity?

    When you create your profile, you write your own description of your sales opportunity. The best way to see how this is done is to do the following to see many examples of what others have done:

    1. Go to the www.RepHunter.net home page.
    2. Click on Find New Lines (at this point you are acting like a rep looking at sales opportunities).
    3. Click on Search for New Lines on the lower left of the page.
    4. Click on By Customer Category.
    5. Click on your industry on the left.
    6. Click on a sub-category on the right.

    You will see many listings of sales opportunities, and what others have written.

    Note: before you Register, please make sure you are back on the "Principal's" side. There should be maroon highlights on the page. If the page has blue highlights, you are still on the "Rep's" side. Click Home > Find Sales Reps > Register.

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  37. What customer and industry categories does RepHunter use?

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  38. What are the specifications for a Display Ad?

    Display Ads are included with our 12-Month Subscriptions. The easiest way to get an idea of what is allowed on the RepHunter.net Display Ad page is to look at what others have done, as well as to see the size and format for display ads. Click here to view our Display Ads page.

    Here are the specifications:

    1. Your ad should be in "portrait" aspect. That is, taller than it is wide. If you compose your ad so that it looks good at a size of 5 inches wide by 8.5 inches tall, it should look good on our display ads page. In any case the "aspect ratio" of your display ad should be so that it is no more than 60% as wide as it is tall.

      Caution: to avoid problems when preparing your layout, set your margins to give a 60% aspect ratio. For example, to fill a standard 8.5 by 11 inch page with 1 inch margins at the top and bottom, set both your left and right margins to 1.55 inches.

    2. The images files containing your logo and other graphics should be contained in either jpg or gif files. For best results, you should send high quality images which can be of any size. We will compress the final images so that the total size of your ad is less than 20KB. We have so far succeeded in making this size reduction in a way that preserves the look of the graphics to our client's satisfaction.
    3. You can send a formatted document, showing how you would like your ad to look. Please do not send HTML.
    4. The number of words should be 200 or less.
    5. People often ask how they should send us their layout. The most common way is to send a logo and sometimes additional pictures in jpg or gif files, and to send copy in the body of the email. In such a case it is up to RepHunter to lay out the ad.

      Another common method is to send a "picture" of the ad layout in some form, such as a Word document, a PDF, or a jpg file. When this is done, then we can create the ad according to this layout, and you are exerting much more control over the layout. In the case of a PDF, jpg or other composite document, it is important that separate gif or jpg files for each image are included for best results. Sometimes images can be extracted from composite documents. However, the resulting images are usually of lower quality.

      In all cases it is important to realize that the final ad will be on a web page, and that a single file containing a "picture" of the whole ad cannot be used directly. Rather the materials should be in the form where we can create a web page using html plus small image files. If you need more information on how to deal with issues in this area, please let us know and we will send you a detailed explanation.

    6. Important: we will only accept final copy and layout. While we will work with you on the look of the ad, before submitting your materials, you should have all of your team members approve the ad layout and copy.

      In the case where you ask us to create the ad without submitting a mockup or layout, RepHunter is willing to create such an ad subject to our specifications, which includes file size limitations and quality standards. In this case, you agree that the layout created by RepHunter becomes the final copy and layout and you give up the right to make changes to the original ad other than minor changes and corrections to the copy. RepHunter strongly recommends that you prepare the mockup or layout so that you have the maximum control over the appearance of your ad.

    7. We will acknowledge receiving your materials. If you don't receive timely acknowldgement, please contact us.
    8. Please allow us five business days to create a mockup of your ad. When the mockup is ready for your review, we will email you with instructions to view it in your logged in profile, which is private to you and not viewable by the public. After you have approved the ad, we will publish it to our display ads page.
    9. During the time your ad is running, we will allow you to revise the ad one time per year at no charge. Thereafter, revisions will be charged at the base rate of USD $125 per revision.

    We will acknowledge receiving your materials. If you don't receive timely acknowledgement, please contact us.

    Please allow us five business days to create a mockup of your ad. When the mockup is ready for your review, we will email you with instructions to view it in your logged in profile, which is private to you and not viewable by the public. After you have approved the ad, we will publish it to our display ads page.

    During the time your ad is running, we will allow you to revise the ad one time per year at no charge. Thereafter, revisions will be charged at the base rate of USD $125 per revision.

    We will be happy to work with you until we come up with an ad that meets your approval.

    Please send your ad copy, logo, and URL to webmaster@rephunter.net.

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  39. What controls where my Display Ad appears?

    The ads in the left column are those that have been published in the last six months; on the right, the ads from month seven and onwards appear. In both columns, the ads are in descending "most-recently publish order."

    Every day the top two ads are randomly chosen from all the ads that would appear in that column. If your ad is on the top for that day, it stays there all day.

    After six months, your ad will go to the top of the right column and follow the same pattern, of floating down from the second position in "most-recently published order." Again, the top ad is randomly chosen from the ads in the right column. So after six months you once again have high visibility.

    As a result of this method, the most recently published ad always shows up in the second position in the left column.

    We have found this method to give the best compromise between visibility and "freshness".

    Finally, your display ad also appears as part of your profile.

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  40. How do I contact a rep that is advertised in the Search Agents?
    • Option #1: click on the link within the email
    • Option #2: if option #1 does not work
      1. Login to your profile.
      2. Click Find Sales Reps.
      3. Under Member ID# enter the Member ID number and click Go.
      4. Review the Opportunity.
      5. Click Contact at the top of the rep's profile should you wish to contact them.

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  41. What are some good interview questions to ask of candidate Independent Sales Reps?
    • How long have you been an independent rep?
    • How many lines do you represent?
    • How many clients do you call on?
    • How often do you see them?
    • What do you believe differentiates your best lines from your worst?
    • What do you do to improve the sales of your bad lines?
    • What are the most important attributes of the principals that you chose to represent?
    • How important do you believe it is to have immediate results with a new line?
    • How often do you think there should be mandated communication with your principals?
    • In representing a new line, would you think a probationary period with mandated, measurable results would be a good idea?

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Answers for  Sales Reps 

  1. What membership statuses are there for reps?

    Your Status controls your access to the RepHunter database and your visibility to Principals.

    Featured — You have full access to our database and will be found in keyword searches by Principals. Your Industry Expertise will be found on our Search by Customer Category page. Your profile is put into this status for 60 days every time you update it. This change occurs automatically over night.

    Active — You have full access to our database and will be found in keyword searches by Principals, but not on our Search by Customer Category page.

    Active / Hidden — Identical to Active except that your profile will not show up in searches by Principals. You may choose Active / Hidden status if you wish to be able to use the service actively (that is, to search and initiate contacts with Principals), but do not wish to use it passively (that is, receive contacts from Principals).

    Inactive — You will not be able to request contact with a Principal. Your profile will not show up in any searches, nor on our Search by Customer Category page. You may choose Inactive status if you are unable to take on more lines for now, but would still like to keep your RepHunter profile. You will be able to log into your profile at any time to change its status back to Featured or Active.

    Removed — Your profile is effectively removed from our system. You will not be able to log back in to your profile. You will have to contact us when you are ready to reactivate your profile.

    Note: to change your Status, click on Manage My Profile > Change My Profile.

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  2. How can I find the newest sales opportunities or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?
    • The listings in both the By Keywords and By Customer Categories searches are shown in the order of how recently they were updated. In the Search Results delivered via the By Keywords search, you will see the date of last update in the fourth column from the left.
    • To see the newest entries, change the sort order to Entry Date by clicking twice on that column heading. The search results will be redisplayed in Entry Date order. Make sure the arrow near the column heading is pointing down, which indicates descending date order.
    • If you are trying to "search the whole database" to see what is new, there is a much better way. Use the By Keywords search and determine what criteria will show you what you are looking for. Experiment with the search criteria using keywords that are appropriate for you, with specific territories you cover, plus any other criteria that are useful.
    • Then just repeat this search every time you come back to the web site. Since the results are always listed with the most recently updated sales opportunities first, you will only have to look at the top listings with the new entries since your last visit.

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  3. How do I confirm my availability?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage My Profile.
    3. Click Confirm Availability to open your profile and any make necessary changes.
    4. Click Confirm Availability at the bottom of the page.

    In addition, every time you update your profile, your profile moves to the top of searches.

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  4. Why should I refresh my profile?

    We ask you from time to time to update your profile. We understand that the information in your profile may already be up to date. But there are additional reasons why it will help you to "Refresh" your profile in such cases.

    1. First, you are confirming that you are still actively seeking new commission-only lines.
    2. Second, profiles that are not updated gradually slip down the list and become less and less visible to Principals.
    3. Lastly, it is also required to confirm that your email address and phone number are current, that other info in your profile (such as newly acquired lines) is current, and that you are in agreement with our terms.

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  5. Can I use my Resume in place of a Line Card? What is the difference?

    A line card is a simple list of manufacturers or principals and their products or services that you sell. As such it presents your "stock in trade" and shows "what business you are in." A resume is used to gain employment, and describes you and your experience. As you can see from these two definitions, there is very little overlap.

    When you are attempting to take on a new line from a principal, that principal wants to know about the lines with which you already have success, and especially if you are already representing another principal that would present a conflict of interest. They are much less interested in any of the normal content of a resume. When was the last time you called various retailers acting as a consumer (not a rep) and asked how long they were in business, what school they went to, and what types of problems they solved? More likely, you just called to see what brands and products they had in their store. While a resume may include such information, it usually requires a lot of study to extract such information, if it is present at all.

    The experienced independent sales rep understands these points well, and should have no issue with this question. However, if you are just breaking into the independent rep field, you may not yet have much of a line card. In that case, our suggestion is to create a line card that indicates which businesses you have had relationships with that would give you the ability to take a principal's line into those businesses and sell it. You must be up front with your lack of actual experience. For example, you might say that you are just breaking in to the Independent Rep field, but that you have well-established relationships over a period of so many years with the listed principals.

    If you are unable to create such a line card, as a last resort your resume would be appropriate to enter as your line card. However, you should be aware that this will be a noticeable flag to the principal of your inexperience as an Independent Rep.

    To assist you in seeing what a line card looks like, there is example text on the Industry Expertise page (second screen of Register/Manage My Profile) at the right of the Line Card entry field.

    As you gain experience with different principals, you should be sure to update your RepHunter Line Card with the new listings. That way, you will soon have your own professional line card.

    Also, please note that an excellent line card is usually much shorter than an excellent resume. This length difference is an important reason why we limit the size of the Line Card field, and why your full resume will possibly not fit within it.

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  6. Why are principals listed in the search By Customer Category section in many different categories?

    Many principals post their sales opportunity in many categories. Since this section is organized by Target Market and not by "Product," this makes sense because their Target Market, or Customer Base can span many industries.

    Because of this duplication, relying primarily upon the search By Customer Category section for your searches is not very efficient. This section is not meant to be a primary search tool, but as a quick way to see what opportunities are available in each market category.

    A much more powerful search tool is found on your home page. Click Find New Lines, then By Keywords. You can focus your search by using keywords that are appropriate for you, with specific territories you cover, and so on. The Search Results page then shows you just the principals you are interested in, sorted in the order of how recently they updated their profile.

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  7. How do I find out which principals have tried to contact me?

    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage Contacts.
    3. Click Respond to Contact Requests.

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  8. How can I look up the profile of a manufacturer or distributor who has tried to contact me?
    1. Login to your profile.
    2. Click Manage Contacts.
    3. Click Track Contacts.
    4. If the Principal is contacting you first – click on the Received: Require My Response tab.
    5. If the Principal is responding to your inquiry, click Sent: Received Response tab.

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  9. How do I contact a principal that is advertised in the Monday Morning Email?
    • Option #1: click on the link within the email
    • Option #2: if option #1 does not work
      1. Login to your profile.
      2. Click Find New Lines.
      3. Under Member ID# enter the Member ID number and click Go.
      4. Review the Opportunity.
      5. Click Contact at the top of the Principal's profile should you wish to contact them.

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  10. How do I contact a principal that is advertised in the Search Agents?
    • Option #1: click on the link within the email
    • Option #2: if option #1 does not work
      1. Login to your profile.
      2. Click Find New Lines.
      3. Under Member ID# enter the Member ID number and click Go.
      4. Review the Opportunity.
      5. Click Contact at the top of the principal's profile should you wish to contact them.

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  11. My company is a sales agency. How would I use RepHunter?

    If you are a multi-line sales agency, you could use RepHunter in two ways:

    • As a principal to find sales reps. Find new independent sales reps to expand either your geography or your vertical market. You can search for free for independent reps. If you find a rep you are interested in, fees are very reasonable.
    • As a rep to find new lines. This part of our service is 100% free. Simply register and start searching our database for products or services your agency would like to represent.

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