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FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Asked By Principals

(Click here for Sales Representatives
Frequently Asked Questions

How Does RepHunter Work?

Why RepHunter?
How does it work? What are the details?
What makes RepHunter different from other ways to find reps?
How do I know if there are reps in my industry?
What terms do the reps agree to?
What is the RepHunter guarantee?
How long has RepHunter been in business?
How big is RepHunter?
What subscription plans are available?
What is your success rate in placing reps?
Can we get a reference?
How much does RepHunter cost?
I only want to hire one rep. Why do I need so many contacts?

How Do I Use RepHunter?

What membership statuses are there for Principals?
What happens if a rep does not respond to my Contact Request? (The RepHunter Rep Credit Policy)
How should I write the ad that is posted as my Sales Opportunity?
How can I improve the visibility of my Sales Opportunity?
How do I effectively search for and contact the reps I am looking for?
I have not worked with reps before. Do you have any tips for working with reps?
Do you have other training materials?
How do I log in to my profile?
How do I update my profile?
How can I find the newest Reps or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?
How do I look up the profile of a rep using their Member ID number?
How do I get contact information for a rep who has tried to contact me?
How do I search for Reps by territory?
What Customer and Industry Categories does RepHunter use?
I am having trouble logging in. Can you help?
Your site does not seem to be working well. What can I do?
I am having trouble receiving RepHunter email. Can you help?

Answers For Principals

Why RepHunter?

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

We have over 12,000 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.

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 12,000 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 "Sales Opportunities" page (via the link at the top right of our home 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 two 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.

The second way RepHunter works is to help interested reps find you. Your profile is posted on our "Sales Opportunities" 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
One Month

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

Twelve Month - 300 rep contacts
One Month - 30 rep contacts

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 at 612-486-5020.

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

What makes RepHunter different from other ways to find reps?

We have over 12,000 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.
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.

How do I know RepHunter has reps in my industry?

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.
Second, search "By Customer Category."
Third, contact us for assistance.

What terms do the reps agree to?

RepHunter Independent Sales Reps Agree That:

Immediate communication is the backbone of RepHunter.

I will return to www.RepHunter.net and confirm my status AT LEAST 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

How long has RepHunter been in business?

We have been in business since 2001.

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.

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)
1 Month Plan (30 contacts per month)

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.

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.

How much does RepHunter cost?

RepHunter subscriptions start as low as $299.<%if strUserId <> "" Then%> Click on the "Subscription Plans" tab at the top of our home page to see our pricing.<%End If%>

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:

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

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.

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.

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

For a rep that has BOTH an invalid email address AND an invalid phone number.
For a rep that has stated they are seeking employment or requesting a salary.
For a rep that does not respond within 14 days.

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:

Go to the www.RepHunter home page.
Click on "Find New Lines" (at this point you are acting like a rep looking at Sales Opportunities).
Click on "Search for New Lines" on the lower left of the page.
Click on "By Customer Category."
Click on your industry on the left.
Click on a sub-category on the right.

You will see many listings of Sales Opportunities, and what others have written.

How can I improve the visibility of my Sales Opportunity?

Login to your profile.
Click "Manage My Profile."
Click "Move to Top of Searches."
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 Sales Opportunities page.

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.

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.

Create a Professional impression:

Placing a rep is like getting a new customer. You do every thing 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.

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.

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 in the RepHunter Training, which is accessible after you log in to your principal profile.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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:

Top 10 Reasons RepHunter Will NOT Work For You
How To Use RepHunter
Getting Started With Independent Sales Representation
Frequently Asked Questions On Independent Sales Reps
Tips For Working With Reps
Letter Of Intent
Sales Representation Agreement
Subscriber Checklist

How do I log in to my profile?

Go to our home page.
Click on "Login" found at the upper right of the page.
Enter the email address and password you used when you created your profile.

How do I update my profile?

Login to your profile with the email address and password you used when you created it.
Click "Manage My Profile."
Click "Change My Profile."
Make your changes.
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.

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.

How do I look up the profile of a rep using their Member ID number?

Login to your profile.
Click "Find Reps."
Under "Member ID#" enter the Member ID number and click "Go."

How do I get contact information for a rep who has tried to contact me?

Login to your profile.
Click "Find Reps."
Under "Member ID#" enter the Member ID number and click "Go."
The rep’s contact information will be displayed.

How do I search for Reps by territory?

Login to your profile.
Click "Find Sales Reps."
Click "By Keywords."
On the "Find Sales Reps By Keywords" page, click "Show Criteria."
Enter your search criteria, including the territories you wish to search.
To search multiple territories, hold down the Ctrl key while you click on the territories.

What Customer and Industry Categories does RepHunter use?

Click here for RepHunter's Customer and Industry Categories.

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 get your password, go to the RepHunter home page, click"Login" on the upper right, then click on "Forgot your password."

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:

Many problems are solved by clearing your "temporary internet files", also known as "clearing the browser cache." Click here for instructions on how to clear your temporary internet files or browser cache.
If clearing temporary internet files does not work, it may also be necessary to delete your browser's cookies. However doing so will also remove certain information that web sites "remember" about you, such as your login information. Click here for instructions on how to clear your browser's cookies.
If you are still having trouble, click here to test your browser and email the results to webmaster@rephunter.net.

I am having trouble receiving 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.

Questions Asked By Sales Representatives

(Click here for Principals
Frequently Asked Questions)

What membership statuses are there for Reps?
How can I find the newest Sales Opportunities or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?
How do I confirm my availability?
Why are principals listed in the Sales Opportunities section in many different categories?
How can I look up the profile of a manufacturer or distributor who has tried to contact me?
I am having trouble logging in. Can you help?
Your site does not seem to be working well. What can I do?
I am having trouble receiving RepHunter email. Can you help?

Answers for Sales Representatives

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.

How can I find the newest Sales Opportunities or the ones posted since my last visit to RepHunter?

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.

How do I confirm my availability?

Login to your profile.
Click "Manage My Profile."
Click "Confirm Availability" to open your profile and any make necessary changes.
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.

Why are principals listed in the Sales Opportunities section in many different categories?

Many princpals 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 Sales Opportuntiy 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.

How can I look up the profile of a manufacturer or distributor who has tried to contact me?

Login to your profile.
Click "Find New Lines."
Under "Member ID#" enter the Member ID number and click "Go."
The Principal’s contact information will be displayed.

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 get your password, go to the RepHunter home page, click"Login" on the upper right, then click on "Forgot your password."

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:

Many problems are solved by clearing your "temporary internet files", also known as "clearing the browser cache." Click here for instructions on how to clear your temporary internet files or browser cache.
If clearing temporary internet files does not work, it may also be necessary to delete your browser's cookies. However doing so will also remove certain information that web sites "remember" about you, such as your login information. Click here for instructions on how to clear your browser's cookies.
If you are still having trouble, click here to test your browser and email the results to webmaster@rephunter.net.

I am having trouble receiving 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.