PPB April 2016

The Changing Role Of MLRs:

“When I first started, you’d get

your new products and catalogs,

and then sit down and go

through the line with everybody.

Now we have more of a consult-

ant role. It’s a lot faster paced.

People don’t want us to come in

and go through item by item.

Now they want case histories so

it’s a personal experience.”

The Future Of MLRs:

“The

industry is changing pretty quickly

in a lot of ways—but there is still

a place for multi-line reps. Those

who want to change will be suc-

cessful. To be a fit you have to

be able to adapt and change as

the industry changes as a whole.

I have to show how I’m bringing

value to the table—doing trade

shows, marketing, social media.

It takes a rare breed, a certain

type of individual to be a multi-

line rep. You have to be self-dis-

ciplined, a self-starter, quick on

your feet and able to adapt.

The Biggest Issue Affecting

Multi-Line Reps:

“Consolidation.

The number of mergers and

acquisitions unfortunately affects

the number of suppliers in the

With

Bryan

Mercer

32 •

PPB

• APRIL 2016

INNOVATE

SOMETIMES LIFE HAS A FUNNY

way

of changing course and taking us

on a completely different journey

than we had planned. Such is the

story of Bryan Mercer, partner at

MW Reps, who earned a teaching

degree with plans to become a

social studies teacher and basket-

ball coach. Enter his older brother,

Doug Mercer, a multi-line rep in

the promotional products industry,

who asked him to help out for a

bit after graduation. What started

as a brief diversion turned into a

thriving 17-year career—one that

he never plans on leaving.

From his home base in

Higginsville, Missouri, Mercer represents six supplier

accounts with his business partner, Rod Williamson,

at the rep firm they founded in 2014. Like

Williamson, Mercer most likes the freedom his job

brings and the ability for him to create his own des-

tiny. “If you work hard and are successful, you have

the ability to become more successful,” he says.

Mercer’s wife, Stephanie, a graphic artist, recently

joined the company to handle customer flyers and

virtuals, as well as the company’s marketing and social

media. Occasionally she travels to meet customers

located within a one-hour radius from their home.

The thriving business doesn’t leave the couple a

lot of extra time, especially with raising four chil-

dren ages 10 to 16, but Mercer believes his job cap-

italizes on his biggest strength: building relation-

ships. “My customers are my friends,” he says.

“They trust me; they know that if I say I’ll do

something, I’ll do it.”

Nominator Andy Arruda, MAS, director of

sales for supplier Hub Pen Co., is quick to point

out how easy Mercer is to work with. “The com-

munication is two-way and we are given great feed-

back from the field. He and Rod are willing to put

out the utmost effort on behalf of their clients and

suppliers and they are engaging their customers in

many different ways—social media, ZOOMcatalog

flyers, story boards. They have all been successful.”

Jeff Batson, CAS, president of supplier Next

Products, who also nominated Mercer, notices the

innovation too. “Although Bryan is an industry vet-

eran, he continuously thinks of creative ways to

engage our mutual customers and also provide cre-

ative solutions for their clients,” he says. He’s also

impressed with Mercer’s thoughtful listening skills.

“On many occasions Bryan will be taking the most

detailed notes and he is not flippant with his

assessment of information.”

Nominator Beth Jeffries with distributor

Embassy Embroidery says simply, “Bryan is the

perfect sales rep!”

Bryan Mercer

Partner, MW Reps

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P P B

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