As the third installment about Sales Reps, let’s look at the different types of sales reps. (Find the first article here and the second article here)
There are three basic types of sales representatives: Showroom Sale Reps, Roady (or traveling) Sales Reps, and Rep Groups. Of course, these groups of reps will use phone, email, or fax to keep in touch with their buyers, but there are some distinct differences between them. Either of these types of reps may be a sole proprietor – meaning working by themselves in a solo business, or part of a rep group which sells over a larger territory.
Defining the Three Types of Sales Reps 
Showroom Sales Reps, as the name implies, do much or most of their business out of showrooms, usually open two, sometimes more, days a week. A showroom rep can give your line tremendous exposure as gift marts are heavily visited by buyers, especially those in metropolitan areas where the marts are located. Potential buyers can visit the rep showroom and see your products displayed, giving them a visual opportunity to see your full line. As a producer, you can schedule a visit as a guest of a rep company on their turf and see how your line will fit in with other offerings. Virtually all Showroom gift reps also do road sales, either part-time or nearly full-time.
Road Reps tend to be the hardest working and most important for you to hire correctly who do their selling out on the road (or some by phone, for longer distances) while visiting store buyers onsite. These reps are frequently in stores checking your inventory and knowing first-hand how your items are being displayed and sold. Road reps will often ask you for an exclusivity agreement for selling your products to not compete with other road reps in their defined territory. This type of rep offers a great advantage if your line needs much attention or inventorying while in the stores.
Rep Groups are an organization of several sales reps working under one business umbrella, covering a specific territory of several states or regions. Often, they are a mix of the two types of reps above — working as road reps and/or help run a Gift Mart. Most marts’ websites include a complete list of the reps and rep groups that show at the mart, along with the lines they offer. Studying those lines will give you an idea which reps might be appropriate for you. And rep contact info is easy to pull from these web sites – allowing you the opportunity to arrange an appointment.
As you grow, depending partly on the attributes of your product line, you may end up having some of each type of rep selling your items. Showroom reps are limited to gift mart locations, so are located in larger metropolitan areas only, while “Roadies” are spread out all over the country – and often in areas where there is not a Gift Mart or Gift Show close by and convenient for retailers to attend. And remember, showroom reps can also part-time road reps, but not always.