Summary: If you're recommending bad products at high prices, and you're trying to gouge people? Well, that's evil. Right? So don't do that. But other than that, if you are providing actual solutions that clients need, at a price that makes sense for you and make sense for them, there is absolutely nothing evil about that. I would say that's what integrity is all about, is providing them with a solution that is worth more to them than the money they're paying you to get that solution.<br> <br> <br> <br> David: Hi, and welcome to the podcast. Today, I am joined by Matt Eysoldt. He's a multiline rep in the promotional products industry. And Matt and I were talking last week, and it turns out that we both like to work with smart, focused, motivated industry professionals. So I thought I'd invite him on the podcast to discuss that. Welcome, Matt. Good to have you here.<br> <br> <br> <br> Matt: Thank you so much, David, I'm excited to be here and excited to talk to you about motivation, education and how to grow your business.<br> <br> David: Awesome. Now, for those who don't know what a multiline rep is or what a multiline rep does, give us a quick overview.<br> <br> Matt: Yeah, so really what I like to say is the beauty of being a multiline is we offer value to the suppliers we represent. You know, maybe our better-known lines open the door for our lesser-known lines.<br> <br> So it's a definite win in that situation. But it's an awesome win for the customers that I call on. And that's because, maybe you're looking for a red t-shirt and I've got that. But I've also got other things that may be the answer to your client's needs. So it's really kind of the opportunity to open the door to more diverse products in a short meeting.<br> <br> You know, maybe we sit down and we talk 30, 45 minutes and we've really raised awareness to a lot of different items.<br> <br> David: Right. Okay. And so I imagine, in order to be successful with this, it's a choosing game to some extent. You've got to choose the right suppliers to represent. And you've got to choose the right distributors who are actually going to be able to do something with your recommendations, and with the suppliers that you're recommending to them.<br> <br> Matt: Absolutely. As we both know, time is our most precious resource. So we have to be extremely selective while we're on the road, to say, "who are we going to see?" Who is going to take this information and use it to the best of their ability to promote my brand and to grow their business as well?"<br> <br> So I think that's a very, very crucial point. I'm always looking for that rising star, that motivated person out there. And what I find is, that motivated sales rep that is looking to help their client find the right solution for their promotion. That rep is also always willing to invest their time and energy into their own personal education.<br> <br> So it's really kind of a self-fulfilling cycle that, just continues to grow things.<br> <br> David: Yeah, that's what we've found as well. Obviously, we've been doing training in the promotional products industry for a long, long time. And, it doesn't surprise me anymore, but in the early stages, when I would go to an industry trade show and find out that really maybe five to seven to 10% max of the people who go to a trade show actually participate in any of the education.<br> <br> In the early stages, I found it surprising. Now, I think it explains a lot about why a certain percentage of people in the industry do extremely well and a lot are just either struggling or just sort of getting by.<br> <br> Matt: Absolutely David. And I think, you know, I've run into customers that are afraid to make a profit that think that's evil.<br> <br> And, you know, I find myself trying to educate them on some of these things. Whereas, it would be awesome, talking to you,
