I was a manufacturers’ rep for 5 years in Upstate NY. So I can relate to your struggle! Here are some observations I made and how I was successful. Let me warn you now, this is not a short answer!

The main thing to remember is most consultants makes their living by charging hourly for their expertise. Research takes time away from either the available work hours they can charge for or family time. Fixing problems on their construction projects because they made a mistake or the vendor misrepresented a capability takes time away from chargeable hours and family time, as well.

As a rep, you are one step away from the vendor. The consultant’s initial assumption is that you may not have the power to make promises or know the product as intimately as a factory direct person. There are a lot of non-technical sales people out there (both Rep and factory sales) and the consultant sees all of them. To get their attention, you need to become a dependable resource.

National sales meetings with vendors usually focus on sales and marketing discussions (and beatings until moral improves). Virtually every vendor offers technical training on their products. I would go to as many of them as possible so I could know the product intimately. At technical training, I would usually find capabilities of the systems that were not in the marketing brochures.

As a Rep, your independence and your diversity is what makes you important to a consultant. You have multiple lines because no vendor fits every application and no vendor has every component. For example, I spent a significant amount of time with a particular video manufacturer. Their strength was cameras & DVRs. We represented fiber, UTP and cable lines to connect the two sides. If I only represented the video manufacturer when I called on the consultant, I would only be showing part of the solution. If you have a hole or a weakness in your lines, have a solution you can recommend (even if it is a competitor’s product).

To show them that you are in a position to help them if something goes wrong on a project, bring the vendor’s regional manager to the consultant meeting. Show the consultant that the vendor will back you.

Many reps and factory sales people disappear after the sale and leave the installation up to their dealers. As a consultant, I want to know that you have a stake in a project if I allow your product to be installed. Promise to be there (and then actually show up) during the installation process to make it run as smoothly as possible. Often, I would perform the end-user training to make sure the dealer knew I would be onsite to inspect their work.
In summary, sell complete solutions and become a resource the consultant calls first so they can focus their attention designing the best solutions for their clients and keeping their billable hours … billable.

I hope this helps! Greg