Blog

How to Leverage Technology Gain an Edge: It’s Not About Looking Like Amazon

Presented by: Mike Marks, Managing Partner, River Consulting Group

Before the pandemic, this industry was already facing major changes. From customer purchasing patterns and the rising expectations of customer experience to generational transitions and supplier channels, COVID-19 has only accelerated these disruptions

The Price Cutting Challenge

Presented by: Al Bates, Principal, Distribution Performance Project

Price cutting is rampant in distribution. It is also destructive to profit. Price integrity must be maintained so that profits also can be maintained. There are two major tools at the firm’s disposal—targeted rather than across the board price cuts and identifying margin build back opportunities.

Max Out Margins with Strategic Pricing: 3 Blog Series

By Steve Deist, Chief Operating Officer, Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply

Would you like another point of gross margin?  Of course!  Improved pricing is a great place to start.  But, as we all know, there is no free lunch.  If you want to sustain higher margins you need a strategy.

There’s No Going Back: Time to PIVOT for Productivity and Profits

Presented by: Mary C. Kelly, PhD, Commander, US Navy, Retired

It is time to pivot. There’s no going back to the habits, routines, and the normal that we all enjoyed before the COVID-19 virus. Some leaders are hoping for a return to what life was like in 2019. There is no going back. Let that sink in.

Harnessing the Power of Appreciation in Business and in Life

Presented by: Lisa Ryan, Founder, Grategy

Would it surprise you to know that the WorkHuman Research Institute revealed that 21 percent of the employees they surveyed have NEVER been recognized at work and 33 percent haven’t been recognized in 6 months? Even those employees who don’t thrive on recognition, need more attention than that! We must do a better job creating an emotional connection with our employees by acknowledging, appreciating, and applauding their efforts.

It’s Now or Never: Transform to Win in Today’s Markets

Presented by: Mike Marks, Managing Partner, River Consulting Group

The pandemic has incited five years of digital transformation in a matter of months, only widening the gap between distributors who have been innovating and those who haven’t. There is little use anymore in overlaying good ideas and initiatives on top of existing organizational structures that are no longer sufficient in today’s market.

Five Leadership Lessons from Washington

Presented by: Randy Disharoon

There are numerous ways to evaluate our own leadership style and effectiveness. One way is to learn from great leaders of the past. George Washington, “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” is one such leader who demonstrated five critical traits to serve as the United States’ first leader.

What Really Matters…for Executive Leadership

Presented by: Joe Ellers, Owner, Palmetto Associates

Today, there are many issues facing business leaders.  Outside factors such as disease and societal issues are now on the desks of owners, presidents, and managers.  While these are issues that must be addressed, leadership cannot lose sight of their primary objective which goes beyond short-term survival into long-term financial health.

Building a Culture of Success: Leadership at All Levels

Presented by: Gail Alofsin, Adjunct Professor, University of Rhode Island

I was having dinner with the owner and CEO of a mid-market distributor. Over a glass of wine and a good meal, we began talking about the rapid and transformational changes that are taking place around the world and in the business.

How to Thrive During the Next Recession

Presented by: Paul Reilly, President, Tom Reilly Training

Do you ever get the feeling that things are going too well? Unemployment is dropping. Consumer confidence is rising. The economy is humming along. Business is good, if not great! The next recession is probably the last thing on your mind. Not to be a downer, but there are economic indicators that show a slowdown is coming. For example, the JP Morgan Global Purchasing Managers’ Index is hovering close to 50.

Brand Harmony: Creating a Unified Customer Experience

Presented by: Steve Yastrow, President, Yastrow & Company

Your customers’ lives are busy! They are dealing with their work, their families, their friends, their hobbies, and their chores. In addition, they are bombarded with sales and marketing messages all day long. How do you cut through this clutter?

Digital Marketing Growth Hacks

Presented by: Jamie Turner, Author, CEO, Speaker

Open to Change

Presented by: Jason Bader, Principal, The Distribution Team

Before the end of the year, my business associate Marshall and I got together to do a podcast on what we had learned over the course of this highly irregular year. Rather than dwell on the negative aspects, and there were certainly many of those, we chose to focus on the positive things we heard from clients as they navigated the ever-shifting currents of COVID-19.

Managing By Exception – Part IV, Focusing on The Most Important Situations

Presented by: Jon Schreibfeder, President, Effective Inventory Management, Inc.

A few months back we discussed the importance of reviewing unusual usage at the end of each month or week. That is examining situations where your forecast of future demand was substantially different from the quantity actually sold or used. Many of you contacted us and asked about making the best use of the time you have available to work on this important task.

Managing Inventory by Exception – Part II, Interpreting Unusual Usage

Presented by: Jon Schreibfeder, President, Effective Inventory Management, Inc.

In the last newsletter, we discussed the importance of evaluating possible unusual usage in accurately forecasting future demand for products. In the next several newsletters we will look at some specific examples of unusual usage, properly evaluating them and adjusting actual usage to reflect what would have been sold or used under “normal circumstances”.

Want to Sell More? Then Know More!

Presented by: Sam Richter, Founder, Know More!

Business is hard. Sales is even harder, especially in today's world where you can't meet face-to-face, visit facilities, and attend in-person trade shows and company conferences. In addition, because buyers are now comfortable meeting and conducting product demonstrations virtually, the competition is more global than ever, and buyer's have more choices and more knowledge about various options.

Have Control of Your Processes

Presented by: Jim Pancero, President, Jim Pancero Inc.

4 Signals the Customer is Ready to Buy

Presented by: Paul Reilly, President, Tom Reilly Training

How do you know when to ask for the sale? When the customer tells you to. The customer will tell you when they are ready to buy. They will give you clues. These are called buying signals.

Sales Professional Training: Part I

Presented by: Don Buttrey, President, Sales Professional Training Inc.

What preparation should I expect my salespeople to do before picking up the phone or meeting with a customer? Most of the time salespeople do the typical prep such as considering the situation, doing some research, or reviewing notes on the customer such as past sales, problems, internal politics, personal facts, previous calls etc. That is important – but it is not enough. Often, at that point they just charge in or pick up the phone and “see how it goes”

The Sales EQ and Sales IQ of Effective Sales Management Coaching

Presented by: Colleen Stanley

I enjoy teaching and coaching salespeople the hard skills of running effective sales calls, what I refer to as Sales IQ. It’s challenging---and fun---to analyze and determine the best strategies to unseat a strong incumbent, attract the attention of an overloaded prospect or eliminate price objections.