Quality product data is the difference between an \"adequate\" website and one with \"quality\" data that is valued by customers. And \"valued\" is determined by increased traffic, increased sales, a better search experience and being easier to be found via better SEO. The concern, and challenge, according to distributors is that many, if not all, current sources commoditize … [Read more...] about Survey Says … Give Websites Good Product Data
Employee Engagement Requires Internal Marketing
Much has been discussed about employee retention as well as recruitment. While some elements of both are truly in the hands of the employee / candidate and companies cannot impact, there is a key element that companies do control. it is their culture. And a key ingredient to achieving the desired culture, and sometimes recapturing it, is employee engagement. Essentially, do … [Read more...] about Employee Engagement Requires Internal Marketing
The Future of Marketing Groups?
Could True Value\'s new ownership model be a opportunity for independent distributors and their marketing groups? Many have asked about the future of marketing groups. While IMARK is a cooperative and according to Bill Weisberg a couple of years ago, AD will revert to a cooperative (with the essence of cooperatives being member-owned), perhaps there is another alternative … [Read more...] about The Future of Marketing Groups?
Home Depot … Pros, Website, Analytical Tool Investments to Grow the Business
Earlier today Home Depot presented at the Raymond James 39th Annual Institutional Investors Conference. While, overall, Home Depot is not a significant competitor to electrical distributors, if you serve the residential electrical contractor / builder market or the small contractor market, they are a significant competitor (and our eCommerce Contractor Insights survey showed … [Read more...] about Home Depot … Pros, Website, Analytical Tool Investments to Grow the Business
State of eCommerce According to Electrical Contractors & Buyers
According to a recent study conducted by Channel Marketing Group titled \"State of eCommerce, Electrical Contractor & End-User Insights\", electrical buyers are accelerating their usage of online tools for product research, downloading of spec sheets, seeking pricing and checking inventory. While online ordering ranks typically 5th out of six usages, based upon segment, … [Read more...] about State of eCommerce According to Electrical Contractors & Buyers
2018 State of eCommerce Electrical Contractor & Buyer Insights
Recently Channel Marketing Group survey electrical contractors and electrical buyers within industrial and institutions to gain insight into their eCommerce and online usage. The study was done with support of selected distributors and manufacturers and Electrical Wholesaling. Over 1300 individuals responded to the survey and over 50 interviews were conducted. The report … [Read more...] about 2018 State of eCommerce Electrical Contractor & Buyer Insights
Distributor’s Warehouse Guide: New Technologies and Avoiding Customer-hurting Problems
GBC announces \"The Distributor’s Warehouse Guide To New Technologies and Avoiding Customer-Hurting Problems.” The Guide helps distributors determine which new technologies to investigate, and how to increase warehouse accuracy/productivity -- by describing 9 new and enhanced warehouse technologies, and 14 ways for preventing warehouse mistakes and increasing efficiency right … [Read more...] about Distributor’s Warehouse Guide: New Technologies and Avoiding Customer-hurting Problems
Distributor End of Year Performance
Over the past few weeks a number of national distributors have released their 2017 performance and earnings reports. AD, Grainger, Graybar, Anixter and WESCO and others have made news. We\'ve also talked to a number of manufacturers who see the \"highlight\" numbers and use them as benchmarks, so we\'ve reviewed and sought to find some trends. Overall, business is improving, … [Read more...] about Distributor End of Year Performance
Promote to Communicate
Breaking through the communications clutter that we all receive daily is a huge challenge. Whether it be trying to reach out to prospects, sharing information with existing customers (and think if the number of customers you have on your books that are not actively called upon by your sales organization that represent incremental revenue) or wanting to do something creative to … [Read more...] about Promote to Communicate
2018 Multi-Family Market Outlook
It\'s been discussed and forecasted that the multi-family market is going to be down in 2018 ... perhaps by almost 10%. But is a down year a \"bad\" year? Not when the prior year was a record and 2018 is projected to be the second best year. Societal demographics are changing and favor multi-family construction. Consider: Cost of living, and housing, continues to rise. … [Read more...] about 2018 Multi-Family Market Outlook
