Channel Marketing Group's Gene Biben, with over 40 years' experience in helping manufacturers generate demand for new products, recently shared some thoughts on effectively launching new products and a major flaw in many manufacturers' product launch strategy ... not properly funding the launch strategy with an appropriate sales investment. He uses an experience he had in … [Read more...] about Launching New Products Effectively
Sales & Marketing
How Regional Managers (Can) Add Value
The role of the manufacturer regional manager has been challenged, and redefined, during and since Covid. Whereas it was to be a facilitator and "face of factory" prior to Covid, the question now asked is "what is their value proposition" given that companies are striving to do more with less, virtual meetings have become part of everyday life, and distributor consolidation is … [Read more...] about How Regional Managers (Can) Add Value
Improve Indoor Air Quality: Cutting-Edge HVACR Trends for Healthier Environments
While consumers and building owners focus on temperature control, air quality is a growing concern for many. Companies seek to improve air quality because it impacts employee health. Better air quality = employee safety which, from an ROI perspective involves less sick days, higher productivity and a "happier" work force. And in the wake of Covid and a number of companies still … [Read more...] about Improve Indoor Air Quality: Cutting-Edge HVACR Trends for Healthier Environments
Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
The HVAC market has experienced a dramatic slowdown compared to the past few years, which, with the benefit of hindsight, some of the slowdown / decline should have been expected (can’t expect price increases and supply chain issues to be a “benefit” to distributor sales long-term.” According to the June HARDI report, sales were down 6% but, perhaps more disconcertingly, is … [Read more...] about Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
To combat the challenges of today’s marketplace, progressive distributors looking towards the future are investing more and more into digitizing their processes to optimize performance. These companies recognize that: Data can be monetized. This means that information in their ERP systems can be acted upon rather than remain in data silos and databases. Whether this is … [Read more...] about Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
ChatGPT for HVACR Distributors
Let’s have a little fun for a change or, in the words of the comedienne Joan Rivers, “can we chat”? For the past few months there has been lots of media coverage, and conversation, about ChatGPT. Microsoft, which reportedly invested over $13 billion into the company for “only” 49% ownership is a major driver of this new AI (artificial intelligence) technology and is taking a … [Read more...] about ChatGPT for HVACR Distributors
NIBCO Service Enables Access to Specs
The odds of selling a more "technical", or "engineered", product increase the tighter the specs are to the product you're selling. Over the years the specification process in many industries has essentially devolved to "or equal". In other words, "hard specs" became "soft specs" and the term "value engineering" was coined. Value engineering became associated with "how do I … [Read more...] about NIBCO Service Enables Access to Specs
Is Your Marketing a QSR or Fine Dining?
For many small to mid-sized HVAC distributors, marketing has been an after-thought. Something to support sales. It’s understandable given the business started with salespeople and, for a business to succeed, orders need to be quoted, captured, and processed. That’s the role of sales. But, for companies to grow, it takes having a strategy and creating awareness so that … [Read more...] about Is Your Marketing a QSR or Fine Dining?
Why are Salespeople Profit Adverse?
Having worked with many distributors over the years, one observation about many distributor salespeople are that they are customer pleasers. Most are profit adverse. Sure, many are on commission. And many of those commission plans are built around a percent of gross margin but, as soon as a customer hints that they want to negotiate, salespeople are willing to lower the … [Read more...] about Why are Salespeople Profit Adverse?
Better HVACR Sales through Better Sales Coaching
Field level sales management is one of the most challenging roles in the industry, and, in many cases, one of the least effective roles in distributors. Why you ask? Because the people who are placed in these roles typically are: Top producing salespeople who have their process and think others should adopt “their way”. They come into the role with no sales … [Read more...] about Better HVACR Sales through Better Sales Coaching
Recession? 10 Tips to Help HVACR Distributors Avoid One
You may remember the phrase “it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Well, the past two years have had both. And, for that matter, this year for many may encompass both with strong sales in the first half of the year and the rate of growth slowing significantly the second half … especially if you factor out price increases. It is leading to the question, "Is a … [Read more...] about Recession? 10 Tips to Help HVACR Distributors Avoid One
10 Ways to Thrive In 2023’s Recession
The markets up, the markets down. You listen to economists and you hear about recession and will the Fed raise rates or hold. Large technology firms are laying people off by the thousands but HVAC distributors and manufacturers cannot find people. Product supply chains have gotten better but then you hear of the sporadic issues. So, while the media and economic tea leaves … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Thrive In 2023’s Recession
Are Rebates Like Drugs?
Yes, I know the headline is provocative, however, the goal was to get your attention. The “drug” I’m talking about has been around for almost 60 years in the HVAC/R industry. It’s rebates. Rebates went “mainstream” for distributors in the 1960’s. In the electrical industry the first marketing group (then called a buying group) was formed. The genesis of that organization is … [Read more...] about Are Rebates Like Drugs?
What’s Your Sales Model of The Future?
As we transition from the pandemic many wonder about “the future of sales”, meaning, “what will the sales process (sales model) look like in the future” and, essentially, “what is the role of / for outside salespeople?” In reality, this question was asked pre-pandemic as management lamented that sales wasn’t being as productive as they desired. Companies are always seeking to … [Read more...] about What’s Your Sales Model of The Future?
Getting Heard. Podcasts Deliver Thought Leadership
Two of the biggest marketing trends over the past year have been the increased usage of video and the launching of podcasts. The reason – a desire to share more content and capture attention. Video usage has skyrocketed as it becomes the new “face to face” (F2F) medium and it is a means to highlight product application. Podcasts are a means to share thought leadership … [Read more...] about Getting Heard. Podcasts Deliver Thought Leadership
