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?
rebates
Challenging Convention, Embracing Disruption. Tomorrow\’s Marketing Groups?
Last month the recurring theme at the NAED National was disruption. And one of the sessions’ speakers posed the question to consider of “what if?” Earlier this month I presented at a conference of marketing / buying groups. And over the past couple of months we’ve had prospects / clients who we’ve spoken to regarding “distributor programs” (aka rebate programs). The spark for … [Read more...] about Challenging Convention, Embracing Disruption. Tomorrow\’s Marketing Groups?
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?
Do Vendor Published Rebate Programs Drive Decisions?
Rebates are a fact of life and the first marketing group rebate negotiation, in 1968, was designed to capture incremental revenue (for a wire company) with the distributors collecting the funds for a social engagement. But the core issue was the manufacturer sought growth / increased market share. Vendor published programs such as Legrand\'s Cornerstone program, Leviton\'s … [Read more...] about Do Vendor Published Rebate Programs Drive Decisions?
