Author

David Gordon

Gordon is president of Channel Marketing Group. Channel Marketing Group works with manufacturers, distributors, manufacturer reps and technology companies in the electrical industry to help companies accelerate their performance through strategy development, marketing creativity and market research. CMG generates ideas that generate results.


Associations  / Channel Strategies  / Customer Segments  / Distributors  / eMarketing  / Growth Strategies  / Industry News  / Lighting  / Lighting2  / Marketing Groups
Marco Makes Good. NAED Eastern Observations
David Gordon Posted On November 15, 2011


The Marriott Marco Island played the backdrop for the latest NAED Eastern Regional meeting.  And while there were some who planned on staying through the weekend, turning it into a vacation, and some who had “socialized business meetings” on a […]


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Channel Strategies  / Distributors  / Industry Consolidation
Rockwell Distributors Thank Sonepar
David Gordon Posted On October 27, 2011


For a number of years Rockwell’s electrical distributors have heard how Rockwell wanted to reduce the numbers of distributors they interacted with and reportedly this was to occur through natural acquisitions.  It has been hinted during this time that Rockwell […]


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Productivity  / Profitability
When you can’t do stuff very well…what do you do?
David Gordon Posted On October 24, 2011


Many distributors end up paying really good money to purchase ERP software systems and either don’t completely install (turn on) all the various features and functions or they have such a terrible time getting their personnel to use all that […]


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Associations  / Contractors  / Customer Segments  / Distributors  / Growth Strategies
IEC Convention Overview
David Gordon Posted On October 19, 2011


“Your Blueprint to Success” was this year’s slogan for the 54th IEC National Convention & Electrical Expo in Louisville, KY. Approximately 500 attendees took advantage of the numerous education courses as well as the trade show. Here are some of […]


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Branding  / Customer Segments  / Distributors  / Growth Strategies  / Industry Consolidation  / Lighting  / Lighting2  / Marketing
What Would You Do With $500,000,000
David Gordon Posted On October 12, 2011


If you were Graybar? Yes, it’s a lot of money and many people are wondering, perhaps speculating, on what Graybar will do with a half a billion dollar unsecured loan. This gives them $300 million more than they had before.  […]


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Technology
Technology @ a Crossroads? Motherships and etc.
David Gordon Posted On September 26, 2011


Back in July, we seemed to have hit a nerve with some distributors and manufacturers about some former Mothership ERP’s that are now drifting out of orbit. As we read emails and listened to phone calls, it became apparent that […]


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Distributors  / Growth Strategies  / Industry Consolidation  / Lighting  / Lighting2
Recent Acquisition Thoughts
David Gordon Posted On August 30, 2011


The last couple of weeks we’ve seen a couple of transactions that could be interesting: First is yesterday’s announcement that Hajoca, the sister company of CED, acquired HD Supply’s plumbing and HVAC group.  It wasn’t much of a surprise that […]


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Growth Strategies  / Industry Consolidation  / Profitability
Free Agency and Electrical Distributors
David Gordon Posted On August 8, 2011


The recent signing of the NFL collective bargaining agreement signaled the start of the football season.  And pre-season has been a frenzy with a record number of available free agents, a few signing for megabucks, most simply looking for a […]


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Growth Strategies  / Productivity  / Profitability
Does a PAR Win?
David Gordon Posted On July 22, 2011


Last month NAED released the results of the most recent PAR report, which highlights distributor performance for 2010.  For many this becomes the “Bible” of distributor benchmarking and profitability.  It is also frequently cited to manufacturers as the reason why […]


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Contractors  / Customer Segments  / Growth Strategies  / Industrial Market  / Industry News  / Marketing  / Sales Channel
Changes Coming in Servicing the Industrial Market … New Report
David Gordon Posted On July 17, 2011


The industrial market continues to power growth for many distributors.  Recently we spoke with a number of manufacturers and distributors to get the current pulse of the industry.  The result … industrial continues to grow fueled by the OEM market, […]


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