Last week DISC Corp updated its 2016 outlook for the electrical industry through its Flash Update. Overall the projection was for the electrical industry to be down 1.5% however, Herm highlighted that there are customer segments that are outperforming the […]
With Q1 coming to an end, market (as in industry, not Wall Street), watchers are projecting a continuing, and slightly accelerated, sales decline, at the national level, especially for those in the industrial segment. (But do read down to the […]
Over the past couple of months we’ve touched on the changes that the lighting industry is undergoing. While much of it relates to LEDs, the “lamp” business, lighting controls and connectivity, we also mentioned how lighting can become a data […]
Equitable compensation is a topic that is near and dear to every manufacturer, distributor, manufacturer rep and salesperson. After all, why “sell” a product if you are not compensated for it? This is one of the key issues facing electrical […]
Why industrial gloves for electrical distributors? Diversification. We’re seeing distributors diversify into other segments (i.e. industrial supplies) as well as taking existing products that they offer (i.e. gloves) and developing, or re-positioning, a product category for safety. It’s an effort […]
The question of what influence a distributor has on their customers is often debated. What percentage of the time do customers know what they want (and hence the distributor acts as an “order taker” or fulfillment source) and what percentage […]
Earlier this month I attended the AD Electrical Supply Division (ESD) National Annual Meeting (NAM) held at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas. The theme was Together, We Win, a continuation of their recent branding strategy. The meeting attracted about 1,000 […]
A couple of weeks ago we asked how the first half of the year had gone for you. We had heard from a number of people about a slowdown, especially in the industrial segment, but had heard of contractor growth […]
We continue with our Q2 earnings report highlights seeking marketplace insights after sharing information from Rexel, WESCO, Acuity and ABB / T&B. Eaton First a review of their presentation. Key highlights, again focusing solely on the divisions important to the […]
The goal of marketing is to help your company grow. For many distributors marketing has been a promotion, event and sometimes communications department. For many, the staff are expected to be “doers”, not “thinkers”. Historically business strategy has been the […]
David Gordon
Channel Marketing Group
919-488-8635
