Distributing Ideas, The NAW Blog
Winning in a Post-Amazon World – Value Creation Strategy #9
Many distributors think they need to look like Amazon to compete in today’s market. After all, more than 197 million people visit Amazon every month to shop the more than 12 million products available, according to BigCommerce. But just because Amazon is a household name doesn’t mean that distributors need to emulate its every move to be competitive in the digital distribution [...]
How Can You Enable the Future of Business for Customers? – Distributors in the Digital Era #73
Our research for Innovate to Dominate: The 12th Edition in the Facing of Forces of Change® Series revealed a massive new opportunity for distributors: the future of business is up for grabs! Every customer of every distributor in every line of trade is working to understand how their business can survive and thrive in the digital age. Customer change is about harnessing the power of [...]
Hindsight 2020: Key Takeaways to Dominate the Next Decade – Leveraging the Power of AI #11
In 2015, researchers at Forrester estimated that B2B e-commerce would reach $1 trillion by 2020. They were wrong: B2B e-commerce topped $1 trillion two years ahead of schedule. The industry is changing quickly, and distributors rarely get the chance to step back and plan for the future. In this first post of 2020, I’ll review the biggest development of the last few years and offer a [...]
Distributors Are Using Intent Data to Supercharge Sales – Leveraging the Power of AI #10
AI has automated the fundamental challenge of sales: “knowing your customer.” B2B and B2C sellers are increasing revenue by analyzing data and accurately predicting what customers will buy with AI. However, AI is only as good as the data that feeds it. In this article, I’ll explain how distributors can use intent data to supercharge sales and win the data race. Distributors need [...]
Welcome to the Age of B2B Innovation – Distributors in the Digital Era #72
Our research for NAW’s just-released Innovate to Dominate: The 12 Edition in the Facing the Forces of Change® Series revealed a powerful new opportunity for distributors — the future of business is up for grabs! There is a race to leverage technology and human-centric forces of change to help business customers reinvent how work is done and how individuals and organizations [...]
Fight Complacency to Win Today – Value Creation Strategy #8
It's 2019 and more than 197 million people visit Amazon each month to browse more than 12 million products, according to BigCommerce. The numbers go up every day. But distributors don’t need to be afraid of Amazon. They need to innovate and sell to customers the way today’s customers want to buy. It’s that simple. Complacency in the current market will lead you nowhere. As Thomas [...]
Distributors Can Unlock Profitable Long-tail Accounts with AI – Leveraging the Power of AI #9
Most distributors rely on a few top accounts to drive a majority of revenue. Sales teams focus on these large buyers because that is where they are most impactful. But, tons of untapped potential revenue lies stored in the numerous small accounts that fill out distributors’ account books. Until now, distributors have been unable to provide the personal service necessary to grow these small [...]
An Open Letter to the Sons and Daughters of Distribution – Distributors in the Digital Era #71
This blog post is for the sons and daughters of distributors; it is food for thought for your Thanksgiving gatherings! Please help this go viral by sharing it on social media or any way you can! Use our hashtags #b2binnovation #innovatetodominate #distributorsrock The threat of disruption and the opportunity for digital transformation are coming to distribution. The battle is already [...]
Personalization Sells. This Is How It Works – Leveraging the Power of AI #8
AI knows us better than we know ourselves. Have you ever wondered how different services accurately predict what tv shows, or books, or songs you like? How retail sites find clothes or items that you want to buy even before you know they exist? It’s not magic. It’s just well-executed data analysis. Consumer data reveal preferences and predict likely future outcomes, and when it comes to [...]
Reboot the Real World and Win by Being Human – Distributors in the Digital Era #70
Over the last many years, distributors have faced down one challenge after another including the emergence of big-box retailers, disintermediation by manufacturers, the financial crisis of 2008 and more. Distribution survived because of the strength of their customer relationships and an ongoing commitment to gain efficiencies by investing in business systems and information technology. Faced [...]
