Delivering for Best-in-Class Wholesaler-Distributors

NAW Publications

“Facing the Forces of Change has given us a guide-book and a great insight into the future developments facing our industry. We look at almost all of the NAW Institute publications and circulate them among all of our management team.”

—Richard Schwartz, Chairman of the Board, Winsupply, Inc.

“By reading NAW Institute / Texas A&M University research studies at the onset of being published, it gives us a competitive advantage of 1–2 years.”

—Nathan Potter, CEO, DW Distribution Inc

“The research quality is top notch…the studies give us the opportunity to apply the insights and analytics to make our business decisions better for the future of our organization.”

—Matthew Geekie, SVP, Secretary, and General Counsel, Graybar Electric Company

New Releases

BRAND-NEW E-CHAPTER! Distribution Leans In: Stories of Resiliency and Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Distribution Leans In: Stories of Resiliency and Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic This E-chapter shares up-to-the-minute ideas and insights from distributor leaders based on their experiences and lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemi...
More Info

CEO Insights on Innovating the Distributor for the Digital Age

Fortune favors the prepared, and preparation is all about capabilities. Find out what more than 100 distributor CEOs and more than 50 manufacturers, customers and experts on innovation, technology and organizational change have to say.
More Info

Creating Innovations and Shaping the Future of Business: A Look at Commerce, Technology and Human Forces in Distribution

This electronic Challenge Paper will show you how distributors can lead, disrupt and help their customers and suppliers to thrive in the digital age.
More Info

Optimizing Human Capital Development: A Distributor’s Guide to Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Talent Strategy

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.
More Info

Unlock the Power of Inventory Analytics: Aligning Working Capital to Customer Experience to Maximize Your Bottom Line

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.
More Info

Free Reports and White Papers

…But What Did It Cost Us? How to Reduce Selling Costs in Wholesale Distribution

This white paper shows your sales manager how to determine whether your sales force is spending company resources wisely in pursuing customers. Where is your sales team wasting resources as it attempts to close sales?
More Info

2021 State of E-commerce in Distribution Part 1: A Rapid Rise in Adoption & Maturity

This State of E-commerce in Distribution research found that distributors are adopting e-commerce at a rapid pace.
More Info

24-page addendum to Facing the Forces of Change®: Reimagining Distribution in a Connected World

This 24-page Executive Report examines some of the more recent challenges distributors face and offers suggestions for differentiation.
More Info

Digital Transformation: The New Proving Ground for Distributors

This white paper provides guidance on how to infuse an agile and powerful digital transformation strategy into every aspect of your business. You can outpace your digitally savvy competitors.
More Info

Leaving Your Comfort Zone: New Insights to Strengthen the Critical Distributor–Manufacturer Partnership

This white paper looks at distributor–manufacturer relationships, and how they can be improved and strengthened. Special feature: “10 Elements of a Distribution System Policy Audit.”
More Info

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Mergers and Acquisitions for Distributors: Expert Advice for Buyers and Sellers

Mergers and Acquisitions for Distributors: Expert Advice for Buyers and Sellers. The unique perspectives of a private equity investor, an attorney, and a certified public accountant (CPA) enrich this text with information the reader might not be able...
More Info

Groundbreaking Research with Texas A&M University

Customer Stratification: Best Practices for Boosting Profitability

Customer stratification is a critical business process that every distributor should adopt and execute well to achieve greater profitability. This research study offers 20 action steps that your company can implement today.
More Info

Driving Profitable Growth: A Distributor’s Playbook to Generate-Manage-Sustain Competitive Advantage

At last, distributors have a growth playbook that is based on research and analytics instead of anecdotal information!
More Info

Optimizing Channel Profitability: A Playbook to Align Manufacturer–Distributor–Customer Relationships

The heart of this study is the Channel Alignment Framework, which creates a common ground for distributors and manufacturers to perform two things at the same time: relate to their individual goals while keeping an eye on customer value.
More Info

Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line

There are 47 best practices in this study and all were developed from actual experiences of 84 wholesale distribution firms across our industry. This study is a powerful weapon for you to use to enhance your shareholder value.
More Info

Optimizing Human Capital Development: A Distributor’s Guide to Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Talent Strategy

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.
More Info

Pricing Optimization: Striking the Right Balance for Margin Advantage

This study will help you achieve the right pricing solution for your business. It features 9 best practices from wholesaler-distributors, 40 action steps, and 73 examples from distributors across many product lines.
More Info

Sales and Marketing Optimization: Developing Competitive Value Propositions in Distribution

This book is a first-of-its-kind, best practices study that focuses on aligning customer needs, sales force priorities, and wholesaler-distributor objectives to maximize value creation.
More Info

Unlock the Power of Inventory Analytics: Aligning Working Capital to Customer Experience to Maximize Your Bottom Line

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.
More Info

HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY AND EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

Effective Sales Incentive Design for Distributors: What’s the Right Plan?

This book is not about theories; it’s about practical experience and expert guidance for surviving and growing in today’s world. It will help you think more clearly about your situation and goals and may challenge your assumptions.
More Info

Optimizing Human Capital Development: A Distributor’s Guide to Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Talent Strategy

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.
More Info

What’s Your Plan? Smart Salesforce Compensation in Wholesale Distribution

Compensation programs are effective when clear and actionable objectives are in place. This book shows how to design and implement a compensation program that supports your objectives, and helps you to avoid common pitfalls.
More Info

PROFITABILITY AND PRICING

Customer Stratification: Best Practices for Boosting Profitability

Customer stratification is a critical business process that every distributor should adopt and execute well to achieve greater profitability. This research study offers 20 action steps that your company can implement today.
More Info

Driving Profitable Growth: A Distributor’s Playbook to Generate-Manage-Sustain Competitive Advantage

At last, distributors have a growth playbook that is based on research and analytics instead of anecdotal information!
More Info

In Search of the Perfect Customer: Cost-to-Serve for Distributors

Is your company overlooking opportunities to make money and stop profit leakage? This study shows you how to protect your most profitable, high-growth potential customers and avoid squandering precious resources.
More Info

Optimizing Channel Profitability: A Playbook to Align Manufacturer–Distributor–Customer Relationships

The heart of this study is the Channel Alignment Framework, which creates a common ground for distributors and manufacturers to perform two things at the same time: relate to their individual goals while keeping an eye on customer value.
More Info

Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line

There are 47 best practices in this study and all were developed from actual experiences of 84 wholesale distribution firms across our industry. This study is a powerful weapon for you to use to enhance your shareholder value.
More Info

Pricing Optimization: Striking the Right Balance for Margin Advantage

This study will help you achieve the right pricing solution for your business. It features 9 best practices from wholesaler-distributors, 40 action steps, and 73 examples from distributors across many product lines.
More Info

Strategic Pricing in Wholesale Distribution: Tools and Rules for Building Higher Margins

Most distributors are leaving at least two percentage points of gross trading margin on the table. This translates into 2% of total sales. Two percent is the difference between mediocre profit results and stellar performance!
More Info

The REAL Profit Drivers: Managing the CPVs

This study identifies what actually drives profit. It examines the financial performance on the Critical Profit Variables (CPVs) of 885 distributors across 17 lines of trade.
More Info

SALES MANAGEMENT

Marketing Plans for Growing Sales: A Guide for Wholesaler-Distributors, Second Edition

This report will show you how to develop a workable marketing strategy for penetrating accounts. Use it to help you take the shortest, most productive path to sales growth.
More Info

Sales and Marketing Optimization: Developing Competitive Value Propositions in Distribution

This book is a first-of-its-kind, best practices study that focuses on aligning customer needs, sales force priorities, and wholesaler-distributor objectives to maximize value creation.
More Info

Taking Charge of Distribution Sales: 9 Proven Skills to Lead and Manage Your Sales Team

Whether you are a new sales executive putting your system together or an experienced sales executive looking for new perspectives, this book offers tools you can use immediately.
More Info

STRATEGY

Becoming a Digital Distributor: Strategies and Tools That Create Value

Your roadmap to adopting and using digital tools—e-commerce, social media, mobility, CRM, advanced analytics, and multichannel solutions—to gain a competitive advantage.
More Info

CEO Insights on Innovating the Distributor for the Digital Age

Fortune favors the prepared, and preparation is all about capabilities. Find out what more than 100 distributor CEOs and more than 50 manufacturers, customers and experts on innovation, technology and organizational change have to say.
More Info

Creating Innovations and Shaping the Future of Business: A Look at Commerce, Technology and Human Forces in Distribution

This electronic Challenge Paper will show you how distributors can lead, disrupt and help their customers and suppliers to thrive in the digital age.
More Info

Getting Results From Your Digital Investments

This book is about helping you build a vision that is the right one for your company. It provides advice for helping you make investments, mobilize people, and get results from your digital investments.
More Info

Getting the Most Out of CRM: Best Practices for Wholesaler-Distributors

This book provides a soup-to-nuts planning framework, best practices from leading distributors, and ready-to-implement management tools for engaging your leaders and salespeople.
More Info

INNOVATE! How Successful Distributors Lead Change in Disruptive Times

95% of distribution leaders surveyed feel personally empowered to be disruptive change agents within their business. If this describes you, then INNOVATE! is for you.
More Info

Value Creation Strategies for Wholesaler-Distributors

Walk through the principles that drive successful strategy development and execution for wholesaler-distributors of all sizes and lines of trade. Learn how value creation strategy can produce significant and rapid financial benefits.
More Info

STRATEGY, INNOVATION AND VALUE CREATION

Becoming a Digital Distributor: Strategies and Tools That Create Value

Your roadmap to adopting and using digital tools—e-commerce, social media, mobility, CRM, advanced analytics, and multichannel solutions—to gain a competitive advantage.
More Info

CEO Insights on Innovating the Distributor for the Digital Age

Fortune favors the prepared, and preparation is all about capabilities. Find out what more than 100 distributor CEOs and more than 50 manufacturers, customers and experts on innovation, technology and organizational change have to say.
More Info

Creating Innovations and Shaping the Future of Business: A Look at Commerce, Technology and Human Forces in Distribution

This electronic Challenge Paper will show you how distributors can lead, disrupt and help their customers and suppliers to thrive in the digital age.
More Info

Getting Results From Your Digital Investments

This book is about helping you build a vision that is the right one for your company. It provides advice for helping you make investments, mobilize people, and get results from your digital investments.
More Info

Getting the Most Out of CRM: Best Practices for Wholesaler-Distributors

This book provides a soup-to-nuts planning framework, best practices from leading distributors, and ready-to-implement management tools for engaging your leaders and salespeople.
More Info

INNOVATE! How Successful Distributors Lead Change in Disruptive Times

95% of distribution leaders surveyed feel personally empowered to be disruptive change agents within their business. If this describes you, then INNOVATE! is for you.
More Info

Value Creation Strategies for Wholesaler-Distributors

Walk through the principles that drive successful strategy development and execution for wholesaler-distributors of all sizes and lines of trade. Learn how value creation strategy can produce significant and rapid financial benefits.
More Info

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Optimizing Channel Profitability: A Playbook to Align Manufacturer–Distributor–Customer Relationships

The heart of this study is the Channel Alignment Framework, which creates a common ground for distributors and manufacturers to perform two things at the same time: relate to their individual goals while keeping an eye on customer value.
More Info

Working at Cross-Purposes: How Distributors and Manufacturers Can Manage Conflict Successfully

What drives the distributor–manufacturer relationship, how does it go bad, and why? Learn how to avoid the economic and other consequences of this relationship turning sour.
More Info

WAREHOUSE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

Unlock the Power of Inventory Analytics: Aligning Working Capital to Customer Experience to Maximize Your Bottom Line

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.
More Info

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION STAPLES

Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution©, Second Edition

How can you ensure that your employees are aligned with your goals for high performance and profitability? Give them this straightforward training workbook to speed their learning and retention.
More Info

Filter by Category

Latest Tweets

N.A.W

ajax-loader