If you lead a sales team for an industrial supply distributor, you already know the pressure. Margins are tight. Competition is aggressive. The number of SKUs continues to grow. We win customers, or current customers leave, for a lower price or faster order turnaround. Customers expect speed, technical accuracy, and competitive pricing. And every year, sales expectations … [Read more...] about Distribution Sales Managers: What Top-Performing Sales Teams — And How Leaders Create It
Sales Channel
Gain Industry Insights. Participate in the Q3 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey
Industrial Supply Trends is continuing our quarterly series of gaining marketplace insights and sharing it with you, helping you benchmark your performance. The Q3 Pulse of Industrial Supply survey is now open, until September 24th. Results will be shared the first week in October. We need input from distributors, manufacturers, and independent manufacturer … [Read more...] about Gain Industry Insights. Participate in the Q3 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey
AI for Industrial Supply IMR’s
From a tech viewpoint, AI is what companies talk about. Distributors are implementing it or at least discussing it. Not much gets shared within the manufacturer environment but it is well in use. Independent manufacturer reps (IMRs) have also asked the question. Some have dappled. Few are advanced. Most are intrigued but lack expertise and/or are concerned about … [Read more...] about AI for Industrial Supply IMR’s
ISA Member Haggard and Stocking – Acquisition News
A few weeks ago, I was able to do an IST profile on Haggard and Stocking and their history. It was a fun story to write on an Industrial Channel leader who has shown steady growth over the past five decades. As what always seems to happen if right after you write a story the company, they go out and make a big move right after it is published. Haggard and Stocking make an … [Read more...] about ISA Member Haggard and Stocking – Acquisition News
Fall is the season to get your Channel business ready for 2026
This week, I was on calls with various Industrial Channel and Industrial Supply Association (ISA) leaders discussing the upcoming ISA Fall Summit in Memphis, TN, in early November. We were discussing the tracks, the speakers and presenters, and the takeaways for participants. In looking at the speakers and presenters, I was struck by the fact that 20 of the speakers across … [Read more...] about Fall is the season to get your Channel business ready for 2026
Durable Goods & CAPEX Issues + Tarriff and Policy Volatility = Uncertainty – IST
As an analyst for the past 20 years, I have relied on key economic indicators as foundational to prepare forecasts for leadership to make informed business decisions. Two of those key foundational indicators were Durable Goods Purchases and Business Capital Investment, but those indicators have had much change the past 5 years. The once bellwether and predictable indicator … [Read more...] about Durable Goods & CAPEX Issues + Tarriff and Policy Volatility = Uncertainty – IST
Keeping Your Staff Focused on the Core Issues to Drive Profitable Growth
Sometimes a conversation or an article from an author catches your eye. As we were reading some articles from Dr. Jeffrey Magee we thought it would be interesting to share an article from Dr. Magee to our Industrial Supply Trends readers on his sales perspectives. Dr. Magee is well known speaker and author of more than 30+ books and has been involved in the distribution … [Read more...] about Keeping Your Staff Focused on the Core Issues to Drive Profitable Growth
MDM-NAW Shift highlights Data Analytics the key to market share growth
Modern Distribution Management (MDM) Shift event was held last week (May 13-15th in Englewood, Colorado). The event has continued to evolve over the past 9 years, and it was once again attended by who's who of distribution leaders. As an attendee and speaker, it has been fun to watch the event grow. Many leading distributors also presented at MDM Shift ranging from large … [Read more...] about MDM-NAW Shift highlights Data Analytics the key to market share growth
Building on the skills of your Inside Sales Staff
The role and responsibilities of the Inside Sales team are evolving and changing faster than any role in the Industrial Channel. The distributor inside sales team usually has the most direct contact and interaction with industrial end customers. Our friend Frank Hurtte | LinkedIn from River Heights Consulting is one of the leading Industrial and Electrical Channel voices on … [Read more...] about Building on the skills of your Inside Sales Staff
ISA25 Recap – Headwinds, Tailwinds, and Uncertainty
ISA 25 last week (March 31- April 2nd) in Nashville brought together close to 700 Industrial Channel Leaders to the annual meeting to meet in person. I really enjoy this ISA industry event as it brings together Manufacturers, Distributors and Manufacturer Representative Firms at one meeting together. For other key B2B channels like electrical, HVACR, Automation, Power … [Read more...] about ISA25 Recap – Headwinds, Tailwinds, and Uncertainty
