Jonathan Bein, Author at Modern Distribution Management

State of Distributor Marketing, Pt. 1: Combine Digital with Traditional Marketing to Grow the Revenue Pie

The race to embrace digital marketing can put you in a strong position with clients, the MDM/Real Results Marketing 2019 State of Distributor Marketing survey shows, but don’t elevate online efforts at the expense of traditionally profitable opportunities. Distributors are focusing more on digital marketing vehicles — email, search and social media — and less […]

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January 17, 2020

News

State of Distributor Marketing, Pt. 2: How to Articulate Your Real Value Through Marketing

Tunnel vision around the importance of logistical capabilities and low price to customers may be keeping distributors from promoting the real benefits many say are important to their value propositions, including helping the end customer to reduce cost and decrease equipment failure. Every time we’ve asked distributors in the past five years whether or not […]

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January 10, 2020

Featured Stories

State of Distributor Marketing, Pt. 1: Combine Digital with Traditional Marketing to Grow the Revenue Pie

The race to embrace digital marketing can put you in a strong position with clients, the MDM/Real Results Marketing 2019 State of Distributor Marketing survey shows, but dont elevate online efforts at the expense of traditionally profitable opportunities.

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December 20, 2019

Featured Stories

Wholesale Distribution Value Series: Creating Value with a Clear Value Proposition

Given increased global competition and the rise in digital as a major sales channel, a value proposition has never been more important for independent distributors today. Consolidation is also likely to accelerate over the next five years; distributors who have not differentiated will either get acquired or go out of business.

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December 10, 2019

Featured Stories

Wholesale Distribution Value Series: Creating Value with Inside Sales

Most distributors dont view their inside sales team as a proactive sales force. Its relatively rare for inside sales reps to make outbound calls to generate more business or to employ active selling techniques. In fact, in a survey, nearly two-thirds of distributor respondents told Real Results Marketing their inside sales force spends less than 25% of their time proactively selling.

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November 25, 2019

Featured Stories

Wholesale Distribution Value Series: Creating Value with E-Business at Scale

We saw a dramatic shift in 2017 and 2018 in the amount of revenue coming through e-business channels for distributors in part due to a lower barrier to entry for smaller companies. Platform costs are less expensive, better product data is available and distributors in general have more know-how around how to use these technologies.

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November 12, 2019

Featured Blog

An Effective Value Proposition is Life and Death for Distributors

Too many are sending the same message, highlighting the same features and lacking differentiation in the process.

July 30, 2019

eCommerce

5 Risks Distributors Take When They Don’t Know Their Customers

A commitment to determining the communication preferences of individual customers can bring high returns.

March 13, 2019

Data & Analytics

State of Distributor Marketing, Pt. 2: Right People, Right Message

In Part 1 of this series, we presented the results of an MDM survey about distributor marketing, focusing on the level of success they are currently having in their marketing efforts and to what extent they are deploying the various kinds of marketing vehicle (SEO, social media, e-mail, print and telemarketing). The overall trend we identified is that while distributors are slowly getting better at marketing, only a small portion (6 percent) can be classified as high performers. In Part 2 of the series, we explore two areas that distributors must improve on if they are to join that 6 percent and reap first-mover benefits.

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January 10, 2019

Data & Analytics

Move to Digital Continues

The 2018 State of Distributor Marketing examines how distributors perceive the features and benefits they offer customers. This joint survey between MDM-Real Results Marketing reveals that distributors are increasingly relying on search marketing instead of email marketing. This article examines how distributors across sectors approach marketing, what they consider the most effective channels to be and the frequency with which they conduct their different marketing vehicles.

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December 21, 2018

Featured Blog

How Inside and Outside Sales Reps Drive Online Revenue

Customers should expect an integrated experience across every touchpoint.

September 6, 2018

Featured Blog

Don’t Let Your Customers Walk Away Online

Dont make it hard to do business with you.

June 6, 2018

Research & Analytics

Distributors Lack Marketing Differentiation

Part 2 of the 2017 State of Distributor Marketing examines how distributors perceive the features and benefits they offer customers.This article includes:

What features are important?
Benefits centered on helping customers
How are companies performing?

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MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Storms Stunt Distributor Growth
Distributors Up Search Marketing Efforts
Amazon Business: The Burning E-Platform

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January 10, 2018

Data & Analytics

Distributors Up Search Marketing Efforts

A joint MDM-Real Results Marketing survey reveals that distributors are increasingly relying on search marketing instead of email marketing. This article examines how distributors across sectors approach marketing, what they consider the most effective channels to be and the frequency with which they conduct their different marketing vehicles.

This article includes:

Marketing vehicle importance
Marketing vehicle frequency
Best practices frequency

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Millennials in Distribution: ‘No Magic’ in US LUMBER’s Strategy
Endgame Strategy: A Must for Distributors
Amazon Gets Down to Business

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December 10, 2017

Companies

Analyzing Amazon’s Effect on Industry

This article, based on a survey conducted by Real Results Marketing, looked at how distributors are dealing with the online giant and found that some are trying to beat Bezos & Co. while others are joining them.

This article includes:

Unknown or no effect yet from Amazon
Positive effects as result of Amazon
Negative Effects as a Result of Amazon

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Millennials in Distribution: No Magic in US LUMBERs Strategy
Endgame Strategy: A Must for Distributors
Graingers Pricing Initiative, pt 2: The Quest for Optimization

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November 10, 2017

eCommerce

2017 State of E-Commerce, part 2: How Marketing Guides Performance

Part 1 of this series showed the continued trend of distributors moving from the nascent stage (less than 5 percent of revenue) of e-commerce to the growth and maturity stages. The shift moving toward e-commerce maturity means the journey evolves as well. This article explores what is changing and what that could mean for your business.

This article includes:

E-commerce performance
Marketing vehicle effectiveness and spending rank
Satisfaction with returns on investment

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Wholesale Distribution Disrupted, Part 2: Engage to Combat Disruption
Top Trends for 2017
‘Digital Branch’ Strategy Drives AD eContent

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April 10, 2017

eCommerce

E-Commerce Inches Toward Maturity

The sixth annual MDM distribution e-commerce survey conducted with Real Results Marketing revealed several key trends.

This article includes:

Results of the 2017 State of E-Commerce in Distribution Survey
How the industry’s e-commerce offerings are maturing
The primary e-commerce objectives among respondents

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Wholesale Distribution Disrupted, Part 2: Engage to Combat Disruption
Top Trends for 2017
‘Digital Branch’ Strategy Drives AD eContent

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March 25, 2017

eCommerce

3 Ways to Gain a Competitive Edge with Millennials

How the next generation prefers to shop and buy in a B2B setting.

December 6, 2016

Online Marketing

2016 State of Distributor Marketing: Top Performers Shift to Online

A joint MDM-Real Results Marketing survey revealed that distribution and manufacturing, in general, are 4.5 times less likely than other industries to be extremely satisfied with their marketing capabilities. This article examines how distributors across sectors approach marketing and what they consider the most effective channels to be.

This article includes:

Distributor satisfaction with marketing programs
Marketing vehicle best practices & frequency
Areas for marketing growth

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Making the Case for Mobile
Differentiate with Strategic Marketing
MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Economy Stuck on the Bottom in 2Q

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October 10, 2016

Sales & Marketing

Making Money with Small Customers: Balancing Margin & Cost

Predicting profitability of an order by measuring average margin is ineffective. Averages are susceptible to outliers and rarely represent the true value of any individual measure within the set. In this article, the authors examine flaws in conventional thinking about margin and provide practical ways to better manage small orders.

This article includes: