Independent Dealer August 2023

INDEPENDENT DEALER

the official publication of WSA

AUGUST 2023

Editorial & Contents

Broadening horizons Trying to divine new product categories for office product dealers can often seem a little like the search for the Holy Grail, and quite often discussion of such matters always returns to furniture, jan/san and breakroom— which, let’s face it, aren’t exactly new categories for most successful independents!

It’s good, therefore, to discover in our cover story this month that there are dealers who are finding new ground to break—as well as new ways to exploit those “less new” categories I mentioned.

There seems to be a common trait among those dealers who are particularly good at prospecting for new business areas, and it is one that Mike Tucker picks up on in his regular column on page 30 and that Nate Morales alludes to in this month’s Secrets of Success.

It is also one that cannot be emphasized enough.

The vast majority of the new product categories that

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WINNER’S CIRCLE Good things happening to independents

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SECRETS OF SUCCESS Intivity, Rochester, New York

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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WSA UPDATE

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Rowan McIntyre, editor and publisher rowan@idealercentral.com

are talked about in our cover story came about through listening to customers, understanding their needs and being willing to change the way that you do business to be able to accommodate those needs.

That attitude is absolutely key to survival in the modern marketplace.

The next step is to fully understand exactly what it is your business does and how that can be exploited to provide additional services to your clients and other local business that are not your clients yet—whether that be delivering their parcels or helping melt the ice on their driveways.

Good luck in the search for your Holy Grail!

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COVER STORY Branching out: Find out how dealers have begun delving into more unusual areas to increase their customer base and profits.

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COLUMNS 42 Tom Buxton: To cut or not to cut?

44 Troy Harrison: Four top sales trends for the future 46 Marisa Pensa: Modernize your sales learning 48 Mara Gannon: Supercharge your marketing!

INDEPENDENT DEALER

An OPI publication

the official publication of WSA

Editor and publisher Rowan McIntyre

Finance and operations Kelly Hilleard

Associate editor Lisa Veeck

Head of creative Joel Mitchell

Head of media sales Chris Turness

Digital manager Aurora Enghis

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AT OPI CEO Steve Hilleard Director Janet Bell

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Register for Industry Week '23!

Date: October 8-11, 2023 Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA

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Thank you to our Premier Sponsor HON and Diamond Sponsor ACCO Brands for Industry Week ’23!

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LEARN – Take advantage of educational seminars designed to enhance your knowledge on the latest trends and developments in our industry.

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GROW – Interact with industry professionals to learn about strategic initiatives essential for achieving your business goals.

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Register Today for an Unforgettable New Orleans Experience! photo: Todd Coleman

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Winner’s Circle

Officewise celebrates 115 years You must be doing something right if you are an independent office product dealer in business for 115 years. In the case of Officewise Commercial Interiors, Amarillo, Texas, that something involves several key factors.

Officewise opened in Amarillo under the name Russell Cockrell in 1908. Over the years, the company made multiple acquisitions, including Russell Stationery in Amarillo and Hester’s Office Center and Baker Office Products in Lubbock, Texas.

In 2012, after calling on the company as a sales rep for nearly 30 years, Tommy Sansom and his partner John Navarrete bought the company. At the time, it had 35 employees. Today the number of employees has doubled and Tommy credits them with much of the company’s success.

“We have 70 dedicated employees who make it possible for our business to continue to grow and develop into one of the leading independent dealers in the country,” he says.

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Another factor in the company’s growth and success is the attention it pays to its customer base. “About 12 years ago, we really focused on who we wanted our customers to be,” Tommy explains. “Today, our strength is in the sectors we identified, which include education, government and healthcare entities throughout West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. When

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we became focused on these areas is when we started to grow. We went from $10 million in sales in 2008 to more than $30 million today.”

Tommy suggests that nurturing young talent is another key to the company’s success: “We realized a need to bring in some younger people to gain experience. Today, we are very fortunate to have experienced team leaders in their 30s and 40s; and we are working on a training program to bring in more young people. This is also important for us to have a succession plan. We have great young people, and if John and I were gone tomorrow, we have no doubt the company’s success would continue.”

In recent years, Officewise has seen a change in sales that has required a strategy shift. “Companies aren’t as open to salespeople walking in,” Tommy elaborates. “This was true during COVID-19, but it still is—people don’t want to talk face-to-face as much. Today, you have to be better at marketing. Before, we would invest our resources in sales and hire more people. We still invest in our salespeople, but more is digital now, so PAGE 4

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Innovation Happens Here A M ATCH M AD E I N H E AV EN — PAT I EN T J IM K A H A N A N D CIT Y O F H O PE Jim Kahan was battling an extremely rare group of blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). After looking for answers at major comprehensive cancer centers across the country, he found City of Hope.

Guido Marcucci, M.D., chief of the Division of Leukemia and chair of the Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, put Kahan together with his ‘rising star’ researcher, Idoroenyi Amanam, M.D. His rise to stardom included a stellar academic record and a Congressional award for ongoing selfless acts of kindness.

Kahan’s best hope would be a stem cell transplant, which meant a month at City of Hope. Amanam visited him and his wife Diane almost every night, guiding the path to wellness. The transplant went exceptionally well, and Kahan’s hemoglobin count is approaching normal. MPNs once had very little research taking place.

Now, at City of Hope, innovation happens here.

Jim and Diane Kahan

Idoroenyi Amanam, M.D.

UPCOMING EVENTS FELLOWES GOLF OUTING (August 21) Itasca Country Club in Itasca, Illinois

2023 SPIRIT OF LIFE® HONOREE BORIS ELISMAN

Chairman and CEO, ACCO Brands Corporation

GOJO GOLF OUTING AND VENDOR SUMMIT (August 21) Firestone Country Club, South Course in Akron, Ohio GEORGIA PACIFIC GOLF OUTING AND VENDOR SUMMIT (August 28) Atlanta Athletic Club in Atlanta, Georgia TOPS PRODUCTS GOLF OUTING BENEFITING CITY OF HOPE (August 30) Twin Orchard Country Club in Long Grove, Illinois SPIRIT OF LIFE® GALA HONORING BORIS ELISMAN OF ACCO BRANDS (September 14) Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois

CityofHope.org AUGUST 2023

For more information, visit CityofHope.org/nbpi or contact Matt Dodd at mdodd@coh.org.

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Winner’s Circle we are transitioning to become more of a marketing company.”

As part of its digital marketing strategy, Officewise has developed three separate websites. “One is for supplies for customers to buy online as they have since the 1990s,” explains Tommy. “The second one is for our contract furniture. We’re a Herman Miller dealer and the company is not fond of mixing its furniture with office products. Our third site is Navajo— we’ve partnered with a young Hispanic business, since many state entities want to do business with a minority business.”

While increasingly, customers prefer ordering electronically, Tommy is adamant that dealers should not completely do away with in-person sales calls: “Owners or top leaders

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Tommy Sansom

need to stay involved in sales. I’ve stayed involved for 30 years, which I believe leads to consistent success.

As time passes, if customers never see the owner or top management, it is a recipe for losing customers. With

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John Navarette

companies like Staples, Amazon and Office Depot, people never see the owner. Customers like knowing who the owners are. And Staples, Office Depot, and Amazon are never going to call on customers. It’s what sets us apart.”

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Winner’s Circle Chapman retires from A-Z Allen Chapman is retiring from A-Z Office Resource, Nashville, Tennessee.

Chapman began his professional career in 1977 and honed his expertise in the chemical side of the janitorial industry. He is credited with helping develop and launch the janitorial program for Corporate Express.

After taking a few years off from the industry, he returned as a facility supply manager for Yuletide Office Solutions.

Building and growing the company’s facility supply program made him an instrumental part of the company’s expansion and success. In 2019, Allen semi-retired, reducing his day-to-day responsibilities; but he continued to offer guidance and consultation.

When Yuletide merged with A-Z Office

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Resource in January 2023, Allen helped refine the janitorial program.

“I am immensely grateful for the incredible journey I’ve had in this industry,” Chapman says. “The opportunities to innovate and make a difference have been beyond rewarding. I owe my success to the wonderful teams I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years, and I’m excited to see how my colleagues will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”

“Allen is a long-time and respected figure in the industry. We appreciate his guidance and expertise and wish him all the best in his retirement,” said Tiffany Cooper, A-Z Office Resource vice president of acquisitions and mergers.

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A family-operated independent dealer founded in 1985, A-Z operates in Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Southern Kentucky and Northern Alabama, with additional accounts nationwide.

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Winner’s Circle

Strive expands into Utah Strive Workplace Solutions, Portland, Oregon, has opened a new location in St. George, Utah, just a few miles north of the Arizona border and about an hour east of Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We have been working on this for months and it’s now a reality,” Jeff Lurcook, Strive Office Solutions president, wrote to Strive employees.

“We now have two great salespeople, Jared Leishman and Aaron Cooper, who have been in the industry for 20-plus years each, and Bo Bunker, an experienced warehouse/delivery driver who knows the area. St George is a rapidly growing destination spot

with a lot of business and industry.

That’s not to mention that it is also stunning with its red rock scenery and lush green golf courses. Please help welcome our new, experienced St. George team and give them the time, attention, and support they need as they settle into the Strive family.”

According to Lurcook, Strive was presented with the opportunity to move into the Southern Utah area and decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up. “We are bringing on new customers and sales every day, and the Southern Utah market is growing,” Lurcook

explains. “We believe the area is a good investment for us and is in keeping with our continued growth goals. The Southern Utah market we now serve—which includes Cedar City south through St. George and into Mesquite, Nevada—are very welcoming to us as an independent dealer and appreciate the special experience we provide them that no big box can.”

In separate news, Strive’s recent participation in a symposium at the Hilton in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, as the event’s preferred office products vendor, was well received.

Office Express acquires Bettendorf Office Express Office Products has acquired Bettendorf Office Products, Bettendorf, Iowa. The merge was finalized on July 31, 2023, and financial terms were not disclosed.

“The company is a great fit for us, with great people,” says Benjamin Keel, Office Express vice president. The acquisition expands our reach and the offerings for Bettendorf’s client base.”

The company is operating under the Office Express brand, and Bettendorf sales rep Steve Hershberger is joining the Office Express team.

“When Ben and his team came to us in 2020 or 2021, we were very intrigued,” recalls Hershberger. “The fact that Office Express is a family-owned company, with many of the same values AUGUST 2023

that we’ve had for nearly 47 years, made it something we wanted to explore. After getting to know his team, we have full trust that they will continue the legacy that we’ve built. With changing buyer habits, we felt it was time to get away from our combination commercial/ retail model and we feel Office Express is the best way to do this. We are looking forward to a new era for the company.”

Keel agrees the time for the acquisition was right:

“Steve and his team have done an amazing job with their offerings and reach.

When we all met and got to know each other, it felt like we had been friends for years. We just connected.

With our ability to give Steve the support he needs, and the ability to bring more product offerings and programs to his clients, it just made perfect sense to team up. We continue to grow strategically while the traditional office products industry is down; we are very

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fortunate for that. We are looking forward to this and getting to know the amazing and committed Bettendorf client base.”

Bettendorf Office Products was founded in 1976 by Al and Betty Steinbrecher. In 1984, their son Mark opened Evergreen Art Works, the retail store next door. Soon after, daughters Catherine and Liz and Catherine’s husband, Hershberger, joined the family business.

Office Express opened its doors in 1986.

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Winner’s Circle

Eakes back on the acquisition trail US independent dealer Eakes Office Solutions has made an acquisition in its home state of Nebraska.

The latest deal for Eakes involves Scottsbluff-based Western Plains Business Solutions, an established local source for categories including custom printing, business forms, signs and banners, and business paper products to customers in western Nebraska.

Following the transaction, Eugene Batt, the owner of Western Plains for the past 34 years and a 45-year print industry veteran, will retire.

“Eugene and his team have built a wonderful business,” said Eakes CEO Mark Miller. “Their dedication and expertise perfectly align with our commitment to delivering exceptional solutions. We look forward to combining our strengths and continuing to provide a great experience for our valued customers.”

Eakes Office Solutions has 14 office locations across Nebraska and serves portions of Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa and Kansas. Prior

to Western Plains, its most recent acquisition was in early 2022 when it bought fellow Nebraska-based dealer OfficeNet.

From left: Kevin Hafer, Mark Miller, Eugene Batt, Paul McKinney, Cameron Peister

NORTH AMERICAN OFFICE PRODUCTS

Voting for the prestigious People’s Choice award for the 2023 North American Office Products Awards is now open.

People’s Choice shortlist:

Ghent – Control Shelving Unit ITW Pro Brands – SCRUBS NO RINSE Food Surface Disinfectant Wipes Kantek – Mobile Height Adjustable Sit/Stand Desk Kensington – H3000 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headset Kensington – MK7500F QuietType Pro Silent Mechanical Keyboard Lavazza North America – FLAVIA Creation 300 + Chill Refresh Brewer Nook Pod USA – Nook Air OneScreen – Touchscreen TL7 OttLite Technologies – Wellness Series SanitizingPro LED Desk Lamp and UV Air Purifier Prima Edge – PrimaGO Reckitt – Lysol Pro Solutions Disinfecting Wipes 800 count Bucket and Refill Packs The HON Company – Flexion

3M – Recycle-Ready: Scotch Box Lock Paper Packaging Tape 3M – Scotch Unboxing Scissors ACCO Brands – Quartet Vertical InvisaMount Magnetic Glass Dry-Erase Board Avery – Durable ID Cards & Badges Cubii – Cubii Total Body+ Dealer Delivery Network – The Dealer Delivery Network Hub Deflecto – OceanMat Chair Mat Durable – Mobile TV cart COWORKSATION Eco-Products – Vegware Renewable and Compostable Food Service Disposables Fellowes Brands – Fellowes Array Networked Air Purifiers & Monitoring Ghent – Aria Connect

ENTER BY: SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

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VOTE HERE PAGE 10

AUGUST 2023

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Winner’s Circle Sundance Office partners with Essendant and Folds of Honor Sundance Office Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is again partnering with Essendant for its backpack program!

This year’s recipients are Kipp Tulsa and the Western Heights School District middle school.

Last week, volunteers stuffed 100 backpacks with school supplies, including glue, erasers, scissors, notebooks, pens and more, to help families in need. KIPP Tulsa is a public, tuition-free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory, charter middle school. Western Heights School District offers public education for K-12 students.

In separate news, Sundance Office raised $360 for Folds of Honor on Sundance Care Days. On the last Monday of each month, the company donates a portion of its sales to a different charity. Since 2011, the company has donated over $70,500 to communities and charities in need throughout Oklahoma.

Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 44,000 scholarships totaling almost $200 million to the spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members. The organization recently expanded its mission to include America’s first responders, including police, firefighters, emergency medical

technicians, and paramedics.

Tyler Condry, Sundance Office president, says he believes when businesses give back, it makes everyone’s life better: “With so many issues in our world today, I believe the only way to fix them is through funding and the engagement of citizens, businesses and the community.”

Office Solutions Northwest helps preschool graduates

Office Solutions Northwest, Yakima, Washington, donated backpacks for preschool graduates of Easterseals Jane’s House Child Development Center in Yakima to help ensure the children were prepared for kindergarten. Office Solution employees also worked with Central Lutheran Church volunteers to fill the packs.

“With the help of our community partners, our graduates are going to head into kindergarten in the fall that much more prepared,” Jane’s House management says.

Easterseals Jane’s House offers full daycare for infants, toddlers and preschool children. It offers 19 slots on Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, which helps three to four-year-old children from families furthest from opportunity.

»

AUGUST 2023

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Winner’s Circle Office Images named a Fast 40 11,000 new jobs and over $3.1 billion in revenue growth over the last three years,” says Brooks Morris of the Georgia Fast 40 Awards and principal of Cresa.

“In speaking with many of the CEOs, the supportive business environment and accessibility of capital are contributors to growth. By far the biggest challenge is the tightness of the labor market. We are proud to honor these companies and look forward to learning more insights online and at the celebration in June.”

ACG recognized the winners at its recent 2023 Georgia Fast 40 celebration at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta.

Office Images, Roswell, Georgia, has been included on the 2023 ACG Georgia Fast 40 list by the Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). The list recognizes the 40 fastest-growing middle-market companies in Georgia. The ACG is a global professional organization with the mission of driving middle-market growth.

Office Images’ management gave its team full credit for the recognition: “We couldn’t have achieved this without the hard work and dedication of our team. They’re the ones who make it all happen, and we’re so grateful for their

commitment to excellence. We also want to thank our customers for their trust and support. We’re proud to be your partner in creating great workspaces, and we’re excited to continue to grow and evolve with you.”

Meg Williams, executive director of the ACG’s Atlanta chapter, suggests that the companies listed are a testament to the state’s economy: “The companies being honored this year exemplify ACG’s focus on driving middle-market growth and demonstrate the strength and significance of this sector in Georgia.”

“These companies represent almost

In Memoriam

Manuel Pena, Superior Office Products

It is with great sadness that INDEPENDENT DEALER learned of the passing of industry veteran Manuel (Manny) Pena on June 22.

Manny was born in Santurce, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and he and his family moved to New York City when he was five years old, where he spent his formative years. As a young man he proudly served in the US Navy and was stationed at Virginia Beach. After serving in the Navy he relocated his family to Ballston Spa in Saratoga County, New York, where he took a job at the Tufflite Plastics factory.

It was to be the office products industry where Manny found a home, however.

He began his career at Mohawk Office Products in nearby Schenectady, New York in the early 1960s. He was general manager at Union Book in Schenectady for over 17 years before opening Superior Business Products in 1984.

Manny owned Superior until 2001, at which point he passed the company onto his employees through an employee stock ownership plan.

“Having spent almost 50 years in the office supply industry, Manny had a truly

distinguished career,” said Ray Seefeld, who became president at Superior after Manny’s retirement and who is now vice president for the Albany market at Hummel’s Office Plus. “He was one of the original dealers on the DDMS operating system, as well as being one of the original 20 dealers to join UDI, Inc—one of the industry’s first buying groups.”

Away from work, Manny was a long-time member of the YMCA and Mohawk Golf Club and an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, sailing, and skiing at Hickory Hill, where he was a stockholder and where he taught his three children to ski.

He was also a long-time communicant of St. Helen’s Church (now St. Katerii Tekakwitha) where the Daycare Center is named in his honor. Manuel was also an active member of church in Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico where he donated the beautiful stations of the cross.

The Lions Club was a big part of his life: he joined it in 1965 and made many lifelong friends, receiving many awards, including the Melvin Jones Award; the 50-year Chevron of Continuous

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Membership in 2015; and the Lifetime Membership Award. He was also a past president of the Lions Club and former district governor.

A service for friends and family took place on June 27. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Saratoga Community Hospice or the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York.

INDEPENDENT DEALER extends its deepest sympathies to his family at this difficult time.

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Winners Circle

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AUGUST 2022

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Secrets of Success

Intivity, Rochester, New York When Fabricio and Debby Morales first moved to the United States, they found a Day-Timer supplier and won a bid to supply personal organizers to the Kodak Company. Using the profit to expand their offerings, the couple bid and won again, this time to provide office products and janitorial supplies to Kodak’s operations worldwide. Within two years, they were able to buy a space for their company, Intivity.

Twenty-eight years later, Intivity is thriving, with $55 million in annual sales. Meanwhile, Kodak didn’t pivot fast enough when computers and digital photography entered the picture; and in 2012, the former king of film photography was forced to declare bankruptcy. It was a lesson not lost on Intivity’s management.

“When Kodak started to run into trouble, we realized we needed to diversify our products and customer base,” says Nate Morales, vice president of the strategic sourcing division. “By then, we were selling contract furniture. We expanded our offerings in various categories and started selling to the state and local government sectors.”

Currently, Nate estimates the New York State government accounts for about 80 percent of Intivity’s business, with healthcare, corporate accounts and nonprofits filling in the remainder. In addition to being a Steelcase dealer, the company offers thousands of products across a wide range of categories, including less traditional segments.

“We sell MRO [maintenance, repair and operations] and industrial supplies—everything from HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] to electrical to lighting to architectural products,” Nate says. “We were there when the governor signed the New York State Minority Women-Owned Executive Order in 2010 pushed by Grainger to proactively add these suppliers, so we offer the entire Grainger catalog.”

Meeting challenges

“The biggest challenge has always been staying relevant

Company info Company: Intivity Headquarters: Rochester, New York Top management: Fabricio Morales, president and CEO; Debby Morales, chief operations officer; Nate Morales, vice president, strategic sourcing division Main wholesaler: Essendant Number of employees: 100 Annual sales: $55 million Online business: 60%

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Fabricio and Debby Morales

Nate and Dana Morales

with customers and making sure we are diversifying our offerings fast enough,” continues Nate. “Technology is also a challenge—making sure e-procurement and our marketing are up to par with the big box stores. We also recognize now a slight weakness: because of how the office environment is changing—we need to get into more audiovisual [AV].” As a result, the company is looking for ways to marry AV with contract furniture.

While Nate admits Amazon and similar entities can be viable competitors, losing business to them is not a major concern. “Amazon is definitely aggressive in its pricing,” he acknowledges. “But not every customer is meant to be ours.

I am not sure we can make every purchase as convenient as Amazon, but we invest in our customers. We ensure we put the right program in place to get them what is needed and provide the right solution for their problems. I don’t believe big box stores do that.”

Successful tactics

According to Nate, Intivity’s success is due to a few key factors: “We stayed lean from an overall corporate perspective, so we are able to pivot quickly. We have great customer relationships, which I believe is the main differentiator for the IDC. Early on, we also learned the importance of diversifying and were able to expand our product offerings. The missing piece is that our product offerings and customer relationships are driven by our people. Much of our competition is switching to inside sales and having customers call an 800 number. When you call us, Robin answers the phone. She knows our customers’ names and they know hers. We offer a more personal experience and that’s a huge part of our secret sauce.”

Finally, Nate has some sage advice for other independent dealers looking toward the future: “Keep an open mind.

How it has been done for years is not always the best.

Maintain that entrepreneurial mindset and continue to look for opportunities. For independent dealers that keep that in mind, I see nothing but growth and success.”

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Industry News

If you have news to share, email it to rowan@idealercentral.com

ISG distributes Q1 rebates, announces awards

Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) has announced the distribution of Q1 2023 rebates to its members.

The total paid out was almost $7.3 million, a 25 percent increase over the same quarter last year. The group said these quarterly rebates are “an end result of buying direct and selling brands.”

“The ISG vendor rebates and the backend funds are a significant part of our bottom line,” said Russ Haley, VP at ISG member Stinson’s. “They are an important part of the true cost of goods and, being a stocking dealer, we pay attention to them to make decisions on what we stock and how we control our first in search.”

ISG’s Q2 2023 rebate distribution is scheduled for mid-September.

Meanwhile, the buying group has announced the winners of the annual awards for its Connexions contract furniture initiative.

The awards ceremony took place at the recent Connexions Grow conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The winners were: • Vendor of the Year 2022: Group Lacasse • Largest Percentage Increase Vendor 2022: Lesro • Dealer of the Year 2022: COS • Small Dealer of the Year 2022: Ideal Office Worx (formerly Bumbarger’s) • Lifetime Achievement Award: Norman Lampert, Eurotech “The Connexions annual meeting is so valuable because of the opportunity to network with manufacturers, likeminded

dealers and industry leaders,” said Tom Triplett of Triplett Office Solutions. “The time together viewing innovative new products, combined with the collaboration and knowledge sharing to gain insights into the state of the industry, emerging trends and exchange of best practices, gives us the ability to lead, and be ahead of the pace of change to develop and grow our business with our partners.”

Kevin Glynn, EVP at Groupe Lacasse added: “The one-on-one customer-facing format provided manufacturers like Groupe Lacasse the access to directly address dealer members’ needs, challenges and opportunities. The conference also featured a presentation

by Solomon Coyle, whose granular and data-driven material provided insightful context and predictive analysis to both the short and long-term future of the contract furnishings industry. Overall, the conference successfully fostered an environment of idea sharing and collaborative problem solving by actively listening and responding to one another in real time—especially critical in a historically challenging business environment.”

Promotions at SPR Wholesaler S.P. Richards (SPR) has announced two senior promotions.

Charles McLaughlin has been promoted from marketing communications manager to senior marketing communications manager. In this role, McLaughlin—who joined SPR in 2021—will be instrumental in driving the company’s marketing communications strategy forward.

Meanwhile, Brian Moore—who also joined the wholesaler two years ago—has been promoted to senior category marketing manager. He will be responsible for developing innovative marketing approaches to all of SPR’s product categories.

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Industry News 2023 NAOPAs shortlist revealed: People’s Choice voting opens The shortlist for the 2023 North American Office Products Awards (NAOPAs) has been revealed and voting for the prestigious People’s Choice award for is now open.

The People’s Choice candidates comprise the best-scoring products from all the entries submitted for the NAOPAs. This year, there are 23 products to choose from and everyone can select their favourite three items.

To take part, visit the People’s Choice voting page and hit the “vote” button on up to three of the products.

The winner will be announced during ISG’s Industry Week taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana from October 8-11.

Here is the People’s Choice shortlist: • 3M – Recycle-Ready: Scotch Box Lock Paper Packaging Tape • 3M – Scotch Unboxing Scissors • ACCO Brands – Quartet Vertical InvisaMount Magnetic Glass Dry-Erase Board • Avery – Durable ID Cards & Badges • Cubii – Cubii Total Body+ • Dealer Delivery Network – The Dealer Delivery Network Hub • Deflecto – OceanMat Chair Mat

• Durable – Mobile TV cart COWORKSATION • Eco-Products – Vegware Renewable and Compostable Food Service Disposables • Fellowes Brands – Fellowes Array Networked Air Purifiers & Monitoring • Ghent – Aria Connect • Ghent – Control Shelving Unit • ITW Pro Brands – SCRUBS NO RINSE Food Surface Disinfectant Wipes • Kantek – Mobile Height Adjustable Sit/Stand Desk • Kensington – H3000 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headset • Kensington – MK7500F QuietType Pro Silent Mechanical Keyboard

• Lavazza North America – FLAVIA Creation 300 + Chill Refresh Brewer • Nook Pod USA – Nook Air • OneScreen – Touchscreen TL7 • OttLite Technologies – Wellness Series SanitizingPro LED Desk Lamp and UV Air Purifier • Prima Edge – PrimaGO • Reckitt – Lysol Pro Solutions Disinfecting Wipes 800 count Bucket and Refill Packs • The HON Company – Flexion They’ll be more details on these entries and the full shortlist will be published in next month’s INDEPENDENT DEALER. More information about Industry Week ‘23 can be found here.

Bolt-on acquisition for Avery Labels specialist Avery continues to expand in the hospitality and events identification segment.

Parent company CCL Industries has confirmed the latest bolt-on acquisition for its subsidiary: UK-based Oomph Made. The company—based in the south of England—is a supplier of RFID and NFC smart cards and wristbands used for hotels, conferences and festivals, etc.

Oomph—which was incorporated in 2000—has a strong sustainability AUGUST 2023

message. All its smart cards are made with 60 percent recycled plastic and it also offers products made from ‘pulper’, a paper-based material that is both recyclable and biodegradable.

CCL CEO Geoff Martin stated: “This acquisition continues to build on Avery’s rapidly growing portfolio of access control, badging and credentials technologies, products and brands focused on the retail, hospitality, live events and conferencing markets.”

INDEPENDENT DEALER

Other previous acquisitions in the same space for Avery include Threshold, ID&C, IDentilam, Badgepoint and pc/nametag.

PAGE 19

Industry News Essendant introduces furniture program, recognizes suppliers Essendant has launched a new workplace furniture fulfillment program called Alera Access Plus.

The wholesaler says the initiative offers a “streamlined process for faster, easier and more cost-effective large order fulfillment” and “optimizes” furniture ordering and delivery in a number of ways.

Two furniture distribution hubs—Sacramento, California and Cranbury, New Jersey—are stocked with over 600 Alera (an Essendant own brand) SKUs. Orders originate from the nearest of the two hubs based on destination zip code and can be shipped within two days for less-than-truckload dock-to-dock delivery.

Dealers can take advantage of an “aggressive” 50/20/20 triple discount off list price, plus prepaid freight on orders over $1,500.

“Furnishing a large space can be a challenging task with simultaneous unknowns: varied stock quantities, unpredictable shipping times and pricing challenges,” said Essendant in a press release. “Alera Access Plus is designed to address those issues.”

Senior sales director Adam Putz explained: “Our customers have been loud and clear that, when it comes to medium-to-large furnishing projects, they need a furniture distributor that has available inventory which can be fulfilled complete in one delivery, on time and at a competitive price.”

This is Essendant’s first furniture program of its kind and it said the customer reception has been “immediate.”

“Within the first month, we saw robust order volume—to date, we have had nearly 500 customers sign up,” Putz added.

In other news, Essendant recognized its top suppliers

during its virtual conference event in July.

The nominees and winners for each category were announced by different members of the Essendant team, with president Harry Dochelli and SVP of sales Renée Starr handling the duties for the final award, Supplier of the Year.

The winners were: • Rising Star: JM Smucker • Content Excellence: Avery • Supply Chain Excellence: Cascades • Portfolio Management: TOPS • Sales Collaboration: GOJO • Supplier of the Year: Kimberly-Clark The awards preceded a virtual trade show that featured around 60 Essendant suppliers across multiple product categories.

New CEO at Static Control

Aftermarket supplies and components supplier Static Control has appointed Juan Carlos Bonell as its new CEO. Bonell joined Static Control in 2006 and since then has held different sales positions, most recently as VP of international sales. In this role, the company said he was instrumental in sales and growth for Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and other regions of the world.

Since the middle of last year, Bonell has led an executive management committee at the Ninestar-owned company following the retirement of previous CEO Ken Lalley. The new CEO will continue to serve as the managing director of the firm’s European operations.

AUGUST 2023

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T UV RESISRTAONOF P R WATE

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Industry News

Amazon to face FTC lawsuit, report says The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon that will target the e-tailer’s core online business.

The lawsuit is expected to claim the Seattle-based company has improperly used its power to reward online merchants which use its logistics services while penalizing those that do not, Bloomberg reported.

Third-party merchants pay commissions to Amazon on each sale as well as for the services —warehousing, shipping and advertising—it provides. Although the fees are optional, the FTC alleges Amazon’s algorithm places merchants that do not pay the fee at a competitive disadvantage.

FTC Chair Lina Khan has been preparing the complaint for several months and finalizing details, according to Reuters. However, the antitrust case has been looming for much longer as Bloomberg—citing documents— reported Amazon received notice of the initial investigation in 2019.

The documents allegedly included questions about how using Amazon’s warehousing and delivery services impacted third-party sellers’ product placements on its online marketplace—for example, the boxes on the website which make some products more prominent.

The court papers are expected to be filed before the FTC undergoes personnel changes in August. While it is possible a settlement will be reached before the charges are formally filed, the FTC Chair is reportedly seeking a restructuring of Amazon’s business model. This result would likely prompt appeals from the e-tailer.

The potential suit is one in a string of actions taken against Amazon by the FTC and EU lawmakers over the past year. One legal battle ended in December when the European Commission accepted an agreement from Amazon stating it would change its business practices in Europe. Its commitments included no longer using third-party seller data to inform its own retail decisions. Also, it agreed to grant sellers equal access to its Buy Box and Prime program.

More recently, the FTC filed a complaint over the way the e-tailer enrolls customers onto its Prime

program. The suit claimed Amazon “knowingly duped” millions of customers into subscribing to Amazon Prime and the “primary purpose of its cancellation process was not to enable subscribers to cancel, but to stop them.” Amazon denied the allegations and called the FTC’s claims “false on the facts and the law.”

In addition, the federal agency has been investigating Amazon’s $1.7 billion deal for Roomba vacuum maker iRobot as well as the 2018 deal with Apple to sell iPhones, iPads and other devices on Amazon’s marketplace.

Amazon has demanded Khan withdraw from antitrust investigations into its business given her past criticisms of the company—she wrote a scholarly paper on Amazon’s market dominance while a Yale Law School student—but the FTC Chair has so far declined to do so.

Amazon and the FTC have not yet commented on the press reports.

Shachihata names CEO

Shachihata USA has appointed Masaaki Okuno as its new president and CEO. Okuno has been at the writing instruments and stamps manufacturer for more than two decades. He was most recently an executive officer at its global business division.

Martin Clemente, the long-serving national sales manager at Shachihata USA, commented: “Masa has been a friend and mentor for over 25 years. I know he has the leadership capabilities and knowledge to help us grow and meet our aggressive goals.”

AUGUST 2023

INDEPENDENT DEALER

» PAGE 22

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Industry News

ECI launches ERP for SMBs ECI Software Solutions has launched a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) offering that supports small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

According to ECI, the new offering—Deacom Essentials— provides companies with a revenue of between $5-$50 million a customized, cost-effective cloud-ERP solution. It can support SMBs just starting their cloud transformation journey, as well as

more mature companies that are ready to scale up.

ECI’s manufacturing division president Matt Heery said: “In today’s environment, SMBs are hyper-focused on getting the job done efficiently. However, given the speed at which the world is innovating and digitally transforming, manufacturers need to migrate to the cloud to increase resiliency and build a business for the future.”

Matt Riesenbach, Deacom senior product manager, added: “Deacom Essentials levels the playing field for smaller players in the industry who are looking for a leading ERP system that is affordable and effective.”

Deacom is aimed at manufacturing companies, including those within the food and beverage, chemical, health and beauty, and pharma and life sciences industries.

AUGUST 2023

Canon makes top management changes

Canon USA has announced several new executive promotions.

The executive appointments, which took effect July 1, include: • Brian Mahar, general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group. He has also been appointed to the executive leadership team and will serve as chairman of Canon Information Technology Services.

• Peter Kowalczuk, chairman and CEO, Canon Business Process Services, in conjunction with his current position as president of Canon Solutions America.

• Mark Walker, president of Canon Business Process Services.

• John Zaharias, VP of Canon Solutions America.

In addition, Joe Marciano retired as president and CEO of Canon Business Process Services, and Tony Kano retired as general manager of the Imaging Technologies and Communications Group.

Senior management change at SSI Dealer technology provider System Solutions (SSI) has announced a change in its senior management structure.

Former VP John Evans has been named as the company president, effective immediately. Evans has been involved with the office products industry since 1988 in a range of positions. In 2003, he and SSI founder Terry Kelly purchased SSI from PointForce and Evans has served as VP ever since.

The Canada-based company, which announced its webstore redesign in May, stressed the change will be “virtually invisible to customers”.

Former president Charles Russell said: “Terry and I aren’t going anywhere … but with the youngest member of senior management taking a more visible role, dealers can be confident that we are making plans for the future.”

He added: “The three of us have always had specific areas of responsibility: John handles sales, I oversee operations and Terry manages the financial side of the business. That’s not going to change. But SSI has been growing and, with John taking on additional management duties, I will have more time to focus on software development, customer support and dealer installations.”

There are no changes in the software provider’s ownership, which consists of Evans, Kelly and Russell.

INDEPENDENT DEALER

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Industry News Paper Excellence makes organizational changes Paper Excellence has announced an updated organizational structure for its business units following the acquisitions of Resolute Forest Products in March 2023 and Domtar in November 2021.

Steve Henry, currently Domtar COO, has been named president of the paper and packaging business unit with responsibility for all legacy Domtar pulp, paper and packaging operations, as well as Paper Excellence Canada’s Port Alberni and Crofton mills. Henry is an experienced pulp and paper executive with 28 years of industry expertise, and has previously worked for International Paper, Weyerhaeuser and Georgia-Pacific.

The leader of the Pulp and Tissue business unit, consisting of all legacy

Resolute pulp, paper and tissue operations as well as the non-integrated Paper Excellence Canada pulp mills, will be announced at a later date.

Until then, Richard Tremblay, SVP of operations, and John Lafave, SVP of sales, will serve as co-leaders of the division.

Meanwhile, Hugues Simon will continue to serve as president of the wood products business unit.

All four senior execs will report to the Paper Excellence management board, which is chaired by non-executive chairman John Williams, the former CEO of Domtar.

Resolute CEO Remi Lalonde, CFO Sylvain Girard and chief legal officer Stephanie Leclaire will all leave the organization, effective September 1.

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Industry News

Grainger plans new Oregon distribution center Maintenance, repair and operations reseller Grainger has announced plans to open a 500,000 sq ft distribution center in Gresham, Oregon.

Grainger plans to break ground this summer and complete the building in 2025. The company anticipates the new facility will employ around 80 team members initially, but will eventually reach 150 employees. It is also expected to house 135,000+ industrial supply items, from power tools to power transmission equipment and motors.

The “highly automated” building will be constructed on a vacant 48 acres of land in an industrial area. It is in addition to 10 other locations that Grainger operates in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. The reseller is also opening two bulk warehouses in Pennsylvania and Texas in September, plus a third in North Carolina in 2024.

President of global supply chain and customer experience Barry Greenhouse said: “The Pacific Northwest is a market we’ve identified as a strategic expansion location to stock many more products than we do today, benefiting more local customers.”

AUGUST 2023

INDEPENDENT DEALER

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Industry News

Four more acquisitions for Imperial Dade

North American jan/san reseller Imperial Dade has made further gains in Minnesota and California, and entered two new markets with its latest acquisitions.

Its most recent add is the Minnesota-based Apache Group.

Founded by Joe Adrian in 1971 and headquartered near St Paul, Apache is a reseller of foodservice packaging products throughout the US Midwest. Imperial Dade said the business would enable it to grow its presence across Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Midwest region.

The private equity-backed business has also bought Atlantis Packaging, a distributor of industrial products based in Chino, east of Los Angeles. Atlantis—established 50 years ago—is headed by Eric Rodriguez, son of the company’s founder.

Next up, the reselling juggernaut has acquired Hawaii’s Triple F Distributing from US firm Inversion Diversified Holdings. Founded in 1978, Triple F is a supplier of janitorial and food service supplies that is particularly strong in the tourism and hospitality space. It has made several acquisitions over the years and now has locations on all the main Hawaiian Islands.

Its day-to-day operations are run by company president Paul Ah Cook and a long-tenured local management team, which will remain in place following the acquisition.

Meanwhile, Imperial Dade has made its first move into the Dallas market with the purchase of Lovan Industries. Lovan has been serving the Dallas area since 1980 and is currently headed by Mike Gilliam, son of the company’s founder.

These deals are the 65th, 66th, 67th and 68th acquisitions for Imperial Dade under the leadership of Bob and Jason Tillis.

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Industry News

IAI names Longshore as VP US rep group Institutional Associates (IAI) has promoted industry veteran Kevin Longshore to VP, effective August 1.

In the role, Longshore will provide more hands-on service with current manufacturers and future prospects.

In addition, he will explore new opportunities in both traditional and emerging markets, inside and outside of the office products and furniture sectors.

“Kevin is a proven leader with over 20 years in the industry. He delivers a unique set of leadership skills and the wisdom to enhance the overall growth of the company,” stated IAI in a press release.

CEO Pete Gebhardt added: “Simply put, Kevin has earned this opportunity

to advance his career here at IAI. The team understands the value of leadership in an ever-changing industry and Kevin will continue to lead by example in this new position.”

RJ Schinner expands in California Jan/san and food service redistributor RJ Schinner will shortly open a facility in Southern California.

The company is set to open a 120,000-sq-ft distribution center in Norco in July. The warehouse—its 20th location—will serve customers south of a line between San Luis Obispo, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

RJ Schinner is also expanding its operations in Minnesota. The current 75,000-sq-ft facility in Oakdale will be replaced with a new 125,000-sq-ft building in Cottage Grove, which is scheduled for completion in January 2024.

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Industry News

Diversey deal closes

The previously announced acquisition of jan/san vendor Diversey by chemicals group Solenis has been finalized.

The $4.6 billion deal officially closed on July 5. It means Solenis has now grown to become an enterprise operating in over 130 countries, with 71 manufacturing facilities and more than 15,000 employees. The business was acquired by Platinum Equity in 2021, but Diversey’s former owner Bain Capital now has a minority stake following this transaction.

Platinum Equity managing director Nathan Eldridge said Solenis’ strategy includes “additional acquisitions in core and adjacent markets going forward.” We could therefore see further consolidation in the cleaning and hygiene vendor channel as Diversey flexes its muscles under its new ownership.

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BradyIFS acquires along east coast

US food service and jan/san reseller BradyIFS has expanded its presence along the East Coast of the country with the acquisition of FPC Distribution.

Wilson Roe founded FPC Distribution—serving Maryland and Virginia—in 1953 and it has served businesses with food service, dry goods and jan/ san products ever since. Richard Roe assumed leadership from his father in 1982.

The acquisition is one of a series of expansions by BradyIFS this year, most recently in California with the acquisition of Gorm in early June.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

INDEPENDENT DEALER

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In Memoriam

In memoriam: Howard Green, Iceberg INDEPENDENT DEALER was saddened to learn of the passing of Howard Green, CEO of Iceberg Enterprises and the former president of Quartet Manufacturing.

Howard founded Iceberg in 1999 along with a group of colleagues from Quartet (which was later acquired by ACCO Brands). He grew the business into a leading supplier in the office furniture and visual communications sectors in the US. He supported many arts and cultural organizations in the Chicago area and was the former board chair of the Old Town School of Folk Music. Howard was an avid cyclist, Chicago Cubs fan and lover of Mexican food.

A service for friends and family took place on July 27. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Old Town School of Folk Music Financial Aid Program.

INDPENDENT DEALER extends its deepest sympathies to Howard’s wife, Lisa, and all their family and friends.

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WSA Focus

Keeping close to your customer Mike Tucker, executive director, Workplace Solutions Association

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

- Mark Twain If you earned your living in the office products industry back in the 1980s or 1990s, there was a real sense that you were on the right track. Fueled by steady growth in the size of the workforce and increased investment in office equipment of all kinds, the industry was expanding at a rate well in excess of the general economy.

The office market is no longer a growth market and the competition AUGUST 2023

facing independent dealers has probably never been tougher than it is today. That said, our industry is still flush with opportunities; but finding the right track to follow is far from easy. Independent dealers have more potential growth opportunities available to them today than at any other time in recent memory. They must stay alert to the changing nature of customers’ needs and be ready to respond to these evolving needs with intelligence and imagination.

Fortunately, this is one area where local dealers have considerable INDEPENDENT DEALER

advantages over their larger competitors. Most local dealers are much closer to their customers than national chains and internet resellers, and are better positioned to recognize changing needs. And being smaller, they can respond with far more agility than larger organizations with more bureaucratic corporate structures.

Admittedly, most independent dealers can’t match the sophisticated market research departments of their larger competitors. But there is still much that can be done to track new market forces and anticipate changing customer needs without making major investments in time or personnel. All that’s required is a commitment to ongoing dialog with the customer.

This could involve engaging with marketing consultants, peer groups, surveys or industry networking; or it may involve nothing more than casual conversations over lunch with select customers on a regular basis.

Whatever form it takes, dealers must recognize that no one has a more important opinion on their business and the direction it should take than their customers. Above all else, you must be willing to respond to what they have to say.

In today’s market, the messages that dealers are hearing often relate to e-commerce and software; but this is not always the case. Each market is unique and certainly some traditional product categories still have strong potential. The key is not so much the product category, but rather the dealer’s ability to identify the needs of the customer in its market and come up with a program that meets those needs effectively and profitably.

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WSA Focus

Credit card companies are squeezing small businesses—and Congress By: Paul A. Miller, Workplace Solutions Association, legislative counsel

Credit cards are a blessing and a curse for small businesses. They make it easier to order supplies, inventory and just about anything else a small business needs. Credit cards also come with some perks, I guess, in the form of airmiles, cashback and other rewards. But they also come with pages of fine print that can literally nickel and dime a small business to death.

We’ve all heard the slogans and seen the ads in which credit card companies tell us how great they are. Here are some examples of the slogans that credit card companies use to reel us in: “Chase Ink Business Cards: The Perfect Partner for Your Small Business.” l “Chase for Business: Built to Help You Grow.” l “Visa: The Way to Pay, for Small Businesses Today.” l “American Express: Don’t Do Business Without It.” l

AUGUST 2023

They are all catchy; and when they appear on the TV screen, they become even more appealing. But what the credit card companies aren’t telling you is that they are raking in billions off your sales. Their ads make it sound like they care about your business; when in reality, they need you to believe this, so it feels less painful each month when they take their cut. They don’t just get you once; they get you on all fronts. First, they get you with their interchange fees—the charges paid by the merchant’s bank to the cardholder’s bank for each transaction.

Then there is the assessment fee, which is imposed by the credit card company on transactions processed on its network. Then you have the processing fees, which are charged by the credit card processors to the merchant for handling the transaction.

Finally, you have the mark-up, or what I call the “because we can” fee—an additional fee charged by some credit INDEPENDENT DEALER

card companies on consumers who use a credit card to purchase items.

Some call this a cost of doing business. Others call it a monopoly that has gotten out of control. I like to think of it as the neighborhood loan shark who you borrow money from. You don’t just repay the principal; they whack you with ridiculous rates for each day the money isn’t repaid. The difference is, with credit card companies, it’s legal. They don’t break your legs if you don’t repay; they ruin your credit score. Which can be about the same level of pain.

I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. But what you might not know is there is a growing movement across the country and in Congress to finally fix this problem for small businesses. Over the past two Congresses, key members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have been pushing legislation that aims to lower credit card processing fees by increasing competition among credit card processors. A grand goal, you might say; but with the power and money behind the credit card companies, you might also be thinking “Not a chance this will get passed.” In the past, you would have been right.

Up until recently, even I was a skeptic.

However, things are starting to break a bit in our favor—or are at least scaring credit card companies into believing this has a shot of becoming law.

The Credit Card Competition Act (S. 1838/ H.R. 3881) would require banks with more than $100 billion in assets to process electronic credit transactions on no fewer than two affiliated networks, one of which must be outside of Visa’s or Mastercard’s network. This change would be a big win for the PAGE 33

WSA Focus small business community. When we band together, we can compete with the large corporate giants. The playing field will never be level, but we can use our numbers to win this battle—and that is exactly what we are doing.

The legislation prohibits credit card issuers from restricting the number of payment card networks on which an electronic credit transaction may be processed. Specifically, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System must prohibit certain credit card issuers with assets of over $100 billion from restricting the number of networks on which credit card transactions may be processed to one network, two or more networks operated by affiliated networks or persons, or the two networks with the largest market share of credit cards issued.

Additionally, credit card issuers will be prohibited from imposing certain limitations on the routing of electronic credit transactions, such as through penalties for failure to meet a specified threshold of transactions on a particular payment card network. The board must also provide for the designation of payment card networks that pose a

AUGUST 2023

security risk to the United States or that are owned, operated or sponsored by a foreign state entity.

Under the Credit Card Competition Act, the Federal Reserve would issue regulations within a year ensuring that banks in four-party card systems with assets of over $100 billion cannot restrict the number of networks on which an electronic credit transaction may be processed to fewer than two unaffiliated networks, at least one of which must be outside of the top two largest networks.

To help us move the needle, the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA) has joined several industry coalitions which are united in their commitment to ensuring this legislation reaches the president’s desk this year. Our first shot was when Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) offered an amendment to the recent National Defense Reauthorization Bill in the form of S. 1838. That strategy sent shockwaves across the credit card industry. Every credit card lobbyist scrambled to Capitol Hill to lock down votes in opposition to the amendment; you couldn’t walk down a corridor on Capitol Hill without bumping into

INDEPENDENT DEALER

a lobbyist representing a credit card company. But that was not the case for the small business community—not because this isn’t important to all of us, but because our small businesses are scattered all over the country and can’t just turn up in Washington to fight an amendment of this magnitude without more advance notice. And even then, the cost of doing so can be prohibitive. That leaves the fight to those lobbyists representing major trade associations. We are good; but I have to admit, battles like this become challenging because of the deep pockets of these corporate giants. Not impossible, just challenging.

When push came to shove, we lost this round. Sen. Marshall withdrew his amendment on the promise given to him by Senate leadership that he would get a floor vote on S. 1838 this year. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Leadership could have just walked away from this issue, and it would have died. Instead, we got half a loaf, as they say in Washington.

This commitment now gives us more time to educate those members who are sitting on the fence. More time gives us the opportunity to mobilize more small businesses across the country in every congressional district and state. With Congress adjourned on a six-week recess, we can use this time to deploy true grassroots tactics in every state. This is our opportunity to share with members of Congress and the public just how greedy credit card companies have become. This is our chance to use the words of the credit card companies against them.

The credit card companies have said they will spend whatever is needed to defeat our legislation. That tells you just how much money they are raking in from your business each year.

I won’t to lie to you: this remains an uphill battle. We are outgunned and outfinanced. But that doesn’t mean PAGE 34

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WSA Focus we can’t win. Just look back on what people previously said about the Big Box stores: they said we were outgunned and outfinanced then too, yet we won those battles. We can do the same here. The difference today is that we have joined forces with other small business trade groups, which has grown our grassroots army to a point that has the credit card companies worried. The difference is the belief that this can get done.

When Congress reconvenes in early September, the race to get this bill floor time in the Senate will be a full court press by both sides. We are not taking time off this August like Congress. We are continuing to work the phones, our members and congressional staff on the importance of this issue. Small business took a beating during COVID-19. Our

large corporate counterparts were allowed to stay open while states shut so many small businesses down. This legislation will not only help small businesses recover from a global pandemic, but will break up a monopoly and require competition in the credit card processing system.

Competition is what this country was built on. It’s what allowed small businesses like Microsoft to become corporate titans. The same goes for credit card companies.

We aren’t asking for some competitive advantage. We are asking that more companies be allowed to compete for our business. We tell consumers that competition is good, as it offers them more options for their dollars. Why shouldn’t the same apply to small businesses, which are the job creators in this country? If you have a

good product, your services will win out. If you are riding the monopoly you have on credit card processing without servicing your customers well, I’d be concerned.

I need wrap up this article, as I need to get back up to Capitol Hill to twist a few arms in your favor.

Join the WSA in this effort. Join us by writing to your members of Congress telling them how important competition is in this area and what it means to your bottom line. Let Congress know that the time is now to act to allow for more options in the credit card processing space. Ask them why they won’t support allowing companies to compete for your business.

While Congress is back home on vacation, we are pounding the pavement preparing to win this vote in the fall!

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Visit aopd.com/alisa to continue reading why she chose to join AOPD

» MAY 2023

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Cover Story Many members of the IDC have diversified their offerings, expanding into furniture, janitorial and breakroom supplies, and printing and promotional materials. Increasingly, however, dealers have begun delving into more unusual areas to increase their customer base and profits.

By Lisa Veeck

AUGUST 2023

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Cover Story “Like most dealers who service commercial offices, in March 2020, our revenues fell 50 percent,” says David Guernsey, CEO of Guernsey Inc. in Dulles, Virginia. “We are now up over 70 percent from our record year in 2019, but Washington D.C. is on the top 10 list of cities where people aren’t back in the office. Most of the federal government isn’t back, except for the high-security areas where the work can’t be done from home, and businesses here watch to see what the feds do. For example, the state doesn’t want to demand its workers come back for fear they will lose the workers to the federal government. It’s similar with companies here.”

Replacing this lost revenue has required some innovative thinking.

“Our newest addition is a service we call Guernsey Logistics,” continues Guernsey. “We partnered with Global Freight Forwarding, a company specializing in security freight. It helped us get several drivers and managers certified by Homeland Security, so we have clearance to move cargo to and from airports and other secure locations.”

Guernsey chose the secure freight business for a reason: “We have more than 40 trucks, including 16-foot box vans and 20-foot trucks with liftgates.

We are located right outside Dulles Airport and close to the Baltimore/ Washington International and Reagan Airports. Also, however, we’ve never considered ourselves an office products company. We see ourselves as a distribution business that distributes office products, furniture, breakroom or whatever customers need. We have warehouse people and drivers, and we have always moved stuff. For customers moving from one location to another, we move all their cubicles and even re-install them if needed. In short, we have the infrastructure in place and have spent a considerable amount of money building it. We didn’t want to open a restaurant or open a bakery. We wanted to leverage our existing assets. In our strategic planning, we always seek opportunities to use what we have.”

Sustainable options

Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota,1st Source Business Supplies has 10

employees and does approximately $6 million in annual sales. According to president and CEO Greg McLeod, the company has leveraged its beliefs to diversify its offerings within the food service arena. “We still sell it if a customer really wants it, but we are doing our best to avoid Styrofoam for environmental reasons, so we sell very little of it,” he explains. “Instead, we sell a lot of fiber-based products made out of bamboo and sugarcane, for example; and 95 percent of what we sell is PFAS free. Often, food service products are made from materials that are better for the environment but then are sprayed with potentially cancer-causing formulas to prevent the grease from leaking through the container. We have found ones that hold up on their own. We sell thousands of products; most are biodegradable or full-blown compostable.” According to McLeod, some of the company’s newest offerings to the lineup include rippled coffee cups that don’t need to be double cupped or require a sleeve, and biodegradable pizza boxes with windows.

Gloves are another top seller for 1st Source, but not necessarily those that

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Cover Story were big during the pandemic. “We sold a lot of PPE during COVID-19, but we sell about 350 different types of gloves,” says McLeod. “These include ones for manufacturing. One of our accounts is the biggest vegetable processing plant in America, and we sell them eight different color-coded gloves because they have to use the right glove for the food type due to allergies. They can’t operate without them, so it is good for repeat business.”

Maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) is another less traditional sales category for 1st Source: “There are a lot of different definitions of MRO, but for us, it is industrial supplies—things like hand tools, belts, fasteners, hydraulics; everything a manufacturer needs. We are doing a lot in that.”

Driven to diversify

As for Guernsey, the COVID-19 pandemic drove 1st Source’s latest product diversifications. “We started getting into these areas during the pandemic, which opened our eyes that

we needed to diversify more,” explains McLeod. “During the pandemic, we sold stuff I never would have thought we would. But if we hadn’t been nimble enough to pivot, we would not be in business today. The pandemic supply chain issues drove us to seek other vendors and products we could sell and network with new people. It also helps that some vendors in these categories are asleep at the wheel; or maybe they don’t have as good technology or distribution systems, making it easier for us to enter.”

Stepping out and up

McLeod believes that one benefit of some of the less traditional sales is that they build stronger bonds: “We are deliberately working to get into more strategic products with better gross margins than office products. We are looking for products that allow us to build relationships with more of the true decision-makers. The people buying some of these new categories have a deeper appreciation of relationships;

they remember the supply chain issues.

These relationships are stickier and allow us to talk and form relationships at the C-level. It’s more impactful than selling a pen or pencil; we like being more important. It helps us sleep better at night!”

But that’s not to say McLeod doesn’t understand the importance of office products. “They are still a huge part of our business and can act as a gateway to get in the door,” he says. “But we want to avoid being pigeonholed and let them know we have other things.”

Charlie Kennedy is CEO and co-owner of Kennedy Office, Raleigh, NC, an independent dealer with 65 employees that did $19 million in sales last year. One of the company’s largest customer segments is banking, which has led the company to sell some unusual products.

“We do $30,000 a year in the lollipops the banks give out,” he says. “We also sell them dog treats and stickers for kids, like Hanna Montana or whatever is currently popular.”

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Cover Story

Some of the less traditional products the company sells aren’t necessarily new; they’ve just added a twist. “We’ve done safety items for a while, but we now sell ice melt kits that include the ice melt plus a shovel, gloves and a vest,” continues Kennedy. “And right now, we are preparing our Kennedy for Kids back-to-school kits that include 1,000 or so different boxes. They have many of the usual items, but now many have headphones and earbuds in blue, green, pink and other colors.”

The school kits—which are filled

by Kennedy Office and shipped to school for distributions, so the children receive them with their names on them on the first day of school—are built using state-of-the-art software.

“We use a program called ClassKits. com that makes it easy,” explains purchasing manager Kim Gullick. “It automatically keeps track of every step and includes purchasing and packing reports. It would be impossible to do through our DDS system, as we’d AUGUST 2023

have to enter every item manually and transfer it all to a spreadsheet, and would not have a packing list.”

According to Kennedy, certain products stand out for the volumes in which they are bought. “Thermal paper that restaurants and banks use for receipts is one thing we sell a lot of that isn’t necessarily out of the ordinary; but the quantity is,” he explains. “With sales of $500,000 to $600,000 annually, it’s probably our fourth-biggest seller.

It’s the kind of thing you can go to town with. It has good margins—we go in with a higher price and still beat their previous pricing. It’s also a good lead-in. We go in with the thermal rolls and the rest comes with them.

One of our sales reps just won 50 gas station locations with them. From there, we install paper towel and soap dispensers, and sell them trash bags.”

And in terms of the most unusual product the company sells? “We have a large jewelry account with 200 to 300 locations,” says Kennedy.

“We stock all their jewelry bags and INDEPENDENT DEALER

felt-lined hinged boxes that hold rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

The company started buying office products from us and it bloomed into the jewelry containers, which adds up to about $150,000 more a year.

“Also, this isn’t an odd product, but the jewelry store was looking for the best glass cleaner and towels. The glass is very important for displaying jewelry to look its best, so they wanted to find the best one and asked us to do the testing. So we did, and now we sell them the cleaner and microfiber.”

Diverse advice

When it comes to advice for other dealers, Kennedy suggests that an open mind is crucial. “Listen and be willing to do more for your best customers,” he suggests. “Be inquisitive. We tell everyone on our team to ask, ‘What are you having trouble getting from a vendor?’ It opens doors just like that. One customer we have, Merry Maids, wanted a specific dolly with a handle on the top to hold its PAGE 39

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Cover Story specific cleaners and towels, and was having trouble finding them. We found this out because our rep asked. Now, they buy them all from us in bulk.”

Guernsey’s advice is straightforward: “Dealers should be thinking very much in terms of their infrastructure and the qualifications of their people, and how these can be leveraged in other areas. Ask, ‘What

do we do, and who do we do it for?’ It’s all about leveraging what you already have in place.”

McLeod also recommends maintaining broad horizons: “Don’t be afraid to get new categories. Overcome inertia. Be creative and open minded; like us, be willing to pay the ‘dumb tax.’ None of our mistakes were fatal.

You don’t have to go in blind, and you

don’t have to bet the farm. Do your research, network, follow the threads, then breathe and go for it. In some of our new areas, we are getting known.

On the local level, people are starting to ask, ‘Who are these guys?’”

And if a dealer isn’t ready to leap into the unknown? McLeod suggests, “Partner with a company like us that has already paid the dumb tax.”

Air purifiers: a hot topic makes for a hot seller

quality [IAQ] isn’t necessarily a driver bringing people back into the office, but there’s more awareness around the invisible, like air. Carbon Lighthouse found 82 percent of millennials feel safer in an office environment where they know something is being done to improve IAQ.” That “something” includes real-time data transparency. In the same Carbon Lighthouse study, 78 percent of people reported being more likely to book a hotel room with real-time IAQ data, leading researchers to consider IAQ a driver for economic growth.

This growing trend has not been lost on Fellowes, which recently launched ARRAY, an advanced air quality system with “smart” components that talk to one another, integrate the highest levels of filtration, and use sensors to

produce and share real-time data with facility managers.

“In our new state-of-the-art facility in Chicago, we can show dealers how the systems monitor IAQ in real time. They can see the quality when they first look and how it changes up or down. They can see, for example, that there is more or less carbon dioxide or volatile organic compounds as more people enter or leave the room and watch the system adjust itself. This real-time observable data is a huge selling point.”

Lyde also believes the selection of units makes sales easier. “We have units that can be retrofitted into existing HVAC units; ones that can be mounted on the wall, hung from above or plugged in,” she says. “We don’t just offer one solution. It depends on the space and the customer’s needs.”

Pre-COVID-19, few office product dealers thought much about air purifiers—or thought much of them. As one dealer recalls: “I’d go into schools and try to sell them, and they would just about laugh me out the door. I thought I’d made a mistake carrying them. But then COVID-19 hit. They became a top seller virtually overnight.”

While COVID-19 numbers have dropped, sales of air purifiers remain strong, for several reasons.

“For most dealers, COVID-19 was the initial driver behind customer interest in air purification systems,” says Arti Lyde, global general manager for air quality management at Fellowes Brands, the manufacturer of some of the most popular air purifiers on the market. “Now, however, there are new factors driving sales. For one, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers has been focusing heavily on developing air quality standards for HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] manufacturers. The organization recently released its first standard around controlling infectious aerosols and is working on others. Also, there wasn’t as much concern with air quality in the past; but now, with not just COVID-19, but also the flu, wildfires, and smog in metropolitan areas, the air quality is worse outside; and that air is being brought inside. Good indoor air AUGUST 2023

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Cover Story

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Tom Buxton

TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT PRICES —THAT IS THE VITAL QUESTION

A fascinating question has recently appeared among the dealers that we create pricing plans for, in partnership with ECI. The overall volume of the dealers that work with Margin Accelerator (MA) is approaching $300 million per year, so their questions are vital to us; and maybe your dealership should consider them too. The main question they have been asking themselves and us is: “Is our company priced too high for the current marketplace?” This article will hopefully provide some insight into whether your pricing could be too high and whether there are cases in which cutting prices to some extent would AUGUST 2023

be the best option for your dealership.

Within our program, we attempt to make all changes minor and almost unnoticeable, unless the dealer requests otherwise.

But there are still some instances where a customer or a rep complains about a high price. This is generally caused by a product in the matrices that has had very little or no sales in the prior months. And in most cases, either the cost from the wholesaler rose or the margin was always quite high.

So, it is understandable when a customer or rep “freaks out.” For some dealers, we have lowered all items on matrices that have had no sales in the past six

months to 40 percent gross margin or lower, but have always counseled caution, because there are many “A” items where the dealer’s margin is less than 15 percent. Margin degradation can and does occur quickly if care isn’t taken to ensure that overall yield is maintained.

In summary, our sales data reveals that the following three issues are the most prevalent drivers of pricing complaints: • location (MA dealers are headquartered in either very high or somewhat low areas in terms of the amount of competition); • sensitivity of the salesforce to price changes; and

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In addition to serving as national sales manager for AOPD, Tom Buxton, founder and CEO of the InterBizGroup consulting organization, works with independent office products dealers to help increase sales and profitability. Tom is also the author of a book on effective business development, Dating the Gatekeeper.

For more information, visit www.interbiz group.com.

• the level and type of customer complaints, which can vary dramatically.

Oddly enough, the location of the dealer seems to have the least impact on the levels of pricing pressure, while salesforce concerns—at least with the dealers we serve—result in the most fear. Customer comments about price increases within the dealers we manage pricing for rank somewhere in the middle, but never approach the “DEFCON 5” level that rep complaints can reach.

Please don’t misunderstand—reps often have the ear of their customers; but the ironic PAGE 42

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Tom Buxton fact is that the dealers we serve that don’t have their salespeople involved in pricing analysis generally maintain the highest margins. This is something for every manager and owner to consider as we discuss whether to lower pricing when your costs go down.

We brought this conundrum to MA dealers a few months ago when one of the wholesalers told dealers that they were going to lower their private label pricing.

A few dealers decided to lower the prices whenever the costs went down, while others determined to make up for lost margin in the past by maintaining their prices.

In this case, there were no wrong answers. The dealers who maintained the same prices didn’t receive many complaints (at least that we were told about); and those that did lower their prices didn’t hear anything one way or another. I think you will agree, quiet is good when it comes to pricing.

However, we are beginning to see more price decreases in the marketplace; and very recently, a few of our dealers have been asked to reduce prices on specific items in order to come closer to the prices of Amazon, Office Depot and Staples. (You can’t afford to match the market unless your company buys as well as your large competitors, which is very doubtful.)

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With these concerns in mind, we have come up with some possible solutions: • You can begin to manage margins based upon your July 1 cost files and ignore the increases from earlier in the year if you want to. To be clear, these changes won’t eliminate all “one-off” complaints about your price being higher than, say, Amazon’s on a given day.

• If you haven’t considered lowering your non-selling items to a lower margin, please consider it now.

• If possible, take your reps out of daily margin management. They are generally terrible at raising prices and can destroy your margins quickly if they cut too many prices. (But remember, I love reps and I am one, so don’t think that this point is an attempt to denigrate

them or their value to your dealership!)

• Matrices are designed to price your least emotional items and if you are receiving numerous complaints from customers about a specific product, it should be placed on a custom contract, or the customer should be moved to a lower matrix.

• If you haven’t agreed to ignore list price before, please allow prices to move above list in the future. List price is different depending on which wholesaler you use, and which competitor you are being compared to—Office Depot’s list price, when it can be found, is up to 20 percent higher, especially on private label, and is not easily obtained except on some independent dealer websites. The margin improvement will

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be large, because so many items that you buy from a wholesaler are within a few points of the list.

• If you have bargained for a lower copy paper price, lower the price to your customers by a little bit and let your reps “brag” to them about it. (This can make everyone happier and more loyal.)

Obviously, if you feel like you can’t move forward with these ideas without assistance, we would be eager to hear from you. But if you have a team involved in margin management, please consider these suggestions, and implement them quickly.

Many of your costs are now in the process of being reduced, so make changes if necessary. The rest of 2023 will be much different than the last few years have been in terms of pricing. Be sure you have a plan and work it.

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Troy Harrison

THE TOP FOUR TRENDS THAT WILL DRIVE SALES INTO THE FUTURE The sales profession is at a turning point. I’ve been saying for years that sales is changing faster than ever before, so pardon me if I sound repetitive; but sales is changing faster than ever before—it’s changing faster than it was last year, or the year before that. The reasons are technological, generational and even cultural. Essentially, there are four big trends that will drive sales into the future, and I plan to be at the forefront of them; which means that if you’re reading this column, you will be, too. Here they are …

gives you are something I couldn’t have even imagined a couple of years ago!

Younger buyers: a shift in sales dynamics The rise of the digital generation has given birth to a new breed of buyers: younger, tech-savvy individuals who have grown up in a connected world.

These buyers expect personalized experiences, instant access to information and seamless digital interactions. To succeed in this new era, salespeople must understand and adapt

to the needs and preferences of younger buyers. This requires proficiently incorporating technology, embracing social selling and modifying your current methods of approaching customers. One refrain I hear about younger buyers is this: “Younger buyers don’t want to see salespeople!”

Not true. They will see salespeople—but when they do, they expect more per-minute value for their time. They expect you to be on game, informed and ready to help them do business.

And if you aren’t, you

Troy Harrison is the Sales Navigator and the author of “Sell Like You Mean It” and “The Pocket Sales Manager.” He helps companies navigate the Elements of Sales on their journey to success. He offers a free 45-minute Sales Strategy Review. To schedule, call 913-645-3603 or e-mail Troy@ TroyHarrison.com. probably won’t get a second shot. I actually empathize with this; as anyone who has ever sold to me can attest, these have been my habits. Maybe everyone else is catching up with me!

Younger salespeople: embracing fresh perspectives Just as younger buyers are shaping the sales landscape,

Artificial intelligence: transforming the sales landscape Artificial intelligence (AI) will be a game-changer in the sales industry.

AI-powered tools will allow you to streamline processes, enhance efficiency and communicate with your customers with a lower time investment. Don’t get me wrong—AI is not magic. It is not a cure-all. It is a tool. It is the most robust tool ever developed for improving sales communication—but it is still a tool, and as such, it is useless without people to utilize it properly. If it is used properly, well, good grief—the capabilities it AUGUST 2023

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Troy Harrison younger salespeople are bringing fresh perspectives and approaches to the profession. These digital natives possess an innate understanding of technology and are quick to adapt to new tools and platforms. Their agility, creativity and willingness to embrace change can help revolutionize the sales process. However, you MUST invest in training and mentoring these younger salespeople, harnessing their energy and innovation; and you must be flexible in how you convey that knowledge.

In fact, if you do it right, you can cross-pollinate the tech-savviness of your younger salespeople with the wisdom and experience of seasoned veterans and make everyone better. Are there

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challenges? Hell, yes. Sales managers need to up their game in the same way that salespeople do. But if you do, big wins await you.

Empowered buyers: the shift in power Here’s the one I’ve been talking about for the past few years. In the past, we salespeople held the reins, guiding buyers through the purchasing journey.

However, the tech and information revolution has flipped this dynamic.

Today, your buyers have access to an abundance of information at their fingertips.

They conduct extensive research, read reviews and seek recommendations from peers before engaging with a salesperson. In fact, studies show that today’s

buyer has completed 57 percent of his or her buying process before ever seeing a salesperson.

Sales professionals MUST acknowledge this shift in power and adapt accordingly. You are no longer the star of the show—the customer is.

And your “sales process” is worthless. What matters now is the buyer’s journey, and your ability to help the customer navigate their journey.

Spoiler alert: if you want to succeed, you must embrace these four trends.

When people converse with me at conferences about these four issues, what they mainly do is complain.

“That gosh-darned AI stuff is gonna replace us!”

“Dang kids don’t even wanna talk to salespeople!”

“Young salespeople just won’t go make sales calls!”

“My customers want to call all the shots!”

Look—you (we) can get on board, move forward and succeed. Or you (we) can be the old guy yelling, “Get off my lawn!” As I noted before, each one of these four trends presents opportunities and each one presents challenges.

How you (we) handle the challenges will dictate whether you can capitalize on the opportunities.

This also doesn’t mean that every sales skill you have learned is worthless.

Unless it’s one of those techniques that depends on manipulating uninformed

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customers, it probably has a place in your repertoire going forward. It just needs to be augmented with new skills and capabilities, refined to speak to new buyer preferences and perhaps rechanneled a bit.

Here are some key points to think about: • To succeed with AI, you need to start learning about it, get proficient with it and use it to generate content and communications.

Meanwhile, you need to be training your salespeople to be better at the human-centered skills in selling that AI can’t do (yet).

• Younger buyers want more per-minute value for their time—but they have great attention spans for a good story. How good are your people at storytelling?

• Younger people are not loyal to companies anymore. The 40-year career, the gold watch and the pension are gone—and they know it. They are, however, loyal to people. How good are you at building relationships with your salespeople?

• To navigate the buyer’s journey, you must first understand it. Do you?

As I look forward, the future is bright for great salespeople and great sales leaders. In coming issues, I’ll be helping you navigate the path forward.

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Marisa Pensa

Marisa Pensa is founder of Methods in Motion, a sales training company that helps dealers execute training concepts and create accountability to see both inside and outside sales initiatives through to success. For more information, please visit www.methodsnmotion. com.

FIVE WAYS TO BUILD MODERN LEARNING INTO YOUR SALES CULTURE Traditional ways of learning are falling short in today’s modern workforce.

As technology and digital-first thinking continue to accelerate changes to how we do business, our approach to learning must also catch up.

This visual, originally created by our learning partner Allego, highlights the evolution of modern learning by showing us the old way versus the new way.

The “old” way still works; however, it must be combined with new and modern approaches to learning in order to build resilience, create muscle AUGUST 2023

memory and ensure new skills/knowledge won’t be forgotten.

Before we dive into how to build modern learning into your sales culture, let’s take a quick look at what it means: A modern learning environment, unlike the traditional one, is a learning space that is more interactive, innovative, and connected. The primary purpose of a modern learning environment is to help people learn better and nurture their ability to meet future challenges. (Source) Modern learning isn’t necessarily about using the latest technology, software or

systems out there; it’s about investing in curiosity, agility and ongoing education for your sales team.

Prioritizing learning will help your sales team become more productive, innovative and successful in the long run.

If you’re approach to learning needs an upgrade, here are five ways to get started.

Create a library of content from your specialists and subject-matter experts Rather than a few subject-matter experts, ensure you are leveraging multiple diverse perspectives.

For the IDC, you already utilize your specialists per category, including those from S.P. Richards or Essendant—as you should!

Make the most of what you’re

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already doing by capturing three to five-minute recordings across a mix of experts, especially if training is being delivered virtually.

It’s as easy as hitting “record” and then editing to highlight those “golden nuggets” during the session.

Soon you’ll have a library of content from your experts to play for new hires throughout their first one to two years, rather than only learning from these experts in live sessions during the onboarding process.

Make learning continuous and bite-sized Spread learning over time and break it up into small chunks wherever possible.

This reduces cognitive load and can actually ease the perceived burden of learning. Studies show that this gives people a sense PAGE 46

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Marisa Pensa of empowerment when it comes to learning and thus produces better training outcomes.

People learn more naturally when training is spaced over time. However, this doesn’t mean we should abandon in-person training.

It means we need to think differently about how we design the overall sales onboarding program. Build the program in a way that supports the achievement of milestones throughout the process and take every opportunity to break up learning content and space the delivery over time.

Make content easy to create, absorb and access Technology has changed what’s possible when it comes to learning.

Mobile devices make it easy to meet reps where they

live and work. That means creating content that’s tailored for viewing and accessing on mobile devices. Think bite-sized materials made for smaller screens.

Videos and visuals are also must-haves when it comes to creating modern learning content because the brain processes visuals faster than text, which makes absorbing the information easier.

use low-tech solutions too.

For example, you can create a simple survey using a free option like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey to collect information from your team. Once you’ve gathered the information, you can assess each member to identify a unique learning path just for them or group sessions based on trends across your team.

Assess each team member’s strengths and weaknesses to deliver personalized learning Thanks to technology, organizations are now using systems and software to assess each learner’s strengths and weaknesses and deliver tailored learning to them.

This may sound like a big investment of time and money; but you can actually

Reinforcement is the key to retention Research shows that people forget 80 percent of what they learn within a month of training without a reinforcement component.

Ensure reinforcement is tied to everything.

Whether it’s a new business endeavor, change initiative or training program, reinforcement is what makes new information stick.

Some of our favorite ways to reinforce include the following: l

l

l

Fill a fishbowl with index cards to conduct flash drills to help reps practice skills and product knowledge.

Put reps in the “hot seat” to role play and practice handling objections.

Create “teach back” opportunities by giving each rep a chance to teach back what they’ve learned after watching or reading a recent training module.

Learning is key to your resilience as a business. If you invest in curiosity, learning and agility for your workforce, you will be able to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and be more ready for whatever comes next.

THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN LEARNING LENGTHY WEBINAR SESSIONS

BITE-SIZED SHORTER SESSIONS

ONE-TIME EVENTS OR NEW HIRE FOCUS ONLY

CONTINUOUS LEARNING & KNOWLEDGE CHECKS

FEW SUBJECTMATTER EXPERTS

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NEW

OLD

MULTIPLE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

KNOWLEDGE HEAVY

PRACTICE & INTERACTION HEAVY

CATERS TO UNLIMITED LEARNING STYLES

CATERS TO ALL LEARNING STYLES

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Mara Gannon

SUPERCHARGE YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY WITH GOOGLE ADS Are you looking for a way to supercharge your marketing strategy? Google Ads could be the answer! Google Ads allows you to reach new customers, drive more traffic to your website and increase your brand awareness. With Google Ads, you can create targeted campaigns that reach people at the exact moment they are searching for products and services like yours. With an effective Google Ads strategy, you can stand out from the competition and increase your bottom line.

What are Google Ads? Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a

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powerful advertising platform that allows businesses of all sizes to create targeted, relevant and highly effective ads that reach potential customers where they spend their time online. With Google Ads, you can place your ads on search results pages, display network websites and even YouTube videos—reaching customers at the moment when they are actively searching for products or services like yours.

The beauty of Google Ads lies in their flexibility, scalability and ability to generate immediate results.

Unlike other marketing channels, you don’t have

to wait for weeks or months to see the impact of your efforts. With Google Ads, you can launch your campaigns in minutes and start seeing results almost instantly.

You can also control your ad spend and optimize your campaigns to get the best possible return on investment (ROI) for your business.

Whether you’re looking to increase your brand awareness, drive website traffic, generate leads or boost sales, Google Ads can help you achieve your goals and take your marketing efforts to the next level.

With millions of businesses competing for customers’

Mara Gannon is the content marketing manager for Fortune Web Marketing. She has been writing professionally for seven years. When not writing, Mara likes the beach, her family, her two cats, punk rock music and Japanese food. attention online, investing in Google Ads is more crucial than ever. It can be a game-changer for your business, giving you the edge you need to stand out, reach your target audience, and drive profitable results.

Benefits of Google Ads There are several benefits to using Google Ads for your marketing efforts.

One of the main and most direct advantages is that it allows you to reach a large audience. With Google Ads, you can target potential

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Mara Gannon customers based on their location, search keywords and interests, among other factors.

Another benefit of Google Ads is that it is a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. In fact, when correctly optimized, pay-per-click advertising returns $2 for every $1 spent—a 200 percent ROI—on average.

Additionally, Google Ads can help increase brand awareness and drive more sales. By using Google Ads, you can show your products or services to people who are actively searching for what you offer. This makes it more likely that they will convert into a customer and purchase from your business.

Finally, Google Ads allows you to track the success of your campaigns. With detailed reporting and analytics, you can measure the performance of your ads and make adjustments to perfect your campaigns for better results.

Types of Google Ad campaigns When it comes to advertising your business with Google Ads, it’s essential to understand the distinct types of campaigns available.

Each type of campaign is designed to reach specific goals and audiences, so it’s crucial to choose the right one for your business.

Search campaigns are the most common type of Google Ads campaign, AUGUST 2023

which allows you to display ads when people search for specific keywords related to your product or service.

Display campaigns, on the other hand, display ads on various websites across the Internet, targeting people who may be interested in your business.

Performance Max campaigns are relatively new and allow you to reach your audience across multiple platforms, including YouTube, Google Search and Google Display Network. Discovery campaigns promote your business in the Discovery feed on the Google App, which reaches people who may not be actively searching for your product or service.

Video campaigns allow you to advertise on YouTube and reach people with engaging video ads.

Shopping campaigns are designed specifically for e-commerce businesses and display product listings ads

on Google Search results and Google Shopping.

Lastly, local campaigns are for businesses that want to reach people in a specific geographical location and promote their physical stores.

Understanding the distinct types of Google Ads campaigns and choosing the right one for your business can help you achieve your marketing goals and drive traffic to your website.

How to target the right audience One of the most important aspects of running a successful Google Ads campaign is targeting the right audience. By reaching the people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services, you can increase the chances of generating conversions and ultimately growing your business.

Here are some tips for targeting the right audience with Google Ads:

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• Use keyword targeting: Keywords are words or phrases that people search for on Google.

By including relevant keywords in your ads and targeting them to the right audience, you can ensure that your ads are shown to people who are actively looking for what you offer.

• Use demographic targeting: With Google Ads, you can target specific demographics such as age, gender, location and interest.

This can help you tailor your ads to appeal to your target audience and increase the chances of generating conversions.

• Use remarketing: Remarketing allows you to show ads to people who have already interacted with your business. This can be a powerful way to stay top of mind with potential customers and encourage them to return to your website.

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By utilizing these targeting strategies and regularly analyzing your data to refine your audience targeting, you can supercharge your Google Ads campaigns and achieve your marketing goals.

Optimizing your Google Ads strategy Once you’ve launched your Google Ads campaign, you’ll want to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your investment. Here are some tips for optimizing your campaign: • Monitor and adjust your keywords regularly: Keeping an eye on your keywords and updating them based on search data can help ensure that your ads appear in relevant searches.

• Improve your ad copy: Consider experimenting with different ad copy to AUGUST 2023

see what resonates with your target audience.

Additionally, ensure that your ads include relevant keywords to improve click-through rates.

• Test different ad formats: Google Ads offers a variety of ad formats, including text, image and video ads. Test out different formats to see which ones perform best for your business.

• Utilize negative keywords: Adding negative keywords can help prevent your ads from appearing in irrelevant searches, which can help improve your campaign’s click-through rates and conversions.

• Adjust your bid strategy: Experimenting with different bid strategies, such as manual cost-per-click or automated bidding, can help optimize your campaign for your specific goals.

By implementing these tips, you can help ensure that your Google Ads campaign is performing at its best, driving traffic and conversions to your website.

Measuring your success Measuring the success of your Google Ads campaign is an essential step in optimizing and refining your advertising strategy. By regularly monitoring and analyzing your campaign’s performance, you can gain valuable insights into how your ads are resonating with your target audience and adjust your approach accordingly.

Google Ads offers a range of metrics to track, including clicks, impressions, click-through rate, conversion rate and cost per click. By setting clear goals and tracking these metrics, you can determine the effectiveness

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of your ad campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve your ROI. One useful tool for measuring the success of your Google Ads campaign is Google Analytics, which provides a comprehensive view of your website traffic and user behavior. By linking your Google Ads account to Google Analytics, you can track conversion data, monitor user engagement and identify which ads and keywords are driving the most traffic and conversions.

Ultimately, measuring the success of your Google Ads campaign is a continuous process that requires ongoing testing, analysis and optimization. By staying vigilant and responsive to your data, you can refine your advertising strategy to maximize your results and drive business growth.

Use Google Ads to your advantage today Ready to supercharge your marketing strategy with Google Ads? Don’t wait any longer to get started. Utilizing Google Ads can be the key to reaching your target audience and increasing conversions. However, creating and optimizing effective ads take time and expertise. That’s why it’s important to work with a trusted marketing team who can help you achieve your advertising goals. Start using Google Ads to your advantage today and watch your business thrive.

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