Monthly Archives: December 2018

128. Brand Power-Shift To Your Service-Value Solutions

Invasion of Better Clone SKUs for Less

Retail “hard discounters” (HDs: Aldi, Lidl and Trader Joe’s) and Amazon have attacked B2C factory brands in the past 18 months. In 2017, the HDs announced big expansion plans for the US, while Amazon ramped up their B2C private-label-clone SKUs. Then, in October (’18), AMZ quietly announced their “brand accelerator program”. Prediction: this program will spark the creation of new B2B clone products on Amazon.

The Clone Formula: Equal or Better Quality For 50% Less

Continue reading 128. Brand Power-Shift To Your Service-Value Solutions

127. Old Beliefs v Your 2019 Strategic Plans

FINE-TUNE 2018; OR, REAL CHANGE?

If your distributorship is a top 5% performer due to perpetual innovation, keep innovating in 2019. If your financial returns are in a low-level rut with an unchanging, aging sales force – then change your belief system to change your results. Continue reading 127. Old Beliefs v Your 2019 Strategic Plans

126. Weak ROI on Analytics? Very Common! So?

ERNST YOUNG (EY) SURVEY RESULTS

A recent EY survey (11-6-18) of bigger companies (than typical distributors) revealed that:

  1. 80% of firms see big upside potential with analytics, but can’t get results. There is a gap between insights and action not taken by employees.
  2. 56% said a culture of decision-making by intuition ruled. (Any intuitive account-call planning going on at your company?)
  3. 60% cited lack of budget and organizational commitment as the biggest pain point.
  4. 67% plan to hire more analytical talent
  5. But, 80% can’t find the talent they need.

Continue reading 126. Weak ROI on Analytics? Very Common! So?

125. Rent An Analytics Champ To Jumpstart a Renewal

Baseball’s Lessons For Distributors

Two books document the rise of game-changing analytics within major league baseball (MLB): Moneyball (’03) and the highly-recommended, Astroball (7/18)[i]. The 2018 MLB playoffs featured the best, most analytically-empowered teams (along with big-talent payrolls).

Studies on MLB analytics departments from ’03 to ’18 reveal that: Continue reading 125. Rent An Analytics Champ To Jumpstart a Renewal