Why distributor websites need to tell stories | UNFI appoints first chief corporate affairs officer | Lineage Logistics makes 3 acquisitions in the Netherlands
Distributor websites should emphasize how they can address needs and pain points of prospects and customers instead of serving only as a showcase for products, says Andrew Walker, CEO of Shift7 Digital. Website content should tell engaging stories about a company that generate emotion or action from the audience, Walker says.
Increased e-commerce and advances in technology will spur the global autonomous delivery market -- encompassing self-driving vehicles, delivery robots and drones -- to grow at a 21.5% compound annual rate from $860 million in 2021 to $4.9 billion by 2030, according to a MarketsandMarkets report. Autonomous vehicles could help retailers cut last-mile delivery costs by 80% to 90%, the report says.
Trucking businesses need to pay drivers more; offer more education, training and professional development; and implement advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence if they want to weather supply chain disruptions, writes Avi Geller, founder and CEO of Maven Machines. Helping drivers use more efficient routes, spend less time waiting for shipments and easily find overnight parking can help with retention, Geller writes.
Distributors can improve inside sales growth by using inside account management, campaign selling and integrated sales team models, writes Mark Peck, owner of Apexx Group. Focusing on middle market accounts in particular "can be a profitable growth strategy," Peck writes.
Case studies are a powerful storytelling tool for convincing prospects to convert, writes John Langenfeld, who outlines six essential elements to include. Make sure case studies use simple language, are empathetic, solve a problem, feature testimonials, are backed up by data and end with a call to action, Langenfeld advises.
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Today's leaders require complex skill sets such as balancing priorities with different timelines, developing emotional intelligence and prioritizing "the ability to develop, motivate and retain employees," says Denise Lee Yohn in this blog post and video. "Instead of choosing between short-term tactics or long-term strategies, for example, you might adopt a planning cycle that allows you to strategically evaluate the allocation of resources more frequently," Yohn says.
The NAW Executive Summit is back in-person January 25 - 27, 2022 and it will be bigger and better than ever before! Learn more about the NAW 2022 Executive Summit.
