CDW can manage supply chain issues because of its visibility with partners and capacity for additional inventory, says President and CEO Christine Leahy. "If the past two years have shown us anything, it is that our role as a trusted strategic partner to our customers is more important now than ever," Leahy says.
McKesson earned $368 million in its fiscal fourth quarter, down from $666 million in the year-ago period. The health care distributor had quarterly revenue of $66.10 billion, up from $59.14 billion.
Amazon reported flat unit sales for its most recent quarter, suggesting that the expectations of perpetual growth might need to be readjusted. "Amazon's set of risks include pressure from regulators and competition from fierce rivals," Matt Day writes.
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Offering insights to customers about how a product or service can help them is a salesperson's job, David Brock writes, but creating space for customers to have their own insights makes the salesperson a valuable resource. "Insights are critical in engaging customers in talking about their businesses and what they want to achieve," Brock writes.
Interactivity should be employed by business-to-business marketers to attract leads, writes StubGroup CEO John Horn, who provides examples of effective interactive elements for campaigns. Horn explains how a feature as simple as an Instagram poll can not only invite interaction but make prospects feel heard and connected to a brand's journey.
Leaders can be authentic about serving people, naming and following their values, and being self-aware, but if they're not willing to be vulnerable, they may still be seen as inauthentic, writes Dan Rockwell. "Authenticity is harder than it seems because it includes courage to be seen," Rockwell writes.
Companies can unlock a wider range of perspectives from employees identifying four distinct thinking patterns -- analytical, innovative, relational and procedural -- writes Nina Simons, citing research from Dawna Markova and others. Also important is understanding how the three ways employees process information -- "auditory, visual and kinesthetic" -- and which is best for each employee, Simons writes.
If you are looking for insights on creating and building your marketplace strategy, NAW offers this free webinar for distribution leaders on Marketplace Disruption and Strategic Response on Thursday, May 12, 2022. You will hear from Ian Heller, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Distribution Strategy Group, and Alex Moazed, founder and CEO of Applico. These two Thought Leaders along with a panel of distributors, will discuss their own marketplace strategies and share the business decisions that led to their specific strategies. Be sure to register today!
