News and Trends

• Security tops list of IT concerns
  Security technology is set to make a significant impact on business in the coming year: That's according to about 25% of more than 1,000 IT specialists who took part in a recent survey by CompTIA. No. 2 and No. 3 on the IT professionals' list of technologies bound to have the biggest impact in the next 12 months were wireless data applications and convergence solutions, respectively. DC Velocity (7/2007)

• Avnet enters into deal with Magirus
  Avnet Inc. is set to buy a division of distributor Magirus Group. Terms of the purchase of the European enterprise infrastructure business were not disclosed. Avnet said it will combine the business with the European operations of its IT distribution arm, Avnet Technology Solutions. Forbes/Associated Press (7/18)

• Grainger sees Q2 earnings increase
  W.W. Grainger Inc. saw a nearly 12% increase in earnings in its second quarter, the facilities-maintenance products distributor said. The company also said its sales were up 8%. Chicago Tribune (7/16)

• Other News

• Lewis-Goetz takes over Samson Industrial
  Modern Distribution Management (7/19)

• School Specialty CEO exercises options for 20,000 shares of common stock
  Forbes/Associated Press (7/18)

	Good help is hard to find. NAW SmartBrief to the rescue! You won't reach a more targeted, qualified audience in the wholesale distribution industry. Get started now and post your open positions in NAW SmartBrief.
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Best Practices

• Bad review offers lessons in worker-boss relations
  A worker's experience in getting a bad review from her boss in what she feels was retaliation for reporting sexual harassment offers some valuable lessons in workplace relations. Among them: Don't complain to HR unless you really need intervention; ask your boss for informal reviews a few times a year; and don't let taking on extra assignments give you a false sense of security about how your core performance is being judged. American City Business Journals (7/16)

• Find money for an MBA
  There are circumstances under which businesspeople can receive tax benefits for obtaining an MBA or taking continuing education courses. For the most conclusive advice, one should consult an accountant. But a general rule, says one CPA, is "a lawyer cannot deduct costs to become a lawyer, but she can deduct costs for continuing education classes she takes to keep practicing as a lawyer." BusinessWeek (7/18)

More than 60% of back orders are cancelled. How can you ensure that you have product available to avoid back orders in the first place? Learn what other distributors are doing to upgrade their supply chain in this free whitepaper.

Sales

• Avoid last-minute negotiations in sales process
  Last-minute negotiations on a sales contract may be common but can undermine a company's bottom line. Instead of thinking of negotiations as something that happens at the end of a deal, salespeople should be engaged in an ongoing conversation with clients right from the start and have a pricing schedule in mind that they stick to. Selling Power (free registration) (7/17)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NAW SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Why distributors' advisory boards should include outsiders (Modern Distribution Management)

• The push and pull of private labels (Yahoo!)

• Sit for success (BusinessWeek)

• Qualities of a successful sales leader (SalesForceXP)

• Develop pricing strategy that achieves top profit (CEO Strategist)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Small Business Manager

• Ten key ways small businesses can compete
  Small businesses can take advantage of certain benefits in order to compete with larger organizations. A list of 10 recommendations includes having a firm grasp on what you do and being the best at it; thinking outside the box in terms of marketing; giving customers a memorable experience and keeping them satisfied, so they'll return. Manage Smarter (7/18)

Executive Life

• GPS continues to evolve
  GPS technology continues to evolve from its birth with the U.S. military in the 1970s to today's portable devices. Units such as Magellan's Maestro 4050 and TomTom's GO 910 allow users to make hands-free phone calls or bring their favorite music along for the trip. Sales & Marketing Management (7/18)

• Ireland offers array of choices to satisfy travelers' desires
  Sunny weather aside, Ireland boasts of a wide range of landscapes, lodgings, sites and scenery appealing to a variety of travelers. From the new restaurants and shopping areas of Dublin to the picturesque villages of Southwest Ireland, this TravelAge West article offers details on tours, places to stay, eat and explore. TravelAge West (7/23)

NAW Insider

• NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable
  NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable, Chicago, Sept. 19 to 20, joins CEOs and COOs from wholesale distribution companies with sales $100 million and above to network and learn. Agenda topics are based on responses from the Executives community and address specific needs of the group, including Going Green, Driving Sales Beyond, Crisis Management, Today's Economy, and Ethics. Get more details and register here.

• Learn, apply the essentials of profitable inside sales
  This NAW Institute book provides a real-world, in-depth understanding of the expanded role of inside sales. Inside sales personnel are responsible for generating sales and making sure those sales are profitable. This book shows inside sales reps how they contribute to your company's health and well-being. Make it an essential component in your company's training program. Order today!

Weekly Poll

• Do you have an MBA?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes.
	I am in the process of obtaining it.
	No, but I am planning to get it.
	No, and I do not intend to get it.

Accounts Payable Supervisor Headco Industries, Inc. Broadview, Illinois Sales and Marketing Manager Plumbing Market Border States Electric Supply Harlingen, Texas Distribution Center - Logistics Manager GRAINGER Niles, IL (Chicago) Branch Operations Manager Erie Bearings Co. Meadville, PA

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It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it." --Albert Einstein, German-born Swiss-American physicist