News and Trends

• Brightpoint, HTC make global distribution deal
  Brightpoint Inc. has entered into a global distribution deal with smartphone vendor High Tech Computer Corp. Under the arrangement, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, Brightpoint will make its 20,000-plus worldwide retail outlets available to HTC-branded wireless communications devices. RCR Wireless News (10/31) , CNNMoney.com/Thomason Financial (10/31)

• Plans take shape for new Sysco redistribution center in Indiana
  Plans for a new Sysco food product redistribution center outside Hamlet, Ind., ground breaking on which a county official said is likely to begin in spring 2008, originally called for a 600,000-square-foot facility, but the latest design is for an 850,000-square-foot building with two rail lines serving it rather than one. South Bend Tribune (Ind.) (10/31)

• Paulson never advocated specific measure to reform business taxes
  Eric Solomon, the Treasury Department's assistant secretary for tax policy, said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson never advocated any one approach for reforming business taxes. "The message here is that we need to compete in a world marketplace, and we have to take steps to consider how our tax system is part of that competition and how our tax system can be improved to help American companies compete," Solomon said in an interview with The Hill. The Hill (11/2)

	Leverage Your Inventory for Maximum Profit. As a distributor, inventory is one of your key assets. How do you make sure you have the right products at the right place and the right time? For innovative ideas and insight, download IBM's ALL-NEW Executive Forecast and Demand Planning eKit. It features Adam Fein's article on Demand-Driven Customer Relationships, whitepapers, case studies, and more.
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Best Practices

• Instead of seeking new clients, cultivate existing ones
  Instead of jumping from one event to another trying to build new relationships, business owners should spend more time developing and improving those that exist, an expert says. One idea he suggests is to simply stop networking and instead evaluate and prioritize existing relationships. Entrepreneur.com (10/29)

• Consolidate e-mail to prevent online group overload
  Combining multiple e-mail inboxes can go a long way toward helping to manage the influx of mail from online groups. Steps for streamlining and managing e-mail are outlined in this article. Fast Company (10/2007)

	Reduce Invoicing Costs Outbound A/R and inbound A/P invoices are a paper pain. Existing solutions (EDI, billing mail houses, etc.) provide limited functionality and are an IT hassle. There is a better option. Over 19,000 firms have joined the Transcepta Electronic Invoicing community. Request a web DEMO to learn more.
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Sales

• Get creative with sales incentives
  Some of the best ideas for boosting sales often come from salespeople themselves. Ideas for tapping into sales creativity include involving employees in the decision-making process; offering commission-based plans in sales; and using innovative bonuses. American City Business Journals (10/15)

Hot Topics

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

• What's on the horizon for HD Supply? (Florida Trend)

• Q-and-A: Economist's prediction for recession (Modern Distribution Management)

• Analysis: McKesson has potential as takeover target (The Wall Street Journal)

• Set goals, find success (CEO Strategist)

• Cubicle alternatives explored (SmartBIZ)

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

Small Business Manager

• Skip the jargon, keep business communications simple
  Meaningless business terms and vernacular can drive workers crazy and even bring on a company's demise. Using language that employees -- and prospective customers -- can understand is essential. Manage Smarter (10/12)

Executive Life

• Report: 40% of cancers linked to body fat, red meat
  Excess body fat, lack of physical activity and red meat are linked strongly to an increased risk of common cancers, two cancer research groups found after evaluating more than 7,000 studies over five years. The new findings are meant to serve as a guide for future scientific research, cancer prevention programs and health policies worldwide, the researchers said. The Boston Globe/Bloomberg (11/1)

• Device detects chemicals believed to cause "red wine headache"
  A team of U.S. researchers has developed a small device that can detect the level of biogenic amines in wines. Researchers suspect that high levels of amines, such as tyramine and histamine, cause headaches, high blood pressure, heart palpitations and elevated adrenaline levels. Yahoo!/Associated Press (11/1)

NAW Insider

• Order best-selling Facing the Forces of Change report
  Facing the Forces of Change®: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain by the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence is a best seller! This all-new study provides practical insights into key trends impacting the wholesale distribution supply chain and is packed with specific action ideas and planning tools that executives can use today to lead the way in their supply chains.

• The Hertz green collection: Reserve and conserve
  Now you can reserve fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars that are both easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together. Reservable by specific make and model with an EPA highway fuel-efficiency rating of 28 miles or more per gallon. To enroll in the NAW/Hertz Business Account Program, visit NAW's Web site.

Weekly Poll

• Does your firm plan to get involved in private-label manufacturing in 2008?
  The NAW Year-End Report, to be published Dec. 11 and 13, will include an industry roundup, the most important stories of the year and your favorite SmartQuotes. Make sure to look for the results of this poll in Part 2 on Dec. 13.

	Yes, we are already involved in private-labeling.
	No, we don't have any interest in private-labeling.
	We are considering it.

Front-Line Distribution Manager (Outbound) GRAINGER Los Angeles, CA (Mira Loma)

SmartQuote

Sympathy is the charm of human life." --Grace Aguilar, English poet, novelist and theologian