| June 30, 2009 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Rise in U.S. unemployment claims surprises economists
Last week, initial claims for unemployment benefits in the U.S. increased to a seasonally adjusted 627,000, the Labor Department reported. Economists had expected a drop to 600,000. "We still firmly believe that the underlying trends in claims is downwards, but it is slow and uneven," Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics, wrote in a client note. NYTimes.com/The Associated Press
(6/25)     
- Amid grim unemployment figures, recruiters optimistic about next year
Although joblessness continues to pervade the nation, executive recruiters don't think the future is so bleak. According to a survey by Watson Wyatt, two-thirds of hiring freezes are expected to end within the next year. Additional hallmarks of hope come from a survey by Mercer, which found that during the past year, the average base salary rose by 3%. TIME
(6/25)
- Steel demand will decline 15% in 2009, experts say
Steel demand will drop by 15% but may stabilize later this year, some experts say. The economic downturn has led to a slowdown in construction, which has weakened demand for steel. A steel industry spokesman said a recovery depends upon the effects of the stimulus package, financial stability and the return of consumer confidence. The Guardian (London)
(6/25)
| Best Practices | | |
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- Make hope a top priority
 At times it might seem impossible to hang on to, but hope is essential, says Shane Lopez, Gallup senior scientist in residence and research director of the Clifton Strengths School. "Hope is an antidote to fear," he explains in this Q-and-A. "It gives us enough belief that good things can happen in the future that we can take the blinders off and expand our social circles." Gallup Management Journal (free content)
(6/25)
- M&A: When to risk it
Experts at Deloitte debate what approach to take with mergers and acquisitions. Simple and snappy, or deliberated and developed? Deloitte
(6/24)
| Sales | | |
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- Don'ts for keeping prospects focused on your phone call
Connection is crucial if you want to keep your prospect's attention past the first seconds of making contact, Kelley Robertson says. If you don't cater to a prospect's personal concerns, then the individual will find you and your offer irrelevant and unimportant. Robertson offers eight don'ts you should keep in mind next time you place a sales call or meet with a customer. The Customer Collective
(6/25)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Hosted IT solutions are huge for small businesses
More small businesses are turning to hosted IT options for contact management and data backup. "Hosting among small businesses (one to 99 employees) moved from 13% adoption in 2006 to 25% in 2008," said Avinash Arun of AMI, which studied hosting trends. "In medium businesses (100 to 999 employees), adoption of hosted services grew from 21% in 2006 to 41% in 2008." Small Business Computing
(6/24)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Look before you leave
With smartphones making high-tech capabilities the norm, texting friends or surfing the net while abroad might be something you're looking forward to doing during your vacation this year. That is, until your bill shows up with some hefty fees attached. Make sure to review your plan for the cost of keeping connected overseas because this is one of those things you don't want to learn from experience. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Gadgetwise blog
(6/25)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Don't make wrong decisions about profitability
Al Bates, founder and president of Profit Planning Group, has spent 30 years analyzing distributor financial statements. His findings in Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution boil down to this conclusion: Much, and possibly even most, of what managers in distribution companies know about improving profitability is wrong. Good economic times mask this fact, while challenging times make this fact absolutely dangerous!
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NAW's Billion Dollar Company CEO Roundtable -- Oct. 13 to 14
Benchmark and network with other CEOs of like-sized wholesale distribution companies. Find out how their companies are surviving the economic downturn and how they are positioning their companies for the coming rebound. The CEO Roundtable is a valuable business tool to learn about cutting-edge strategies and hear updates on legislative issues. NAW members receive one free registration. Register now.
| Weekly Poll | | |
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Do you use social media sites?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes, and I have for quite awhile now. |
| Yes, but I'm just starting out. |
| No, but I want to start. |
| No, and I don't want to. |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."
--Winnie the Pooh,
Disney character
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- Monday, June 29, 2009
- Friday, June 26, 2009
- Thursday, June 25, 2009
- Wednesday, June 24, 2009
- Monday, June 22, 2009
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