News and Trends

• Tech Data enters distribution deal with Sepaton
  Information technology distributor Tech Data Corp. has signed an agreement to distribute Sepaton's virtual tape technology products to small and medium-size businesses throughout North America. Sepaton is a data protection solutions provider and will work closely with Tech Data to drive sales and increase its customer base. Computer Technology Review (5/15)

• Praxair to buy stake in Scandinavian gas business
  U.S.-based Praxair Inc. has said it will buy a 50% stake in Norway-based Yara International ASA, an industrial gases business. The joint venture will operate as Yara Praxair AS in Oslo, Norway, and it will serve to expand Praxair's global reach and set up opportunities for further collaborations. Modern Distribution Management (5/16)

• Home Depot's profit falls, still mum on HD Supply
  The Home Depot Inc. had a worse-than-expected first quarter, said CEO Frank Blake, with profits dropping 29.5%. The company also said it has not decided whether it will sell, spin off or retain its HD Supply wholesale division. Blake added that the company would like to decide within the next three months but would not commit to a definitive deadline. The Hartford Courant (Conn.)/Associated Press (5/16)

	Live Webcast: Demand-Driven Customer Relationships Join IBM for a complimentary live web conference as distribution industry expert, Dr. Adam Fein, moderates a panel of guest distributors sharing their personal experiences on how they optimized their inventory levels to increase service levels while reducing inventory carrying costs — Tuesday, June 19 at 1PM ET.
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Best Practices

• Bypassing DC may be quicker, more direct option
  Forgoing your distribution center may be a solution if you are looking to decrease the length of the distribution cycle, cut down on transportation costs or limit the number of touches on a shipment. The concept is not new, but it is becoming more popular, says this DC Velocity article. DC Velocity (5/2007)

• Hiring, working with 20-somethings
  As many as 64 million skilled workers will be eligible for retirement by 2010, and employers will have to look somewhere to replace them. The most likely choice will be their 20-something, Generation Y children, characterized as being driven, curious and creative but not exceptionally loyal to their companies. This Fortune article provides insight for employers into Generation Y's work ethic, mindset and motivations. CNNMoney.com/Fortune (5/15)

	Improve DSO and Reduce Costs Outsource your invoicing and receive payments electronically. Eliminate the hassles of internal paper invoicing. Reduce credit card fees and invoice / payment reconciliation time. Learn how Transcepta helped Johnstone Supply with a live web demo or request a brochure.
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Sales

• Mind your p's and q's to better sell yourself
  Networking events are all about first impressions and meeting people who might benefit your business or career. You should avoid actions that may be ill-received, such as compliments that may be perceived as inappropriate, or asking personal questions, which can come off as offensive or inappropriate. You also should always reply to e-mails or phone calls that are a result of the meeting. American City Business Journals (4/23)

Hot Topics

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

• Graybar takes stance on private labeling (TED Magazine)

• Work more efficiently in order to work less (CNNMoney.com/Fortune Small Business)

• Happy customers buy more (Manage Smarter)

• Successful sales meetings focus on initiatives, not gimmicks (Selling Power)

• How long should sales appointments last? (DaveKahle.com)

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

Small Business Manager

• Entrepreneurs shouldn't go without health insurance
  Entrepreneur or small-business hopefuls shouldn't be deterred because of lack of insurance coverage. There are several options, including going COBRA, which means you pay the full cost of the insurance plan offered by your former employer, or simply getting individual coverage as you would home or automobile insurance. The most important lesson is to not go without any coverage at all. BusinessWeek (5/16)

Executive Life

• T+L makes its picks for world's best newcomers
  Travel + Leisure's "It List" of the world's best new hotels features "trailblazers" such as the Marques de Riscal, in Rioja, Spain, and "wild ones," such as the Islas Secas, in Panama. The list also describes "healers," including The Barai, Hua Hin, Thailand, and "new urbanists," such as the Mandarin Oriental, Prague. Travel + Leisure (6/2007)

• Leisure travel expected to increase this summer, forecast says
  High fuel and hotel room prices won't stop consumers from moving forward with their summer vacation plans, according to a forecast by the Travel Industry Association and AAA. The forecast predicts a 1.4% increase in leisure travel during the summer months, compared to year-ago levels. Travel Weekly (5/18) , CNN/Associated Press (5/17) , USA TODAY (5/18)

NAW Insider

• Save on overnight shipping with DHL ShipReady
  NAW and DHL have partnered to offer a unique delivery service from DHL Express. Members can ship anywhere in the continental U.S. for one flat rate with no weight limits, extra fees or fuel surcharges. Receive two free envelopes with your first order by visiting the ShipReady site and entering the promo code NAWSR07.

• Now distributors can quote prices with greater confidence
  NAW's Price For Success: An Online Course for the Wholesale Distribution Sales Team shows your inside and outside salesforce how to quote prices with complete confidence that they are striking the correct balance between pleasing the customer and achieving the company's profit goals.

Weekly Poll

• How often do you travel outside of the U.S. on business?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Frequently
	Occasionally
	Only once or twice
	Never
	Have not yet but plan to soon

Account Executive Industrial Electric Wire & Cable Home office in Chicago, Illinois Sales Manager Manufacturers Reserve Supply (MRS) Irvington, New Jersey Outside Sales Manufacturers Reserve Supply (MRS) lower New York and western Connecticut Inside Sales Representative Laird Plastics, Inc. Grand Rapids, MI

Editor's Note

• New feature: SmartBrief at work, home and on the road
  We listened to you and have created a way to read SmartBrief on your mobile device. Now you can simply open SmartBrief from the e-mail inbox of your BlackBerry, Treo or Windows Mobile device by clicking on the "Wireless Version" link at the top of the message. Your SmartBrief will then automatically format to fit your handheld device. Pretty cool, right? Reply to this e-mail and let us know what you think!

SmartQuote

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." --Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet and philosopher