Best Practices

Strategize to make meeting with company leader successful
To get face time with a company's leader, make the meeting worthwhile for the executive. This includes tailoring one's sales pitch and approach to take into account the needs and goals and temperament of that particular prospect, which in turn will require doing some research into the executive's past decisions. SalesForceXP (11/2007)

100 ideas, methods for boosting Web-site popularity
Two key activities -- frequently uploading excellent content to your Web site and obtaining inbound links from other credible sites -- can work wonders in boosting your site's ranking. This comprehensive listing provides 100-plus tips and tricks for generating more Net traffic. MarketingProfs (11/13)

Management

Evaluate supervisor, too, if employees aren't performing well
Before letting go of an employee who appears to be losing his or her edge, take a look at the competency and leadership of the manager in charge, and the mood and atmosphere of the department in general. If there is a pattern of multiple employees not performing, it may be a sign that there is an inept leader at the helm. This article details six common traits of ineffective managers. CEO Strategist (11/13)

Customer Relations

The advantages of mobile CRM
Companies increasingly are looking to mobile CRM to enhance customer service and improve productivity for mobile workers. High-speed mobile Internet access has made the union between CRM software and the mobile network possible. CRM Daily (11/7)

Training and Presentation

Report: Training trends of 2007
Training magazine has released its annual analysis of the training industry, which indicates that U.S. businesses overall paid $58.5 billion for training in 2007, up 4.8% from 2006. Manage Smarter (11/12)

Closing the Deal

Let influx of info help you, not slow you down
"Today, the Web has changed everything: Now your prospect's business is online for all to see, and it's much easier to build a call list and acquire intricate details about your sales targets," writes Frank Filippo of Dow Jones's Enterprise Media Group for Manage Smarter. "While being able to access intelligence about those companies and individuals whom you know can benefit from your product or service is certainly an improvement, information overload is a serious issue."

NAW Insider

Brand-new Official Guide to Wholesaler-Distributor Financial Success

The three-volume Official Guide to Wholesaler-Distributor Financial Success shows you and your staff at all levels how to transition to financial management thinking. Use these volumes with your employees so that together you can help your company consistently perform in the top quartile of your line of trade. Buy these three volumes individually, or save when you buy them as a set.

NAW Executive Summit: "What the Very Best Distributors Do"

NAW's Executive Summit, Jan. 29 to 31, 2008, in Washington, D.C., will be the most interactive meeting we've ever convened, with lots of leading distribution company executives on stage to specifically tell you what they're doing to nurture a Leadership Culture, create Operational Efficiency, and sharpen Customer Focus. Read more about the program, and register at the early bird discount rate!

Weekly Poll

Do you think gas prices will continue to affect your business in 2008?
 Yes, we do not foresee gas prices decreasing next year.
 No, we are hopeful gas prices will stabilize within the next year.
 Gas prices have not really affected business thus far.

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