May 2006      

TRAINING l MEMBER NEWS l FINANCIAL SERVICES l INDUSTRY NEWS

Safety Week 2006: Growing Your Business in the 21st Century

Safety Week 2006 is set for June 25-27  at the Château Élan Winery and Resort in Braselton, Georgia.

Don’t miss the best opportunity this year to network with your peers and other channel partners. Safety Week 2006 will be held June 25-27 at the Château Élan Winery and Resort in Braselton, Georgia. We expect to have over 20 distributor member companies represented at this year’s meeting, the strongest distributor attendance in recent years and a strong representation from manufacturer companies as well. DETAILS

Sponsorship Opportunities Available for Safety Week 2006

We are again offering selected companies the opportunity to sponsor special events at Safety Week 2006. This will be a unique opportunity to put your name directly in front of the safety equipment decision-makers who use your services. 

There are several opportunities for sponsorship. At the All Star Sponsor ($5,000) level you can choose to be a named sponsor of the scramble golf tournament or one of three cocktail receptions. We will also work with you to personalize the event that you sponsor, with appropriate signs, cocktail napkins or other forms of recognition. You will also receive two complimentary meeting registrations with your sponsorship and two complimentary golf registrations. With any of the sponsorships, your company name and logo will be prominently displayed in the program booklet for the meeting, and you’ll be recognized at the business sessions and annual banquet. 

All sponsors will benefit directly from the quality of program, speakers and social events that their sponsorships make possible. Their participation as sponsors also earns the appreciation of all attendees. 

For more information about Sponsorship Levels, click here.

To download a pledge form, click here.

Overcoming the Five Common Barriers to Peak Sales Performance

Despite all the changes that have occurred in our industry, two things have remained constant. Time is still a salesperson’s most valuable resource. And there are only so many hours in a day to get everything done. To succeed in this environment we need to identify opportunities to “free up" the time of one of your most valuable assets – your salespeople. To accomplish this goal, we first need to gain a better understanding of what consumes their time. Toward that end, we would like your salespeople to participate in a brief electronic survey.  DETAILS

SEDA TRAINING

Spring QSSP Course Graduates 36

The spring session of the Qualified Safety Sales Professional (QSSP) course concluded on April 28, 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky.  This was the 22^nd session of this outstanding program that has become the gold standard in safety sales training.  DETAILS

SEDA Members Take Advantage of UID

Participation among SEDA members for the University of Industrial Distribution (UID) continues to grow. The March 2006 session held in Indianapolis, Indiana hosted 14 attendees from SEDA member companies.  DETAILS

MEMBER NEWS

Membership Roster Coming in June

SEDA Welcomes New Members

SEDA welcomed six new members since the last issue of The Safety Scene was published. DETAILS

Moldex-Metric Recognized By Frost & Sullivan for Growth Strategy Leadership in Hearing Protection Products

In its recent analysis of the United States Markets for Industrial Hearing Protection Products, Frost & Sullivan named Moldex-Metric, Inc. as the recipient of the 2005 Hearing Protection Products Growth Strategy Leadership of the Year Award. DETAILS

FINANCIAL SERVICES

SEDA 2006 PROFIT Report Available for Purchase

One of the most important benefits SEDA distributor members enjoy is the annual PROFIT Report. Conducted by Dr. Al Bates and the team at Profit Planning Group, the PROFIT Report is the best source for financial benchmarking information in the industry. The 2006 Profit Report is now available for purchase by non-participating members. The cost is $250. Click here to order your copy.

Sales Force Pricing: The Stockholm Syndrome

Currently, virtually every sales force in distribution demonstrates almost identical behavior by cutting prices for customers. They do so, not because they have been physically kidnapped, but because they are swayed by a strong identification with customers. The negative financial impact on distributors is nothing short of enormous. DETAILS

NAW PUBLICATIONS

Breakthrough Book and Map from Deloitte and DREF Help Distributors Jump-Start New Initiatives and Reenergize Existing Programs

At last, distributors across all lines of trade can use the Distribution Value Map™ (DVM) in their efforts to reenergize existing programs or jump-start new initiatives. The value map framework has been tested and put to use—it works! DETAILS

New Book from DREF Addresses Training and Development

Unfortunately, human resource development (HRD) lags in the wholesale distribution industry behind other businesses. With little emphasis on employee development, it is no wonder that wholesaler-distributors are not always considered as employers of choice by the workforce. The failure to develop people and meet their needs might explain the perennial challenge of finding and retaining top-quality employees. DETAILS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Distribution M & A Heats Up

After a frenzy of mergers and acquisitions in the late 1990s, wholesaler-distributors saw a significant slowdown – few thought M&A would pick up again anytime soon. But in the past year private equity groups have been investing in wholesale distribution like never before. Increased competition between financial and strategic buyers is pushing valuation multiples up and making the M&A landscape more complex to navigate. Here’s the lay of the land and what buyers are looking for. DETAILS