Over the last 50 years, changes in distribution occurred at a snail’s pace. However, over the past five years, and more significantly in the next five years, changes in distribution will be fast and numerous.

Some of the best ideas in business arise during difficult economic conditions -- Google, the iPod, Campbell's condensed soup and McDonald's assembly line "Speedee Service System," for example

As the United States and global economies continue to struggle, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to generate sales.

There is no doubt about the sad state of the economy. Virtually every economist out there concedes the manufacturing sector is in a severe recession.

There is probably no area in the entire marketing field that is as obscure as the marketing of products through distributors, dealers, wholesalers, jobbers, etc.

In difficult economic times, companies are thrilled to match their financial performance from the prior year.

The relevance and rationale surrounding manufacturer-owned distribution channels has always been of interest within Frank Lynn & Associates’ executive network—and the topic regularly evokes engaging discussions within our ongoing workshop series.

The latest “expert” discussion and leading indicators continue to point to an uncertain economy.

The pursuit of direct sales through some form of transactional web-site is typically based on two primary assumptions.

Budgets and planning on a shoe string for most of us is a reality as we enter the calendar‘s third quarter. But plan we must!

Manufacturers are facing an unnerving scenario—a large, important distributor has taken on a “private label” product as a direct competing brand.

Based on the firm's 33 years of experience, here are the most common misconceptions we have seen in business-to-business markets that sell through distributors, wholesalers, dealers, etc.

Executives often have trouble with nuance. With the gray area. Leading the troops is difficult when marching orders are qualified by phrases such as "relative to", "within limits", or "balanced approach".

Manufacturers are being confronted with an increasing, unnerving scenario—one of their largest, most important distributors has taken on a “private label ” product that competes with their branded product.

The great uncertainty surrounding the United States economy will undoubtedly send most manufacturers scrambling for ways to maintain revenues and cut costs.

The traditional building materials supply chain (see Figure One) involves many different stakeholders each of which performs a variety of activities directed at delivering the right product to the right place at the right time.

As we evaluate business opportunities in 2009, profitable growth is probably not going to come solely by market expansion in most of our markets.

In the current economic environment, management teams are evaluating and rationalizing every aspect of their organizations. The sales force and the broader “go-to-market” system are no exceptions.

Distributor discount pricing structures continue to be one of the most misunderstood and underutilized elements in distributor marketing programs. Yet, their direct affect on your company’s and your distributor’s profitability makes discount structures the most important element in your business relationship.

With the long-predicted downturn in residential home construction now upon us, many building product manufacturers have begun to record margin and revenue shortfalls.