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Value Proposition

It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem
Distribution Marketing

It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem

Indifferent customers pose the biggest challenge to your business.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 28, 2023
Businessman holding and showing the best quality assurance. Quality control certification and standardization. ISO service concept.
Operations

Quality Certifications: Understanding Their Importance and Growing Adoption Among End-Users

Quality certifications can be a competitive value-add for distributors.
  • Paul Decker
  • July 13, 2023
Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor
Distribution Technology

Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor

Using technical solutions to own the shop floor is a win-win for distributors and customers.
  • Jeff Pomerantz
  • May 10, 2023
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2
B2B eCommerce

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2: Berkshire eSupply is an “Upside Down” Marketplace

Berkshire eSupply benefits by making its products available on hundreds (and potentially thousands) of websites operated by small and midsize industrial distributors. It’s a great plan,
  • Ian Heller
  • December 10, 2021
safety
Distribution Industry Analysis

How Arbill Built Its Product & Service Strategy on an Unwavering Foundation of Safety First

Safety distributor Arbill has developed a deep set of services, including training and compliance, as well as a private-label product line to meet customers’
  • Ian Heller
  • August 16, 2021
Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines
Digital Strategy

New Study: Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines

Distributors continue to fall behind in building websites that meet their customers’ needs better than other choices, such as search engines and manufacturers’ digital
  • Ian Heller
  • July 27, 2021
Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors

In his book, The Distributor’s Fee Based Services Manifesto: Why You Need to Consider Charging for Your Services, distribution expert Frank Hurtte argues that distributors face a tough challenge. As market
  • Ian Heller
  • June 24, 2021
How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business
Distribution Marketing

How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business

It is increasingly important for distributors to add value and differentiate themselves from the competition. Peter Neuberger, CEO of United Performance Metals, shared with
  • Ian Heller
  • June 15, 2021
It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore
Digital Strategy

It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore

This post previews some of the key findings in the first report based on our research for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors into how
  • Ian Heller
  • June 4, 2021
Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital
Distribution Sales Strategy

Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital

Peter Jackson, CEO of Miller Industrial Supply, came up in the world of consumer marketing and design before breaking into industrial distribution when he
  • Ian Heller
  • May 17, 2021
A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors
Distribution Sales Strategy

Wholesale Change: A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors (April 14, 2021)

Learn how distributors can analyze transactional and customer-provided data to generate industry-specific insights, develop robust benchmarks and tailor advice to match customer objectives.
  • Ian Heller
  • April 14, 2021
Business person shaking hands with a field worker
Digital Strategy

2021 State of Sales in Distribution: How Consultative Sales Will Differentiate Distributors in the Post-Pandemic Normal

In this free whitepaper, we outline how distributors can build a more consultative and adaptive sales force to differentiate in 2021 and beyond.
  • Debbie Paul
  • March 24, 2021
B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers
Distribution Marketing

B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers

Distributors who regularly solicit their customers’ input via customer surveys gain important insights for decision-making.
  • Debbie Paul
  • February 17, 2021
How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard
Distribution Marketing

How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard

You’ll know you’re stuck in a brand graveyard if your customers only buy a small percentage of your product offering, only buy big products
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 30, 2020
Prevent Customers From Leaving You
Distribution Sales Strategy

Prevent Customers From Leaving You

For some companies, an annual increase of 1% in customer retention over each of the next ten years results in 20% increase in annual
  • Robert Kelley
  • November 12, 2020
Which distribution verticals are vulnerable to disruption
Distribution Technology

Why Some Distribution Verticals Are More Vulnerable to Disruption

To understand how vulnerable a distribution vertical is to disruption, look at the relationship between the product category’s complexity and the ability for the
  • Jonathan Bein
  • October 13, 2020
Products and Marketing Mix
Distribution Marketing

What is Your Product? Knowledge, Information and Service

Here’s what to consider when considering what “product” means to your distribution business and your customer relationships.
  • Robert Kelley
  • September 10, 2020
The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution
Distribution Marketing

The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution

Distributors’ field sales teams are adapting to a new way of reaching prospects now that they cannot just get in the car to visit
  • Debbie Paul
  • August 12, 2020
Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?
Digital Strategy

Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?

Distributors worry that Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is assuming key distributor roles and erasing them from the equation. The service picks, packs, ships and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 13, 2020
Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors

Distributors: Are you looking for some simple, straightforward and painless ways to make adjustments that improve your profitability? Here are a few of our
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 8, 2020

Upcoming Programs

  • Upcoming Program

Subject Matter Expert Series: Transforming Wholesale Distribution Warehousing with AI

Join us on May 20, 2025, at 9PT/12ET as Will Quinn delves into getting the most out of the systems you already have.
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

Wholesale Change: The Future of AI in Distribution

Join us on May 21, 2025 at 9 PT/12 ET as we explore how distribution leaders can harness both technological innovation and human ingenuity
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

Technology Leader Panel: Maximizing Sales Through Online Marketplaces

Join us on June 4, 9 PT/12 ET, as we delve into strategies for leveraging these platforms to boost sales and stay competitive.
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

AI News and Gurus: The Show for Intelligent Distributors

Join us on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 9 PT/12 ET for a new AI News and Gurus: The Show for Intelligent Distributors
Register Now
It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem
Distribution Marketing

It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem

Indifferent customers pose the biggest challenge to your business.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 28, 2023
Businessman holding and showing the best quality assurance. Quality control certification and standardization. ISO service concept.
Operations

Quality Certifications: Understanding Their Importance and Growing Adoption Among End-Users

Quality certifications can be a competitive value-add for distributors.
  • Paul Decker
  • July 13, 2023
Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor
Distribution Technology

Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor

Using technical solutions to own the shop floor is a win-win for distributors and customers.
  • Jeff Pomerantz
  • May 10, 2023
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2
B2B eCommerce

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2: Berkshire eSupply is an “Upside Down” Marketplace

Berkshire eSupply benefits by making its products available on hundreds (and potentially thousands) of websites operated by small and midsize industrial distributors. It’s a great plan,
  • Ian Heller
  • December 10, 2021
safety
Distribution Industry Analysis

How Arbill Built Its Product & Service Strategy on an Unwavering Foundation of Safety First

Safety distributor Arbill has developed a deep set of services, including training and compliance, as well as a private-label product line to meet customers’
  • Ian Heller
  • August 16, 2021
Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines
Digital Strategy

New Study: Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines

Distributors continue to fall behind in building websites that meet their customers’ needs better than other choices, such as search engines and manufacturers’ digital
  • Ian Heller
  • July 27, 2021
Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors

In his book, The Distributor’s Fee Based Services Manifesto: Why You Need to Consider Charging for Your Services, distribution expert Frank Hurtte argues that distributors face a tough challenge. As market
  • Ian Heller
  • June 24, 2021
How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business
Distribution Marketing

How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business

It is increasingly important for distributors to add value and differentiate themselves from the competition. Peter Neuberger, CEO of United Performance Metals, shared with
  • Ian Heller
  • June 15, 2021
It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore
Digital Strategy

It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore

This post previews some of the key findings in the first report based on our research for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors into how
  • Ian Heller
  • June 4, 2021
Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital
Distribution Sales Strategy

Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital

Peter Jackson, CEO of Miller Industrial Supply, came up in the world of consumer marketing and design before breaking into industrial distribution when he
  • Ian Heller
  • May 17, 2021
A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors
Distribution Sales Strategy

Wholesale Change: A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors (April 14, 2021)

Learn how distributors can analyze transactional and customer-provided data to generate industry-specific insights, develop robust benchmarks and tailor advice to match customer objectives.
  • Ian Heller
  • April 14, 2021
Business person shaking hands with a field worker
Digital Strategy

2021 State of Sales in Distribution: How Consultative Sales Will Differentiate Distributors in the Post-Pandemic Normal

In this free whitepaper, we outline how distributors can build a more consultative and adaptive sales force to differentiate in 2021 and beyond.
  • Debbie Paul
  • March 24, 2021
B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers
Distribution Marketing

B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers

Distributors who regularly solicit their customers’ input via customer surveys gain important insights for decision-making.
  • Debbie Paul
  • February 17, 2021
How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard
Distribution Marketing

How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard

You’ll know you’re stuck in a brand graveyard if your customers only buy a small percentage of your product offering, only buy big products
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 30, 2020
Prevent Customers From Leaving You
Distribution Sales Strategy

Prevent Customers From Leaving You

For some companies, an annual increase of 1% in customer retention over each of the next ten years results in 20% increase in annual
  • Robert Kelley
  • November 12, 2020
Which distribution verticals are vulnerable to disruption
Distribution Technology

Why Some Distribution Verticals Are More Vulnerable to Disruption

To understand how vulnerable a distribution vertical is to disruption, look at the relationship between the product category’s complexity and the ability for the
  • Jonathan Bein
  • October 13, 2020
Products and Marketing Mix
Distribution Marketing

What is Your Product? Knowledge, Information and Service

Here’s what to consider when considering what “product” means to your distribution business and your customer relationships.
  • Robert Kelley
  • September 10, 2020
The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution
Distribution Marketing

The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution

Distributors’ field sales teams are adapting to a new way of reaching prospects now that they cannot just get in the car to visit
  • Debbie Paul
  • August 12, 2020
Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?
Digital Strategy

Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?

Distributors worry that Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is assuming key distributor roles and erasing them from the equation. The service picks, packs, ships and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 13, 2020
Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors

Distributors: Are you looking for some simple, straightforward and painless ways to make adjustments that improve your profitability? Here are a few of our
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 8, 2020

Recent Reports

2025 State of Technology in Distribution

From Silos to Synergy: Transforming B2B Distribution with Automation and Collaboration

Optimizing B2B eCommerce for Distributors: Strategies for Scalability, Supply Chain Visibility and Digital Integration

DSG-Report-2025-State-of-Distributor-Profitability-Cover

2025 State of Distributor Profitability: Distributors’ Action Plan

It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem
Distribution Marketing

It’s Not the Customers Who Hate You That Are the Problem

Indifferent customers pose the biggest challenge to your business.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 28, 2023
Businessman holding and showing the best quality assurance. Quality control certification and standardization. ISO service concept.
Operations

Quality Certifications: Understanding Their Importance and Growing Adoption Among End-Users

Quality certifications can be a competitive value-add for distributors.
  • Paul Decker
  • July 13, 2023
Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor
Distribution Technology

Why Distributors Need to Own the Shop Floor

Using technical solutions to own the shop floor is a win-win for distributors and customers.
  • Jeff Pomerantz
  • May 10, 2023
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2
B2B eCommerce

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 2: Berkshire eSupply is an “Upside Down” Marketplace

Berkshire eSupply benefits by making its products available on hundreds (and potentially thousands) of websites operated by small and midsize industrial distributors. It’s a great plan,
  • Ian Heller
  • December 10, 2021
safety
Distribution Industry Analysis

How Arbill Built Its Product & Service Strategy on an Unwavering Foundation of Safety First

Safety distributor Arbill has developed a deep set of services, including training and compliance, as well as a private-label product line to meet customers’
  • Ian Heller
  • August 16, 2021
Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines
Digital Strategy

New Study: Distributors’ Customers Prefer Manufacturers’ Websites and Search Engines

Distributors continue to fall behind in building websites that meet their customers’ needs better than other choices, such as search engines and manufacturers’ digital
  • Ian Heller
  • July 27, 2021
Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Why Frank Hurtte Believes Fee-Based Services Are Do-or-Die for Distributors

In his book, The Distributor’s Fee Based Services Manifesto: Why You Need to Consider Charging for Your Services, distribution expert Frank Hurtte argues that distributors face a tough challenge. As market
  • Ian Heller
  • June 24, 2021
How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business
Distribution Marketing

How to Select, Sell and Deliver the Right Value-Added Services for Your Business

It is increasingly important for distributors to add value and differentiate themselves from the competition. Peter Neuberger, CEO of United Performance Metals, shared with
  • Ian Heller
  • June 15, 2021
It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore
Digital Strategy

It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Industry Anymore

This post previews some of the key findings in the first report based on our research for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors into how
  • Ian Heller
  • June 4, 2021
Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital
Distribution Sales Strategy

Differentiation by Design: Moving the Distribution Industry into 21st Century Goes Beyond Digital

Peter Jackson, CEO of Miller Industrial Supply, came up in the world of consumer marketing and design before breaking into industrial distribution when he
  • Ian Heller
  • May 17, 2021
A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors
Distribution Sales Strategy

Wholesale Change: A Way Around Amazon: Portfolio Management for Distributors (April 14, 2021)

Learn how distributors can analyze transactional and customer-provided data to generate industry-specific insights, develop robust benchmarks and tailor advice to match customer objectives.
  • Ian Heller
  • April 14, 2021
Business person shaking hands with a field worker
Digital Strategy

2021 State of Sales in Distribution: How Consultative Sales Will Differentiate Distributors in the Post-Pandemic Normal

In this free whitepaper, we outline how distributors can build a more consultative and adaptive sales force to differentiate in 2021 and beyond.
  • Debbie Paul
  • March 24, 2021
B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers
Distribution Marketing

B2B Customer Surveys: How to Get Actionable Feedback from Customers

Distributors who regularly solicit their customers’ input via customer surveys gain important insights for decision-making.
  • Debbie Paul
  • February 17, 2021
How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard
Distribution Marketing

How to Get Your Brand Out of the Graveyard

You’ll know you’re stuck in a brand graveyard if your customers only buy a small percentage of your product offering, only buy big products
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 30, 2020
Prevent Customers From Leaving You
Distribution Sales Strategy

Prevent Customers From Leaving You

For some companies, an annual increase of 1% in customer retention over each of the next ten years results in 20% increase in annual
  • Robert Kelley
  • November 12, 2020
Which distribution verticals are vulnerable to disruption
Distribution Technology

Why Some Distribution Verticals Are More Vulnerable to Disruption

To understand how vulnerable a distribution vertical is to disruption, look at the relationship between the product category’s complexity and the ability for the
  • Jonathan Bein
  • October 13, 2020
Products and Marketing Mix
Distribution Marketing

What is Your Product? Knowledge, Information and Service

Here’s what to consider when considering what “product” means to your distribution business and your customer relationships.
  • Robert Kelley
  • September 10, 2020
The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution
Distribution Marketing

The Art of Sales Prospecting When You Can’t Be There: A New Challenge for Field Sales in Distribution

Distributors’ field sales teams are adapting to a new way of reaching prospects now that they cannot just get in the car to visit
  • Debbie Paul
  • August 12, 2020
Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?
Digital Strategy

Is ‘Fulfillment by Amazon’ the Beginning of the End for Distributors?

Distributors worry that Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is assuming key distributor roles and erasing them from the equation. The service picks, packs, ships and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 13, 2020
Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors
Distribution Marketing

Painless Profitability Improvements: Our Favorite Profit-Driving Hacks for Distributors

Distributors: Are you looking for some simple, straightforward and painless ways to make adjustments that improve your profitability? Here are a few of our
  • Jonathan Bein
  • July 8, 2020
>
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