Dear Industry Colleagues,
As evidenced by the ASA member manufacturer and master distributor listings in the “Manufacturers and Master Distributors – Key to 3 Straight Years of Net Membership Growth” article, membership within ASA isn’t just for wholesaler-distributors.
In the October 2014 ASA News, recent statistics were cited regarding attendance at NetworkASA. One of the most notable statistics is an astounding 67% increase in the number of wholesaler-distributor firms and an impressive 47% increase in the number of manufacturer firms in attendance from the 2010 event to the 2014 event. This speaks volumes for not only the importance of being at NetworkASA, but also the value of an ASA membership overall.
Although all the events at NetworkASA 2014 were top-notch, the wholesaler-vendor conference appointments held a special “wow factor” and represented the electricity currently being manufactured (no pun intended) by channel partners within ASA. As a participant in the appointments, I personally can say the event was definitely a high point of NetworkASA 2014. It represented industry networking at its finest.
What else besides networking does an ASA membership have to offer a manufacturer? The answer is plenty. Exposure to distributors through ASA’s Supplier Partnership program is one way. The Supplier Partnership program offers manufacturers visibility and recognition throughout the calendar year at all ASA-produced events that they normally would not get through a typical sponsorship. Manufacturers have an abundance of
opportunities to be recognized by those at all levels within ASA wholesaler-distributor firms through a Supplier Partnership.
If you are an ASA member manufacturing firm and have not yet explored a Supplier Partnership, contact Ruth Mitchell today at ruth@asa.net or 630/467-0000, ext. 210 to find out more.
As far as education and training are concerned, ASA University offers the industry’s foremost resources that help a manufacturer’s employees to understand the fundamentals of wholesale-distribution; allowing them to better partner with their customers and drive performance together. Overall, ASA University provides a variety of ways to tailor training and education so that implementation is customizable and manageable for each and every member. Visit http://www.asa.net/educationfor more details.
Regarding benchmarking and business intelligence, ASA regularly collects and compiles a wealth of data from its wholesaler-distributor members. The statistically significant sample sizes mean ASA’s industry benchmarks and forecasts offer timely and reliable information that provides manufacturers with valuable insights about how they can more closely align strategic goals and objectives with those of their customers. Go to http://www.asa.net/business-intelligencefor more information.
Last, but not least, industry advocacy equally benefits wholesaler-distributors and manufacturers. For any given industry issue, manufacturers have the opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their wholesaler-distributor customers and help to educate our elected officials about the legislative and regulatory issues that impact the industry and their businesses the most. As always, ASA members may contact Dan Hilton in Washington at any time at dhilton@asa.net or 703/328-5234 to find out more.
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