We have all heard of Google and likely search it daily for many things…but are you using it to attract and maintain business? If your customers can’t find you online, they may wind up taking their business elsewhere. Today’s customer realizes that time is money and e-commerce trumps phoning in orders. Separately, if potential customers don’t know you exist, or can’t easily contact you, then growing your business becomes considerably harder. One of the top reasons people get frustrated with a brand is when they are unable to locate a phone number or email to get in touch.

In writing this column month after month, I recognize that while marketing insights and tips are helpful for many, a handful of folks don’t have the desire (or the time) to join in on their business’ marketing efforts. With this in mind, I wanted to think and “write outside the box” to focus on a topic applicable and relevant to all industry professionals and marketers alike. This topic is CREATIVITY.

In April of 2022, ShowroomMarketing.com and The Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association (the DPHA) agreed to put in motion an online-based, business development program for the residential plumbing distribution world.

If you’ve been following my columns thus far, you already know that marketing your business can be a challenging yet rewarding venture. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success, let’s take a look at some common mistakes you should be aware of in order to maximize the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

The 2022 AD eCommerce & Marketing Summit brought together digital and marketing leaders from AD owner/members, supplier partners and eCommerce partners from December 5-7. Over 470 attendees gathered in San Diego for a week of panel discussions, roundtables, networking, and collaboration opportunities.

As the popular saying goes, "branding is what people say about you when you're not in the room," while marketing is how you communicate your brand message to the world.

Affiliated Distributors (AD) named APR Supply Co. the 2022 Digital Innovator of the Year at the AD eCommerce and Marketing Summit in San Diego, California on December 6th.

Marketing’s value is often overlooked, but I think it’s safe to say it might be even more so in this industry. I’ve often attributed this to simple misconceptions or ignorance of marketing’s value in the industry. Perhaps the expensive nature of hiring marketing experts (whether it be in-house or outsourced) also adds to this, which would certainly not be unique to this industry.

Did you know Mark Zuckerberg originally founded Facebook in 2004 as an online website tool to help connect his fellow Harvard students with one another? Today, depending on who you ask, the purpose of Facebook could be many different things, but you can’t deny that it still connects people. 

A letter of intent (LOI) is an essential step in the merger and acquisition (M&A) process, yet its exact purpose and content might be widely unknown.