Independent Dealer February 2024 by Independent Dealer

INDEPENDENT DEALER

the official publication of WSA

FEBRUARY 2024

Editorial & Contents

Plus ça change... With 2024 now in full swing, a quick flick through the pages of this issue tells us there a few continuing trends and topics from last year that show no sign of slowing down as the world rebuilds after COVID. Last year ended with a flurry of dealer acquisitions and this year has started in a similar vein, as consolidation in the IDC persists. While it is sad to see the number of independent dealerships decrease, it is encouraging that—I think more often than not—the business is staying within the channel. On the supply side, it seems the watchword is “restructuring,” with a number of key vendors in the industry announcing reorganizations and reshuffles in this issue alone. I expect we’ll see further announcements of this sort throughout the year as more firms try to cut expenditure and maximize revenues in the uncertain election-year economy. Another ongoing issue is highlighted by WSA’s

FEBRUARY 2024

WINNER’S CIRCLE Good things happening to independents

SECRETS OF SUCCESS Perry Office Plus, Temple, Texas

INDUSTRY NEWS

WSA FOCUS

Rowan McIntyre, editor and publisher rowan@idealercentral.com

Paul Miller in his article on page 24, who speaks to the ongoing problems with the GSA’s online marketplace. While specifically targeting counterfeiting in his piece, Paul also explains that it is the fact that there are “three mega-companies serving as backend providers” to the platform (whose tenure has just been extended) that is the real problem. WSA will once again be holding a fly-in event to lobby Congress on this issue. To find out more about how you can help or get more directly involved, contact the WSA’s executive director, Mike Tucker.

COVER STORY Powering profit with print and promo: Lisa Veeck discovers that there is good money to be made by dealers who get their print and promo offering right

COLUMNS 36 Tom Buxton: Wasn’t a fan of December 38 Troy Harrison: Updating your prospecting strategy 40 Marisa Pensa: Three high-yield actions 42 Mara Gannon: Streamlining your social media

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An OPI publication

the official publication of WSA

Editor and publisher Rowan McIntyre

Finance and operations Kelly Hilleard

Associate editor Lisa Veeck

Head of creative Joel Mitchell

Head of media sales Chris Turness

Digital manager Aurora Enghis

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AT OPI CEO Steve Hilleard Director Janet Bell

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Winner’s Circle

McCarty’s turns 65 McCarty Office Machines, Inc., Parsons, Kansas, was founded 65 years ago by A.H. McCarty, James McCarty’s mechanically inclined grandfather, who moonlighted repairing typewriters. He then expanded his business to include other types of business machines. In the 1970s, when his grandfather’s health began failing, James’ father took over, adding office supplies to the product mix. Today, with James as president, this third-generation family business has 10 full-time employees, does just under $3 million in annual sales and offers everything from office products, furniture and janitorial supplies to print/promotion, breakroom and computer supplies and services. “We have customers who did business with my grandfather and father, and now with us,” James says. “It’s fun to realize that the bonds they built are still going strong.” According to James, much of the company’s success is attributable to his grandfather and father, who built a sturdy foundation. But this is not the only reason why the company is still thriving today. “We have amazing employees,” he enthuses. “One will be celebrating 40 years with us this May. All of them understand our customers and share our vision. It’s what makes our business doable.” And the right attitude also helps. “Call

me stubborn or unintelligent, but I was taught to keep going, to be persistent,” James explains. “There are always ups and downs in business, and I don’t dwell on the negative; I don’t dwell on what I can’t control or change. Every business has a downside and an upside, and I look for the upside. Adaptability is also important.” According to James, one of the biggest challenges of running McCarty’s is the same for many businesses, regardless of industry: “Some dealers cry, ‘Woe is me! The market is changing. We are not selling as many file cabinets or legal pads.’ They stick their heads in the sand and don’t want to change. But business and our industry are constantly changing. To be successful, we have

to stay relevant. We have to find a way to make it work. We listen to our customers. For example, they use computers and that technology isn’t going away anytime soon. Today, IT can make or break a business. But many small businesses know nothing about IT. Our customers started asking for these services, so we are transitioning into providing them. With IT, we are not just selling products; we are helping customers maintain their businesses, and that builds relationships.” And this doesn’t just apply to customers. “You also need to stay relevant to your employees,” James elaborates. “A lot of business owners struggle with the next generation of hires. What motivates long-term

James’ father Jim (above) and his grandfather AH (right) FEBRUARY 2024

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Winner’s Circle employees is not the same as what motivates new hires. It’s not good or bad—just different. For example, younger employees value free time and it’s important for them to know their hard work or extra effort is appreciated. In the old days, it was more like, ‘You are paid for eight hours, so go do your work.’ That doesn’t work anymore.” Like most independent office product dealers, McCarty’s has lost some market share to Amazon over the years, but this doesn’t keep James up at night: “I stress to our delivery drivers and other employees that they differentiate us from Amazon. They are our interface with the customers and that’s what most of our customers want. They want that personal touch, not just to click a button. I encourage our team to provide that service, to be

the anti-Amazon. So we’ve lost some business but we’ve got a lot back because we provide good service.” James has this advice for other dealers keen to stay in the business: “I don’t have expertise in all areas; no one does. But find the right hire or acquire another small business that does. For example, we never really went into print and promotions because I didn’t understand it. But our last two hires, one has a graphics background and one has print and promotions sales background. So now we are going after that business. We kept hearing about the need for IT services and it turns out we have an employee who really understands them, so we realize providing this service is viable. “Listen to your customers to see if they need something you can do

James McCarty

that will keep you relevant. You’d be hurting if you were still making a living off No. 2 pencils and legal pads. Customers are buying fewer filing cabinets and less copy paper, but they are using more computers and need help setting them up. So embrace technology and get in front of it.”

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Winner’s Circle Storey Kenworthy announces new president, acquires Koch divisions Storey Kenworthy | Workspace of Ames, Iowa, has announced that Ryan Boyington has been promoted to president of the company and will now oversee all day-to-day operations, as of January 1. “This change is being made from a position of strength and stability, and we know that will continue under Ryan’s leadership,” said John Kenworthy, CEO and former president of the dealership. “Like many other companies, we have some key individuals approaching retirement age, so it has been a priority to develop a thoughtful, deliberate transition plan as part of the natural progression of our company. “I will remain CEO of our family of companies but will focus my time and energy on overall strategy and growth, while also providing Ryan with whatever guidance and assistance he needs in his new role as president.” Ryan, who first joined Storey Kenworthy | Workspace in 2014, is the son-in-law of former CEO Dave Kenworthy. He represents the fourth generation of the family to lead the company as either president or CEO. “My various roles over the last 10 years, with both Storey Kenworthy and Workspace, have provided me valuable insights and experience regarding our company and the

clients we serve,” said Ryan. “We have a great team in place, we are well positioned for future growth, and we have a tremendous amount of brand equity in our marketplace, so I am excited about the path forward.” Meanwhile, Storey Kenworthy has acquired the office products and promotional materials divisions of Koch Office Group, also of Des Moines, effective January 5. Koch will continue to operate the office technology systems, office interiors divisions and toner and ink business provided under the company’s various copier and printer service agreements. It will retain its 50 employees in these areas, while Koch employees in the office supplies sales team will transition to Storey Kenworthy. “The Koch family has proudly served Iowa businesses since 1889,” Richard “Dutch” Koch Jr. wrote in a letter to Koch customers. “I am excited to share news that the Koch family will pass the torch of Koch Office Group’s office supplies and promotional materials division to another family business that we know will continue to meet and exceed your expectations.” “We are proud to have the opportunity to provide the Koch family an exit strategy and welcome their loyal customers and team members to our team,” said John Kenworthy. “We

take great pride in carrying on Koch’s 134-year legacy and commitment to exceptional local service in the communities the company, and now we, serve.” In separate news, Storey Kenworthy recently came to the rescue of the YMCA of Greater Des Moines, Iowa’s Supportive Housing Campus, when it was running low on paper and hygiene products by donating and delivering these much-needed items. The YMCA’s Supportive Housing Campus helps people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness move into stable and secure permanent housing, supplemented by support services that help them meet their basic needs and achieve their life goals.

FSI Office gives back to veterans

FSI Office, Charlotte, North Carolina, continued its annual holiday tradition of participating in the Soldiers’ Angels Holiday Community Program, stuffing stockings to be sent to troops and veterans in the Charleston, South Carolina VA Hospital. About 50 FSI employees stuffed stockings and/or donated financially to the cause. The volunteers stuffed 75 stockings with socks, playing cards, snacks, Chapstick, hats, chocolate-chip cookies, candy, puzzle books and a holiday card. “Soldiers’ Angels mission is to provide aid, comfort and resources to the military, veterans and their families,” says Beth Freeman, FSI executive vice president. “We owe our freedoms to those who serve and protect, and this is just a small way we can give back by bringing a little holiday cheer.” FEBRUARY 2024

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Winner’s Circle 1st Source teams with S.P. Richards to help the City of Memphis

1st Source, Minneapolis, Minnesota, teamed up with S.P. Richards to get much-needed water to the City of Memphis, Tennessee. In mid-January, the Mid-South and much of the country were hit by a deep freeze, including snow, ice and freezing rain. The Memphis metro area was essentially shut down for the whole week, with schools and most commercial

businesses closed. During that time, there were serious issues in the community due to frozen pipes and limited access to safe, clean drinking water, with much of the area under a “boil only” water restriction. The City of Memphis was scrambling to secure desperately needed water. Two 1st Source employees—Delorce Smith and Austin Smith—contacted

S.P. Richards’ warehouse team, led by Kevin Woods, to secure and prepare 18 pallets of water for the city. The city requested a will-call at S.P. Richards but could only pick up three pallets per trip, forcing its drivers to shuttle back and forth until 11:00 p.m. Friday. “Kevin’s team came through in outstanding fashion and went above and beyond—on a cold Friday night hampered by freezing rain—to make things happen and help the city secure water for their citizens,” says 1st Source CEO and president Greg McLeod. “His leadership and his team’s commitment set a great example. Unfortunately, we often experience service failures and broken commitments from some of our suppliers. It’s gratifying that S.P. Richards went the extra mile for 1st Source, our customers and the citizens of Memphis.”

AHI sponsors United States/Mexico border event AHI Enterprises, San Antonio, Texas, was an enthusiastic sponsor of the Port of Eagle Pass Trade Summit 2023, held at the International Trade Center, Eagle Pass, Texas, on the Mexico-Texas border. Approximately 450 individuals attended the event, including local, regional, state and national leaders from the United States and Mexico. More specifically, the attendee list included city mayors and managers; state, fire, police, sheriff, homeland security, border and customs officials; Department of Public Services personnel; and executives from local businesses. AHI Enterprises was a platinum sponsor for the event, donating cooling towels, mints and imprinted napkins. AHI Enterprises also sold various items, such as cookies, FEBRUARY 2024

challenge coins, pop-up banners, backdrops and various apparel items. “The Texas border is an extremely important territory to our businesses,” says AHI CEO Mark Nolan. “We have supported the border community for 35-plus years, currently running company trucks to the region once

a week. By sponsoring this event, we increased exposure to all our categories; as a direct result of sponsoring the summit, we have received several $100,000-plus furniture orders and impressive sales of Christmas ornament apparel, promotional and other products.”

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Winner’s Circle GBP Direct acquires Southern Office Sales GBP Direct Office Products, Kenner, Louisiana, has acquired Southern Office Sales, Houma, Louisiana, effective January 2024. The move is designed to expand GB Direct’s footprint in the Louisiana market and reinforce the company’s commitment to providing office solutions to businesses in southern Louisiana. The merger marks the company’s 11th acquisition. “On and off through the years, our owner, Randy Durbin, has planted seeds about the benefits of merging with Southern and other dealers in our region,” says sales and business development manager Cody Durbin. “This year, Southern Office Sales decided to sit and discuss what a potential merger could look like.” All Southern employees have been retained and operate under the GBP Direct name. “The acquisition of Southern Office Sales stands as an advantageous move for GBP Direct, seamlessly aligning with the strategic objectives of both office product businesses,” explains Cody. “One compelling reason for this synergy is the

well-established local presence that Southern Office Sales has meticulously cultivated over 40 years. This local stronghold, particularly within areas where GBP Direct only had a partial foothold, offers a substantial benefit for us. “The acquisition solidifies our geographical reach in Houma and capitalizes on the trust and reputation Southern Office Sales has garnered in the region. Furthermore, the

complementary nature of our product portfolios ensures a diversified and comprehensive offering to clients, enhancing our competitive edge. The consolidation of resources, expertise and customer bases positions GBP Direct for sustained growth and success in the dynamic office product market.” According to Durbin, GBP Direct has a few more potential acquisitions in the pipeline that may take place in 2024.

Schmidt Goodman sponsors cancer telethon Schmidt Goodman Office Products, Rochester, Minnesota, was a proud sponsor of the locally run Eagles Cancer Telethon held January 13-14. The event funds research at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, Hormel Institute and the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. The fundraiser marked the event’s 70th anniversary, making it the longest locally run telethon in the United States. Schmidt Goodman provided the centerpieces for the official Kick-off Dinner, which was held prior to the telethon on January 12. The event featured 20 hours of live family entertainment, including dancing, singing, comedy and more. In addition to watching live talent, participants could contribute by getting a haircut, painting tiles, eating pulled pork sandwiches, buying a t-shirt and lighting support candles to honor a loved one. The telethon raised over $900,000. FEBRUARY 2024

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Winner’s Circle Innovative Office Solutions teams with Minnesota Wild to do good Innovative Office Solutions, Burnsville, Minnesota, has partnered with the Minnesota Wild to sponsor the hockey team’s Charity of the Month program, which raises money for a new charity each month throughout the NHL season. Innovative employees attended the Wild’s January 14 game to celebrate this month’s selected charity, Elevate Hope House. Elevate Hope House is a 501c3 nonprofit serving young single mothers and their children experiencing homelessness in Minnesota’s Anoka County. The organization’s mission is to elevate hope for these families in crisis by providing a safe home and a support system to empower them to renew, restore and regain self-worth.

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Secrets of Success

Perry Office Plus, Temple, Texas When a company has been around for 104 years, it must be doing something right. When that company has become a fixture of the IDC—like Perry Office Plus, Temple, Texas—it must be doing a whole lot right. Perry Office Plus was founded in 1920 as American Printing. The company soon added office products and furniture to its offering. In the 1960s, the Perrys purchased the company and operated it until 1994, when it changed hands to H.B. Macey’s parents. In 2022, H.B. and his wife, Lynnsay, purchased Perry Office Plus, which has now expanded further into the warewash, laundry, breakroom and janitorial segments. In 2018, Perry also acquired an independent dealer focused on contract furniture, a category which today accounts for between 55 percent and 60 percent of total sales. This acquisition was the first of several. “We’ve made four acquisitions in the last six years in the Central Texas area,” says H.B. “In particular, we have been successful acquiring office product companies from owners who are ready to retire or step away from the business, but do not have an obvious successor.”

Company info Headquarters: Temple, Texas Number of employees: 51 Top management: H.B. Macey, owner/president; Lynnsay Macey, owner/customer support manager; Shelli Hellinghausen, chief operating officer; Jessica Speer, furniture manager; Bonnie Johnson, marketing manager; Stacy Haugeberg, purchasing and distribution manager; Chris Carter, chief information officer Main wholesaler(s): S.P Richards and Essendant

FEBRUARY 2024

The plan works out well for all stakeholders: “Acquiring companies like this is a good way to grow our footprint quickly. We get better pricing and can make those companies profitable under the Perry name. We also keep the employees. The last acquisition we made had five employees. We kept four, including one of the owners. The other owner was retiring.”

Top secrets

According to H.B., Perry’s success lies in several factors—and the first is: “Hiring the right folks and treating them right. We have a driver who has been here 30 years and several of the top management a decade or more. I also think it is important to adjust to the marketplace. Ours is an ever-changing industry and dealers that don’t adapt to change can’t stay relevant. The third is looking toward the future regarding technology. In 2009, we made a vast improvement by implementing a new ERP system. “However, like most dealers, we relied on the e-commerce website available through this software provider for years, and we found this gave the wholesalers a lot of control over content and restrict functionality and customization. That’s why, in 2022, we developed our own independent

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website, as well as a separate portfolio site for our furniture division.” Shelli Hellinghausen, Perry’s chief operating officer, suggests trust is another key success factor: “The company has always been run with integrity. We have a stellar reputation in central Texas, so they trust us when we make a change.” While both executives agree Amazon is a bona fide competitor, they believe there are ways to combat the online giant, including through buying groups. “The buying groups are very important,” stresses H.B. “They get us rebates, better pricing and other things. Perry has been a member of ISG since 1992. I think they do a great job, but they and the IDC should hold manufacturers’ feet to the fire and get them to decide: ‘Do you want to sell to Amazon or the IDC?’ Some manufacturers, such as HP and Hon, have set minimum pricing for Amazon that it can’t go below. It would be good if more would.” For those keen to flourish in the industry, Hellinghausen has some sage counsel: “Think outside the box and be poised for growth. But know your financial numbers, your capabilities and your people. There are a lot of opportunities out there, but not all of them may be right for your company. Select opportunities that make sense and will be a good fit.”

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Industry News

GSA extends marketplace contracts The US General Services Administration (GSA) has extended the three proof-of-concept contracts for its online marketplace initiative. The original agreements for the pilot phase of the Commercial Platforms program expired on 24 December 2023. To ensure continuity while the GSA finalizes the delayed award process for a new set of contracts, the agency has extended the agreements with Amazon Business, Overstock.com and Fisher Scientific for a further three months.

In order to implement these short-term, non-competitive “bridge” contracts, the GSA had to demonstrate an “urgent and compelling requirement.” It argued the need to avoid customer interruptions on what it described as an “important commercial platform option” that has generated sales of more than $80 million under the current contracts. Figures released by the GSA last year showed that about 96 percent of spend on this initiative was being made through Amazon Business. Awards for the new contracts are expected to be made by March 24.

FEBRUARY 2024

If you have news to share, email it to rowan@idealercentral.com

WSA announces 2024 scholarship applications The Workplace Solutions Association (WSA) has opened applications for its annual scholarships. Employees and immediate family members of all WSA member companies are eligible to apply until March 31. Candidates must have graduated from high school or its equivalent before July 1 of the year in which they would use the scholarship and have an academic record sufficient to be accepted by an accredited college, junior college, technical institute or accredited trade school. Students currently enrolled full time in college or graduate school are not eligible. “Continuing education is necessary to be competitive in today’s job market,” said WSA President Charlie Kennedy. “We encourage all member companies to share this opportunity with their employees and help our students enhance their skills and have access to better opportunities in the workplace.”

Created more than 50 years ago, the WSA Scholarship Fund has now awarded more than $2.8 million in scholarships to families of office products and office furniture dealers and is supported entirely through individual and member contributions. The fund recognized 30 college students receiving one-year scholarships in the 2023-2024 academic year. With the WSA now under ISSA ownership, going forward, the WSA scholarship program will be hosted and administered by ISSA Scholars, a division of ISSA Charities. For more information or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.issa.com/ wsa-scholarship.

TOPS now distributing Linc brand

Stationery and office supplies manufacturer TOPS Products has confirmed it has entered into a distribution agreement with Indian writing instruments giant Linc. TOPS signed a deal with Linc a few months ago and is now the exclusive North American distributor for the Indian company’s Pentonic brand of pens. According to TOPS: “Pentonic is a global brand of ballpoint and gel pens that come in a variety of colors, styles and quantities. These high-quality pens are the perfect complement to our own extensive selection of office, school and home organizational supplies.”

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Industry News

ACCO announces restructuring plan, closes facility

ACCO Brands has announced a three-year restructuring and cost savings plan that includes a rejig of its reportable business units. The program incorporates initiatives to “simplify and de-layer the company’s operating structure and reduce costs through headcount reductions, supply chain optimization, global footprint rationalization and better leveraging of sourcing capabilities.” As a result of these actions, ACCO said it will improve its speed of execution and bring key leaders closer to customers. One of the key changes is a move to two operating and reporting segments: Americas will include the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Chile; while the International

segment comprises EMEA, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Two company veterans will head the new units. Patrick Buchenroth has been named VP of Americas. A former CFO of MeadWestvaco’s consumer and office products division— acquired by ACCO in 2012—he was most recently in charge of ACCO’s International division. Meanwhile, EMEA president Cezary Monko will now have responsibility for Australia, New Zealand and Asia. “The actions we are announcing today will better position the company for long-term sustainable profitable growth,” said CEO Tom Tedford. “The cost reduction actions, as well as a renewed focus on innovation and new product development, will provide fuel for reinvestment and an improved growth trajectory for the long-term.” Meanwhile, ACCO has confirmed a cost savings plan in relation to the closure of its manufacturing plant in Sidney, New York. In a regulatory filing, the company confirmed it will close the site that makes and distributes dated and planning products. The manufacturing activities will be relocated to an external supplier, while the distribution function will be transferred to ACCO’s Booneville, Mississippi facility in over the next 12 months. The Sidney location—which employs around 300 staff—is slated to close by the end of 2024. ACCO owns the facility and will therefore look to sell it; however, it said current property market conditions made the sale date uncertain.

Staff shuffle at HP’s North American print business A number of changes among senior personnel have been confirmed at HP Inc for the beginning of 2024. David Lary, who has been general manager of US consumer and supplies sales for the past four years, has taken on a new role of VP, print category for the North American market, effective February 1. Lary—who will report to George Brasher, COO of HP Global Print—will have responsibility for all home and office printing in the US and Canada. Meanwhile, experienced HP exec Tami Beach has been named VP of consumer channel sales, reporting to Anneliese Olson, the recently appointed managing director of North America. Beach has been with the tech firm for 27 years and has most recently been leading its MPS business in the US. In another development, the commercial supplies unit run by April Marshall— previously overseen by Lary—moved into Scott Lannum’s North America channel organization from January 1. This, said HP, will align its print strategy across commercial print hardware and supplies to deliver a better experience for its distribution and Tier 2 hardware partners. FEBRUARY 2024

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» PAGE 16

Industry News

Xerox confirms cyber incident, cuts workforce Xerox has said its SMB division XBS has been hit by a cyberattack. In a December 30 press release, the tech firm said “a security incident … was detected and contained by Xerox cybersecurity personnel” at the XBS subsidiary. According to Xerox, the attack had “no impact” on its corporate systems, operations or data and did not affect operations at XBS. However, it admitted that a preliminary investigation indicated that “limited personal information in the XBS environment may have been affected.” “As per our policy and standard operating procedure, we will notify all affected individuals as required,” the company added. Meanwhile, the firm has announced

FEBRUARY 2024

a restructuring program that includes reducing its staff numbers by around 15 percent. Described as an “evolution” of the Reinvention plan revealed last October, Xerox is adopting a new operating model and organizational structure that will result in around 3,000 people leaving the company in the coming weeks. “The evolution of Xerox’s Reinvention aligns our resources in three key areas—improvement and stabilization of our core print business, increased productivity and efficiency through the formation of a new Global Business Services organization, and disciplined execution in revenue diversification,” said CEO Steve Bandrowczak. The company has also “redesigned and realigned” its executive team. Changes

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include the return of former general counsel and ex-Icahn Enterprises exec Louie Pastor. He has been named chief transformation and administrative officer, charged with overseeing the Xerox Reinvention Office and the new Global Business Services unit. COO John Bruno will lead the “enterprise alignment” of the print, digital services and IT services businesses. Meanwhile, Americas president Joanne Collins Smee and Tracey Koziol, EVP of global offering solutions and chief product officer, have left the company.

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Industry News

Newell announces restructuring program Newell Brands is implementing a cost reduction program as part of what it describes as an “organizational realignment.” In a press release, the company said organizational design changes will entail: • standing up a cross-functional brand management organization; • realigning business unit finance to fully support the new global brand management model; • further simplifying and standardizing regional go-to-market organizations; • centralizing domestic retail sales teams, the digital technology team, business-aligned accounting personnel, the manufacturing quality team and the human resources functions into center-led teams to drive standardization, efficiency and scale with a One Newell approach. Newell will also “optimize” its real estate footprint and pursue other cost reduction initiatives, with all

actions expected to be substantially implemented by the end of 2024. The vendor plans to reduce its corporate office jobs by around seven percent. “Through the organizational design changes, we expect to maximize

accountability and ownership of financial results, drive consistency in how we work, reduce overhead cost structure and complexity, while investing in the capabilities we need to win,” stated CEO Chris Peterson.

New major distribution center for Lexmark Ryder System has launched a new 1 million square foot distribution center in Jeffersonville, Indiana for Lexmark. Focusing on improving the efficiency of customer order fulfillment processes, this move consolidates two previous operations, optimizing the receiving and shipping of printers, copiers and

FEBRUARY 2024

related components. Located strategically near Louisville, Kentucky, the facility enables 99 percent same-day shipping and 99 percent midnight parcel pick-up with next-day air service. It also streamlines the customization, configuration, return, refurbishment and recertification of

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equipment while saving costs. Additionally, the implementation of RyderShare, a digital platform, enhances real-time visibility and collaboration across the supply chain. Billy Spears, SVP and chief product delivery officer at Lexmark, highlighted the longstanding relationship with Ryder, praising its expertise in adapting to the evolving supply chain environment. Ryder’s involvement with Lexmark extends to distribution management, returns handling and equipment restoration. Since 2009, Ryder’s transportation management solutions have reportedly saved Lexmark $1 million annually and achieved over 98 percent on-time performance. PAGE 18

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Industry News TD SYNNEX expands repair capabilities TD SYNNEX division Shyft Global Services has acquired Cokeva, a US-based firm that repairs, tests and refurbishes IT equipment. The distributor said Cokeva will expand Shyft’s depot repair service capabilities and unlock additional opportunities for Shyft customers with its 220,000 square foot operation in Roseville, California. This facility holds a certification for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and operates

Safco makes national accounts hire US office and educational furniture manufacturer Safco Products has named Vonnie Provinzino as senior manager for national accounts. Provinzino is well known to many in US business products circles following more than 12 years at 3M, where she held a number of B2B marketing and sales roles. These included senior key account manager at the vendor’s Safety & Industrial Group, selling into the B2B distribution channel.

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a cleanroom to ISO 5/Class 100 standards. The addition of the Roseville location bolsters Shyft’s global footprint, which includes certified facilities in Groveport, Ohio; Warsaw in Poland; Tiel in the Netherlands and Tampines in Singapore. “Adding more than 200 highly trained repair service experts, engineering resources and another world-class facility to our services portfolio will

provide significant benefits for both Shyft and Cokeva customers,” said Shyft SVP Ron Brinckerhoff. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Boom celebrates record year

Video conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration enjoyed a year of record growth and rapid expansion in 2023. Formed in 2020, Boom has developed a growing global footprint, spanning hardware solutions for all types of meeting rooms. The Texas-based company is headed by founders Fredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett and now operates in over 30 countries, where revenues rose by almost 40 percent during the last 12 months. Boom’s platform-agnostic portfolio encompasses video bars, all-in-one solutions, high-performance cameras and a multi-camera mixing desk controller. Recent distribution partnerships span the UK, France, Germany and the Baltics, as Boom continues to extend its reach across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. “A lot of what we’ve been focusing on over the last couple of years is introducing ourselves to the market,” said Hulett. “We’ve built the business by listening to our customers and identifying what they need and what they were lacking, being attentive and creating quick solutions. This is one of the cornerstones of who we are and what we will continue to be.” INDEPENDENT DEALER

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Industry News Imperial Dade continues on acquisition trail

Rebrand for BradyIFS and Envoy Solutions

The new go-to-market name for the merged BradyIFS and Envoy Solutions jan/san, industrial packaging and foodservice reseller businesses has been revealed. The organization introduced the BradyPlus name and branding on January 17, promising to create a new legacy built on 140 years of history and the combination of 62 heritage brands. The “B” in the new logo incorporates a bee and this is being used in marketing messages—for example, in the social media hashtag #FollowTheBee. More details are available in this video announcing the new name.

Jan/san distribution giant Imperial Dade has announced its 76th and 77th acquisition under chairman Robert Tillis and CEO Jason Tillis. The latest addition to the Imperial Dade network is Insight Distributing, a distributor of supplies and equipment to the foodservice and jan/san industries throughout the states of Washington and Idaho. Owned and operated by Ken and Luke Pearlstein, it has a history dating back to 1941. Jason Tillis said: “The Insight partnership provides great value in the large and growing Western market which is key as Imperial Dade expands geographically and grows nationally with our customers.” This follows the purchase of Wedge Supply, a distributor of professional cleaning chemicals, janitorial supplies, floor maintenance equipment and foodservice items that serves the Dallas/Fort Worth market in Texas, just before Christmas. One of Wedge’s specialties is custodial training. It has a dedicated facility equipped to offer seminars, demonstrations and hands-on experience to customers with extensive staff and large facility needs. The company was founded by Kevin Wedge in 1989 and Imperial Dade said he would remain “an integral leader” going forward.

In memoriam: Charles Russell, SSI INDEPENDENT DEALER was saddened to learn of the passing of Systems Solutions Limited (SSI) co-owner and VP Charles Russell. Charles collapsed outside his Dallas, Texas apartment on the evening of January 27 due to an apparent heart attack. He was taken to hospital where he died at the age of 70. Charles had been involved with the office products industry for 38 years. During that time, he managed three of the industry’s leading dealer software companies, becoming a respected and influential figure in the IDC and an acknowledged expert in dealership automation. After working as an educator for 10 years, Charles joined Distribution Data Management Systems (DDMS) in 1986 as director of training. He held a variety of management positions there over the FEBRUARY 2024

next few years, helping shape a relaxed, customer-friendly culture and becoming the public face of the company. By the time he was appointed president and CEO in 1995, Charles was DDMS, as far as many dealers were concerned. After DDMS was acquired by ECI, Charles served as president of that company’s Business Systems Group and later as national sales manager. After leaving ECI, he became a partner in SSI and took over as president of the company—a position he held until June of 2023. SSI’s remaining owners, company president John Evans and founder Terry Knight, will continue to manage the company and there are staff in place to make sure that new system installations, customer support and software development—Charles’ primary areas of responsibility—continue to move forward. INDEPENDENT DEALER

Although he was still an active member of SSI’s senior management team and had no plans to retire, Charles had already stepped back to a less public role in the company. The change in position last year—with Evans, 55, taking over as president and Charles replacing him as vice president —was part of a long-term strategic plan for SSI’s future, helping ensure continuity of leadership in the years to come. In a statement, SSI said: “Charles will be missed deeply, but he will not be forgotten. Over the years, he not only helped countless dealers but had a tremendous influence on the lives and careers of many people at the different companies he led, creating a legacy that will endure for years to come.” INDEPENDENT DEALER extends its sincere condolences to Charles’ family, friends and colleagues. PAGE 22

Industry News

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WSA Focus

The silent threat to small businesses and government pockets being enabled by the federal government By: Paul A. Miller, legislative counsel, Workplace Solutions Association

Counterfeiting poses a significant threat to small businesses in the United States, causing substantial financial losses and jeopardizing the integrity of genuine products. This article examines the impact of counterfeit goods on small businesses, shedding light on the staggering financial losses incurred. Additionally, it explores the ripple effect of counterfeiting on the federal government, investigating the annual losses suffered due to the infiltration of counterfeit goods into government purchases. While we can’t completely rid the supply chain of counterfeits, we can and should expect more from our own government, which continues to enable those who allow fakes to hurt our businesses. Counterfeit products inflict severe financial harm on small businesses across various industries. From electronics to fashion, pharmaceuticals and beyond, counterfeits are flooding the market, imitating legitimate products and deceiving unsuspecting consumers. Small businesses, which lack the resources to combat this menace effectively, bear the brunt of these illicit activities. The economic toll of counterfeiting on small businesses is staggering. According to recent studies, small businesses lose billions of dollars annually due to the sale of counterfeit goods. These losses encompass not only revenue but also the costs associated with legal battles, reputational damage and product recalls. The ripple effect extends to job losses and the overall stability of small enterprises. Counterfeit products not only harm small businesses but also pose a significant FEBRUARY 2024

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WSA Focus threat to the federal government. Government agencies procure a vast array of products and services, and the infiltration of counterfeit goods into these purchases has far-reaching consequences. Yet the government is doing more to enable counterfeiting through its online marketplace than it is to rid the system of the fakes that are hurting our businesses. The US government is one of the largest purchasers of goods and services in the world. From military equipment to office supplies, federal agencies procure a diverse range of products to fulfill their missions. However, the prevalence of counterfeit goods in the market complicates the procurement landscape, leading to inadvertent purchases of substandard and potentially harmful products. Quantifying the annual losses incurred by the federal government due to counterfeiting is a challenging task. However, estimates suggest that the government loses billions of dollars each year through the unwitting purchase of counterfeit goods. These losses encompass financial expenditures, legal battles and the broader impact on national security. The US Patent and Trademark Office estimates that each year, counterfeits cost consumers and businesses $2 trillion globally. Yes, that’s trillion with a “T.” In April 2023, Amazon issued a statement stating it had eliminated 6 million counterfeit items from its platform (although I suspect that number is low compared to how many are truly out there); and in 2021, it reportedly blocked 10 billion counterfeiting attempts. This is the very company that is in charge of running the General Service Administration’s (GSA) online marketplace. This issue is hurting our small businesses which sell to the federal government. The GSA is continuing its push for an online marketplace FEBRUARY 2024

which is similar to Amazon’s. It’s no surprise that Amazon is one of three mega-companies serving as backend providers to the government. The GSA continues to allow a Wild-West style of selling on these platforms, which puts national security at risk, props up China and takes billions from the pockets of legitimate small businesses. The Workplace Solutions Association (WSA) continues to fight this battle on Capitol Hill and to educate members of Congress on why the GSA marketplace needs immediate reform. No one wants to stop progress and innovation, but the damage being done by the lack of rules governing this marketplace is hurting this country and its small businesses. The current system allows global terrorists to sell counterfeit products and steal national security secrets. The current platform rewards global leaders in counterfeit products due to the lack of strict rules to catch cheats. Ask yourself: why in the past have you had to jump through hoops to sell to the federal government when today, anyone that wants to can sell through the online marketplace? What’s changed? I’ll tell you what’s changed: the large power players running these platforms have convinced the government they are the only ones who can manage this platform. These very same companies have also hijacked the process by telling the government that safeguards aren’t necessary and they won’t implement them. To make matters worse, these companies not only control the backend solutions, but are also free to sell their own products on the platform. That is a different issue for another day. For now, let’s stay focused on counterfeiting. The WSA continues to request that Congress study this issue. Congress should exert its oversight authority and request the GSA to explain how its system will protect taxpayers from wasting their tax dollars on counterfeit INDEPENDENT DEALER

products. “Made in the USA” and buying from legitimate US small businesses used to mean something. Today, in the era of “I want it and I want it now,” consumers—including government buyers—aren’t doing their due diligence on resellers and products. They simply click a button and the product arrives on their doorstep. This is an uphill battle, but it’s one worth fighting. We have no choice. The end result of sitting back and doing nothing will cost us more—possibly even our businesses. This is why we need your help. We need you to join our advocacy efforts in Washington. We need to strengthen our voice and, with your help, we can do just that. During our annual congressional fly-in event, the WSA’s leadership will be hitting Capitol Hill—talking with key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about the impact of counterfeiting on our success and explaining how damaging the GSA online platform, as driven today, is: how it threatens national security, supports China and is killing legitimate US small businesses. With Washington as divided as it is today, your voice is more important than ever. This is a critical election year and we have the opportunity to make this an election issue for both parties. Who wants to see an ad or mailer stating their support for a system that wastes hard-earned tax dollars, supports China’s global counterfeiting efforts and threatens our national security? I’ll tell you: not one person running for office wants their name associated with this. That is why the WSA is working overtime to elevate this issue above all the other noise you read about in Washington. Join the WSA and help support its grassroots efforts to protect small businesses. Help us bring back the true meaning of “Made in the USA.” Help us elevate the role of small businesses in Washington.

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WSA Focus

Trust

Mike Tucker, executive director, Workplace Solutions Association

Trust: what is it? Who do you trust? Who trusts you? Definition: “A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.” In my role as the executive director of the Workplace Solutions Association, I am constantly bombarded with the latest and greatest industry news. Everyone is sharing opinions on how to remain relevant and succeed in a business environment that is changing at the speed of sound. • What product categories to sell? Office products, tech services, furniture, jan/san, promotional products. • How to leverage technology? Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, customer relationship management, e-commerce, data. • How to market to customers? Face to face, telesales, digital, catalogs, snail mail, QR codes. • Who are your customers and what do they want? Gen X, Gen Z, millennials; commercial, public sector, healthcare, legal.

As a business owner, your goals are usually pretty straightforward: make a good living; build your business; take care of your customers and employees; and give back to the community. So how should you deal with this information tsunami? I have two recommendations: • Stay focused on maintaining the trust of your customers, which you have earned through years of partnership. • Make trust the filter you use when choosing the partners you work with for tech services, product categories, marketing consultants, etc. Wishing you a New Year filled with good health, prosperity and TRUST!

CMY

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Cover Story

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Cover Story Since computers transformed our world, there has been a lot of talk about the death of print. Meanwhile, some people have written off promotional materials as effectively nothing more than trinkets, of zero interest to the younger generation. But hold off on the eulogies! While today’s definition of “print and promotions” may be less traditional and, in some cases, more practical, both categories appear to be thriving and—according to the independent dealers we interviewed— show no signs of slowing down any time soon. Print and promotions account for 50 percent, “if not more,” of sales for The Office Boss, Truckee, California, according to print services manager Nathan Gamett, who recently added “marketing director” to his title. He considers the two categories as one, since what customers print is ultimately aimed at promoting their companies.

“The category has grown in the last three years since COVID-19,” he says. “We are surrounded by a lot of small towns and have an office in Reno [Nevada], where there are a lot of real estate transactions. Many engineers and architects come directly to us because there may be only three companies in the area that can print their plans. We also do a lot of direct-to-door pieces. Recently, we did three to four projects of between 5,000 and 10,000 pieces, mainly for real estate agents in Vegas, where there’s been a lot of land growth.” Yet according to Gamett, direct mail can also backfire. “Truckee is a small town and there’s no real return for companies to send direct mail,” he explains. “Also, the town is very eco-friendly and people don’t want to receive flyers with UV coatings and others that aren’t biodegradable. They feel bad putting them in the trash for

landfill and they look at who is sending them. People used to be like me, excited by the look and feel of the paper. Now, many in the area say, ‘How could you!’ So in a small mountain town like Truckee, I don’t push mailers, which can give us a bad reputation.” In addition to architectural plans, the company does a lot of work for tradeshows—and not just promotional pieces. “I just hung up on a call from the Reno Convention Center discussing whether we’d be a good fit to come in and run its business center,” Gamett says. “They were ecstatic and said it was the first time anyone had contacted them about it.” The contract will include a wide range of services, including printing flyers, stocking office products and handling the center’s shipping. At Spry, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, print and promotions have long been a mainstay, accounting for as much as 80 percent of total sales. In fact, Spry

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Cover Story recently merged with Lee Graphics and, according to David Sager—the previous owner of Lee and Spry’s current national director of office supplies and furniture—the company’s prowess in the print and promotions area was a key driver of the merger: “My business partner and I expanded from office products to furniture and janitorial. But we knew there was a hole in the print and promotions category if we wanted to provide total fulfillment. Merging with Spry filled that void.” According to Spry CEO and president Jeff Williams, while the company’s largest print and promotion customers are in the financial institutions, medical and retail industries, “We are a full-service printer, so we do business in all sectors.” Legacy Workplace Solutions in Brooklyn, New York, has long focused on printing. Still, it wasn’t until a merger with another company 15 years ago that it broadened its offerings into promotional products. “I have 45 years of print experience, but I wish I’d gotten into promotions sooner,” laments president and chief operating officer Jordan Kudler. “I feel like there were great opportunities and I left money on the table all those years.” At One Point, Scranton, Pennsylvania, print and promotion account for “at least two-thirds of the company’s sales. Print is massive,” enthuses Patricia McCabe, vice president of sales and marketing. The company’s top buyers include banks, rehabilitation entities and mental health facilities, especially for students all the way up to university age. “We do a lot for those working from home,” McCabe continues. “The organization will buy supplies upfront to get the best pricing and then employees or students can go to the website and order.” Like Gamett, McCabe has noticed a trend toward sustainability, but primarily for toners: “Buying recycled toner FEBRUARY 2024

cartridges is huge for some customers, particularly schools, government agencies and healthcare. Recycled cartridges used to have a bad name, but we have a good vendor that rigorously tests them. Now customers want to know one, how much it costs; and two, how much ends up in landfill.”

Hot right now

At AHI Enterprises, San Antonio, Texas, print and promotions account for 20 percent of total annual sales, with government and education representing the largest buying sectors. Stanley cups are the latest hottest promotional product for many dealers, followed by Yeti cups and high-end apparel. “It’s been great that our wholesaler carries many of the top apparel name brands, such as Nike, Brooks Brothers, TravisMathew and The North Face, which all the university students want,” says AHI president Sandra Nolan. According to AHI promotional and apparel specialist Denise Bueche, “Gifting is also big: nice ladies’ cardigans, caps and embroidered jackets, whatever is nice that you can INDEPENDENT DEALER

put a logo on.” But this doesn’t mean some of the more traditional items are out. “We still have some customers who order calendars each year for their customers, and we sell a lot of envelopes and business cards,” says Nolan. At One Point, “Top sellers are cyclical and depend on what’s trending,” explains McCabe. She agrees that Stanley and Yeti cups are the current winners: “There’s also a lot of streamlining for efficiencies. We make welcome boxes for companies to give to new hires, new customers or for banks for new mortgage holders. We fill the boxes with things like a Yeti, journal, pens and maybe a letter from the company president. Before, human resources or someone would have to take the time to go and collect all these items themselves. I know I did at my last job and my office was full of boxes; keeping track of what we had was difficult. Now, with a click of a button, the box can be sent and the company can go on our website to see its inventory. It saves employees a lot of time and hassle.” “We sell a lot of pens, pencils, mugs, PAGE 30

Cover Story tote bags, embroidered garments— anything you can put a logo on,” says Legacy’s Kudler. “We do a lot of beverage napkins. Large law firms will use them in the breakroom, two or three conference rooms and other places. We just received an order for 50,000 napkins and they will go through those in four or five months.” Yet he warns that some brands have promotional limitations: “Sometimes the brand has restrictions on who can do what. For example, Yeti only allows logos to be laser etched. But there are plenty of similar products.”

Print in the digital age

The dealers we spoke with unanimously agreed that while the digital revolution has disrupted traditional print, it has not heralded the category’s demise but merely a shift in how print is defined. Given Truckee’s focus on sustainability, whenever possible,

Gamett tries to ensure that the architectural plans, business cards, flyers, brochures, postcards and other mailers the company prints are on recyclable paper—or perhaps not even printed at all. “Creating designs for social media and using QR codes that people can scan instead of printed pieces are really big,” he explains. “It comes down to how customers can get their message onto people’s phones. Phones today are a part of people. No one goes anywhere without their phone, so the focus is on email, social media and QR codes that can be accessed by phone. Getting in the door can be challenging for our salespeople, but we tell customers we can provide the graphic design for their business card or event flyer. We create a QR code that can be scanned and takes the viewer to the full poster or a video where all the details come to life—all without paper.

It’s digital augmented reality, which is the future.” “There is no question print has declined since so much has gone digital,” agrees Kudler. “Many print shops have gone out of business. But we look for opportunities from other categories. For example, one customer used to spend a few thousand dollars a year with us on office products. We got a small order for promotional products and the department heads loved the high level of attention we gave them and the fact that we took their deadline seriously. It wasn’t self-serve; we even helped the company improve how its logo appears on things. Now that customer spends $30,000 to $40,000 a year with us at a much higher margin than office products. These jobs also help lock customers in because they like that we are a one-stop shop.” While Point One experienced a decline in print during COVID-19,

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Cover Story

McCabe says things have picked up again in the last three years. “However, the category continues to evolve,” she continues. “We are seeing some banks and other clients that want digital brochures where the bankers can add their names and not worry if something changes two weeks after it is printed. They can just update the digital file.” Bueche explains how digitization has changed the approval process at AHI: “Typically, we would quote a job and provide a proof after the purchase order was approved. Today, many customers’ marketing departments are very entrenched in the process. So we will do a quote and produce a proof that has to be approved by marketing before the purchasing department approves the purchase order.” Nolan admits that doing the work before receiving approval was scary, but it has turned out to be an advantage in the long term. “Involving the marketing department in the process allows us to build stronger FEBRUARY 2024

relationships,” Bueche elaborates. “We’ve had an excellent success rate, in the 90s, with very few orders not being approved, and those were because the customer had exhausted its funds and had to push the project into the next quarter.”

Home or away

Williams, Bazemore and Bueche agree that to succeed in this segment, in-house design capabilities are essential. “Trying to take care of customers soup to nuts requires our own in-house team,” insists Williams. “We not only create video, blogs and other content, but also help customers with their digital strategies—even pay-per-click.” Yet others believe that where the work is done is less important than a deep understanding of the process. “There’s a huge difference between someone who just sells print and someone who understands it,” suggests Kudler. “We have a lot of print experience, so if ink INDEPENDENT DEALER

goes on it, I am going to sell it. A shop with no background will subcontract out the work to one company, which will put layers of cost on the job. I know which shops are good at what; we can eliminate layers of cost by sending work to the right place. Understanding printing also puts us in a better position to quote because we know what can and can’t be done. Today, anyone can create a brochure in Photoshop and think it is printable. However, the artwork will often work on a website but will be unusable for print. It’s a great opportunity for us because there are not a lot of true print brokers with this knowledge. The result is higher margins and a better product for our customers.” Similarly, Kudler sees opportunities come Legacy’s way from customers whose do-it-yourself attempts fail. “One of my favorite signs is one I saw for a hair salon that said, ‘We fix $15 haircuts,’” he says. “That’s how we feel when people talk about making PAGE 32

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Cover Story their own cards online. They think they are saving money, but at the end of the day, the product comes back looking horrible and gets thrown in the garbage, and they come to us. We pay attention to detail and make sure the job comes out right from the start.” McCabe says One Point used to have a print shop in its basement, but as business grew, it gave up, instead relying on local vendors.

Ruling out the “big boys”

The dealers were unanimous that any print and promotional business lost to Amazon has been minimal. Bazemore summed up the general sentiment: “We build relationships and give customers the personal touch they don’t get from Amazon. We don’t get products mixed up or leave packages outside in the rain; and you can’t call Amazon and get anyone in an hour.” Bueche adds: “We measure and customize every piece of apparel we sell. We do stitch-outs no matter how often a customer has ordered from us. We also do tabletop shows at schools, for example, so administrators and teachers can see and touch what we

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are selling; and we give out samples. Amazon does not do these things.” Williams adds: “We’ve never lost a print or promotions job to the big boys. It’s about service and they just don’t get custom printined items.”

Sage advice

Gamett firmly believes that what dealers sell in the print and promotion category should be tied to where they are based. “It depends on location and the specific market,” he explains. “If I were still in Las Vegas, I’d do direct mail for realtors four to five times a month. Here, we hardly print anything. We do our promotions differently, like digital marketing and QR codes.” For Bazemore, the segment is full of promise: “It is a great area to expand because there is so much you can do, so there are lots of benefits to adding the category if you don’t have it. However, you need people who are very focused on details and are good, clear communicators, who can explain what you can and can’t do.” Kudler likewise highlights the importance of specialist know-how: “Find or align yourself with someone

INDEPENDENT DEALER

with the technical print knowledge and don’t be afraid to ask. I am always happy to give guidance. It’s a great area where you can enjoy healthy organic growth, but don’t look at selling it like you sell office products because they are two totally different things and require different skills. There’s no price list. Print and promotion sales are regional and market driven, so you have to test the waters. Very rarely, from my experience, is price an issue. Customers just want their jobs handled effectively and efficiently.” When asked for his top tip, Williams advises—tongue firmly in cheek—“Sell your company to Spry!” “But seriously,” he continues, “it depends on where you are in your career. If you are in your 40s or 50s and want to reinvent your business by getting involved in print and promotion, it won’t be easy, but you have more time. If you are in your 60s, you have to ask if you want or have the skill set to learn all the software and print/promo industry knowledge. But you have to sell a lot of office products to make it without selling print and promotional items.”

Shared enthusiasm

Predicting the future of the print and promotions categories, McCabe sums up the dealers’ overall enthusiasm: “The promo space is a $26 billion industry and continues to grow. I get super-excited about the creativity in the space, thinking about new cool, unique ideas. I also see artificial intelligence as being massive for things like the digitization of logos and cost and time savings. A lot of companies are just scratching the surface and I look forward to seeing what it will look like a year from now. I also like that there is a lot of camaraderie in this space—a lot of openness, a willingness to share ideas and vendors and to discuss what is and isn’t working for them. Print and promotions are about relationships and a high level of service, and that is never going away.” PAGE 34

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Tom Buxton

Christmas was great; December “sucked” December certainly can be “The most wonderful time of the year,” as Andy Williams sang so many years ago. For Christians and others that just enjoy giving and receiving gifts, there is nothing like the festive season to celebrate Jesus’ birth and/or the value of close family and friends. The Christmas season is also a time when many owners and employees take time away from their jobs to enjoy “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” Our family had a great time again this year giving gifts to those in need in Christ’s name, and I hope that your family had a memorable holiday as well. Now comes the not-so-jolly part. One thing that the month of December is not is a good time to sell office products or furniture. After my latest column appeared in the last issue of INDEPENDENT DEALER, I spoke to many dealers who agreed that this fall was a very tough time for sales. They were also noticing that December was even worse than usual. Most discouraging was the fact that, as a general rule, unless they had already begun significantly diversifying their offering and customer base, the dealers I spoke to were forecasting a less-than-auspicious start to 2024. FEBRUARY 2024

If you are still reading after that last “cheerless” paragraph, I would like to remind you that January is a time for new beginnings, when budgets and sales plans should be either finalized or close to completion. As an owner or sales leader, you must face up to the issues from 2023 or 2024 will be worse. The following are a few ideas that dealers that want to grow in 2024 are implementing. I have suggested many of them before; but with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act money drying up and other challenges facing the IDC, considering some major changes might be worthwhile.

• If you have the cash, consider buying a janitorial company. • Make real budgets for your sales team and hold them to them. • Focus on obtaining new accounts and don’t allow more than 20% of your salesforce to be just farming. • Raise overall margins wherever possible. • Create a plan to implement in case your company continues to shrink in 2024. • Join a national account group like AOPD or EPIC and commit to growing that type of business. • Join AFFLINK in order to access its training and contracts. • Determine if you, as an

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In addition to serving as national sales manager for AOPD, Tom Buxton, founder and CEO of the InterBizGroup consulting organization, works with independent office products dealers to help increase sales and profitability. Tom is also the author of a book on effective business development, Dating the Gatekeeper. For more information, visit www.interbiz group.com.

owner, are encouraging sales or dragging them down. • Invest in consulting and/ or training while you can afford to do it. • Use a customer relationship management system with your sales team and manage its use. • Research free or low-cost resources that can help you adjust the scope of your company. • Get serious about the fact that the office products business will never be what it once was, but the next-day distribution business is alive and well. Yes, I have made 12 suggestions—just think of them like the 12 days of Christmas. PAGE 36

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

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Troy Harrison

Prospecting has changed— and you must change with it Are your salespeople seeing their prospecting numbers and ratios decrease? If so, you—and they—are not alone. Sales is evolving and we have to evolve with it. It’s time to redefine what cold-call prospecting really means; and along with that redefinition, we can realize that it might be even more important today. Thirty years ago, the numbers looked like this. If you were calling from a good database, not doing the “person who …” call and using a strong introduction, you would generally get a contact (i.e., speak to the person you wanted to reach) about once in every three times you dialed the phone. Then, if your introduction was strong, you’d get an appointment about once in every two to three contacts. Hence, if you were doing it right, you’d get an appointment about once in every six to nine dials. That’s a pretty good number. Most of the time, salespeople working from a good database could average 20 dials per hour, so an hour of focused cold calling got you two or three appointments. There was a very linear relationship between calling this week and appointments next week. FEBRUARY 2024

For most of us, though, that’s all changed. Today (in most business-to-business industries), you’re lucky if you get a contact about once in every 10 dials. From what I see, the contact-to-appointment ratio has dropped as well, but not as drastically: now it’s more like four contacts yielding

one appointment, most likely because “one size fits all” messaging is no longer as effective. That means today, doing things the old way, it takes about two hours of focused cold calling to get one appointment. However, when I have done cold calling training with my clients, I’ve noticed a curious phenomenon. When

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Troy Harrison is the Sales Navigator and the author of Sell Like You Mean It and The Pocket Sales Manager. He helps companies navigate the elements of sales on their journey to success. He offers a free 45-minute sales strategy review. To schedule, call 913-645-3603 or email Troy@ TroyHarrison.com. salespeople leave a strong voicemail (more on that in a minute), their LinkedIn profile views go up in the next couple of days. Who’s viewing them? You guessed

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Troy Harrison it: some of the people that they tried to call. This means that whatever they said interested the prospect sufficiently to check them out—even if the prospect didn’t return the call (even 30 years ago, returned calls from voicemail ran at about 10-20 percent, so that’s never been a strong lead generator). Right now, I’m seeing about 25-30 percent of voicemails result in a LinkedIn profile view. That is a success. The purpose of cold calling is simple. We want to find people who could buy from us but don’t know

we exist and spark interest in them so they might buy from us now or in the future. If prospects are sufficiently interested in what you say in a voicemail that they type your name into LinkedIn and look you up, you have sparked at least some interest. Next, of course, you should request a connection on LinkedIn. The idea is to get on their radar and stay there. And if you can pick up three or four new LinkedIn connections from an hour’s worth of prospecting, you’ve won. In redefining prospecting, we need to think of building awareness that you exist as someone who can solve problems for your customers. The old cold calling strategy held that any call that didn’t result in an appointment was a failure. In fact, I used to teach salespeople to make three attempts to reach a prospect by phone before leaving a voicemail. That’s now obsolete; today, voicemail should be considered a messaging medium, just like social media or LinkedIn, with the objective of building awareness. With that in mind, here’s my recommended new prospecting process: • Start with a good database: The data you begin with still matters. You should have a database of targeted prospects using whatever demographics work for you. I normally

FEBRUARY 2024

recommend searching by geography, type of business and size of company. This database should include contact names and titles. Most quality databases do. • Do three minutes of research: I used to recommend against this, because in the old “only an appointment is success” model, extensive research slowed down the process and cut into the number of quality dials. But today? Your message—whether delivered voice to voice in the case of a contact or by voicemail if not—must be personalized. It should speak directly to your prospect, their position and the company’s anticipated needs. Two to three minutes on their website and the person’s LinkedIn page should get you there. • Call: When you call, be prepared to deliver a great, short, impactful introduction about how you can help the prospect with a possible need that you spotted. Remember: attention spans are short, so your introduction should be too. The numbers say that you might get a contact only 10% of the time, but you’d damn well better be prepared for that call. • Leave a voicemail: Again, this is a departure from the past. Leave a short, impactful voicemail about how you can help, with

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multiple ways of contact. Invite your prospect to call, text or look you up on LinkedIn. Leaving an email address is fine if it’s simple and comes across well in a message. Remember, the first sentence should hit hard. You want to capture interest before they hit the “delete” key. • Watch your LinkedIn views: As I said before, you’re likely to get LinkedIn views from those you prospect. When you do, reach out, connect and take a long-play approach to messaging them. • Repeat: If nothing happens, wait a couple of weeks and call again, varying your message. As a manager, your management of prospecting activity is even more critical than it was in the past; prospecting is more of a slow play today, so salespeople get that immediate dopamine hit of an appointment less frequently than they did a decade or more ago. However, if they execute this process consistently, diligently and skillfully, their sales funnels can be as full as they’ve ever been. That’s where your leadership comes in. Remind salespeople that, although prospecting is a delayed-gratification strategy today, it’s still vital and will build results in the long run. Prospecting has changed. Change with it and lead your team in that change. PAGE 39

Marisa Pensa

Marisa Pensa is founder of Methods in Motion, a sales training company that helps dealers execute training concepts and create accountability to see both inside and outside sales initiatives through to success. For more information, please visit www.methodsnmotion. com.

THREE HIGH-YIELD ACTIONS WORTHY OF YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION It’s 8:00am and Sarah starts the day with a great game plan: two afternoon appointments in the field, the morning dedicated to items on her list and research to do for a customer she met with yesterday. The customer needs help creating ideas for space planning. They are currently working on a new expansion. Sarah then looks at her email and sees something in her inbox about a customer who didn’t get a delivery. She immediately calls the warehouse to find out they have been short a driver and were unable to fulfill all orders on schedule. Sarah sighs and feels frazzled, unorganized and frustrated. FEBRUARY 2024

What should she have done differently? Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar position. Distractions are the silent productivity killers that can derail even the most well-intentioned professional. Believe it or not, the recovery time from an interruption is 10 to 20 times the length of the interruption. Yes, distractions and interruptions throughout the day are inevitable. But every interruption—whether it’s an email notification, a social media alert or a non-urgent task—comes with a hidden cost. Recognizing and mitigating these distractions is the first step toward reclaiming control over your day.

So, what’s the secret to staying in control of your day? We must manage our time with intention and practice ruthless prioritization. Here are the top three high-yield actions worthy of your time and attention. Preparation and planning Now more than ever, sales is truly a thinking profession that requires deep work and time to be creative. Here are a few questions to consider as you spend time thinking about your accounts: • Breathe life into silent prospects: Remember, you are the expert. If an account has gone silent, what additional ideas, insights and information

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can you share? • Blind spots: What might they not be thinking of that they should be considering? • Trigger events: Are there any recent trigger events occurring within or outside their organization that could impact their decision? (For print/ promo, check out their website and see if they have upcoming events that could drive quality outbound calls.) Feeding and nurturing your pipeline As sales professionals and sales managers, we have two inventories: our time and our accounts. The key is knowing if we are PAGE 40

Marisa Pensa spending the right time on the right accounts. Take a look at your pipeline and ask yourself: • Do you have scheduled appointments with all “active” prospects? • What evidence do you have that they are truly interested? • Who could still say no that you have not yet met? No one has time to spin their wheels or misjudge interest. By constantly feeding and nurturing your pipeline, you will be able to evaluate your time more clearly and spend the right time on the right accounts

FEBRUARY 2024

Face time with prospects and customers The first two points lead into the third point: face time (or phone time) with prospects and customers. Without preparation and planning, you will be winging it—and your customers will be able to tell. Once you have secured your customers and created a regular reorder pattern, court the faithful ones. Your number one customer is someone else’s number one prospect. If you are not calling them, someone else will be. With proper planning in advance, the time you do have with prospects and customers

will yield higher results and outcomes. Start prioritizing your time today Maintaining control of your day hinges on ruthless prioritization. While it’s tempting to tackle urgent tasks first, it’s essential to distinguish between what is urgent and what is truly important. Prioritizing high-impact activities over “busywork” ensures that you’re consistently moving toward your sales goals. Mastering your day as a sales professional requires a combination of disciplined focus, strategic planning and prioritization.

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By understanding the cost of distractions, emphasizing high-yield actions and staying committed to effective time management, you can elevate your sales performance and achieve long-term success when up against the big box stores, Amazon or other companies in your backyard. Your time is valuable too, so prioritize high-yield investments! Not sure where to start? Take our Distraction Quiz to rank where you stand. This quiz was originally included in the book More Sales, Less Time by Jill Konrath.

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Mara Gannon

Streamline your social media for success: top tools to simplify your efforts

Social media is a fantastic tool to help businesses build brand visibility, engage with customers and grow their market presence. However, with multiple platforms to juggle and a plethora of content to create, it can quickly become overwhelming. But fear not: there are several tools available that can simplify your social media efforts, taking the grunt work out of the equation so you can focus on what matters— creating great content and building relationships with your customers. FEBRUARY 2024

Why you need social media tools Sure, social media is a virtual goldmine for businesses; but it’s no secret that mining for gold can be time-draining. Picture this: you’re crafting posts, designing eye-popping visuals, composing catchy captions, keeping tabs on customer responses and poring over performance analytics—it’s a lot, right? Enter social media tools: your new best friends. These apps are engineered to automate and streamline the tedious aspects of social media

management. Imagine less time buried in routine tasks and more freedom to strategically steer your social media efforts. With these tools in your arsenal, you’ll not only regain precious time but also significantly boost your efficiency. So why not let the tools take the strain while you focus on the real gamechangers: strategic thinking, content creativity and customer engagement? Streamline designing with Canva If visual appeal is the heart of social media, design is

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Mara Gannon is the content marketing manager for Fortune Web Marketing. She has been writing professionally for seven years. When not writing, Mara likes the beach, her family, her two cats, punk rock music and Japanese food.

the lifeblood that keeps it pumping. Perfect for businesses operating without the luxury of a fully fledged graphic design team, Canva steps in as your digital design assistant. This online tool offers a treasure trove of pre-made templates tailored for every imaginable social media platform. The journey from blank canvas to esthetically pleasing posts becomes an easy ride with Canva’s extensive range of templates. Infographics, Facebook banners or Instagram posts—you name it, Canva’s got it. PAGE 42

Mara Gannon But what if you’re a design novice? Canva’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface and vast resource library make the process a cakewalk. With Canva in your corner, you’re well equipped to create visuals that don’t just look professional but demand attention. It’s time to give your social media a visual facelift and with Canva, the transformation is only a click away. Scheduling made easy Staying on top of your posting schedule in the whirlwind of social media can feel daunting. Between different platforms and varying peak times, remembering when to post what can be a challenge. Enter social media scheduling tools: your personal timekeepers in the digital world. Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer and Later are top-tier tools that bring consistency to your posting schedule with minimal hassle. You simply plan your content and select your preferred date and time, and these clever tools handle the rest. Planning to take a vacation but worried about your social media presence? No problem. With these tools, you can line up your posts weeks—even months—in advance. And the best part? They ensure your content hits the virtual shelves right on time, even when you’re off the clock. It’s like having your very own social media concierge, working tirelessly behind the scenes. So, here’s to posting without FEBRUARY 2024

the pressure, because with these tools, social media scheduling is as easy as: set it and forget it! Enhance your caption creation with Anyword and Grammarly Imagine having the power to craft captions that not only capture attention but also nail your brand’s tone and voice consistently. That’s precisely what you get with Anyword and Grammarly. Anyword, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered marvel, is your go-to option for whipping up ad text and social content that pack a punch. It swiftly learns your brand’s voice and generates captions that align seamlessly with your messaging. Meanwhile, Grammarly—another AI jewel—takes on the role of your very own proofreading buddy. It diligently scans your content, highlighting any grammar, punctuation or style missteps and offering real-time corrections. Together, these tools not only save you from the time-sink of endless

revisions but also ensure that every caption you craft is spot-on, making your posts more effective. It’s like having a writing team at your fingertips, fine-tuning your content to perfection. With Anyword and Grammarly, every caption becomes an opportunity to connect, engage and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Understanding your audience with analytics Delving into the hearts and minds of your audience is no longer a guessing game, thanks to analytics tools like Sprout Social and Google Analytics. They function like your digital magnifying glass, offering an in-depth view of your audience’s behavior: their likes, dislikes and engagement with your content. Ever wondered when your followers are most active? Or which posts

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get the most shares? These analytics wizards have got you covered. They help you decode your audience’s patterns, shaping your understanding of what piques their interest—and what doesn’t. With these insights, you can fine-tune your content, sharpen your strategy and hit the bullseye with every post. As they say, knowledge is power; and with these tools, you’re not just empowered but primed to make your social media marketing a resounding success. So go on: dive into the data and let it guide your journey to a more engaged, more connected audience. The magic of automation Automation is like a master puppeteer, orchestrating your social media activities with ease and efficiency.

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Mara Gannon Picture this: your blog post is automatically shared on LinkedIn the moment you hit “publish” or your Instagram photos are saved to Dropbox without you lifting a finger. That’s the power of automation! Tools like Zapier and If This Then That are the maestros conducting this symphony. They enable you to set up automated sequences that carry out a chain of actions across your social media accounts. From sharing new content to organizing your digital assets, it’s all about taking the manual labor out of the equation. So, say goodbye to repetitive tasks and say hello to more time for strategic planning and creative thinking. Automation doesn’t just transform your social media workflow; it revolutionizes it, giving you the luxury of time and the gift of efficiency. Take a leap into

FEBRUARY 2024

the world of automation and watch it works its magic on your social media strategy. It’s like having an extra pair of hands that never tire, making your social media efforts a breeze. A quick Q&A • “Can automation can negatively impact the authenticity and personalization of a brand’s social media presence?” While automation can streamline operations and save time, it can also risk making your brand seem impersonal and robotic. The key is to strike the right balance between automation and personalized engagement to maintain your brand’s authenticity. • “How frequently should I check my social media

analytics to gain useful insights?” There is no one-size-fits-all answer; it depends on your specific marketing goals and strategies. Generally, a weekly or monthly check is recommended to understand the effectiveness of your content and engagement strategies. • “I don’t like Canva. What other design tools can be used to simplify social media efforts?” Other popular and easy-to-use design tools include Adobe Spark and Crello, which both offer an array of templates and customization options suitable for various social media platforms. It’s all about finding the tool that best fits your brand’s esthetic and message.

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Become a social media master With the right tools at your disposal, social media success is no longer a pipedream. You’re now well armed with an array of powerful tools that promise to streamline your process, inspire creativity and maximize your efforts. So capitalize on these to full effect and elevate your social media game to new heights. Remember, a tool is only as good as the hands that wield it, so use these wisely and soon you’ll see your brand’s star begin to rise in the social media galaxy. Here’s to embarking on a journey toward social media stardom, where engagement peaks, followers multiply and your brand shines brighter than ever. And don’t shy away from reaching out to marketing professionals if you need a helping hand along the way.

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A breakthrough to new cancer killing cells. According to preclinical research published online today in Cell, one of the world’s premier scientific journals, researchers at City of Hope® have discovered that a type of immune cell in the human body known to be important for allergy and other immune responses can also attack both blood cancers and solid tumors. City of Hope has the unique advantage to manufacture these new cancer killing cells in on-site labs, speeding the discovery into clinical trials. Michael Caligiuri, M.D., co-senior author of the study remarked, “It was a real surprise to find that human ILC2 cells function as direct cancer killers.” City of Hope. Breakthroughs happen here.

CIT Y O F H O PE’ S N AT I O N A L B US INE S S PR O D U C T S IND US T R Y ’ S 2024 UP CO MIN G E V EN T S Monday and Tuesday, May 13 to 14

Sunday to Monday, August 11 to 12

Tuesday to Thursday, September 3 to 5

Bob Parker Memorial Golf Outing at Kiawah, hosted by Fellowes Brands

Honoree Golf Outing Hosted by Harry Dochelli and Essendant

Annual NBPI/HHI City of Hope Industry Golf Challenge at Pebble Beach

Kiawah Island Resort and The Ocean Course, Kiawah, South Carolina

The Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pebble Beach Resort, Pebble Beach, California

Wednesday, September 18

Thursday, September 19

The NBPI Memorial Golf Classic, Hosted by Essendant

2024 NBPI Spirit of Life® Gala Honoring Harry Dochelli of Essendant

The famous No. 4 Course – Dubsdread Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Lemont, Illinois

CityofHope.org FEBRUARY 2024

2024 Spirit of Life ® Honoree Harry Dochelli

President and CEO, Essendant

Renaissance Schaumburg, Schaumburg, Illinois

For more information, visit CityofHope.org/nbpi or contact Matt Dodd at mdodd@coh.org. INDEPENDENT DEALER

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NOT A SUBSCRIBER? Sign Up Now NOT AN ADVERTISER? Start Next Month GOT AN ARTICLE IDEA? We Want To Hear About It. Call Rowan (703) 531-8507 FEBRUARY 2024

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