Utilizing co-op marketing funds to drive sales and increase market share for both IMARK members and IMARK suppliers is a central theme throughout the June issue. Starting with the cover story, page 26, IMARK TODAY gathered a panel of IMARK members to share their acumen on deploying co-op funds to better aid their sales and marketing efforts with their respective markets.
Marc Mathios, Ace Apparel, contributes, page 23, Effective Co-op Utilization, and describes how branded promotional products are an efficient means for IMARK members to strengthen their brands within their local markets. Optimizing Your Marketing Efforts, With Support, page 44, by David Gordon, Channel Marketing, provides a detailed overview on effective co-op marketing strategies and explains how suppliers support for marketing funds is becoming more performance oriented.
Additional enlightening articles include, How AI Can Help Distributors Get Paid Faster and Delight Customers, page 10, by Justin Main, vice president payments, Billtrust, who explains by utilizing AI-powered software distributors can unclog the end-to-end order-to-cash process and deliver efficiencies to their customers. Frank Hurtte, with River Heights Consulting and a regular contributor to IMARK TODAY, provides, Using Service as A Competitive Advantage, on page 14. Hurtte reports for service to be meaningful, it must provide a positive impact on customers. Promote the “Eight Drives of Value” to employees and customers to differentiate your services from competitors.
On page 64, please take a moment to review Jeff MacDowell’s message on the latest and exciting new developments at LPG. Scott Bardreau, on page 72, provides an in-depth review of pending legislation and code changes that impact Irrigation, Waterworks and PVF distributors.
Enjoy the June issue!