by Steve Choate, business development manager, for the Resolutions blog series Do you remember how frustrating it is when you try to SWOT a fly and you miss? What do you do next? You assess where the fly went and rethink how to SWOT it. Before you can achieve your company’s goals, you need to SWOT your business. … Read More
Resolution: Review and/or renew my partnerships
by Dawn Vogelsang, president, for the Resolutions blog series What types of work do you outsource? How long have you been doing business with the partners you outsource to? Think about your ad agency, image and data provider, IT firm, print vendor, market research company, etc. If you are like many businesses, you have long-standing partnerships that are … Read More
Resolution: Make my ordering system more user-friendly — part two
by Mary Hart, senior data assets specialist, for the Resolutions blog seriesIn my previous post about improving your ordering system, I focused on standardizing product entry to improve the ease of use of the system for internal and external users alike. In this post I’m going to suggest going one step further – and I think as long … Read More
Resolution: Make my ordering system more user-friendly — part one
by Mary Hart, senior data assets specialist, for the Resolutions blog series Ordering systems are vital to your business, but many times there aren’t associated business rules and processes. Because most systems only allow a limited number of characters, abbreviations for product names must be generated. Often they are derived solely based on whoever enters it and their … Read More
Resolution: Investigate foreign products and store trends
by Steve Choate, business development manager, for the Resolutions blog series Retail in the United States is robust and ever-changing. There are new players coming and going every day. Additionally, we have many new foreign-made items introduced. You need to stay on top of these U.S. newcomers in order to be successful in today’s manufacturing world. … Read More
Resolution: Review my pricing strategy – MSRPs
By Donna Boulieu, senior product & pricing analyst, for the Resolutions blog series Manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRPs) — also referred to as “retails” — are the eggs of the pricing world….or are they the chickens? Which comes first? Is the development of the MSRP based on competitive market factors, backing into a list price to ensure … Read More
Resolution: Review my marketing plan
by Cari Sass, for the Resolutions blog series Your marketing plan is a roadmap for your branding and promotional goals and activities as well as your intelligence gathering throughout the year. It is set in conjunction with your marketing budget to ensure you have the funds in place to achieve your goals. It could also include your sales … Read More
Resolution: Follow thought leaders for new perspectives and ideas
by Shawn Theesfeld, application development manager, for the Resolutions blog series Anyone looking to grow personally and professionally can learn a lot by following thought leaders for new perspectives and ideas. I find exposure to new ideas energizing, and it fuels my enthusiasm to continue seeking more. If you attend industry events or professional meetings, they … Read More
Resolution: Visit my top 11-20 best customers
by Steve Choate, business development manager, for the Resolutions blog series As a manufacturer, you spend a large portion of time managing your top 10 retailer list. These are the retailers that generate a majority of your sales and revenue, and require a good deal of your attention. If you’re looking for new opportunities to … Read More
Resolution: Let go of a sacred cow
by Angela Pinkstaff, director of business development, for the Resolutions blog series Before I joined HRG, I worked for two rapidly growing CPG manufacturers. Although they created and marketed very different products, the two companies both suffered from the same challenge: their founders couldn’t let go of a sacred cow. Sacred cows, or untouchable packaging … Read More