Looking at Internal Best Practices

Unlike traditional functions like general counsel, HR, Accounting etc. digital has evolved to infiltrate all functions within a larger corporate structure. It is no longer an addition to your marketing department or a new way to handle IT. But how do you stress this to your leaders? What do you need to get the message across and the buy-in you need?

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B2B Manufacturers and distributors frequently face more challenges in accessing customer data and insights compared to B2C retail. In order to deliver the seamless purchasing experience to B2B customers now requires a deeper understanding on how your brands and products are represent and sell online. By partnering with the right start-ups and leveraging emerging technologies can bridge that gap by giving you access to buyer behavior, analytic capabilities and actionable insights needed to gain competitive advantage, deliver a B2C-like shopping experience and boost topline sales.

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Omnichannel routes-to-market offer manufacturers and their independent distribution partners an exciting new path to faster revenue growth, increased profitability and greater customer loyalty. This session explores a new path forward for stronger content and technology linkages between distribution system players. A digital commerce strategy and platform that will help deliver deep value to all stakeholders: manufacturers, distributors and end-customers.

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One of the larger challenges B2B companies face when integrating a new digital strategy is effectively communicating and onboarding its sales team into a digital process. While some sales teams see it as a nuisance to their daily tasks, others see it as a threat to their function. The solution? Empowering your sales teams to be strategic. Turn your sales teams into more than just transactional.

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Have a bit of bubbly with your brunch! While you’re there, check out the latest solutions for your business!

Peer-led information discussions focused on specific B2B challenges. Choose one topic for a 30 minute discussion. You’ll have 10-12 participants per table.

Table 1: Tom McElroy, SVP, Marketing, Hisco
Table 2: Kirk Talmontas, VP, eCommerce, Fastenal
Table 3: Robert Elzner, Director, eCommerce Marketing, Dell
Table 4: Felipe Camposano, Head of Business Development, Dimerc
Table 5: Sushma Shirish, Director, B2B eCommerce, HP, Inc.
Table 6: Mike Wilson, B2B Reef Coalition Supervisor, VF Corporation
Table 7: Stephanie White, Manager, eCommerce and Digital Experience, Lennox
Table 8: Paul Demery, Managing Editor, B2B, Internet Retailer

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20 minute presentation plus 15 minutes Audience Discussion

In 2016, SEO has climbed its way to becoming one of the biggest priorities for the industry. Understanding how to navigate the SEO rules and roadmap is tricky. But as over 60% of B2B buyers start their purchasing process with a generic online search, it is absolutely vital to growing sales. So how do you build your SEO strategy and what key words do you need?

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Distributors and manufacturers of all sizes are looking to eCommerce as a new revenue channel. As B2B software maturity increases, new models including pureplay eCommerce are beginning to pop up. Join Justin King, founder of EcommerceandB2B.com and Sean McDonnell, millennial owner of TruPar.com a pureplay industrial B2B eCommerce site as we discuss the next exciting evolution in B2B eCommerce.

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Determining when to use your global communication and brand strategy and when to get more specific can be tricky. You must localize content to set-up brand positioning to speak to consumers in a way that resonates with their culture. So how many brand strategies do you really need?

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As the digital world continues to progress, companies are given more and more options in what they can do and which channels they can enter. But is investing in every new platform the best solution? Understand which platforms work for your company structure and which don’t and how those integrate with your current legacy systems.

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As the larger economy fluctuates year in and year out, its patterns effect all industries and organizations within it. As the manufacturing industry begins to slow, it is putting more pressure on companies to perform. The time you once had to try new platforms and channels is slipping quickly and the demand for results is fast approaching. What does this mean for your 2016 digital strategy?

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