Manufacturer Share Group Keeps the Conversation Rolling

A few months after the 2007 NARMS Spring Conference, several of our manufacturer members got together to continue what had been such a productive dialogue in Tucson , they just had to keep the ball rolling. The momentum is still strong as this group will be gathering again for another Manufacturer Share Group in Rosemont , IL on November 10 and 11. Over 20 attendees will engage in a full agenda of speakers, presentations and break-out meetings designed to bring this group closer together and to help align their needs and opportunities with those of their NARMS service division brethren. The event is exclusively for manufacturer members and interested parties should contact Dan Borschke at NARMS HQ.

The NARMS Manufacturer Members are a group of 38 companies who interact with the Association and advise on marketplace needs and best practices. Phil Lauria, Managing Director of Pelco Advisers, will facilitate the two day event. Lauria, formerly the CEO of Prism, has been an advisor to NARMS on its strategic direction and is often seen moderating manufacturer and retailer round table sessions at Spring Conference.

A highlight of the get together will be keynote contributors Bart Flaherty, CEO of GroupM, and Michael Terpkosh, Director of Strategic Sourcing with SUPERVALU. Flaherty will discuss an important new set of retail analytics that examine Return on Retail Investment (RORI). Terpkosh is a frequent speaker to industry groups worldwide. He will share key insights about how manufacturers should think about retailers and how both can work together to achieve common goals.

As a trade association that provides at-retail merchandising and marketing solutions, it is enriching to bring in the very people we serve and have them enjoy an open and honest discussion as a tightly aligned group. It is also a nice benefit for the members and a compelling reason for other manufacturers to join. The format allows for a candid discussion of new ideas, improvements and best practices all designed to make us better as an industry.

To learn more about NARMS Manufacturer Members, visit www.narms.com or click here. The Manufacturers Division Share Group is another way in which NARMS brings people together to further the goals of the industry, and improve the marketplace for our members.

Seeking the Silver Lining

Many thanks go out to Bryan Gildenberg for supplying NARMS International with the latest report from the MVI research team entitled, “The Week That Was: How Will Market Turmoil Change the CPG/Retail Marketplace.” The report is a quick four page synopsis of what we find ourselves in and predictions for the near term. Gildenberg, Chief Knowledge Officer at MVI, will again be one of our Keynote Speakers at the NARMS Spring Conference. Some of you may recall that he last appeared in 2006. Gildenberg is often cited as a global expert in retail insights by leading publications and electronic media outlets, so his perspective is valuable and appreciated. Here are some highlights of the report, and what they might mean to NARMS members as we provide at-retail merchandising and marketing support to the CPG/Retail Industry.

One of the report’s Top 10 Key Conclusions is, “The dollar’s long-term revaluation versus other currencies in the world should create opportunities for supply chain realignment, especially with increased manufacturing in dollar-based economies.” Now more than ever, it is important that NARMS members position themselves as cost effective members of the supply chain. We can help reduce waste and redundancy and help increase efficiencies.

Another conclusion, “Uncertainty may place greater value on brands, retailers, and suppliers that can communicate stability to shoppers.” Insuring that product is on shelf and available and that POP/POS gets out of the back room and is prominently displayed in the desired area can make a bold statement to consumers. Stability is not something that our customers’ brands can afford to lose.

We know from reading the news that many retailers are cutting back on expansion plans and remodeling initiatives. Another conclusion from the report states that, “Retailers that rely on capital for key strategic initiatives or operational stability are most at risk in this environment. Across the board, any retailer pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy will find that strategy more expensive in the short-medium term.” At the outset, this seems to be very bad news for our PIC members. However, after some thought, some opportunity does exist. The key will be to position ourselves as a way to maximize expansion plans though expertise, knowledge and efficiency. Just as consumers are looking for, “more bang for the buck,” so are our customers. NARMS member companies that I have spoken with take great pride in this approach. The key will be communicating the message.

These observations are only a couple of the key conclusions in the MVI report. As you read the rest, remember to look for the areas of opportunity. It may be necessary to reposition your company to meet the new challenges. To hear even more, make sure you register for NARMS Spring Conference and check out Bryan Gildenberg in person.

Oct. 24, 2008 IRI/Morning NewsBeat

Retail Industry News
- Ten Things The Food Biz May Not Want Consumers To Know
- Target to Push Value, Fresh Foods
- Economic Crisis Prompts Some To Cut Back On Rx Consumption
- Winn-Dixie Broadens Discount Focus
- Safeway Expands Gas Savings Program
- Walmart Sees Real Shifts in Consumer Shopping Behavior
- Walgreen To Buy McKesson Division
- Sansolo Speaks: Most Value-able
Read more

Taking a Fresh Look at JobBank

A quick look at the 2008 MSO Benchmarks study tells us that almost half of NARMS member MSOs use NARMS JobBank in their recruiting mix. Since the last benchmarks study in 2006, members have told us they have also found value in using other outside on-line recruiting services to augment, and in some cases spearhead, the never ending quest to find qualified people to perform at-retail merchandising and marketing services. No doubt, many very good resources have emerged in that time frame. But did you know that JobBank is not the same animal as it was two years ago? The reach and scope of our job posting vehicle has kept pace with the times. If you have not used it in awhile, it warrants a second look.

Originally, JobBank was viewed as a place where companies could advertise a retail merchandising job which could be viewed by the some 2.9 million people who visit www.narms.com on a monthly basis. And it still is all of that. However, recent strategic changes have brought about an even greater level of penetration. Since the beginning part of this year, every job posted has been pushed out via RSS feeds to many popular on-line job sites. Places like Indeed.com, Simply Hired, My Space and AllTop just to name a few are updated within minutes of post approval. There is a complete list of all the RSS feeds available on www.narms.com.

This unprecedented level of penetration allows your job postings to reach a more local audience, which allows you to fill jobs faster. Rather than having to post open retail jobs on multiple sites, JobBank will do it for you by transmitting RSS feeds from a single point of contact in one transaction. In addition, JobBank jobs are pushed out to the merchandisers via Twitter, which is now the number one referrer to www.narms.com. This service sends a “tweet’ and a short text message to the reps’ cell phones, PDAs or PCs within a few minutes of a job posting. The fact that is has become so popular after only a few months is further proof that field reps like to have job opportunities pushed out to them, as well as pulling them in to JobBank. Because of this localized approach, it is important that job advertisers are specific as possible on city and location when posting new jobs, as this will filter down as each service re-aggregates the data.

The industry also benefits from this updated strategic approach because at-retail opportunities are reaching a whole new audience, which drives interested parties to www.narms.com to follow-up and fill out a Recruiter profile.

So if you haven’t considered using NARMS JobBank in awhile, take a fresh look. You’ll find an easy to use, single point of contact implement that is ideal for all of your recruiting needs no matter how specific they may be.

Value Provides the Ultimate Competitive Edge

The Tampa Bay Rays seemed to have everything going their way with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, and a 7-0 lead late in game 5. That is about the time when the force of nature known as the Red Sox mighty offense caused a significant shift in the competitive environment. The Sox came back to win game 5 and game 6 to force a pivotal game 7. But this didn’t turn out to be a crash and burn story for the Rays. They overcame the momentum shift and got back to the doing the things; namely starting pitching, solid fielding and timely hitting; that helped them win the American League East title. The result is that they are going to their first World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. There are many CPG companies who have experienced the same thing recently. Good times have been derailed by force of nature type economic factors and unprecedented competitive forces. The October issue of Willard Bishop Consulting’s Competitive Edge suggests that manufacturers can follow the Rays example by sticking to the knitting (or hitting as it were). In this case it is providing value to their customers. Doing so can help them overcome the tough times and ultimately win the day.

As we were reminded in yesterday’s monthly NARMS webinar hosted by Mark Hunter, “Winning Sales Strategies in Difficult Times,” value is defined not by what the customer pays for a good or service, but by the benefit they derive from the service. Mark reminded us that this is quickly forgotten as competitive pressures mount. In the article for Competitive Edge, author Jim Hertel concurs, “Economic pressures on retailers can quickly translate into margin pressures and price increase pushback for suppliers. As a result, suppliers need to understand, improve, and get credit for the total value they create beyond product and price.” Hertel says there are four major levers that suppliers can use to add value and get credit for it: increase demand, reduce cost, increase merchandising impact and develop an effective go-to-market approach. It is in the latter two where NARMS members have an opportunity to add value to our customers, as they add value to theirs.

Hertel goes on to say that in order to accomplish this, suppliers may need to change the way they engage their customer, and key among these are shopper insight and shopper marketing capabilities. Again, NARMS member ears perk up.

Now that we have the point in scoring position, it’s time for the big two-out hit. Tuning in to resources like the NARMS Webinar Series, Willard Bishop’s Competitive Edge, and other such studies and publications can be a great aid in identifying areas where we can help our customers add value. In doing so, we establish our companies as a vital and reliable part of the go-to-market system and not just a switch-on service that is far too susceptible to competitive and economic pressures.

Oct. 17, 2008 IRI/Morning NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 10/17/08 edition of Retail Industry News.

-Bruno’s Closes More Than Half Its Pharmacies
-Sansolo Speaks: Sunrise Time
-How To Survive The Economic Downturn, Part One
-How To Survive The Economic Downturn, Part Two
-E-conomy Beat
-Walmart Looks To Expand Private Label Presence
-Food Lion Launches New Budget Dinner Program
Read more

October 2008 Competitive Edge

Now is the Time to Add Value Beyond Price
By Jim Hertel

The Benefit
The current financial crisis is affecting all industry sectors, and food retailing is no exception. Economic pressure on retailers can quickly translate into margin pressures and price increase pushback for suppliers. As a result, suppliers need to understand, improve, and get credit for the total value they create beyond product and price. Doing so can help enhance senior retailer relationships, reduce margin pressures, and create sustainable competitive advantage.
Read more

FRIDAY FOCUS - Webinar Coaches Winning Sales Strategies in Difficult Times

No doubt we are living and selling in difficult economic times. If you don’t believe it, just tune in to any presidential debate. Chances are, those will be the first words out of the mouths of the candidates. For NARMS members, the challenge is what to do about it as we present our at-retail merchandising and marketing services to the marketplace. This will be the topic of the third NARMS webinar on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 1 p.m. CDT. Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, will lead us through the topic: Winning Sales Strategies in Difficult Times.

During the 1 hour event, Hunter will instruct on how to establish maximum value for the price you are offering. In today’s volatile economy, it’s even more of a challenge. For most NARMS member companies, costs are increasing, yet the ability to pass them along to the customer is fraught with numerous roadblocks. Strategies will be discussed to counter these roadblocks and helps you begin to develop the confidence you need to obtain the maximum price, despite these difficult times. The event is sponsored by NaturalInsight and powered by ReadyTalk.

Key to the message in this webinar is that businesses don’t just buy, they invest. Now more than ever, it is important to show investors the value of your services and base your pricing on that value and not on the cost of delivering the service. Value is defined as how the customer will benefit, not what they will pay.

Although the webinar is Monday, there is still time to register. Click on this link to sign up for the event. The session is complimentary to NARMS members but is also available to other interested persons at a non-member rate of $99.95. We encourage you to share this invitation with co-workers or anyone who might gain value from this information-sharing opportunity. In the past, we’ve had conference rooms full of people at some of our member’s offices and we have already had a great response to this session.

Mark Hunter helps companies and salespeople find and retain better customers. Hunter works with companies ranging from Fortune 100 to small one-person firms to help them grow their top-line sales and bottom-line profits. He is known for his sales development strategies and consultative selling approach to business

Talk About Divine Inspiration

One of the most exciting days in the history of NARMS International occurred on a Wednesday morning in early July. You may recall that our Association was featured on the air and in an online story on Good Morning America. The story discussed the availability of Mystery Shopping jobs and Merchandising Jobs as a great career alternative for stay-at-home-moms and how NARMS is a great source for retail jobs. It seems that marketers of all types are thinking out-of-the-box when it comes to providing a compelling reason to get customers to choose their product. To illustrate the point, I bring your attention to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal which discussed using Mystery Shoppers to audit churches and places of worship. Before you roll your eyes, take a look at the article. Churches might not be the venue you had in mind, but the story really gets you thinking about areas where and how your company may be able to ad value in alternative channels.

WSJ author Alexandra Alter (I’m not kidding) reports that, “At least half a dozen consulting companies have introduced secret-church-shopper services in recent years. The A Group, a Brentwood, Tenn. , marketing firm for churches and faith-based groups, now conducts mystery-worshipper surveys at 15 to 20 churches a year, up from a handful five years ago. Church marketing company Real Church Solutions in Corona , Calif. , introduced mystery-worshipper services five years ago.”

And it seems that it is not just faith-based organizations that are getting into the religious marketplace. The story tells of a national company sending undercover worshippers to 20 churches. Another firm which specializes in hotels, spas, restaurants and golf courses, has now launched a pilot program for churches. It has already sent in shoppers to Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Unitarian congregations in Colorado and plans an expansion to the D.C. area.

The rise in this unique application of Mystery Shopping in Christian Churches is attributed to an increasingly mobile and consumer-oriented society. One survey reported that, “44% of American adults have switched religious affiliations.” Mystery Worshippers are proving to be an effective way for church leaders to assess how their guests, especially the new ones, are reacting to their offerings and to fight against what can only be called declining brand loyalty.

The point for NARMS members is this; at-retail is now being defined differently and more broadly than ever before. It is up to each one of us to find new avenues and different avenues within existing channels in order to bring maximum value. Heaven only knows how far we can go.

Oct 10, 2008 IRI / NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 10/10/08 edition of Retail Industry News. _ Safeway’s Burd Gets SPIRIT Award
_ Meijer Bulks Up Its E-Commerce Business
_ The Double-Edged Sword Of Coping With A Down Economy
_ FMI Names Frozen Food Trade Association Exec As New CEO
_ FastNewsBeat
_ The MNB Wal-Mart Watch
_ The Balance Sheet
_ Executive Suite
Read more