North Stars: The Distributor’s Original GPS In Defense of My North Stars Why I Still Trust My North Stars (Even in the Age of AI) By Frank Hurtte Forgive the extra titles, I just couldn't decide on the perfect one to reflect this post! I’m not exactly sure when the concept of “North Stars” first became part of my thinking. It may have been from Peter Drucker, whose books-on-tape I devoured back when I was a young sales guy working through an MBA reading list on the road. Drucker hammered home the importance of enduring principles and mission-driven leadership. Later, Jim Collins in Good to Great reinforced this idea, showing how great companies cling to their core values even as they navigate massive change. For me, North Stars are those steadfast principles that offer clarity and direction, especially when markets shift and trends whirl around like the weather here in the Midwest. Never one to let a solid idea slip by, I developed my own set of North Stars for distributors...

  Yesterday, I had the opportunity to address the sales team of a very progressive distributor. Zoom meeting etiquette calls for the speaker to introduce themselves and provide a bit of background.  As I thought about my presentation, I had an epiphany.  Every presentation I have made in the past 20 years could be tied to four or five guiding principles first developed when I joined a small Electrical/Automation Distributor in about 1991.    1.       A distributor needs to not only know the technology of the products they sell, but they also must know how the product is applied. 2.       That knowledge of both product and application must be used as a competitive advantage to sell more. 3.       A distributor should be paid for what they know.  Whether they are paid through higher prices or via fees attached to services, it takes money to fuel the study and training to know more. 4. ...