The Competitive Edge
About The Competitive Edge
The Competitive Edge is AIM North America’s monthly, quick-read e-newsletter. Our purpose, as the title suggests, is to help you maintain your competitive edge and grow your business by putting you in touch with key information. Inside you’ll find highlights on current reseller, integrator, distributor, or manufacturer issues and market trends (a feature titled Headline AIM), along with member-specific news and information. As good as The Competitive Edge is, we’re open to new ways of making it even better, so your comments and suggestions are welcomed.
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Be in the Know -- Join AIM North America Today!
Now for as little as $495
In a crowded market, growth doesn’t just happen. It takes knowledge and connections for your business to reach its full potential. You’ll find both at AIM North America (NA), the premier source of industry support for the AIDC market.
From sales leads to market trends to discounts on training, products, and services, membership in AIM NA delivers access to growth opportunities you won’t find anywhere else.
What’s more, AIM NA offers membership levels tailored to you. So whether your business is large or small, there’s room to grow with AIM NA.
Learn more.
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Headline AIM—Seven Myths About Sales
by Martyn Lewis, President and CEO of Market-Partners
If your marketing efforts are falling flat, don't blame your marketers and salespeople. Chances are your product, your message, and mindset of your organization need to be examined.
When sales numbers are flat or declining, 75 percent of the time it's not the fault of the sales staff. Yet, most companies go for the quick fix—they send their salespeople for coaching and training. After all, your salespeople are the ones in charge of sales, right?
Wrong.
AIM NA Members: Login to read the full article.
Martyn Lewis is the founder, president, and CEO of Market-Partners, which specializes in helping large and small companies maximize sales effectiveness. His newest book is Sales Wise: A Journey through Sales and Selling(Fenestra Books, 2005).
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Channel Bytes—Developing “Wikis”
by Michelle Kabele, Zebra Technologies
In today’s world of online marketing, the Wiki has become a powerful tool for rapidly and inexpensively creating brand or company awareness. Wiki (The term “Wiki” is a play on the Hawaiian expression “Wiki Wiki” for fast.) sites enable users to write a review or commentary about a subject or product quickly and easily using a standard web browser.
AIM NA Members: Login to read the full article.
Michelle Kabele leads the teams responsible for managing Zebra Technologies’ innovative and highly successful channel marketing and product marketing strategies. She currently serves on the AIM NA board of directors and membership committee, and has an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Evanston, Ill.) and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). For further information, Michelle can be reached at Mkabele@zebra.com.
The tools and products listed in this article are for reference purposes only and should be not taken as an endorsement.
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AIM Education
Mark Your Calendars—AIM NA to Host 2 Webinars
Join AIM North America and Robert W. Baird & Co. for one of two Webinars highlighting key developments in the bar coding and mobile computing industry. Baird Supply Chain Analyst Reik Read will present an executive level summary of key findings in the most recent survey of industry resellers conducted in March 2008.
Webinar Schedule
April 22—For Resellers only. This event will provide an overview of the state of the overall market, trends in key vertical segments, and attitudes towards key vendors and distributors. Regional market trends will also be discussed.
May 6—For Manufacturers and Distributors only. This event will provide an overview of the reseller communities’ perspective of the current business environment, business outlook, vertical market activities, product reviews, and channel programs.
Watch your e-mail box for complete registration information coming soon.
April 27 – 29, 2008
Washington, DC
http://www.aimglobal.org/events/TLS08
Leading Industry Analysts Address AIM Leadership Summit
This year’s Summit offers attendees two opportunities to hear from the following leading industry analysts
- ABI Research (Mike Liard)
- North River Consulting (Michael Wolfe)
- Raymond James (Chris Quilty)
- Retail Systems Research (Paula Rosenblum)
- R. W. Baird (Reik Read)
These key industry analysts will take part in an analyst breakfast briefing and panel discussion focused on the business impact of automatic identification technologies, including bar code, RFID and mobile computing.
Reik Read of Robert W. Baird will moderate the Monday morning (April 28) analyst panel discussion “The Road Ahead – Leading Analysts Speak Up,” as Mike Liard from ABI Research, Michael Wolfe, North River Consulting, and Chris Quilty, Raymond James share their insights on the current state of the automatic identification marketplace and what factors they see influencing business success throughout 2008.
The aforementioned industry analysts, as well as Paula Rosenblum, RSR, will engage attendees in breakfast table roundtable discussions prior to the panel discussion, as well as participate in networking discussions during Monday’s lunch. Paula is a participant in the Vertical Market panel later in the day representing the retail sector.
There’s still time to register. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear from these respected industry analysts brought to you in this exclusive executive-level forum. For more information and to register, visit http://www.aimglobal.org/events/TLS08/regist.htm.
Not a Member? A special code for resellers only is available with a savings of over 50%. Contact Mary Lou Bosco at info@aim-na.org or +1 724.934.5688 for details.
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Taking Advantage of AIM – Updating Your Member Profile
Your AIM profile is one key to gaining the most advantage from your company’s membership in the leading association for automatic identification. By reviewing it regularly, you ensure that you receive the updates, notifications, and newsletters that interest you.
Updating your individual member profile is easy. Log on to the AIM website at www.aim-na.org using your username and password. If you’ve forgotten your login information, simply visit http://www.aimglobal.org/members/auth/logon_help.asp.
Once you log in, select the Your AIM Profile from the options on the left. This screen contains what we know about your relationship with AIM North America, including your contact details, the committees on which you serve, your newsletter subscriptions, and your download and purchase history with the AIM e-store.
If you are your company’s delegate, you also have the capability to update your company’s profile (AIM Profile) that displays on the AIM website and in the online Buyer’s Guide, a recognized resource in our industry. Review this section regularly to add new products as soon as possible.
If you are updating company information, particularly the technical attributes, and you don’t see a listing that best describes a product or service your company offers, please email m.redman@aimglobal.org for assistance.
Harness the knowledge you gain from your listing in the AIM database by keeping the information up-to-date. It’s an industry resource that provides potential customers with a direct link to you…are you missing them?
Just another way AIM North America is working for YOU!
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New Members
Legacy Incorporated
Join Date: March 20, 2008
Legacy Incorporated makes it possible to extend the life of your equipment by utilizing our superior repair and maintenance services and exceeding industry turn-around times. We have the solutions to all your hardware needs. Learn more.
Trident Computer Corporation
Join Date: March 31, 2008
Trident Computer Corporation has been supporting corporate clients nationally and internationally for over 25 years. Trident Computer has a large in-house inventory. Depot repair, parts, consumables, and advance. . . Learn more.
ImageID
Join Date: April 7, 2008
ImageID is a supplier of supply chain traceability solutions for logistics and manufacturing, base on unique imaging technology with the ability to capture and decode a large number (hundreds) of barcodes in a matter of seconds in a wide field of view. Learn more.
For a complete list of AIM North America Members, visit www.aim-na.org/memberlist.php or to join, visit www.aim-na.org/membership.php.
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AIM RFP Postings
Is your company looking for sales leads? New opportunities for business partners? Look no further than the AIM RFPs listed on the member login page.
One of AIM’s added value services is our Request for Proposal service or RFP service. The service is offered to visitors to the AIM website with immediate technology needs.
How Does It Work?
Potential customers complete a short proposal form, the results of which are listed in the Members Only section, categorized by region and technology. AIM members have easy access to these requests – just login and click 'RFPs' on the left menu.
Requests for business will be listed in reverse order (newest items listed first). You can view all opportunities or fine tune the list through the search function. Be sure to try a broad search first, because the requestor may not realize that multiple technologies can solve their business problem.
How Do I Get Started?
For complete details and how to respond to these and other recent RFPs, members can login
I Forgot My Login
If you’ve forgotten your login information, simply visit http://www.aimglobal.org/members/auth/logon_help.asp.
AIM North America—Be in the Know!
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Members in the News
Have a news item you’d like to share? Submit your news release to AIM NA and we’ll feature it on the AIM NA website as well as in a future issue of The Competitive Edge.
SYNNEX Corporation Announces Kevin M. Murai as Co-Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors. Learn more.
Accu-Time Systems Is Green. Learn more.
RFID Journal Names Intermec IP30 ''Best in Show'' Finalist. Learn more.
Lockheed Martin Uses RFID to Help Track Stealth Fighter, RFIDUpdate Learn more.
Capitalize on RFID Opportunities in Asset Tracking, Business Solutions. BlueStar and Datamax. Learn more.
A2B Tracking Solutions Announces Two UID Comply!® Updates. Learn more.
Brother Unveils New Mobile Printer. Learn more.
Scansource Expands Communications Business Internationally, Acquires UK-Based MTV Telecom. Learn more.
Don’t Treat Mobile Printers as Afterthoughts, Business Solutions and Datamax Learn more.
Oregon Department of Transportation Improves Traffic Enforcement Safety Using Automated APS PocketCitation™ Solution and Zebra RW 420™ Mobile Printers. Learn more.
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Industry Events
Submit your events to AIM NA. Include your contact information, event name, dates, location, and website.
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THE FINE PRINT
This e-newsletter is brought to you by the
AIM North America
125 Warrendale-Bayne Road, Suite 100, Warrendale, PA 15086 USA
Phone: +1 724 934 5688 ● http://www.aim-na.org
If you do not want to receive The Competitive Edge by e-mail,
please e-mail AIM NA.
