Katrina Olson

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Market Boldly 013 – Digital Transformation with Michael Evanko of Fromm Electric, Part 1

July 26, 2018 By Katrina Olson

Market Boldly
Market Boldly
Market Boldly 013 - Digital Transformation with Michael Evanko of Fromm Electric, Part 1
00:00 / 28:00
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Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 28:00 | Recorded on August 2, 2018

Join me with guest Michael Evanko, Vice President of Marketing for Fromm Electric Supply of Reading, Pennsylvania as we talk about Fromm’s digital transformation and how they’re navigating the challenges of technology. You’ll learn:

  • Why you need a technology roadmap (Hint: it will save you time and money!)
  • How to determine what you need in your marketing technology (martech) stack
  • Why implementing a CRM is not just about buying software
  • How technology makes customer information more easily accessible and readily available
  • Why it’s important to set goals before purchasing technology or software
  • How technology enables omnichannel marketing versus multichannel marketing

If you you’ve been struggling with how to get your company to embrace the digital age, this episode is for you. Watch for Part 2 for even more information to help your company begin its digital transformation.

Includes shout-outs to Rockwell Automation, WebPresented, Salesforce and Infor.

Tagged With: AD, advertising, affiliated distributors, April Braun, Best of the Best Marketing, big data, channel marketing, content, content marketing, content writing, CRM, data-driven marketing, digital transformation, distribution, distribution channel, electrical, electrical distribution, electrical manufacturing, electrical marketing, electrical sales, electrical wholesaling, katrina olson, katrina olson strategic communications, lighting, manufacturing, Market Boldly, marketing automation, marketing communications, marketing planning, marketing trends, NAED, Rockwell, tED Magazine, WebPresented, werner electric, WPCRM

Market Boldly 011 – What about your business is uncopyable?

May 28, 2018 By Katrina Olson

Market Boldly
Market Boldly
Market Boldly 011 - What about your business is uncopyable?
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Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 56:30 | Recorded on May 28, 2018

Join me with Steve Miller, marketing consultant and author of the 2017 Amazon #1 Best Seller Uncopyable: How To Create An Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition. Steve has consulted with clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies including Proctor and Gamble, Caterpillar, Starbucks and Coca- Cola in addition to several large, North American exhibitions. He has been featured in Fast Company, Business Week, Fortune, the Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

In this episode of Market Boldly, Steve and I discuss:

• the 3 traps most companies fall into when trying to find their competitive advantage
• why “partnership” doesn’t work anymore
• what distributors can learn from the Broadway show, Hamilton
• what revered total quality management consultant Steve hung out with when he was a kid
• what then-high-tech device Steve’s dad invented
• the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic benchmarking
• what fourth element a business needs to succeed in addition to quality products, excellent customer service and a decent price
• what it truly means to be uncopyable and 3 strategies for creating an uncopyable attachment to customers

And if you stay tuned until the end, Steve offers you an ethical bribe to buy his book, Uncopyable. It’s a bonus worth $197 — in addition to all the great stuff you’ll learn from this podcast and in his best-selling book.

Tagged With: AD, affiliated distributors, Best of the Best Marketing, big data, brand awareness, brand equity, branding, channel marketing, content marketing, distribution, distribution channel, electrical, electrical distribution, electrical manufacturing, electrical marketing, electrical sales, electrical wholesaling, katrina olson lighting, katrina olson strategic communications, manufacturing, Market Boldly, market research, marketing, marketing automation, marketing communications, marketing group, marketing planning, marketing research, marketing trends, NAED, outdoor power, PR, public relations, quantitative market research, quantitative marketing research, supply chain, tED Magazine, trade advertising, trade shows, uncopyable

Market Boldly 008 – “Solar is hot in the Midwest & Beyond” with Tim Montague

January 26, 2018 By Katrina Olson

Market Boldly
Market Boldly
Market Boldly 008 - "Solar is hot in the Midwest & Beyond" with Tim Montague
00:00 / 35 minutes
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Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 35 minutes

Solar energy is experiencing a burst of growth in Illinois and throughout the Midwest thanks in part to current state and federal incentives for homeowners, businesses, schools, colleges, local governments, nonprofits, and others who invest in solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems.

Meet Solar Expert, Tim Montague

Tim Montague, commercial solar developer with Continental Electrical Construction Company of Oakbrook, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago discusses the benefits and incentives associated with solar energy. Continental started its renewable energy division in 2009 and is one of the largest installers of solar PV (rooftop and ground mount) systems in Illinois. Recent projects include retailers like IKEA and Abt Electronics, a 10-acre solar array at IKEA’s Joliet distribution center, plus several schools and colleges.

Why Solar Makes Sense Now

  • In recent years, the cost of solar technology has dropped significantly. It’s now less than 60 cents per watt; compared to $100 per watt in 1975.
  • Payback periods are the shortest they’ve ever been—only 4 to 6 years, compared to 10 to 15 years just a few years ago.
  • Federal and state legislation are making it possible to get into a solar array for as little as 10 to 15 cents on the dollar.
  • Combining state and federal incentives can fund as much as 80% of a solar PV system.
  • Companies can reduce their power bills by anywhere from 50% to 75%!

Here’s a Breakdown

Following is a breakdown of incentives and rebates for years one through five of a solar project.

Federal ITC (Incentive Tax Credit)                  30%

SRECs (Renewable Energy Credits)                 20%

Smart Inverter Incentive ($250/kW DC)        10%

MACRS Depreciation                                          30%

Electric Bill Savings                                             20%

As a result of all these incentives, the up-front cost to purchase and install a solar PV system can be reduced by as much as 90%!

Incentives Aren’t Forever

Manufacturers, distributors and contractors who want to get into or build their solar businesses need to act while the incentives are still good. Some payouts decrease each year and expire in as few as five years. Listen to the full podcast to learn how to take advantage of these opportunities while solar is hot.

Summary of Available Incentives

  • Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) passed in 2016 and enacted in 2017 funds $200 million of cash incentives in Illinois project owners who get 20% of project value back as a cash incentive. FEJA also provides for rebates for smart inverters for distributed generation projects. (http://www.futureenergyjobsact.com/about)
  • Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) – Provides for accelerated depreciation for business owners, worth about 30% of project cost. (https://energy.gov/savings/modified-accelerated-cost-recovery-system-macrs)
  • Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) – This is the Illinois state incentive that gives solar system owners a cash rebate worth 20 to 25% of a solar PV system. (https://energy.gov/savings/solar-renewable-energy-credits-0)
  • Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) – This Federal tax credit of 30% for businesses and residents is available through 2020 for qualified solar projects, but phases out starting in 2020 down to 10% for businesses and zero for residents. (https://seia.org/initiatives/solar-investment-tax-credit-itc & https://energy.gov/savings/business-energy-investment-tax-credit-itc)

Use the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE®) to research the financial incentives available to you.

For More Information

Check out these resources in Illinois, the Midwest and beyond to learn more about opportunities in solar energy.

  • DSIRE® – Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency – free resource maintained by North Carolina University with information on thousands of policies and incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency (http://www.dsireusa.org)
  • SEIA – Solar Energy Industries Association – national trade association for the U.S. solar industry (https://www.seia.org)
  • NABCEP – North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners® – national certification organization for renewable energy professionals (http://www.nabcep.org/)
  • ELPC – Environmental Law & Policy Center – regional environmental organization focused on Midwest policy for clean air, water and transportation (http://elpc.org)
  • IBEW – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – union representing employees in the electrical and utilities industries (ibew.org)
  • ISEA – Illinois Solar Energy Association – non-profit organization that promotes solar and other forms of renewable energy through education and advocacy (illinoissolar.org)
  • MREA – Midwest Renewable Energy Association – offers one of the country’s top solar training programs and runs one of the largest grassroots sustainability events in the nation (www.midwestrenew.org)
  • WOW – Wind on the Wires – works to create new opportunities for renewables to participate in the energy marketplace in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North and South Dakota, and Wisconsin (https://windonthewires.org)

UPDATE: 30% Tariffs on Imported Solar Panels

The week after we recorded this podcast, the Trump administration imposed a tariff of 30% on imported solar panels. This will impact the $28 billion solar industry, which gets about 80% percent of its solar panel products from imports. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) predicted the tariffs would increase prices and cost approximately 23,000 US jobs. SEIA represents manufacturers as well as installers, sellers and others in the field.

When asked about the new tariff, Montague responded, “It’s bad news, but not fatal. It might kill 23,000 jobs out of 260,000 so just less than 10% of the industry. We’re fine in Illinois because we have SRECS, but it certainly throws a wet towel on the industry.”

Tagged With: Abt Electronics, AD, affiliated distributors, Best of the Best Marketing, big data, brand awareness, brand equity, branding, Business Energy Investment Tax Credit, channel marketing, content marketing, Continental Electric Construction Company, CRM, data, data-driven marketing, Database of State Incentives for Renewables, distribution, distribution channel, DSIRE, electrical, electrical bill savings, electrical distribution, electrical manufacturing, electrical marketing, electrical sales, electrical union, electrical wholesaling, electricians union, ELPC, energy savings, Environmental law & policy center, Federal ITC, FEJA, geotargeting, ground mount, IBEW, IDEA, IKEA solar, Illinois, Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act, Illinois solar energy association, incentives, International Brotherhood of electrical workers, internet of things, IOT, ISEA, ITC, katrina olson lighting, katrina olson strategic communications, MACRS, manufacturing, Market Boldly, market research, marketing, marketing automation, marketing communications, marketing group, marketing planning, marketing research, marketing trends, Midwest, Midwest renewable energy association, Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System, Montague, MREA, NABCEP, NAED, NECA, NEMRA, north American board of certified energy practitioners, outdoor power, power bill, PR, public relations, PV, quantitative market research, quantitative marketing research, renewable energy, rooftop, SEIA, smart inverter, solar, solar energy, solar energy industries association, solar incentives photovoltaic, solar industry, solar installations, solar installers, solar opportunities, solar panels tariff, solar projects, Solar PV system, solar rebate, Solar renewable energy credits, solar technology, SREC, SRECS, supply chain, tED Magazine, Tim Montague, trade advertising, trade shows, wind on the wires, WOW

Market Boldly 002 – Straight Talk with tED Magazine Publisher Scott Costa

March 8, 2017 By Katrina Olson

Market Boldly
Market Boldly
Market Boldly 002 - Straight Talk with tED Magazine Publisher Scott Costa
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Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 41:00 | Recorded on March 8, 2017


TED Magazine Publisher Scott Costa and I talk frankly about:
• the importance of marketing regardless of the economy or political climate
• why you need to empower your creative people
• giving marketing people the tools and resources to do their jobs
• what we can learn from companies like Google and Apple
• who’s doing marketing well (shout out to Van Meter Inc. and Summit Electric Supply)
• why Scott is already thinking about 2026
• advice for marketing professionals in the trenches (not the marketing director or VP)
• how the demographics of decision-makers are changing—and you must, too
• why we both love millennials and why you should listen to them
• (millennials) how to get your boss to listen to you
• why it’s time to up your game and market more boldly

Subscribe to Market Boldly on iTunes or Google Play Music. Please share this podcast with your friends and associates in manufacturing and distribution.

Tagged With: channel marketing, distribution, distribution channel, electrical, electrical distribution, electrical marketing, electrical wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing, marketing communications, marketing planning, Summit Electric Supply, supply chain, Van Meter

Market Boldly 001 – PR Talk with LEDVANCE’s Glen Gracia

January 31, 2017 By Katrina Olson

Market Boldly
Market Boldly
Market Boldly 001 - PR Talk with LEDVANCE's Glen Gracia
00:00 / 47:18
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Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 47:18 | Recorded on January 28, 2017


In this episode, I talk with Glen Gracia, head of media relations at LEDVANCE (formerly OSRAM SYLVANIA) for the Americas including North, Central and South America. For about 15 years prior to joining SYLVANIA, Glen worked in several public relations agencies on accounts including HP, Compaq, Sony, IBM, 3M and McDonald’s. Glen and I discuss the role of PR in manufacturer and distributor marketing and how you can use public relations in your business.

Subscribe to Market Boldly on iTunes or Google Play Music. Please share this podcast with your friends and associates in manufacturing and distribution.

Tagged With: channel marketing, distribution, distribution channel, electrical, electrical distribution, electrical marketing, electrical wholesaling, Ledvance, LEDVNACE, manufacturing, marketing, marketing communications, marketing planning, OSRAM, PR, public relations, Summit Electric Supply, supply chain, SYLVANIA, Van Meter

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About

Katrina is a seasoned marketing consultant, trainer and coach; content strategist and writer; social/digital media enthusiast; and podcaster who is committed to helping nimble electrical distributors, electrical manufacturers, and other B2B companies achieve their sales, marketing, and business goals.

Contact

Katrina Olson Marketing + Training
1096 County Road 1800 East
Urbana, IL 61802  | 217-721-1679

PR-Daily Award
Hermes Award
Dotcomm Award
2018 AVA Digital Awards bug
Hermes Award Bug Gold 2018
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2019 DotComm Gold Award Bug

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