Tuesday, June 10
TOPIC: Updates in the World of AI and SearchLink.ai
Sam Richter, the creator of Intel Engine and ERA’s powerful AI tool, SearchLink.ai, provides a valuable overview of: – The latest updates in the world of AI – New features and enhancements within SearchLink.ai Whether you’re a longtime user or just getting started, this is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of the tool and ask questions directly to the creator.
Tuesday, May 13
TOPIC: The Role Development of Regional Managers
Members of the Outpace Rep Group present their findings from their 2024 survey of the role development of regional sales managers.
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Manufacturers’ reps strongly value their supplier relationships and work hand in hand with their principal partners. Strong working relationships with their regional sales managers is key to success. This discussion centers on: Understanding of the primary responsibilities of regional managers from a cross-section of ERA manufacturer members; understand the key performance indicators (KPIs) used by various organizations to measure the success of their regional managers; how compensation structure impacts performance of regional managers; and discuss expectations regarding customer relationship ownership and the significance of technical knowledge for regional managers.
Tuesday, April 22
TOPIC: New Tariff Policies & the Electronics Components Industry
Moderator — Walter Tobin, CEO Presenters — Dave Foster, Vice President, Global Marketing and Americas’ Sales, Ohmite Manufacturing; John Orso, Vice President, Operations, Ohmite Manufacturing
Discussion centers around the evolving impact of new tariff policies on the electronics components industry. We’ll delve into: Current tariff landscapes: Understanding the latest policies and their direct effects Affect on the supply chain disruptions; how tariffs aim to reshape sourcing and manufacturing The impact on component costs and market stability How are some of us in the industry navigating these challenges?
Tuesday, October 8
TOPIC: Level up your Digital Marketing
Improve and modernize your digital marketing toolbox! In this session, new ERA Recognized Resources provider, G&G Creative Services founders Emma Gaedeke and Danielle Gaglioti review modernizing your firm’s website, creating a multi-channel strategy, measuring digital marketing ROI, digital ads and more.
September 3, 2024
TOPIC: New AI Tools & Updates
In this session, Sam Richter gives updates on new AI tools for our business and how to customize them to our industry’s needs. These updates will include new ERA GPT features, custom GPTs and more!
August 20, 2024
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TOPIC: electronica 2024 Preview
Are you attending electronica 2024, or hope to in the future? This session features a panel of industry veterans who discuss tips and tricks to attending electronica 2024. The panel discusses what to expect for first-timers, how to prepare, navigating the convention hall and traveling to Munich, networking and doing business with EMEA partners, and overall best tips and tricks.
July 26, 2024
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TOPIC: Mid-Year Date Update: The ERA/Edgewater Electronics Components Industry Trends Survey
Dennis Reed gives a mid-year update on the ERA/Edgewater Electronics Components Industry Trends survey results.
June 18, 2024
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TOPIC: The Kids are Alright: Hiring, Training and Retaining Zillenials
Mark Wachtel, president, SJ Associates, and his team of Zillenial employees, give an abridged version of this popular 2024 ERA Conference breakout session. Hear Mark and his team’s unique approach to hiring, training and retaining this generation that now makes up 50 percent of the workforce.
May 15, 2024
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TOPIC: Updated Rep-Mfr Agreement
In this session, Adam Glazer, Esq., and Adam Maxwell, Esq., SFBBG attorneys and ERA Legal Counsel, give an overview of the new, suggested rep agreement that will be introduced soon on ERA.org for ERA members. Reps, learn the nuances of the new updated rep agreement template and how to advocate for issues that are important to you. Manufacturers, learn the issues that reps are concerned about today. It is a two-way communication and negotiation!
April 15, 2024
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TOPIC: Debuting SearchLink 2.0 — Introducing ERA GPT
This session features Sam Richter, creator of Intel Engine and the ERA SearchLink.ai tool, debuting SearchLink 2.0, the same ERA SearchLink.ai but with new features — including ERA GPT! Richter also gives a review of SearchLink.ai as a whole and how best to customize it to your company’s needs. There is an audience Q&A.
December 12, 2023
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TOPIC: ERA Electronic Components Industry Trends Survey Update
Presentation Slides
Guest speaker Dennis Reed provides an overall summary of the critical data that’s been collected to-date from the ERA Electronic Components Industry Trends Survey. This monthly survey, launched in June 2023, focuses on valuable industry intelligence such as sales and booking trends, revenue growth trends, pricing outlook, book-to-bill ratios, end markets, inventory, lead times and more! Dennis compares and contrasts the ERA members’ survey results with what he is seeing in his research with Edgewater. Trends are summarized from the latter half of 2023, and an outlook for early 2024 is provided.
December 5, 2023
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TOPIC: 2024 White Pin Internship Program: What You Need to Know
Many manufacturers’ rep firms are interested in an internship, but don’t know where to start. With challenges ranging from multi-generational to the influx of digital marketing and sales, finding a realistic step-by-step approach or someone with the time to do it, is a daunting task.
Learn more about the program in general, the application process, tips on searching for and working with universities to find potential intern candidates, using ERA’s training guidelines, establishing a hiring process, and more.
Gain the confidence to take the next step with a summer intern!
November 28, 2023
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TOPIC: A Look at Our Industry Through the Eyes of Academia: What are University Students Being Taught?
How do we get a glimpse into the academic world to help current university students learn more about our industry? Special guest speaker, Alex Gabbi, Lecturer in the Marketing Department at The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, leads a lively discussion about the challenges of finding, recruiting, onboarding and retaining young college graduates. Alex is a former electronics distribution executive who gives us unique insight and bridges the electronics components distribution world with the world of academia.
There is also a discussion about what current students are thinking about and being taught as it relates to core technologies (AI) and how this can be used in marketing.
September 12, 2023
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Topic: ERA 2.0: What’s New at ERA?
July 11, 2023
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Topic: Digital Marketing for Manufacturers’ Reps
This discussion is based on the new white paper published by the Outpace Rep Group entitled “Powering Up Your Brand: Strategies for Successful Marketing & Branding in the Electronics Industry.”
July 6, 2023
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Topic: ERA SearchLink.ai
Guest speaker Sam Richter demonstrates how to use the new ERA SearchLink.ai tool and give tips and tricks on how best to customize it to your needs.
June 20, 2023
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Topic: 2023 Mid-Market Forecast
Guest speaker Dennis Reed, Senior Research Analyst at Edgewater Research, gives a mid-year market review.
