Gain Share and Penetrate New Markets.

Sales & Marketing Programs

For over 40 years AD’s proven track record has shown that we are more than a buying group – we are the largest and most innovative marketing group in North America. Our focus is to help you grow your business; our marketing programs are time tested by the best independents and suppliers, and they are highly cost-effective. We make it easy for you to plan and grow year over year.

Planning & Selling

Our marketing programs are time-tested by the industry’s best distributors and suppliers and are completely customizable to your needs.

Planning

Selling

AD FIELD MARKETING SUMMIT

Our AD Field Marketing Summit (FMS) program features fun grassroots planning events, where a member’s selling organization comes together with key supplier partners to build relationships and create simple and actionable marketing plans for the coming year. The result is the creation of Sales Stimulator Programs, featuring AD incentivized action items that drive more sales for both AD members and their supplier partners. Once the plan is devised and incentivized action items are created, members and suppliers have progress check-ins throughout the year, driving consistent accountability.

Program is currently not available in AD Gypsum Supply - U.S.

Watch the Video to Learn More

AD JOINT MARKETING AGREEMENT

The AD Joint Marketing Agreement (JMA) program brings together key member and supplier executives to negotiate a marketing plan that’s beneficial for both businesses. The result is the creation of Sales Stimulator Programs, featuring AD incentivized action items that drive more sales for both AD members and their supplier partners.

Program is currently not available in AD Gypsum Supply - U.S.

FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS

Face-to-face meetings are held between the top executives of our member and supplier partner companies during our annual meetings. A member chooses which suppliers they’d like to collaborate with, and AD ensures that the top executives have focused time together. During the meetings, AD partners plan how they can grow their businesses together in the coming year and members provide suppliers with important feedback from their customers.

NEW PRODUCT TRAINING

AD Independents are known for their knowledgeable sales force and we make it easy to keep their teams plugged in to your new products. AD provides a platform to introduce next generation products and incorporate distributor input well ahead of launch. New product training is crucial for educating a sales force about product features and new market opportunities.

NATIONAL ACCOUNT SALES

supplyFORCE helps AD members participate in national contract opportunities. supplyFORCE manages the RFP and corporate contract management process at the corporate headquarters, while the local distributors focus their energy and resources on supporting the local plants.

supplyFORCE can be used as both an offensive and defensive strategy for our distributors: protecting current customer business from competition, as well as provide access to new plant locations with customers that only write agreements that cover multiple locations.

supplyFORCE has capabilities across North America and supports multiple product categories. Through the AD and supplyFORCE partnership, distributors have an opportunity to participate in large multi-site national account contracts.

For more information visit the supplyFORCE website.

GOVERNMENT SALES

Government sales through the public sector is one of the fastest growing customer market segments. Through the AD and supplyFORCE partnership, AD members have the opportunity to service government markets by offering access to supplyFORCE’s GSA Schedule, small business certification, and exclusive training and sales resources. Visit the supplyFORCE site.

AD ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS

Our holistic eCommerce solution is a cost-effective way for you to get your product information to hundreds of the best distributors. AD is working to get all of our members selling online as fast and efficiently as possible. Learn more here.

  • Joe Pro, President, Pennsylvania Machine Works, Inc.
  • At the AD North American Meeting you're typically meeting the owners of the company and higher-level executives. You are getting a chance to have a conversation at a different level. That's a value I can't duplicate for what I invest for our company to attend the meeting.

    Joe Pro, President, Pennsylvania Machine Works, Inc. Supplier Partner since 2000
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Explore Divisional Sales & Marketing Programs

Member Commitment

The major benefit for suppliers is above market growth. Currently, our members have committed to 28% average growth for the Bearings & Power Transmission suppliers, with no supplier less than 10%. All members have completed a Commitment Scorecard on how they intend to grow their business with AD suppliers in 2016. Their progress to goal will be tracked monthly with a monthly update being provided both to members and suppliers. At a time when most suppliers are losing volume in the market, this is a great alternative strategy to riding with the major distributors.

National & Government Sales

AD’s sister company, supplyFORCE, helps AD members to jointly bid for and win national contracts and mutually service large, multi-location MRO customers. supplyFORCE also helps AD members service government markets by offering access to supplyFORCE’s GSA Schedule, small business certification, and exclusive training and sales resources. In less than one year, the new Bearings & Power Transmission Division already has five contracts in process. Visit the supplyFORCE site.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

AD Education Centre

The AD Education Centre is a one stop e-learning platform in which our members have access to online training and educational webinars on industry products from our supplier partners. Having access to the program anytime and anywhere, the AD Education Centre is a vital resource in helping new hires and current employees enhance their product knowledge and in turn develop their career.

Staff Advocacy

The Gypsum Supply Division’s staff can help to connect you with members that you wish to do business with, and also looks to identify conversion opportunities for your company. We can also help to mediate the occasional difference between your company and our members.

Webinar Opportunities

We will help you to create engaging webinars to reach our distributors’ decision-makers and their sales teams. These webinars help our members learn about your new products, services, and industry information. We set up the webinar and send the invitations; you simply need to develop and present the content.

Email Announcements, News and Promotions

It is sometimes difficult to make sure your message is being heard. Allow the Gypsum Supply staff to support your efforts by sending these important messages directly to decision-makers on your behalf.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

The AD Rewards Program

AD Canada offers two unique rewards programs to help grow your business. 

The AD Rewards Customer Program maximizes profitability by incentivizing your customers to purchase products from participating AD suppliers. The AD Rewards Inside Sales Program allows you to incentivize your Inside and Counter Sales personnel to sell participating AD supplier products.

AD Rewards drives revenue and keeps customer loyalty high, allowing you to focus your resources on obtaining new clients. The program is easily customized to your business – you select the AD suppliers that participate to help grow your business. And the best part is the program is funded by a coalition of AD suppliers at no cost to our Canadian members.

AD Education Centre

The AD Education Centre is a one stop e-learning platform in which our members have access to online training and educational webinars on industry products from our supplier partners. Having access to the program anytime and anywhere, the AD Education Centre is a vital resource in helping new hires and current employees enhance their product knowledge and in turn develop their career.

AD Education Center

It is our goal to assist members in the development of new hires, enhance the knowledge of current inside, counter and warehouse employees, and promote general career development. In this pursuit, the AD Education Center incentivizes member employees to engage with supplier-funded e-learning tools that support our suppliers and their products.

Incentive Programs – Market Driver/GIBP

We have a significant number of programs that increase your profitability, including the Growth Incentive Bonus Program (GIBP), and Market Driver, which are both designed to award growth with dollar incentives. AD is also able to negotiate and earn rebates for our members that are larger than other groups or very large distributors can achieve on their own due to the combined size of our Electrical Division members and our long history of growing at above market rates.

AD Rewards

AD Rewards is an online incentive program fully managed by AD and funded by participating suppliers, targeting inside sales and counter personnel. Participants earn points for selling AD supplier’s products, and for participating in training and promotions. Points are redeemed for thousands of appealing merchandise items, from electronics to travel. AD Rewards decreases product promotion costs and provides suppliers real time point-of-sale reporting. AD Rewards can increase sales by engaging switch behavior, gaining mindshare, and promoting targeted products.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Exclusive promotions can be designed to facilitate and support the execution of conversion opportunities.

AD Winner’s Circle

AD’s annual invitation-only program celebrating the collaborative growth partnerships of key members and suppliers. The Winner's Circle provides incentive for members to partner with you and outperform the market.

AD Education Center

The AD Education Center allows AD suppliers to utilize online training to teach our member’s employees about their products, which can foster improved sales and increased brand loyalty.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, keeping them engaged and giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you hand in hand to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Best practices from successful promotions are considered in the development process to maximize success.

AD Power Buys

Truly leveraging the collective scale of AD, AD Power Buys bring together the group to get deep discounts on key commodity products. We have proven that volume and efficiency generate considerable interest from suppliers, which translates into additional earnings for AD members.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

AD Education Centre

The AD Education Centre is a one stop e-learning platform in which our members have access to online training and educational webinars on industry products from our supplier partners. Having access to the program anytime and anywhere, the AD Education Centre is a vital resource in helping new hires and current employees enhance their product knowledge and in turn develop their career.

Conversion Campaign

In 2015, the Industrial & Safety Division launched the Conversion Campaign. The campaign is a divisional effort, endorsed by the Industrial & Safety Board and Product Committee, to convert business from non-AD suppliers and non-AD distributors to AD distributors and suppliers. This campaign fulfills our value proposition to AD suppliers, increases earnings for AD members, separates AD from other competitors, and contributes to the Industrial & Safety division’s growth.

MROP Training Webinar Series

The MROP training webinar series is an effective vehicle for AD suppliers to engage and support our members’ frontline associates. The MROP webinars deliver innovative AD supplier solutions that help our MROP customers achieve their operational goals and objectives. The information is delivered in an engaging, easy-to-follow format that supports salespeople in their role as leaders on the front line of our industry.

AD Education Center

We offer our members a one-stop shop for AD Supplier e-learning in the AD Education Center. It is a comprehensive solution to gain product knowledge through an online learning environment that houses on-demand product training as well as live educational webinars. The AD Education Center is a vital tool to develop new hires, enhance the knowledge of current employees, and promote career development.

AD 101 Awareness Webinars

The AD 101 Awareness Webinars are for members and supplier partners who have employees who are new to working with AD. It easily explains what AD is, and the benefits and programs we offer to their company.

Growth Incentive Bonus Program (GIBP)

Participation in GIBP drives increased sales by rewarding members for individual growth performance. GIBP is a highly visible program that is tracked extensively on ADHQ.com with monthly updates. Participating suppliers bring incremental focus to their brands and capture a greater share of member resources.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Exclusive promotions can be designed to facilitate and support the execution of conversion opportunities.

AD Winner’s Circle

AD’s annual invitation-only program celebrating the collaborative growth partnerships of key members and suppliers. The Winner's Circle provides incentive for members to partner with you and outperform the market.

AD Education Center

The AD Education Center allows AD suppliers to utilize online training to teach our member’s employees about their products, which can foster improved sales and increased brand loyalty.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, keeping them engaged and giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you hand in hand to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Best practices from successful promotions are considered in the development process to maximize success.

AD Power Buys

Truly leveraging the collective scale of AD, AD Power Buys bring together the group to get deep discounts on key commodity products. We have proven that volume and efficiency generate considerable interest from suppliers, which translates into additional earnings for AD members.

AD Winner’s Circle

AD’s annual invitation-only program celebrating the collaborative growth partnerships of key members and suppliers. The Winner's Circle provides incentive for members to partner with you and outperform the market.

AD Education Center

The AD Education Center allows AD suppliers to utilize online training to teach our member’s employees about their products, which can foster improved sales and increased brand loyalty.

AD Emerging Leaders

Our initiative to engage emerging leaders at your organization, keeping them engaged and giving them a forum to network, share best practices, and tackle issues that are unique to their age group and career stage.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you hand in hand to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Best practices from successful promotions are considered in the development process to maximize success.

AD Power Buys

Truly leveraging the collective scale of AD, AD Power Buys bring together the group to get deep discounts on key commodity products. We have proven that volume and efficiency generate considerable interest from suppliers, which translates into additional earnings for AD members.

Safeopedia

The worlds largest online safety encyclopedia. Every month this verified, free-to-access, safety library provides 100K+ Safety Directors & Managers with the knowledge, resources, and community they need to get their job done. With advertisements and lead generation services exclusive the AD Safety Network Suppliers and Distributor Members, this website serves as the top-of-funnel demand generator specialized in connecting end-user customer decision makers to our members.

Conversion Campaign

In 2015, AD launched the Conversion Campaign. The campaign is a divisional effort to convert business from non-AD suppliers and non-AD distributors to AD distributors and suppliers. This campaign fulfills our value proposition to AD suppliers, increases earnings for AD members, separates AD from other competitors, and contributes to divisional growth.

AD Education Center

We offer our members a one-stop shop for AD Supplier e-learning in the AD Education Center. It is a comprehensive solution to gain product knowledge through an online learning environment that houses on-demand product training as well as live educational webinars. The AD Education Center is a vital tool to develop new hires, enhance the knowledge of current employees, and promote career development.

AD 101 Awareness Webinars

The AD 101 Awareness Webinars are for members and supplier partners who have employees who are new to working with AD. It easily explains what AD is, and the benefits and programs we offer to their company.

Growth Incentive Bonus Program (GIBP)

Participation in GIBP drives increased sales by rewarding members for individual growth performance. GIBP is a highly visible program that is tracked extensively on ADHQ.com with monthly updates. Participating suppliers bring incremental focus to their brands and capture a greater share of member resources.

AD Exclusive Promotions

AD Exclusive Promotions offer an effective way to drive incremental sales, forge closer relationships, or change buying behavior. We work with you to make sure your promotional efforts meet your objectives and reach their intended target. Exclusive promotions can be designed to facilitate and support the execution of conversion opportunities.