1. Making the Joint MD-IDEX/Expo Work For You – For Distributors
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

2. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
Welcome and Thank You
Thank you everyone for taking the time to participate in today’s webinar. My name is Kelly Butler and I am the Meetings & Conferences Manager for PTDA. This webinar is designed to help you make the most of your MD-IDEX scheduling experience to ensure your appointments are both successful and productive. This webinar will not address the Expo portion of the event.
Feel free to type in a question at any time and we will address them after the presentation.
This webinar is being recorded and will be posted on the NIBAPTDA.org website shortly after this webinar.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

3. MD-IDEX = Manufacturer Distributor Idea Exchange
The strengthening of manufacturer/distributor relationships continues to rank as a top priority for NIBA and PTDA members. The MD-IDEX program is designed specifically to provide top executives with a venue to meet for one-on-one dialogue and to discuss business opportunities and issues with current and potential suppliers.
MD-IDEX is not a place to get into deep confidential discussions, but it is a starting point for discussions on a particular issue where you may set a date and time for a longer, deeper conversation outside of MD-IDEX.
MD-IDEX = Manufacturer Distributor Idea Exchange
MD-IDEX is a time and cost-effective opportunity to meet one-on-one with senior management of manufacturers of power transmission/motion control products and the belting industries in a single location.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

4. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
What will be covered:
Determining which suppliers to schedule with
Objectives for meeting with current suppliers
Objectives for meeting with potential suppliers
Preparing for your appointments
About the MD-IDEX appointment scheduler
Today’s webinar will cover the following:
Determining which suppliers to schedule with
Objectives for meeting with current suppliers
Objectives for meeting with potential suppliers
Preparing for your appointments
About the MD-IDEX appointment scheduler
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

5. Preparation is essential!
To make the most of the time you have at MD-IDEX, it is essential that you prepare in advance.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

6. Determine which suppliers to schedule with
Look at current and potential suppliers
Solicit high level issues from employees
Prioritize for growth opportunities
The first step in preparation is to determine which suppliers to schedule with.
For current suppliers, solicit high level issues from your employees to help prioritize which of your current suppliers you should meet with. You should also focus on meeting with those suppliers that provide potential growth opportunities so you can talk about strategies, or maybe to learn about a product that is specific to an end-user industry that you are considering for growth opportunities.
For potential suppliers, you can review the MD-IDEX Exhibitor Directory that will be sent to you to determine potential suppliers you may want to establish a relationship with now or begin dialog with for the future. Are there product lines you do not currently carry but that your customers may be asking for? Do you need a secondary source for a product you already sell?
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

7. Objectives for scheduling appointments with current suppliers
Discuss general relationship issues
Address a specific problem
Learn about new products, applications, service or support
Conduct joint business plans or joint marketing efforts
Some of the objectives for meeting with current suppliers might be:
To discuss general relationship issues. Basically, it’s hard to see eye-to-eye unless you meet face-to-face. It is important for you to have an objective as to why you want to meet with the supplier so that you can be prepared. Talk about strategies for growth in current or potential markets and how you can work better together.
You may also want to meet to address a specific problem. Although MD-IDEX should not be used as a gripe session, it can be very beneficial for you to meet the senior management of the exhibitor to bring specific issues to management’s attention and to develop relationships with them for those occasions in the future when you are unable to get resolution from the local sales rep.
Another objective is to learn about new products, applications, service or support. Because exhibitors do not always find the time to visit the smaller independent distributors to bring them up to date on what’s new, ask about new products, applications, service or support.
Finally, you may want to discuss conducting joint business plans or joint marketing efforts. Talk about strategies that can help you grow into existing markets or potential markets.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

8. Objectives for scheduling appointments with potential suppliers
Learn more about suppliers that might be a good fit
Investigate new products/applications
Request new lines
Objectives for meeting with potential suppliers might be:
To learn more about suppliers that might be a good fit. Explore opportunities for potential partnerships with suppliers you may need now or down the road. If there are particular markets you serve, look at the “vertical markets” section of each exhibitor listing in the Exhibitor Directory for exhibitors that have products specifically for those markets. Starting dialogue with these companies may prove beneficial in the long term if you are not ready to act at this time.
You may want to investigate new products or applications. It’s a good way for you to look at some of the new products that might be on display, particularly with products you may not already sell. Because this year also includes full product displays, you have even more of an opportunity to see what’s out there.
You can also use MD-IDEX as an opportunity to request new lines. Do your homework and be prepared to explain why you are interested and why your company should be one of their authorized distributors.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

9. Preparing for your MD-IDEX appointments
Do some pre-planning with your sales team
Consider having more than one appointment schedule
Consider meeting with exhibitors that have contacted you
Preparing for your MD-IDEX appointments will help ensure you get the most from your experience.
Do some pre-planning with your team. As mentioned earlier, get feedback from your employees on what is and what is not working so you have the right data and can be prepared for the meeting. One suggestion might be to provide your employees with a form to complete indicating why they recommend a meeting with that exhibitor. For potential suppliers, identify product lines where you need second or third tier suppliers. Or discuss products that you don’t currently sell but are considering selling to compliment the products you are currently selling. Prioritize the suppliers you want to see. This will make it easier when you begin scheduling appointments using the online scheduler. You can schedule 6 appointments with exhibitors.
Consider having more than one appointment schedule. If you have more than one person from your company attending, consider having separate appointment schedules to meet with more exhibitors. Some appointments you can attend together and others you can attend separately depending on the exhibitor. You can let me know if you plan to do this so I can create two separate logins for your scheduling session. Having an additional appointment schedule also means that exhibitors can schedule a total of six appointments with your company, rather than just three.
Consider meeting with exhibitors that have contacted you via phone, letter or to request an appointment. While many exhibitors send a letter or invitation, it isn’t always enough to persuade you to stop by their booth. Some distributors have indicated they meet with as many exhibitors that would like to meet with them even if they don’t have an interest at the time. In some cases those appointments have turned into business later. Consider a meeting with these exhibitors as you never know when you may need to develop a more formal relationship, particularly with the manufacturer acquisitions that happen in this industry.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

10. MD-IDEX Appointment Scheduler
The MD-IDEX appointment scheduler is an online program to help you schedule appointments with exhibitors that have reserved a booth for the Joint MD-IDEX/Expo.
The Joint MD-IDEX/Expo is open from 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM; however, the appointment schedule is only from 8:30 AM – 12:00 Noon.
MD-IDEX Appointment Scheduler
The MD-IDEX appointment scheduler is an online program designed to facilitate the appointment scheduling between distributors in attendance and exhibitors.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

11. About the MD-IDEX appointment scheduler
Designed to allow distributors and exhibitors to schedule twenty-minute appointments with each other
Appointments are scheduled with companies, not with specific individuals
The twenty-minute appointment slots are pre-designated for distributors and exhibitors
Distributors and exhibitors can schedule one-on-one 20 minute appointments with each other using the online appointment scheduler. All appointments are automatically confirmed when you book them.
For both distributors and exhibitors, appointments are scheduled with companies, not with specific individuals. The representatives staffing the MD-IDEX booth tend to be all of the individuals from that company that are registered to attend. You will be able to download a registration list prior to the Joint Industry Summit if you would like to see who from that exhibitor company will be attending. Exhibiting manufacturers can also schedule three appointments with distributor companies, not individuals , so you can send all of your Joint Industry Summit delegates to that exhibitor appointment or decide which individual from your company will represent your company at the appointment made by that exhibitor.
You can schedule appointments with exhibitors and service providers. The appointment software is set to allow specific appointment times to be scheduled by distributors with exhibitors, and specific appointment times for exhibitors to schedule with distributors.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

12. About the MD-IDEX appointment scheduler
Distributors can schedule six appointments with exhibitors from August 3-17.
Exhibitors can schedule three appointments with distributors registered to attend the Joint Industry Summit from August 29 – September 12. If the distributor has open time slots outside of the three designated for exhibitors, the exhibitor can schedule in those time slots as well.
There is a thirty-minute break from 10:10-10:40 AM.
Your schedule is confidential. Only you can see your appointments.
Distributors can schedule up to six appointments with exhibitors from August These are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis so schedule your most desirable or highest priority exhibitors first.
Exhibitors can schedule three appointments with distributor companies registered to attend from August 29 – September Note that exhibitors can schedule these appointments even if you do not schedule any appointments yourself with exhibitors. You are requested to honor these appointments just as the manufacturers are requested to honor those appointments scheduled by you. And remember, you can decide who from your company will represent your company at that exhibitor scheduled appointment.
Exhibitors can also schedule appointments with distributors in any of the 6 time slots that distributors did not schedule themselves, unless you BLOCK those time slots in the appointment scheduler. I will show you a screen shot of this in a few minutes, and a demo of the software at the end of this webinar.
There is a thirty-minute break from 10:10-10:40 AM where there are no scheduled appointments.
Your schedule is confidential. Only you can see your appointments.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

13. How to prepare for scheduling appointments
Mark your calendar for August 3, 10:00 AM Central, to schedule appointments with exhibitors.
Designate someone else in your company to schedule the appointments if you are not available.
Make sure to prioritize your list of suppliers to include both current and potential suppliers.
So, how do you prepare for scheduling appointments?
First, mark your calendar for August 3, 10:00 AM Central. This is when the scheduler opens and it’s like tickets going on sale at Ticketmaster. Be ready.
Each exhibitor only has 6 appointment slots available for distributors to schedule so I highly recommend designating someone else to schedule these appointments if you are not available, particularly your top priorities as they may go quickly.
Each distributor company must designate a contact and for scheduling appointments. I will be sending you an asking you for that designated person so be on the lookout for it. There is only one login per company, unless your company chooses to have more than one appointment schedule.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

14. Scheduling appointments on August 3
When you receive the “distributor MD-IDEX scheduler live now” on August 3 at 9:59 AM Central, click the link in the .
Login using the and password provided to you, sent in an directly from me on August 1.
When the designated contact receives the “distributor MD-IDEX scheduler live now” on August 3 at 9:59 AM Central, click the link in the .
Login using the and password I will provide to you or your designated contact, sent in an directly from me on August 1. Only this login and password can be used to schedule appointments or access your company schedule.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

15. Once you click the link, login with the email and password.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

16. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
Once logged in, you can search for a specific company or product categories or you can click on Company List.
Once logged in, you can search for a specific company or product categories or you can click on Company List.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

17. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
Once you see the company you want to reserve a time slot with, you can click on the Schedule Meeting button.
Once you see the company you want to reserve a time slot with, you can click on Schedule Meeting.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

18. Choose an available time slot then Schedule Meeting.
Choose an available time slot then click the Schedule Meeting button.
Choose an available time slot then Schedule Meeting.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

19. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
Your appointment is automatically confirmed. Choose Schedule More Meetings.
Your appointment is automatically confirmed. Choose Schedule More Meetings.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

20. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
You can view your schedule by clicking on Meetings in the left column. You can also click on Schedule Meetings from here.
You can view your schedule by clicking on Meetings in the left column.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

21. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
The Meetings screen will look like this. From here, you can see which time slots you still have open and click the button that says “who is available” to see which companies are still available during that time slot.
You can also block time slots where you are not going to be available.
And you can also download your schedule as a PDF.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

22. Scheduling appointments on August 3
Appointments are automatically confirmed.
There is no option to reject or accept an appointment.
To cancel an appointment that you scheduled in error, click “Withdraw request” under the name of the company.
To cancel an appointment scheduled by a manufacturer, contact the manufacturer directly.
Appointments are automatically confirmed.
There is no option to reject or accept an appointment.
To cancel an appointment that you scheduled in error, click “Withdraw request” under the name of the company on the Meetings page. Exhibitors will not have this option on their Meetings page.
To cancel an appointment scheduled by an exhibitor, contact the exhibitor directly. Exhibitors do not have the option of canceling appointments made by you without contacting you directly.
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

23. Demo of the appointment scheduler
Now for a quick live demonstration of the appointment scheduler. You can go back and review this webinar and demonstration on the NIBAPTDA.org website.
Screen 2
Hit Play
Screen 1
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

24. NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit
Questions?
Type in your questions now or contact Kelly Butler at or
Does anyone have any questions?
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit

25. Thank you for participating!
I hope you found this webinar helpful and informative. Thank you for participating and we look forward to seeing you at the NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit in Hollywood, Florida!
NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit