Good morning.
If you're reading this from anywhere between Philly and Boston, you already know. The worst blizzard in a decade just buried the entire Northeast corridor.
This isn't a "bad weather day." This is a full operational shutdown. And the distributors who handle this week right will keep their accounts. The ones who go quiet? They won't.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
🌨️ The biggest blizzard in a decade just paralyzed the Northeast—Providence hit 37.9 inches, smashing a record from 1978.
🚫 I-95 shut down. PA banned commercial vehicles. 11,000+ flights canceled in 3 days.
⚡ 600,000+ customers lost power. 375,000 still without it this morning.
WHAT HAPPENED
Here's what we're dealing with:
Newark got 27.1 inches—second biggest snowfall in the city's history. NYC's Central Park hit 19.7 inches. Philly took 14 inches, the biggest in 10 years. Mayor Parker declared a snow emergency and deployed 800 trucks across 2,500 miles of road.
Every major highway in eastern PA got shut down. I-76, I-78, I-95, the Turnpike—all closed to commercial vehicles. DoorDash suspended deliveries in NYC entirely.
THE PLAY
Here's the reality: most of your customers didn't close. They stayed open, burned through inventory, and improvised. That means right now they're running low on everything and need you more than ever.
The next 48 hours decide whether they trust you or start shopping around. Here's the move:
Call before they call you. Don't wait for the angry "where's my order?" text. Pick up the phone: "Hey, I know you've been running on fumes. What do you need first? I'll get it on the next truck out." That call takes 90 seconds and saves the account.
Ask what they ran out of. They've been open 3 days on limited stock. They know exactly what they're short on. Get that list now and fill it before your competitor does.
Prioritize the restock, not the full drop. Nobody needs a full order right now. They need the 10 items they ran out of yesterday. Get the essentials there fast—a partial drop today beats a full order Friday.
BY THE NUMBERS
📊 37.9" — Snow in Providence (all-time record, broke 1978 blizzard)
📊 27.1" — Snow in Newark (2nd biggest in history)
📊 14" — Snow in Philadelphia (biggest in a decade)
📊 11,000+ — Flights canceled Sunday through Tuesday
📊 600,000 — Customers who lost power at the storm's peak
QUICK HITS
YOUR TURN
How bad did it hit your operation? Routes canceled? Customers calling nonstop? Hit reply—I'll share the best strategies with everyone.
Next week: The 3 accounts you should fire—and why it'll make you more money.
That's it for today. Stay safe out there. Keep your drivers off bad roads.
See you next week,
The Distribution Edge