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Tuesday
November 8, 2011 Counselor Names Power 50Filed under: ASI Shows, Community, Industry Initiatives, Members, News About ASI Timidity has no place in business. And if Polyconcept’s recent history has shown us anything, it’s exactly that. When Polyconcept’s Philippe Varnier, Yann Leca and David Nicholson purchased Trimark Sportswear, they changed the game by becoming the first major supplier to sell both hard goods and apparel. This big, bold move also helped propel them from No. 8 to No. 1 on this year’s Counselor Power 50 list. By definition, the business leaders on our annual list set the agenda for the market, provide successful examples for others to follow and, ultimately, dictate how business is done in the ad specialty industry. Last night we honored them for their outstanding business acumen at the fifth annual ASI Power Summit in Dana Point, California. Here’s the top of the 2011 Counselor Power 50 list:
For the complete Counselor Power 50 ranking, click here. For photos of the Power Summit and Monday’s awards ceremony, click here. It’s also worth noting the newcomers who hit the list for the first time, since they’re definitely among the ones to watch. They are:
For more info and details on why these leaders moved up – or down – read the upcoming December issue of Counselor and check it out online at http://www.counselormag.com/. Let me know what you think of this year’s ranking by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
November 7, 2011 James Carville Tackling ASI RadioFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI You could never accuse political pundit James Carville of being a shrinking violet. The upcoming ASI Show keynoter – a guest on ASI Radio this morning – stakes his claim to fame with the very first words posted on his website: “The man who has devised the most dramatic political victories of our generation.” Even if you disagree with his politics, you gotta admire Carville’s verve. The Democratic strategist credited with ushering an unknown Arkansas governor into the White House always tells it like it is, whether he’s opinionating on Sunday morning talk shows or addressing a corporate crowd like ours. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say on ASI’s weekly radio show. To listen in at 10:30 a.m. ET today, click here. You don’t have to prefer blue over red to enjoy Carville, a blunt-talking Southerner who dishes sports once a week on XM Radio and is married to Republican consultant Mary Matalin. His fierce frankness is why we chose him to square off with conservative Bill O’Reilly in “Live from the No-Spin Zone” January 18 in what’s sure to be a highlight of ASI’s first show of the year in Orlando. Carville and O’Reilly, Republican and popular host of Fox’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” will give us the straight scoop on the 2012 presidential elections just as the already divisive race kicks off. I, for one, can’t wait for this smackdown. Sparks will definitely fly. So tune in as our radio hosts get the first stab at the Ragin’ Cajun. I guarantee it’ll be one of the liveliest exchanges ever heard over our airwaves, as Carville gives us his firm opinion on everything from the huge role promotional products will play in the 2012 elections to whether LSU will take Tulane. Let me know what you think the hosts should ask Carville by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
September 28, 2011 Get Ready to Shop Till You DropFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI Pumpkins are on the stoop, which means the holiday season is upon us. The good news for the business community is that forecasters predict slightly higher sales than a year ago. We’ll take it! In our industry, there’s no better way to jump into the crucial fourth quarter than with the ASI Holiday Preview Tour, which attracted nearly 600 distributors at its first two stops in Los Angeles and Toronto. The next stop on the train to greater sales is Atlanta on October 18, and then Philadelphia on October 26. For distributors, the one-day tour offers the perfect place to gather fresh marketing ideas for clients, quickly and efficiently. And suppliers can meet hundreds of distributors in a few hours. What other show offers all that? Each show features leading ad specialty suppliers showcasing their seasonal products – along with the hottest ad specialty items for this final quarter. The show takes place in a tabletop setting, with free hot-topic education focused on ways to boost revenue. There’s even a fun networking reception. And in Philadelphia, Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) will co-locate a Proforma End User Showcase, giving those end-users an escorted tour of the show floor to discuss their needs with exhibitors. All distributors are invited to attend the Holiday Preview Tour for free and can register on-site with a business card or pre-register today at http://www.holidaypreviewtour.com/ to receive exclusive exhibitor specials and show updates in advance. To exhibit, suppliers can call their ASI Show sales rep at 800-546-3300 or contact manager Nick DiNicola directly at ndinicola@asicentral.com. Here’s one last sobering thought: There are only 88 shopping days left till Christmas. Are you ready? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
September 16, 2011 Log On, Learn and SellFiled under: ASI Shows, Members, News About ASI Our most recent Virtual Trade Show attracted a whopping 1,759 participants – and a ton of great comments. As always, the show featured multimedia demos, free catalogs and tons of top new suppliers. At this all-day virtual event, we had 27 show booths with sales reps and 40 ASI Education and certification programs. One participant was so impressed with the connections he made that he suggested we host a virtual show every week. Below is a sampling of other comments we received:
At the show, participants chatted with each other, viewed docs, catalogs and Webcasts and competed for $17,000 in prizes – all for free and without spending a dime on travel. The best part is no matter where you are – or how you’re dressed – you can log on and learn, network and sell. And if you missed the virtual event, you can access it on-demand here. We know the all-day, online events are effective because exhibiting suppliers experience an average 24% increase in ESP searches the day after each show. Our next Virtual Trade Show is scheduled for February 15, which seems like a long way off when the leaves are still (mostly) green but it’s just five months away. Yeah, there might be snow outside your door by then but with a virtual event, there’s no need to slosh through anything to participate. And, don’t forget – you can attend classes that are applied to your BASI or MASI certificate right from the virtual show floor. Let me know what you think of virtual events posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
September 15, 2011 Hop on the Holiday Preview TrainFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI The ASI Holiday Preview Tour kicks off its four-city excursion next week with stops in Los Angeles (Sept. 23), Toronto (Sept. 27), Atlanta (Oct. 18) and Philadelphia (Oct. 26). The full-day schedule features leading ad specialty suppliers showcasing their seasonal products – along with their hottest ad specialty items for the all-important fourth quarter – in a tabletop setting, free hot-topic education focused on ways to boost your revenue and a fun networking reception. Taking part in the ASI Holiday Preview Tour is good business. Free to all distributors, the tour will provide you with new, inspirational marketing ideas for your clients without spending a lot of time away from the office. Plus, just for attending you will be entered to win an iPad (drawing taking place that day) and a two-year lease on a new Mustang. It can’t get any better than this. Register today at www.holidaypreviewtour.com. Or, call 800-546-3300 with any questions. To exhibit, suppliers can call their ASI Show sales rep at 800-546-3300 or contact manager Nick DiNicola directly at ndinicola@asicentral.com. I hope to see you next week at the ASI Holiday Preview Tour. – Karen DiTomasso, VP of sales for The ASI Show
Tuesday
September 13, 2011 Get Your Avatar OnFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, News About ASI ASI’s next Virtual Trade Show kicks off Wednesday and there’s still time to register. The show features multimedia demos, free catalogs, tons of top new suppliers, 27 show booths with sales reps and 40 ASI Education and certification programs. Plus, you can win more than $17,000 in prizes. Click here to register for free for the 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ET show. Altogether, more than 1,500 visited our last virtual show, which generated 1,037 one-to-one chats. In addition, visitors viewed a total of 1,858 documents and 757 webcasts, staying at the show an average of 78.5 minutes – not bad for a free day with no expensive travel. The best part is no matter where you are – or how you’re dressed – you can log on and learn, network and sell. And if you miss this week’s virtual event, you can access it on-demand later here. We know the all-day, online events are effective because exhibiting suppliers experience an average 24% increase in ESP searches the day after each show. And, don’t forget – you can attend classes that are applied to your BASI or MASI certificate right from the virtual show floor. Let me know what you think of virtual events by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
July 22, 2011 It’s a WrapFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties The heat wave followed us home from the Midwest, but we’re trying to stay cool with a final wrap-up from a very successful show in Chicago. Total distributor attendance was 4,500 – up 9% from last year – from 1,930 distributor firms. The show generated a ton of positive feedback, and I’d like to thank everyone who tweeted about our events and their show floor experiences. NBC in Chicago sent two reporters to the convention center and from the looks of it, they had a great time. Click here to see the story and dozens of pics from the show floor, featuring numerous products along with video demonstrations and an interview with Counselor senior writer Dave Vagnoni. NBC posted everything to its business website Inc.Well, a how-to blog for Chicago business. Speaking of products, click here to check out my latest hot products video, featuring three great items for the fourth-quarter selling season: a gigantic fortune cookie from Good Fortunes (asi/57689), a vinola from Logomark (asi/67866) and a heart-shaped mirror from Hirsch Gifts (asi/61005). And if you missed former NFL coach Mike Ditka (at right), click here for a recap of his keynote. We also enjoyed a terrific reception and “pinning” ceremony in Chicago for recipients of our gold standard education certificates: Bachelor and Masters of Advertising Specialty Information. Click here for a recap and interview with Melinda Ligos, our senior VP of professional development. We now have 7,000 people registered for classes and working toward their certification. Let me know what you learned at the ASI Chicago show by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
