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Monday
May 23, 2011 Here Comes the SunFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties What better place than California to check out cool new promo products for summer fun in the sun? In my final Tim’s Take video of the San Diego show, I preview several products from ASI members, including a suncare kit, surfboard-shaped towel, sunscreen face stick, beach ball, personal fan and mister. The show itself attracted 2,100 distributors (up 7% from last year) and 375 exhibitors to the gorgeous San Diego Convention Center. As we reach 2011’s midpoint, it’s clear everyone is feeling optimistic and excited about the rest of the year. If you missed any of the action, go to www.asicentral.com for all the news and videos. Here’s a roundup of jazzy summertime products:
Click here for video of all the products. Let me know what products caught your eye this season by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. And don’t forget to register today for the next ASI Show in Chicago, July 19-21, at www.asishow.com.
Friday
May 20, 2011 On the Air with ASIFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties The ASI Show San Diego’s most popular morning show, on KUSI-TV, came to the convention center Thursday and aired several long segments with senior writer Dave Vagnoni demonstrating some of the hottest products the industry has to offer. Click here to watch. Veteran reporter Mike Castellucci’s enthusiasm for our industry was infectious. He told his viewers all about the cost-effectiveness of promo products while showing off cool items like the guitar shirt, scented T-shirts and even pillowcases that smelled like waffles. We couldn’t have paid for better advertising! That wasn’t all. In addition, CBS affiliate KFMB-TV San Diego and Fox 5 News at 10 also aired extensive clips on the San Diego show Thursday. Click here to watch CBS and click here for Fox. We had a great time in San Diego this week and a barrel of laughs with comic Wayne Brady at his show Thursday night. It was like an episode of the hit show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” – but featuring all of us. Click here for my Tim’s Take on highlights of the show. Wednesday, we honored the industry’s best at the Counselor Awards. For a word about our sponsors, click here to watch my Tim’s Take. Click here to see photos of all the action. We’ve got a full day if exhibits today – and then it’s on to Chicago, July 19-21. If you’re at the show, let me know what you liked – or what needs improving. I’m always open to your suggestions. Post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
May 19, 2011 Honoring Marty LottFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI No question, this is industry is populated with a lot of outrageous characters. You know who you are! And then there’s Marty Lott, the quietly assured president of Top 40 apparel supplier SanMar – and Counselor’s just-named 2011 Person of the Year. I think you can tell a lot about someone by the way they handle a crisis. A big reason why we chose to honor Marty at Wednesday night’s Counselor Awards in San Diego is for the way he managed his company throughout the recent cotton crisis. His undisputed leadership abilities were also on full display while tackling inventory issues affecting so many in the industry. These are but two fine examples in a long career chock full of inspiring moments. Click here to view Counselor‘s Person of the Year profile of Marty Lott. We had a terrific time at the black-tie awards ceremony, held for the first time at the awe-inspiring San Diego Air & Space Museum. In addition to honoring Marty and our International “Person” of the Year, Billy Dolan and Vivian Lo of Camsing Global, Counselor magazine unveiled its annual Top 40, the ranking of the largest suppliers and distributors in the industry. This year’s distributor list is headed up by Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601) and the supplier Top 40 is lead by Norwood (asi/74400) & BIC Graphic North America (asi/40480). Click here to view the 2011 Top 40 distributors and click here to see the Top 40 suppliers. Click here to see photos of all the action. Today is the first day of exhibits at the San Diego show and tonight we’ve got comic Wayne Brady live on stage. Friday promises to be another action-packed day. And then it’s on to Chicago, July 19-21. If you’re at the show, let me know what you’ve seen and done by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
May 18, 2011 Happy Happens in San DiegoFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI We’re here in San Diego, enjoying the first day of the ASI Show in the most active industry region in the country. Participating companies represent nearly $2 billion in industry sales and I can assure you that everyone is charged up and ready to network, learn and sell. In addition to strong distributor attendance, the California show is attracting a majority of the Counselor Top 40 suppliers to the San Diego Convention Center today through Friday. San Diego really has it all – gorgeous ocean views and incredible sunsets, the famous San Diego zoo (you can see Hua Mei, the only panda cub in the U.S., on the zoo’s pandacam), the Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town and Balboa Park cultural center. Thursday, show participants can enjoy comic master Wayne Brady. I saw Wayne on Drew Carey’s new comedy show Improv-A-Ganza last week and he was as outrageously talented as ever. I can’t wait to see what he brings to our show. Hopefully, lots of audience participation. Despite California’s reputation for sunshine, today it’s in the low 60s and rainy, just like it is back East. But with its typically great weather, miles of sandy beaches and major attractions, San Diego has a secure reputation as an ace tourist destination, which makes it a great place to host a trade show. We’re opening with Education Day, sponsored by Fields Manufacturing (asi/54100), which includes a brand-new Social Media Marketing track along with a full slate of educational seminars and workshops with 65 points available toward the ASI Certification Program. Tonight, for the first time, the black-tie Counselor Awards – the industry’s most prestigious and anticipated awards event – will be held at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. We’ll honor Counselor’s 2011 Person of the Year, International Person of the Year and the outstanding sales achievement of the Top 40 distributors and Top 40 suppliers in the industry. We’ll post all the winners and photos from the event at www.asicentral.com so even if you’re not with us in California, you can check out all the action. It’s not too late to catch an ASI Show – you can register now for ASI Show in Chicago, July 19-21, at www.asishow.com. To learn more about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, contact Karen DiTomasso, vice president of sales, at kditomasso@asicentral.com. If you’re with us in San Diego, let me know what you think so far by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
May 16, 2011 On The Road – AgainFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI If there’s a frequent flyer king, I’m betting its Nick DiNicola, the general manager of the Advantages Roadshow. Over the years, the Willie Nelson of roadshow warriors has easily logged more than a half million miles criss-crossing the U.S. and Canada with the industry’s best-attended traveling show. This year, the roadshow’s 12-week schedule took Nick from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale, San Diego to Montreal, and nearly 70 cities in between. By the tour’s end last week, more than 6,000 distributors had attended a show, making vital contacts sure to pay off in new orders. Now, Nick’s on a much-deserved break from the road, but it won’t last too long. The ASI Holiday Preview Tour rolls into Los Angeles, Toronto, Atlanta and Philadelphia this fall. The show features leading ad specialty suppliers showcasing their seasonal products in a tabletop setting, along with free hot-topic education focused on ways to boost your revenue along with valuable networking. I know it’s tough to think about the holidays when you’ve yet to throw your first BBQ, but registering for the holiday preview tour is a surefire way to guarantee those all-important holiday sales. To exhibit, suppliers can call their ASI Show sales rep at 800-546-3300 or contact Nick directly at ndinicola@asicentral.com. Speaking of BBQs, what summer products are on your radar? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
April 21, 2011 Check Out the Show Stats ReportFiled under: ASI Shows, Member Benefits, News About ASI The ASI Show now offers exhibitors a monthly report that allows them to track attendance metrics and determine their all-important rate of return. Show Statistics is a great tool for exhibitors showcasing their wares at ASI trade shows and the Advantages Roadshows. When combined with ASI’s monthly media stats report, it’s sure to help exhibitors to maximize results and meet business goals and plans. Key stats in the report include exhibitor leads scans by show and by region and number of scans compared to competitors based on usage of Showcare’s scanner, the official ASI Show leads-retrieval provider. A team at ASI consolidates data from a variety of sources to create comprehensive reports tracking all ASI shows and roadshows for exhibitors and sponsors. The tailored reports are emailed monthly along with ASI Media, ESP and LogoMall media statistics. The reports are also available online. The Show Statistics report features:
Every year, ASI hosts five annual ASI Shows in Orlando, Dallas, New York, San Diego (coming up fast May 18-20) and Chicago (July 19-21), along with over 70 Advantages Roadshows and ASI Holiday Preview Tours. If you have questions about any of the shows or the new reports, contact Karen DiTomasso, ASI’s VP of sales 215-953-3768 and kditomasso@asicentral.com. Or post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
April 20, 2011 Log On and LearnFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI The phrase of the day at our most recent Virtual Trade Show was “social media.” Everyone wants to know how to better promote their business using online hawkers like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Hopefully, everyone’s questions were answered at ASI’s social media class during the show, which in itself attracted more than a thousand visitors. All told, there were an average 524 visitors per booth, and visitors stayed an average 63.5 minutes, conducting 723 one-to-one chats and viewing 1,025 documents and 562 webcasts. One participant told us she was thrilled to attend in her PJs and slippers, which is the real beauty of virtual shows. No matter where you are – or how you’re dressed – you can log on and learn, network and sell. If you missed this week’s virtual event, you can access it now on-demand – another great perk. And stay tuned for our next show, scheduled for June 14. As always, it will feature top suppliers, virtual show booths, extensive education, multimedia demos, digital catalogs, online sample requests, and tens of thousands of dollars in prizes. Registration is free. 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 education classes that are applied to your BASI or MASI certificates right from the show floor. While virtual events won’t replace in-person shows (San Diego is May 18-20) you can’t beat the ease and value. If you were at the show, tell me your experience – and offer any suggestions for improvement – by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
