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Thursday
May 6, 2010 Hot Products: A Real Treat from New YorkFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties ASI TV shot a lot of video at our New York show this week and I’d like to share some highlights from my “Tim’s Takes,” direct from the Counselor awards and a bustling show floor at the Javits Center. If you click here, you’ll see me in my tux just before our glamorous event at the Plaza, where we joined 350 dignitaries to honor the Top 40 suppliers and distributors; the International Person of the Year, Nicolas Paillot, CEO of BIC Advertising & Promotional Products; and our 2010 Person of the Year, Proforma’s Greg and Vera Muzzillo. Click here for my report from the show floor, which includes breaking news from Counselor magazine that distributor first-quarter sales are up by 11.1% over 2009. Now that’s news we can all celebrate – and take right to the bank. Finally, click here to check out two very cool products, which we featured Wednesday morning at a press breakfast that attracted reporters from the likes of SmartMoney, CNNMoney.com, Fox and ABC News. ASI’s Dave Vagnoni (pictured) did a great job demonstrating to reporters the innovative products businesses are using in 2010 to promote their companies and events – including a riding electric beer cooler that goes 10 mph. We actually rode it in Times Square and boy, did people go crazy for that cooler, which companies like Miller, Snap-on tools and Coors are using to draw attention to their products. At right, Melinda Ligos demonstrates. Sarah Caplan, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who started Footzyrolls (asi/54915) with her sister, joined us to talk about her fantastic new roll-up shoes, which actually fit in a clutch and are perfect for high-heeled women who need a break. Footzyrolls are even being included in gift bags for the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie. The video also shows off Celebarktion Gourmet Pet Treats. We brought a chocolate lab to our press event and she just loved these dog treats, which are very large, pretty tasty (Dave took a bite) and actually imprintable. As we told the press, promotional products provide the best ROI for your dollar. No wonder they’re being used to promote everything from American Idol to the Oscars. They really work! Tell me your favorite products from the New York show by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
May 6, 2010 ASI Honors Best and BrightestFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI I can’t imagine a more glamorous setting than the Plaza in New York City. Last night, the historic landmark provided the perfect backdrop for our annual Counselor Awards, which honor the brightest stars in the industry. To see hot-off-the-press photos of the black-tie event, click here. To learn more about each of the winners – including the Counselor Person of the Year, dynamic duo Greg and Vera Muzzillo of Proforma – click here. And to view the complete list of Top 40 Distributors and Top 40 Suppliers, click here. I love it when The ASI Show is held in New York, which I consider the greatest city in the world. Here, it’s all about style and innovation and speed – the very hallmarks of our industry. The epitome of such creativity can be found in the items Counselor just honored with Product Design Awards, also announced during the The ASI Show New York. Winners of all awards also appear in the May issue of Counselor magazine, which features the Muzzillos on its cover. I’d love to know what you think of the show, so please post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
May 5, 2010 On With the Show!Filed under: ASI Shows, News About ASI Our New York show is well underway and I’m happy to report we’re having a great time in a great city. Tuesday, Barbara Corcoran headlined ASI’s very first Women’s Summit and from all reports, she was a smash. Barbara is the founder of the Corcoran Group and a trailblazing entrepreneur who parlayed a $1,000 loan into a $5 billion real-estate business. The best part of Barbara’s presentation was her warmth and personality. During the book signing, she actually ran out of time – but kept right on signing more books as she ran out the door. And she paid enough attention to each person to write something personal inside each book she signed. Now that’s attention to detail. And that’s exactly how all of us should treat our customers and prospects – up close and personal. The entire industry is built upon the premise of personal service, and seeing someone like Barbara Corcoran in action, sealing the deal as it were, with pretty much everyone in the room, proves just how effective this approach can be. She also advised everyone to take risks, saying tough economic times are golden for entrepreneurs – something she learned firsthand. It’s hard to argue with a winner like Barbara. Overall, the Women’s Summit – an exclusive, high-energy event specially designed for female professionals to network with their colleagues – was a big hit. As Stephanie Schaeffer, ASI’s corporate VP, told the crowd: “ASI closely monitors the number of distributorships in the industry, and women are launching businesses at a record pace. Women have a secret weapon to succeed – other women. We’re great collaborators and communicators – and maybe some of you will find your mentor in this room.” I’m looking forward to another great day on the show floor Thursday and hope to see as many of you there as possible. If you’re at the show, please let me know what you think by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
May 3, 2010 Integration and Innovation: ProfitMaker Meets ESPFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI If you’re at our New York Show this week, be sure to stop by booth 615 to see the experts from ASI Computer Systems. They’re anxious to share the news on our latest innovation: ESP Orders now integrates with ProfitMaker to help greater simplify operations and speed up the sales process. ASI Computer Systems is the leading provider of business management software in the advertising specialty industry for good reason. They’re always on the lookout for ways to help make your business smarter and faster. Thanks in large part to their efforts, ProfitMaker — the premier order management and accounting system — now allows distributors to send completed sales orders from their ESP Order’s browser to ProfitMaker from anywhere. Users can choose to start the processing immediately or at a specific day and time, and reports will be stored in a corresponding and easily-accessible directory. David Wirth, president and chief operations officer of ASI Computer Systems, tells me distributors, suppliers and decorators love ProfitMaker because they have more time for selling and spend way less time on order management and office tasks. Not only is it more powerful software, it works alone or with other office programs, to make your business operations one seamless process. So please stop by booth 615 for more info at the New York show, which starts today with a full slate of education offerings. And let me know how ProfitMaker is working for you by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
April 29, 2010 ESP Searches Jump After Virtual Trade ShowsFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI We held our fourth virtual trade show this week and all distributor feedback to date can be summed up in one word: great. Only one thing can make the virtual experience better – and that’s even more suppliers. We know the all-day, online event is effective because exhibiting suppliers experience an average 24% increase in ESP searches the day after each show. And more searches mean more sales. On average, exhibitors at Wednesday’s virtual trade show – ASI’s fourth – spent 66 minutes in the virtual environment and exchanged 4,548 instant messaging chats. And distributors completed 5,404 supplier surveys. Wednesday’s show featured several top suppliers, including Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear (asi/92125), Americanna Co. (asi/35730), Graphco Line (asi/57956) and The Magnet Group (asi/68507). Exhibitors showcased everything from bumper stickers, key tags and bottled water to apparel, phone accessories, food and gifts. If you missed this week’s show, you can access it on-demand at www.asicentral.com/vts through June 15. Everyone I’ve talked to says the virtual experience is a terrific way for distributors to chat one-on-one with suppliers providing interactive video at their booths – while drinking coffee from the comfort of their office. Virtual events certainly won’t replace our bricks-and-mortar shows (New York is next week!) , but definitely qualify as an added bonus. So we’ll host two more this year, on Wednesday, June 16, and Wednesday, September 22. Let me know how your virtual experience went by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
April 13, 2010 The Start of Something Good: ESP Searches Up, Up, UpFiled under: ASI Shows, Research There’s something in the air besides spring. Call me an optimist, but I’m seeing the start of an industry turnaround. Instead of tulips, I’m counting the number of searches in ESP. And what I’m finding is giving me a real stirring of hope. From March 2009 to March 2010, the number of searches in the ASI product database increased nearly 9%. And from February 2010 to March 2010, that number jumped almost 21%. What that tells me is more people are searching for more products. More sales can’t be far behind. The most cautious of distributors tell me that while business remained relatively flat this first quarter, they no longer feel like they’re peering into the abyss. In addition to more confidence in the future, they’re reporting an uptick in inquiries and prospects. While no one’s uncorking the champagne quite yet, some businesses are reporting an increase in orders dating back six months, thanks in part to aggressive marketing efforts. Here at ASI, we’re counting down the days until ASI New York, May 4-6, the industry’s first and only major trade show in the Big Apple and the number one choice for a Northeast event in numerous member surveys. New York is also the site of our very first ASI Women’s Summit, May 4, with keynoter Barbara Corcoran – who’s almost as bullish on opportunity as me. I plan to toast the future at our annual Counselor Awards May 5 at New York’s venerable Plaza Hotel. Please tell me what signs of revival you’re seeing by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
April 6, 2010 Real Estate Mogul Tells It Like It IsFiled under: ASI Shows, Community Barbara Corcoran is a natural-born storyteller with a million-dollar attitude. Tuesday, she dished out valuable bits of business advice on ASI Internet Radio along with gems from her incredible rags-to-riches rise. One of 10 children raised in a 2-bedroom flat, Corcoran had nothing to lose and nowhere to go but up when a customer at the diner she worked at lent her $1,000 and told her she’d make a great real estate agent. She parlayed that initial investment into a multi-million-dollar real estate business. This from a woman who didn’t even read until the 7th grade. After this interview, I’m happier than ever Corcoran is our keynote speaker at the first ASI Women’s Summit in New York City on Tuesday, May 4. Register by Friday and save $100. And if you missed this morning’s interview, check it out online by clicking here. To succeed, she told listeners, play the confidence game. Convincing herself she had a right to as much success as possible gave her the confidence to knock on Donald Trump’s door early in her career. Or take a page from Corcoran’s memoir, “If You Don’t Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails,” and use whatever advantage you have available. Want to build buzz about your business? Publish a trend report (which can be as simple as “9 out of 10 teens choose blue as their favorite tee shirt color”) and pitch a stat-laden story to the press. Better yet, get quoted as an industry expert on a blog or in the newspaper. “The press is the golden chalice,” she said. “Use the press to build your brand. The little guy has the corner on creativity.” Corcoran also advised listeners to always be honest “because people can see through baloney a mile away and truthfulness breeds trust.” To move product, make salespeople feel like winners. She once motivated her sales force to sell more million-dollar homes by handing out big gold ribbons imprinted with “million dollars.” Recognition, she said, “is the name of the game in motivating salespeople.” To get an even better idea of the kind of advice she’ll hand out at the summit, check out Corcoran’s weekly report on the real estate market on NBC’s “Today Show.” She’s also an investor/shark on ABC’s reality hit TV show “Shark Tank.” No matter how she delivers her message, you can be sure Corcoran will tell it like it is. What piece of advice motivates you? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
