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Monday
March 29, 2010 ASI Heads Back to VegasFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI ASI is shaking up Las Vegas this September with a newly-announced Holiday Preview trade show at the Sands Expo Center. We tweaked a previous show in response to requests from suppliers and distributors who wanted a more intimate format. The show takes place Monday and Tuesday, September 13-14, and presents a terrific networking forum to learn what’s new for the holiday selling season. In addition, we’ll offer several educational and networking opportunities, including the acclaimed “New Distributor Success Track” for newbies, an “Exhibitor Presents” session for select exhibitors to present their hot new products for 2010, tabletop exhibits and a closing networking reception. The Vegas show is similar to our very successful Advantages Roadshow — our traveling tabletop show — and the format provides a platform for exhibitors to meet on a personal level with prospects and clients. Distributors may register now for the ASI Holiday Preview at asishow.com. Suppliers interested in exhibiting at the ASI Holiday Preview should contact Karen DiTomasso, vice president of sales, at 800-546-3300 or at kditomasso@asicentral.com. It’s never too soon to start thinking about the holiday selling season so let me know your thoughts by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
March 29, 2010 Sign Up Now for the ASI Women’s SummitFiled under: ASI Shows, Guest Blog, News About ASI We’ve been busy, with our recent virtual trade show and the launch of the new ESP Web and ESP Orders – hopefully you were “at” the show. I want to let you know we’ve got more up our sleeves, including a new event in the works – the ASI Women’s Summit. It’s happening at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City, on Tuesday, May 4, during the ASI Show New York. This exclusive action-packed afternoon will provide an environment for women to network and share ideas with women leaders, peers and executives in the advertising specialty industry. We’ll have a networking reception with beverages and hors d’oeuvres, and a luncheon keynote by Barbara Corcoran. Barbara parlayed a $1,000 loan into a $5 billion real estate business, and she now runs one of the most successful real estate firms in New York City. The lunch will be followed by coffee and dessert with promotional products industry expert, Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz CoachTM. Rosalie will lead an interactive discussion about how women in our industry can leverage their strengths to build their businesses. There’s much more, and you’re sure to leave this Summit with new ideas you can immediately apply at your company in the second half of the year. Register by this Wednesday, March 31, and the cost of the event is only $149; after that it’s $249. To register and to learn more, click here. I look forward to seeing you in New York! -Dana Dana Reaume is education coordinator for ASI – reach her at dreaume@asicentral.com.
Wednesday
March 24, 2010 Virtual Trade Show Attracts Nearly 1,500Filed under: ASI Shows, Education We just completed our first virtual trade show of 2010 this week, and nearly 1,500 attendees visited, did business, went to education sessions, and learned about the new ESP Web and ESP Orders. ASI is the only company in the industry to offer distributors and suppliers a way to go to a trade show while drinking your coffee in the office. You can enjoy an archived version of this week’s show through this Friday, at www.asicentral.com/vts. Feel free to forward the link to anyone. It’s free. Be sure to join us for our next virtual trade show on Wednesday, April 28 – and there are two more after that one yet this year. They provide a great way to network online, and I strongly encourage you to attend at least one if you can. You’ll love it.
Thursday
March 18, 2010 Register Now for 2010’s First Virtual Trade ShowFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI This Tuesday, we launch our first virtual trade show of 2010. It’s free for distributors – and there’s still time to register by clicking here. The show, taking place from 10 a.m-3 p.m. EST, features virtual show booths, multimedia demos, digital catalogs, online sample requests, a complete passport program and more than $17,000 in prizes. The event has already attracted more than 20 top suppliers, including the Magnet Group (asi/68507), PrimeLine (asi/79530) and Snugz USA (asi/88060). Enjoy online ASI Education sessions while networking and selling in real-time through interactive multimedia booths. During the show, we’ll also launch the much-anticipated, revolutionary new ESP Web and ESP Orders services. ESP Web and ESP Orders will start rolling out to segments of ESP users Tuesday and a graduated rollout will continue throughout April. We held two virtual trade shows in 2009, and based on feedback, both qualified as successes. The shows are an ideal way for distributors and suppliers to connect, learn and sell without even leaving the office. At a time when we all could use innovative methods to be more efficient, these shows are perfect for reaching new prospects, grabbing market share and getting educated. A virtual show doesn’t replace face-to-face meetings you get at national shows (ASI New York is around the corner in May), but for some sales staff who can’t travel, virtual shows present prime selling opportunities. Even if you can’t attend Tuesday’s show, you’ll be able to access it on demand once it’s posted online. In addition, ASI will host three additional virtual trade shows on April 28, June 16 and September 22. Let me know your experiences with virtual trade shows by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
March 11, 2010 Texas Here We Come: Advantages Roadshow Continues 2010 TourFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI There’s no sweeter phrase in business than “We’re number one” and that distinction belongs to ASI’s Advantages Roadshow. The industry’s most successful traveling show is just 5 weeks into its 16-week tour and has already attracted more than 3,000 distributors. Next week, the 2010 tour hits Texas: Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston. Last year, the Texas portion of the tour drew 617 distributors and 73 supplier companies, giving exhibitors the opportunity to spend time with many more clients and prospects than they could by making traditional sales calls. It’s free for distributors to attend! Texas – home to the second largest number of distributors – is a lucky state for ASI. In February, ASI Show Dallas attracted distributors from 1,383 firms, along with about 500 suppliers. The show – the largest industry event in the Southwest – returns to Dallas next February 16-18, 2011, so mark your calendars. Each year, the Advantages Roadshow visits more than 70 cities throughout North America, including Canada, providing suppliers with an intimate, one-on-one environment to introduce products and services to quality distributors and decorators. And, three times a year, the show co-locates with the Stitches Roadshow. The two-for-one shows provide decorators with opportunities to meet equipment, software, supply and service providers face-to-face, see new wearables vendors, enjoy valuable education and network with other decorators. Let me know how the Advantages Roadshows have worked for you by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
March 1, 2010 The Power Within, California-style: Videos from ASI Show San DiegoFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI This morning I took a cue from Tony Robbins and asked myself one important question: What will I focus on today to accomplish my goals? Tony brought a packed house to its feet at ASI Show San Diego during his 2-hour motivational talk, which centered on what we ask of ourselves and how we look inside to find the answers. Tony also turned us on to the “Emotion from Motion” theory, which explores the power of movement. Change your physiology and change your level of performance. It’s that simple. For more on Tony Robbins, click here to watch my Tim’s Take video from San Diego. Tony’s keynote was the perfect way to open the final day of our San Diego show. The pumped-up crowd flowed onto the show floor, where thousands of distributors converged over three days – exceeding expectations and setting the bar for our return to California next May. Click here for my San Diego wrap-up. And don’t forget to register at www.asishow.com for our next two shows in New York May 4-6 and Chicago July 13-15. Let me know what question you asked yourself today by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
February 26, 2010 ASI San Diego Launch Exceeds ExpectationsFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI I’m very happy to report ASI’s inaugural San Diego show just wrapped up after attracting more than 2,200 distributors, exceeding early projections. Distributors were drawn from about 1,000 firms across the nation and many had great things to say. Stephanie Critchfield, from The Vernon Company, asi/351700, enjoyed visiting with over 300 leading suppliers on the show floor and said, “The proximity for our California reps is terrific. They are so excited to have a California show.” Ross Silverstein, from iPROMOTEu, asi/232119, loved San Diego – and seeing all the hot new products. And Beverly Walter, from Brown & Bigelow, asi/148500, is already planning for next year’s San Diego show: “The show is great. We will definitely do it again!” The show attracted more than 300 exhibitors and opened with more than 500 people attending a full day of 55 educational seminars and workshops (sponsored by Fields Mfg., asi/54100 and MediaTree, asi/70303). Attendees also enjoyed a number of spirited networking opportunities, including one at the fabulous Stingaree club, one of the hottest dance places I’ve been to. Highlights of the three-day show included a standing-room-only keynote by legendary life coach Tony Robbins (pictured), who brought the crowd to its feet with empowering advice on achieving outstanding success through passion, focus and action. Let me know what you thought of the show by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
