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Friday
June 5, 2009 Benefits of ASI Virtual Trade ShowFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI The recent success of ASI’s first virtual trade show is being showcased in As I told the magazine, virtual trade shows are an ideal way for advertising specialty industry distributors and suppliers to connect, learn and sell in an efficient way and at a time when we all could use innovative methods to become more educated, reach prospects and grab market share. In addition to the virtual show, ASI’s in-person shows provide opportunities to meet clients and prospects face-to-face. The next one is around the corner in July in Chicago. Click here for the full schedule. Our first virtual show in May was so well received – with over 2,000 attendees – we’ve already scheduled another one for Wednesday, August 19. If you missed the first one, it’s archived and available anytime at www.asicentral.com/vts. Click here for the article to learn more about virtual tradeshows and why you should attend our second upcoming show. I’d love to hear about your experiences at our show or any other virtual event you have attended. Please post a comment to the blog now or email me anytime at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Thursday
May 21, 2009 Virtual Trade Show Draws 2,000+ Distributors; Next in AugustFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, Members, News About ASI At a time when other shows are down, ASI is delivering. Our first industry virtual trade show took full advantage of the latest technologies and attracted over 2,000 distributors. Demand from suppliers was so great we’ve added a second virtual trade show, scheduled for Wednesday, August 19. For those who could not attend this week’s show, it will be available on demand at www.asicentral.com/vts, beginning Tuesday, May 26. Read the press release here. No one else in the industry is doing more for distributors, suppliers and decorators. By offering a cutting-edge virtual trade show, ASI proved it’s able to respond effectively to the times with the resources you need now.
Above and below: ASI staff interacting with attendees in the show’s online chat rooms.
In addition to networking and selling, our online event also featured leading education sessions for distributors. Sessions included sales tips, research from ASI’s advertising specialties impressions study, information from the Counselor State of the Industry report, and a live broadcast of the ASI Internet Radio Show that attracted over 200 live listeners. Reactions from attendees were positive:
The next event in August will build on these great features we offered this week:
Registration for the next ASI Virtual Trade Show is free for distributors – more information coming soon – and suppliers can exhibit. To exhibit, contact Dan Dienna, advertising director for catalogs and electronics, at ddienna@asicentral.com.
Thursday
May 14, 2009 Facts and Photos From Toronto’s RoadshowFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, Members, News About ASI I attended an Advantages Roadshow in the world-class city of Toronto, along with our “True North” hosts, Fred and Leslie Oesen, and wanted to share some photos and information from the trip. Canada is one of the largest trading partners overall with the U.S. and promotional products sales are about $3.5 billion there. We’re committed to the Canadian marketplace and provide Canadian versions of LogoMall websites for distributors and ESP Online – featuring Canadian suppliers – and our best-in-class Advantages Roadshows now reach nine cities in Canada. I’m also looking forward to seeing our Canadian suppliers and distributors at the ASI Show in Chicago, where we host a special Canadian reception that’s typically packed. When you share a border that’s 5,522 miles long, shows on both sides are paving a lot of two-way streets leading to better business. Let me know if you have any stories or experiences from the beautiful Northern Lights country by posting a comment now or email me here.
Tuesday
May 5, 2009 New Virtual Trade Show for our IndustryFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI May 20 is a special date on the ASI calendar – our virtual trade show for the industry featuring Dard Products, Maple Ridge Farms, Prime Resources, and other top suppliers. This all-day, real-time event is the perfect alternative in challenging times for distributors, suppliers and decorators to connect, network and sell – without packing a single suitcase – and will feature a variety of top suppliers. And, it’s free for distributors.
A virtual trade show isn’t a substitute for face-to-face meetings at bricks and mortar trade shows (ASI Chicago is coming up fast in July), but we’re thrilled to provide an additional way to bring people together. Today it’s more important than ever for salespeople and suppliers to find each other, find the right products, and sell. And for many sales staff who often can’t travel to industry shows, there’s no more productive outlet than this show. Click here for a video message from me with more information.
More details are provided in the press release, available here. And if May 20 is already booked on your calendar, don’t worry. The show will be available anytime for six months following the live event. Registration for the ASI Virtual Trade Show is available to distributors for free – and with an added bonus. At registration, distributors will receive a free download of ASI’s new Distributor Success System – worth over $180 – with tips and proven strategies to spur business. Visit asicentral.com/vts to register. Let me know what you think about the trade show by posting a comment now or by emailing me here.
Wednesday
March 18, 2009 Promo Products to Keep us Focused – VideoFiled under: ASI Shows, Education, Members, Using Ad Specialties
The beauty of our industry is that promoting your business during downturns is cost-effective with promotional products, and now is the time to educate your clients about the high ROI advertising specialties provide. I mentioned earlier that my friends and I decided to take a break one weekend from the doom and gloom of the recession coverage in the media and I hosted a “Recession Calls it Quits” gathering. We traded ideas and looked at our glasses as half-full. For attendees I ordered – what else? – promotional products, and I wanted to share them with you so you could see what several industry suppliers created to help make the event memorable:
And during our recent ASI Show in New York, I found a clever bumper sticker saying “I Refuse to Participate in a Recession,” from Gill Studios (asi/56950). Click here to watch the video with the sticker now. I’ve had numerous conversations with people about what they’re doing to build their business. Tell me your ideas – post a comment now or email me. Also, visit YouTube to watch my video of hot products from New York and share it with your clients.
Tuesday
March 10, 2009 Hot Products Video and Strong New York AttendanceFiled under: ASI Shows, Education, Using Ad Specialties New York is a great show town in every sense of the word and preliminary attendance is nearly 2,800 distributors from 1,338 firm firms – up more than 7% from 1,247 firms last year. Education Day attracted nearly 450 distributors and is up 8% from year ago. Read the press release here. Add New York’s numbers to the attendance at ASI Orlando in January and a record-setter in Dallas and we’ve delivered the industry’s most successful first-quarter shows. And the products I saw at the ASI Show this week were the top of the heap (as the song goes). Watch my products video from the ASI booth featuring unique items like:
Also, I visited Otto Cap International (asi/75350) and discovered innovative cotton caps that have UV protection. Caps are among the most popular advertising specialties and click here to watch the video right from the booth. And, at ReturnMoi (asi/82261), I found proactive security ID labels that help you find things you lose, even pets. Click here to watch the video. In other show news, this morning, the Oprah of Madison Avenue – Mary Lou Quinlan – rocked the crowd with some awesome insight every businessman on the planet will certainly attest to: understanding female consumers provide the key to unlocking what works in providing customer service excellence. In addition to networking and education, last night attendees also enjoyed very special evening at the top of Rockefeller Center. No matter how many times I see the NYC skyline, it never fails to thrill me – especially from the 64th floor. Tell me your New York stories. Post a comment on the blog now or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Friday
February 6, 2009 Hot Product Videos and Record Dallas AttendanceFiled under: ASI Shows, Education, Member Benefits, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties
Read the press release here. I enjoyed checking out “must have” products for this year, meeting with distributors and suppliers, and of course sampling Texas barbeque at Eddie’s Deen’s Ranch. Also, watch my products video from the ASI booth featuring these cool items for 2009, like:
There’s also my video on closing day, featuring the new stainless steel drinkware with digital wrap-around printing and a double-wall acrylic travel cup with leak-proof seal. They’re all great products that will brighten your day and interest clients, no matter what the economic challenges are. Now, more than ever, marketers need the impact and high ROI that advertising specialties provide. Everyone’s been really excited after attending Don Hutson’s keynote and we’re ready to put into action the sales tools and strategies he’s devised to get any business cracking. Everyone who attended his session also received a copy of his book, The One-Minute Entrepreneur: How to Prosper Beyond Your Wildest Dreams. Along with all the great distributors and suppliers I met and friends I reconnected with, I’m returning to ASI more energized for the year and with a really interesting piece of Texas trivia: In the Lone Star State, it’s illegal to put graffiti on someone else’s cow. What products have you seen that caught your eye in Dallas or elsewhere? Post a comment on the blog now or email me anytime at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. |
