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Tuesday
October 12, 2010 MJF: Funny, Frank and Fond of PromosFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, News About ASI Tuesday, we enjoyed an unprecedented event here at ASI – an interview with actor and Parkinson’s activist Michael J. Fox. Personally, it was a thrill for me to participate in the freewheeling discussion on ASI Radio – and to ask Fox a question. We’re about the same age and I unabashedly admit I’m a huge fan who saw “Back to the Future” five times when it first came out. I’ve followed Fox’s career ever since and think his upcoming keynote at the ASI show in Orlando January 25 will be the best we’ve ever delivered. Fox was exactly what I’d expected. Frank, funny and fast. He didn’t dodge a single question and barreled through the interview in his unmistakable voice. He talked about everything from overcoming challenges and his love of promotional products to the way to his wife calls him “Mr. Mayor” when they stroll the streets of New York because of all the people who recognize him. Fox’s upcoming speech is co-sponsored by Evans Mfg. (asi/52840) and Showdown Displays (asi/87188). Tuesday, Michelle Mann from Evans and John Bruellman from Showdown were among those asking questions. To listen to the archived show, click here and turn up your speakers. Feel free to Tweet the link to your friends and followers. Below are some edited excerpts from the interview: Q: How did you react when first diagnosed? A: Obviously, it was a shock. I was 29-30, and not thinking about Parkinson’s. I thought it was something elderly people got. I originally thought I had a physiological injury and it turned out to be neurological. It took a while to sink in. Then, it was just a matter of dealing with it. But accepting it is not the same as being resigned to it. Second, it was becoming an activist. Q: What does it take to battle the disease while becoming a force for change? A: When you face struggle, you face the truth of it. You go moment to moment. When you do that, you don’t recognize loss, you recognize opportunity. Q: When you were acting full-time, what was your most challenging day? A: It was a series of days, while doing “Spin City,” before I’d disclosed I had Parkinson’s, when I was performing in front of a live studio audience. I was twisting, grinding and shaking, waiting for my pills to take effect, thinking “Could they laugh at somebody they knew was sick?” I had to go moment to moment and think about the goal. The audience always laughed, thank god Q: Like so many people in business you’re forced to overcome obstacles. Do you have any advice for businesspeople facing personal or professional challenges? A: Loss is not a vacuum. With any unpleasant challenge, you have to acknowledge what’s taken from you. And create a new landscape with new opportunities and challenges. You might be forced to take a different path. And it could lead to new growth. Q: Do you need to find your own personal happiness in order to succeed in business? A: When you find happiness in life, you find it in business. When I was first diagnosed, I worked non-stop. A doctor said I had 10 good years left to work and I wanted to fill that up. But then I started to realize how crazy that plan was. I was in New Zealand for five months working while my family was back in New York. And I’m thinking “This is nuts.” You’ve got to try and find balance in your life and be able to bring more to your work. Nothing I accomplish would be possible without my family. Q: You’ve enjoyed a very successful career. What are you most proud of? A: Being able to raise a family outside the business while living in New York. We get to deal with people from all walks of life, which gives my family a wider experience. That’s the accomplishment I’m most proud of. Q: My favorite role was in “An American President” when you played the assistant to the president, Michael Douglas. What’s your favorite? A: From a pure acting challenge, playing in “Rescue Me” with Denis Leary. It was so cool. I played a bitter, paraplegic guy in a wheelchair. When Denis first called me about it I said, “You do realize with my condition I can’t stop moving? And you want me to play someone in a wheelchair?” I’ve also recently been in episodes of “The Good Wife” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Usually, the last thing I’ve done is the most fun. Now, I’m involved in fundraising for Parkinson’s and moving the dial a little bit in this mission. Q: What’s your favorite promotional product? A: I have tons. I love swag. At the foundation we have Team Fox, which is involved in fundraising drives, and we’re always sending out hats and T-shirts with logos that I and my kids also wear. I’m a terrible golfer but some of the most effective advertising for me is on golf balls. Including one that said, “If found, return to Randy.” It all reminds me of what we do at the foundation: It’s all about getting people together, sharing ideas and goals. It’s important to have something recognizable that represents you and your brand. To register for the ASI show in Orlando January 23-25, click here. For more information on Michael J. Fox’s keynote on January 25, click here. Let me know what you thought of the interview by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
September 15, 2010 Only Creative Corporate Cultures Need ApplyFiled under: Community, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI Anyone who’s ever placed a “help wanted” ad knows how much is involved in finding, training and retaining quality employees – even in a tough economy. Making sure those employees enjoy coming to work every day, through good times and bad, takes real effort. This month, 75 companies that routinely go that extra mile landed on Counselor’s 2010 list of “Best Places to Work.” Every ad specialty company on the list provides typical health-care and financial benefits. But some turn into regular Picassos when it comes to devising creative incentive programs, like offering employees $1,000 for buying an eco-friendly car. Other companies on the list – perhaps thinking of the old adage about the stomach being the true path to the heart – court employees with tasty bennies like wine tastings and family barbecues. Dacasso (asi/48125), a Gainesville, FL-based supplier that landed in the number-one spot, gives off such a good vibe that even computer repairmen who visit the office leave thinking, “This is a great place to work!” Dacasso sets itself apart with everything from all-company murder mysteries to a tax-advantaged profit-sharing plan that allows employees to become fully vested at three months. To read our press release about the “Best Places to Work” list, click here. To read the cover story, which was written by Counselor Editor Andy Cohen and Staff Writer Dave Vagnoni and includes a very cool interactive map, click here. Here at ASI, we’ve received the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Best Place to Work” award two years in a row. And we’ve been nominated by the Wall Street Journal for a “Top Small Workplaces” award. Employees tell us our annual employee recognition ceremony, on-site day care, ice cream socials and fiercely competitive Field Day helps set us apart. I’m proud to say our turnover is historically low. If you’d like to check out our career site, click here. We’re hiring! Let me know what creative benefits or programs your company offers by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
July 28, 2010 Log On and Fan the WorldFiled under: Community, News About ASI, Research Half a billion people worldwide now use the social networking site Facebook to stay connected. If Facebook was its own country, it would be the third most populous nation in the world, according to PC World. Here at ASI, we’re doing our part. I routinely blog, Tweet – you name it – along with numerous other employees. Our ASICentral.com team alone already has 2,130 fans, and counting. If you’re not actively using these free online tools to generate interest in your company, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. Facebook says half of its active users log on to the site on any given day. So I was happy to answer some questions for Promo35, a Facebook forum for young industry professionals. The group is the brainchild of Charley Johnson of SnugZ/USA (asi/88060), who routinely posts interviews with industry leaders and movers and shakers. Recently, Johnson turned his eye to me. Here’s our exchange: 1. Are you cautiously optimistic about the 2nd half of the year or do you see it getting even better than the 1st half of 2010? TA: Industry revenue, as measured by distributor sales, was up about 11% in the first quarter, according to our research at ASI. I expect the second quarter was up high single digits. But, that’s against a very weak 2009. If sales were to grow 5% annually, it would take about six years to get back to 2008 sales levels. So it’s going to be a slow climb out of a deep hole. I think 2010 will be up 5%-6% when the dust settles. 2. Are we out of the woods with the economy or do you see a “double dip” recession headed our way? TA: My degree is in economics, which probably makes me the least qualified person to answer this question! But I don’t see a double-dip recession. I think we’ll have a slow growth period, with frequent fits and starts. Don’t get scared – but don’t get cocky, either. 3. Have customers become easier or more difficult to deal with due to everything that is going on in the world? TA: It seems to me that people have gotten smarter – they expect you to deliver what you promise, and to prove what you say. That helps us because our magazines have an audited circulation (several in the industry aren’t audited), so advertisers can be certain we deliver what we say in terms of readership; we marry print and digital circulation (if you’re advertising in an all-digital magazine, ask for proof of readership); and we provide more metrics than anyone on digital advertising and usage. 4. Do you see yourself changing the way you advertise in the future? TA: We deliver advertising messages in print (magazines, directories, catalogs, faxes), digitally (online, email) and in person (ASI Shows, Advantages Roadshows, Stitches Roadshows and regional association shows). Only a mix works, balanced for the types of people you’re trying to reach and ensuring they see the messages multiple times in multiples places. No successful brand only uses one form of media. 5. What question do you have in your mind that you would like people in the industry to respond to? TA: ESP Orders would save distributors 30 to 45 minutes per PO and help suppliers get accurate, complete orders without making calls on 50%-100% of all POs they receive. That would save millions of dollars in time that could be used to prospect for more customers. So my question is, how do we get more people to use it? Let me know how much time your business devotes to online networking by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
June 9, 2010 Advisory Board Nominations Now OpenFiled under: Community, News About ASI The only idea worth having is the one worth sharing. And one of the best idea-sharing forums in the industry is now accepting nominations. Now through July 31, you can nominate yourself or someone else for a term on any of four ASI Advisory Boards. It’s simple. Just click here for more info and to submit a name. The ASI nominating committee (comprised of advisory board members and ASI staff) will review all nominations and open the pool to voting from September 1-30. The new board members will be announced at the ASI Power Summit in November and start their new terms in January 2011. The four ASI advisory boards that help guide ASI and the industry are:
Who knows? Your next great idea could make a world of difference. As always, I’d love to know your thoughts, so please post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
April 7, 2010 Green is Good: The Green Catalog is HereFiled under: Community, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI “Going green” can mean a lot of different things, from buying organic produce at your local supermarket to overhauling your company so it’s as energy efficient as possible. “Green” is such a hot concept, 4 in 5 small to medium size businesses now offer some sort of green products or services. Here at ASI, during the month the world celebrates Earth Day, we’re issuing our 2010 edition of The Green Catalog, which consistently sells out, year after year. These days, environmentally-conscious buyers want green products that are useful – and clever – and this catalog really delivers. Inside, you’ll discover more than 120 eco-friendly items, ranging from seed packets to products made from fast-growing and renewable bamboo (it grows up to 4 feet a day!). Flip through and you’ll find pencils made from recycled tires, water-powered clocks, stapleless staplers and even watches powered by a mercury-free battery. Want to reach a music loving audience? Try the seeded music download cards. Download your tunes – then plant the card in the ground and watch it grow. A price index in the back of the catalog makes it easy to choose products to match any client budget. Products are also grouped by easy-to-use categories, including food and drink, outdoors, trade shows, bags and briefcases, clocks and watches, office, sports, travel, and home. The book ships free from now until April 15, and a free digital version comes with the print purchase. The front of each copy can be imprinted in full color with the distributor’s logo and contact information, and ASI offers this feature year-round. And in further response to the ever-growing demand for eco-friendly products, ASI now features a pavilion at our five super-regional trade shows dedicated to showcasing only green products. To order The Green Catalog online and to see sample pages, click here. The catalog – circulation 135,000 – has already sold over 100,000 copies, so don’t wait too long to order yours. And let me know what green products are working for you 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.
Friday
March 19, 2010 ASI Named a “Best Places to Work”Filed under: Community, News About ASI There’s no doubt tough times cause businesses to ask a great deal of employees. So it was especially gratifying to me that so many of our employees recently voted ASI one of the region’s “Best Places to Work.” Greater Philadelphia Media sponsored a contest to recognize top employers, based on employee nominations. Altogether, more than 100 local companies received nominations. In the end, ASI was nominated in nine categories and won the “Best Places to Work” award among companies with more than 200 employees. This week, our human resources department (pictured, along with me and ASI vice chairman Matthew Cohn) picked up the award and enjoyed a celebratory luncheon. We all share this award with Carol Albright, our SVP of HR, her team and everyone who works here. When employees talk about why they like working at ASI, they usually mention benefits like our on-site day care, training classes and wellness program, which rewards participants for things like going to the gym and stopping smoking. And four times a year, we recognize individual employees or teams for outstanding efforts and accomplishments. Not surprisingly, a lot of companies are cutting back on such programs, thinking it’s a way to save some money. But, as a recent story in ASI’s Successful Promotions magazine shows, companies are wise to continuously reinvigorate their incentive and recognition programs to keep loyal employees. ASI’s Counselor magazine also has “best places to work” competitions – for the promotional products industry – and you learn what past winners have done correctly in their profiles here. Let me know what your company does for its employees by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
