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Wednesday
November 4, 2009 Social Media Contest for ESP Online for MacsFiled under: Community, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI I’m the chief technology officer for ASI and I’m also a Mac user, so I’m especially excited that we’re developing ESP Online for Macs that will be available soon to the advertising specialty industry. To be among the first to be notified when the new ESP Online for Macs is available, register here. And we’re starting the celebration early by giving away a $250 American Express gift card – good as cash – in a drawing among users who engage with us in social media. Just share your comments about the new ESP Online for Macs, or any other ASI product if you’re not a Mac user. Tell us what you think. Enter the contest three ways: — Post a comment right here on Tim’s blog about the new ESP Online for Macs or any other ASI product. You might tell us how we’re helping, or what you’d like us to start providing. — Visit ASI’s Facebook page here and become a fan – click the icon at the top with the plus sign that says “Become a fan.” — Go to Tim’s Twitter page here, and become a follower by clicking the “Follow” button. If you’re already a fan of ASI’s Facebook or a follower on Tim’s Twitter – or both – you’re automatically entered. You can still post a comment here on the blog for an extra entry. If you don’t have these accounts, visit the sites through the links above to get your free account. The new ESP Online for Macs will run right on your operating system – no Windows required and no third-party software needed (like Parallels). If you don’t use ESP Online and you have a Mac, using ESP will change the way you do business. It allows suppliers to feature their products for distributors, and allows distributors to quickly search and find the best promotional products for their end-buyer clients among nearly every product in the industry. Watch these sites for more information about ESP Online for Macs, and let me hear from you. Enter the contest – it’s open now through November 30, 2009 (rules). — Keith Keith Tuskey is the chief technology officer for ASI.
Tuesday
November 3, 2009 2009 Power 50 AnnouncedFiled under: Community, Members, News About ASI It’s almost too easy to use superlatives when describing a company’s top players. After all, they reached the apex because they’re the best at what they do. The men and women on this year’s Counselor Power 50 list – announced last night at the ASI Power Summit – truly deserve every accolade. Each one is an industry ace. This year, in recognition of the biggest industry news story of the year – BIC’s acquisition of Norwood – the No. 1 spot honors both Nicolas Paillot, general manager of BIC Group (asi/40480), and Paul Lage, president of Norwood Promotional Products. The other top-ranked executives in the 2009 Counselor Power 50 ranking include:
I’m also happy to say that there are 14 newcomers, including Derek Block, CEO of Touchstone (asi/345631); Maribeth Sandford, CEO of Bag Makers (asi/37940); and Anthony Corsano, CEO of Anvil (asi/36350). What I like best is the democracy of the voting system. While the exact ranking is determined by Counselor editorial experts, they rely heavily on the survey sent to all of you, asking which names go on or off and which names move up or down. They also carefully consider each nominees’ achievements and the state of their business. For the complete Counselor Power 50 ranking, visit asicentral.com/power50. To view photos from the 2009 ASI Power Summit, click here. What did you think of this year’s list? Post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Tuesday
November 3, 2009 Power Summit Video About EconomyFiled under: Community, Education, Industry Initiatives, Members, Research
Click here for a video outlining these key insights from our sessions:
Click here for the video. What are your thoughts? Post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Wednesday
October 7, 2009 Brave New World of Social Networking – Study ResultsFiled under: Community This year, I jumped on the social network bandwagon in a big way, So I was fascinated by the results of a recent ASI Research study showing that an increasing number of you are also tweeting, friending and posting on blogs. Our results show LinkedIn – the online site for professionals – is used by about 54% of distributors and 46% of suppliers, with more than 85% using it for business purposes. Facebook – a more casual online site – has But, as the study shows, things are always evolving in the online space. Nearly 90% of respondents feel social networking already is or will become a good way to promote their business. Read the press release by clicking here. Let me know your social networking experiences – good and bad – by posting a comment now. Of course, you can also connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. LMK (let me know).
Thursday
September 17, 2009 Holiday & Incentives Expo DeliversFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, News About ASI We just wrapped up a great show in Las Vegas and I’m happy to report the ASI Holiday & Incentives Expo attracted distributors and decorators from 48 states and 12 countries. Education Day drew more than 500 distributors during the first day of the show. We designed the expo to accomplish two key things: help you find the hottest products available to clinch those important fourth-quarter sales, and provide the crème de la crème of industry suppliers. Suppliers were qualified in advance, and had achieved four- or five-stars in the ASI Supplier Ratings System. From what you told me on the show floor, and at great networking events like Counselor magazine’s HOT party at Christian Audigier Nightclub and the Las Vegas Reception, we delivered.
Here are some supplier comments: “The traffic has almost been too heavy,” shared Karen Cohen, vice president, All-In-One (asi/34256). “We’ve been having a hard time keeping up with the amount of distributors stopping by. Distributors are asking questions and wanting to learn about the product – there’s very little ‘scan and go.’ ” “It has been great, it’s been action-packed,” said Bonni Sandy, executive vice president, Dard Products, (asi/48500). “The distributors are incredibly serious and know the fourth quarter is going to pick up. We’ve seen good quality distributors, including a lot of the Top 40.”
And here’s what some of the 1,500 distributors said: “The ASI Holiday & Incentives Expo has been terrific,” said Ross Silverstein, president and CEO, iPROMOTEu (asi/232119). “This time of year is perfect for a show of this sort. I’ve met with a number of suppliers that I don’t usually see and I definitely found many new products that I haven’t seen in the past.” “It’s been absolutely wonderful, some of the best vendors are here,” said Caren Mikesh, owner, Caren Mikesh & Associates Promos (asi/271129). “Having only suppliers with four or more stars in the ASI Supplier Ratings System is really great. These are the companies who have good, quality products with good names behind them.” I also got great feedback on our “Secrets from the Pros: Cash in on the $45 Billion Incentive Market” panel discussion and I hope many of you got to see the amazing musical, The Lion King, which we offered at a special discount price. You can read the press release here. I’d love to hear about your experiences in Vegas, so post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Thursday
September 17, 2009 Cool Products Video and HOT Party PhotosFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Using Ad Specialties Direct from the floor of the ASI Holiday & Incentives Expo in Las Vegas – here’s my first cool products video, with seven unique products your clients will love for the all-important fall and holiday selling seasons: • Silicon Drink-Thru Top Mug and Stainless Steel Jean-Style Water Bottle, from Berney-Karp Inc. (asi/40261): dishwater-safe porcelain mug that’s perfect for coffee and tea lovers and a unique jean-style water bottle kids will go bonkers for. • Bamboo Wine and Cheese Plate, from Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers (asi/37465): hand-crafted, elegant and surprisingly strong. Perfect for holiday parties.
• Executive Cookie Box with Cookies, from Admints & Zagabor (asi/31516): stylish and sophisticated and filled with really tasty cookies your clients will devour. • Water Scope, from Atlantis Time-Line (asi/37385): this very unusual, incredibly practical Christmas tree watering scope is perfect for the holidays. • Chromax Titanium Golf Ball, from Vegas Golf (asi/87605): it wouldn’t be Vegas without some serious glitter, and the sparkly “Vegas Golf Ball” certainly fits the bill. Click here to watch the video. And I know they say “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” but I’m going to share our photos from Counselor magazine’s HOT party at Christian Audigier Nightclub, so click here to see who’s shaking up the industry. Be sure to turn the music on. I’d love to hear about your Vegas experiences, so post a comment now or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Wednesday
September 16, 2009 We’re Launching a San Diego ShowFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI While we’re here at the ASI Holiday & Incentives Expo, I’m announcing some big show news: ASI is launching a new ASI Show this February in sunny San Diego. You voted and we listened, which is why we’re adding this great West Coast location. After months of strategic review, including analyses of distributor and supplier locations, show attendance trends, penetration levels of show attendance and consultation with the show advisory board, San Diego stood out as the clear choice. We also kept in mind two things: we wanted to avoid interfering with PPAI Expo in January, and the SAAC show in Long Beach in August. Here are some very compelling — and perhaps surprising — fast facts about our industry in the San Diego area: — California has the largest single concentration of distributors of any state. — Half the distributor firms in California don’t currently send a salesperson to a show. — California has the largest single concentration of suppliers of any state, and a bit more than half don’t exhibit at a trade show. — California has the strongest annualized growth of any state, in terms of distributors and suppliers, over the past five years. All indications point to the business climate rebounding faster there, versus many other regions. I’m of course very excited about the new ASI Show San Diego and what we believe it will do to serve West Coast promotional products businesses better. I look forward to seeing you there, from Wednesday, February 24, through Friday, February 26, 2010. Education Day will be on Wednesday. Perfectly timed to kick-off the first quarter in Southern California, this show is the ideal platform for suppliers to showcase new products and services to thousands of distributors. Further, it joins a full schedule of ASI Shows, including national events in Orlando, Dallas, Las Vegas, New York and Chicago. To read the press release, click here. I’d love to hear your thoughts about our new show, so post a comment now or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn. |
