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Wednesday
October 8, 2008 Learning From Startups, Wearables Trends and Rising PricesFiled under: Education, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties ASI was the winner of four national awards for editorial and design from FOLIO: magazine recently, recognizing coverage in our magazines of wearables trends, rising prices, and challenges running successful startups – among other topics important to your business right now. In addition, the June issue of Wearables (Nicole Rollender, editor), received a Gold Award for ‘Best B-to-B Full Issue’ and was selected for covering the latest apparel trends, including underwear and five different categories of novelty T-shirts. And, the article “Damage Control,” by Michele Bell in Supplier Global Resource, won a Silver Award for ‘Best Feature Writing’ and was chosen for providing information about handling potentially toxic products and what the ethical responsibilities for testing are. I urge you to read each of the magazine issues – because they are packed with information that is likely affecting how you’re selling products to customers right now or running your business at the moment. To read the winning articles, click here. In the FOLIO: competition, more than 100 judges reviewed 2,800 entries and magazines from ASI were recognized among several legacy publications throughout North America, including Fast Company, National Geographic, Newsweek and TIME. Tell me what you think – post a comment now on the blog or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. You can also watch my videos of new products, at youtube.com/timasitv.
Monday
September 15, 2008 Video Tips for Your MarketingFiled under: Education I’ve heard from ASI members that video is starting to transform how they’re selling advertising specialties and they’re thinking about using videos to increase sales faster. Some already use them extensively. We’ve embraced using video at ASI and you can watch several on asicentral.com that provide personal introductions to our staff and demonstrate business-building features of our products. In a recent business radio program about using video, I shared some tips that we’ve learned at ASI that you can apply to your videos or ones you’d like to start making. Tips for producing and using videos that sell:
I’ve uploaded the video of the radio program and you can click here to watch it for more video tips from me, the hosts and another invited guest. Let me know your thoughts about the radio program and videos – I’d like to hear your experiences. Post now on the blog or email me anytime, at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. For new products from our shows, watch my videos at youtube.com/timasitv.
Tuesday
September 9, 2008 Tony Robbins Booked for ASI OrlandoFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Members, News About ASI I’m excited to announce today that Tony Robbins, world-renowned authority on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, organizational turnaround and peak performance, will be the keynote speaker at ASI Orlando on Monday, January 5. Seating to this event will be limited and ASI members should register for ASI Orlando at asishow.com to be guaranteed a seat. Robbins has also been honored as one of the “Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the World” by Accenture; as one of the “Top 200 Business Gurus” by Harvard Business Press; and as one of the world’s “Outstanding Humanitarians” by Justice Byron White. I’m sure our members will leave Tony’s presentation with new ideas for achieving business success in our industry and growing personally. Robbins told ASI Show today: “I am honored to be speaking as part of The ASI Show 2009. ASI is a leader because its members know how to thrive, not just survive, in any economic environment. It will be a privilege to address a group that consistently delivers superior results and raises the bar in the industry.” Tony was selected based on surveys taken by ASI members and he consistently ranked among the top individuals that people most wanted to see. To see Tony Robbins, register now for ASI Orlando, at Tell me what you think. Post a comment now on the blog or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. Enter your email in the “Enter your email for updates” window in the gray shaded area at the top right of the screen, and you’ll get an email when there’s a new blog post.
Wednesday
September 3, 2008 Product Ideas from Estonia – PicsFiled under: Education, Using Ad Specialties I just returned from vacation in Estonia, a former Soviet territory that sits on the Baltic Sea. It’s a wonderful country, with tons of rural areas to explore, casual but delicious restaurants and incredibly friendly people. Plus, since Estonia is in the EU but not yet on the Euro, it’s an affordable place to vacation. Like everywhere I’ve been, there were imprinted items being used to market stores, hotels and other businesses. I brought back a couple favorites. At one local restaurant, Ribe, the table was set with the napkin and eating utensils completely enclosed in a linen holder with the restaurant’s name embroidered outside. It was a long piece of cloth with an extended flap at the top that folds down into a loop to cover the utensils – sort of like those 1960s pencil cases that had the roll top. It provided a sense of a more sanitary situation versus when the utensils are placed by hand on the table, and it was a cool way for clients who own or market restaurants to brand their establishments.
I think it also would be a terrific giveaway – diners could take them home and tell their friends. Any restaurant would work – imagine chopsticks at Asian places, for instance.
I also visited a small local shop where a craftsman/merchant offered to imprint a logo or message onto the front cover of an old-style, 100% leather hand-bound journal. It had impressive thick covers and two matching ribbons to use to tie it closed. It even included antique-style paper inside to provide an exclusive feel. A truly unique and personal gift for clients to use to thank their customers. There are several U.S. suppliers who could provide similar products, and some who I’m sure could upgrade their offerings for special, higher-end incentive gifts like these.
Fashion trends often start in Europe, especially Eastern Europe. I’ve been traveling there for several years, and one big, obvious trend this year is a “new color” – white. Shirts, pants, shorts, shoes, belts, you name it. I’d say 15% of the Estonians – male and female – were in all white or mostly white. When I was there 18 months ago, I didn’t see anyone in white. So be on the lookout for those white 1970s shoes to be back in style – and for apparel demands to shift to white in coming months. Tell me what you think – post a comment now on the blog or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. I also mentioned these products on this week’s ASI Radio show – available for replay at www.asicentral.com/radio.
Thursday
July 24, 2008 From Chicago: Watch Video of 7 Products to SellFiled under: Education, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties ASI Chicago has been great and I found seven unique products at the show that you can sell to your clients. See them now in my video, right from the ASI booth. Nearly 800 suppliers are here – 200 of them did not exhibit last year and 129 are exhibiting at their first industry show. So it was hard to decide which products to feature. Watch now. The video includes:
Tell me what you think about ASI Chicago and other products you’ve seen this year, or anything else on your mind – post now on the blog or email me anytime, at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. Check out more product videos from ASI Shows this year, at youtube.com/timasitv.
Thursday
July 17, 2008 ASI Radio on the Air – Listen for Hot Topics WeeklyFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Members, News About ASI Our editorial team hosted our first broadcast of ASI Radio this week on the Internet and the show provided a great way to discuss industry news provided by our seven award-winning magazines. The show is a great interactive platform for ASI members and industry professionals to connect with each other and our editors in real-time. This week’s hot topics included the new controversial PhRMA Code that affects promotional products given away by pharmaceutical companies, Joe Haley’s appropriate dress combos for sales professionals and a new trend in apparel for summer concerts from Kathy Huston. You can listen to the recording of the show and watch video from the studio camera that covered the group live in our studio simultaneously, at www.asicentral.com/radio. Also, here are some photos of the team of hosts. In addition to the editors of our seven magazines, the group included Steve Hawk, who decided that he would step out of his role as web designer to take charge of the sound board. Steve has worked at ASI since 1999 and he did a great job.
Special thanks to our radio show sponsors: All-In-One, MediaTree and Custom HBC. Tune in next Tuesday at 10:30 am EST for the next show. Tell me what you think anytime – post now on the blog or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. For new products from our trade shows, watch my videos on YouTube, at www.youtube.com/timasitv.
Monday
June 9, 2008 Supplier Ratings and the ASI Holiday and Incentives ExpoFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Media Coverage I’ve received emails and calls from several suppliers and distributors about the ASI Holiday & Incentives Expo for fall 2009, which we announced a few weeks ago in a press release and in an earlier blog post. As you may know, the event will be limited to 400 supplier booths and to suppliers with at least four stars (out of five) in the ASI Supplier Performance Ratings System, or those nominated by distributors through a written testimonial to ASI. Distributors are excited about a show designed to jumpstart the busy fourth-quarter holiday selling season. And, since the number of booths is limited by the venue size, they’re equally pleased that we’re helping to determine which suppliers are eligible to exhibit based upon their performance rating. |
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