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Friday
April 22, 2011 Get Creative and Go, Green, GoFiled under: Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties How many of you remember the very first, few Earth Day products like the dim light bulbs and the costly laundry detergent that didn’t really clean your clothes? Now, more than 40 years on, nearly every major store carries a fleet of great “green” products and gas-friendly cars like the Prius can be found in every neighborhood. The promotional products industry has done its part as well, serving up terrific eco-friendly products that make everyone feel good about saving our planet. They’re competitively priced or offer enough value that consumers don’t mind shelling out a little bit more. And it’s a no-brainer that companies branding themselves via green promo products send a direct “We care” signal to end-buyers. This year, in what’s become our annual list of go-green promo products, we put an emphasis on finding items that make creative use of recycled materials, like recycled paper turned into coolers, bike chains crafted into picture frames, billboards made into bags and garden litter transformed into journals. “The Joe Show” also jumped on the bandwagon and devoted an entire segment to creative giveaways that can appeal to everyone, “crunchy” or not. Click here for a YouTube “Joe Show” demo of the products and read on for our Earth Day hot list:
Let me know how your company promotes Earth Day concepts all year long by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. 
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Thursday
April 14, 2011 ASI Needs Dynamic SpeakersFiled under: ASI Shows, Guest Blog, Member Benefits, Members, News About ASI How’d you like to join the ranks of dynamo speakers like Michael J. Fox, Laura W. Bush and Mike Ditka? Well, now’s your chance. All you need to do is qualify to become an ASI Show speaker. Right now, the ASI Education team is looking for top-notch industry educators who can deliver compelling presentations on the most effective tools and techniques used in business today. Click here to connect with us. ASI is serious about education. In 2010 alone, 4,600 distributors took more than 16,000 live education courses at ASI trade shows, making ASI the largest educator in the $17 billion ad specialty industry. Each year, ASI commits $1.3 million to educate its members, and we’re really proud to be able to offer industry professionals free, up-to-the-minute live and online education In 2010, in response to lots of member requests, we launched the ASI Certification program, which recognizes industry professionals with Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information (BASI) and Master of Advertising Specialty Information (MASI) certificates, the industry equivalent of a bachelor’s or master’s degree. These certifications are awarded to industry professionals who have demonstrated their commitment to service and continuing education. To date, 6,700 industry professionals have registered for classes needed to obtain an ASI certification. And, participating in the certification program is free, user-friendly and hassle-free for our members. We track all of the live and online ASI Education courses that members take automatically via our Online Learning Center (www.asicentral.com/onlinelearning), so they can easily access their transcript and remaining course requirements. If you want to help educate the advertising specialty industry, ASI is where it’s at. We’d love to learn more about you and your expertise. Click here to tell us about yourself. You never know where it will lead you. If you have any other questions, email me at nrollender@asicentral.com. – Nicole Rollender
Thursday
March 24, 2011 NYC Show Ends on High NoteFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties ASI just wrapped its New York City trade show and I’m pleased to announce an increase in distributor firms of 4% over last year. Like an army of dedicated mail carriers, 2,400 distributors from 16 countries braved unseasonably cold weather and surprising spring sleet and slush to head to the Javits Center this week. One of my favorite events was Thursday’s speed-networking session – the industry’s biggest. Click here for my Tim’s Take on the session and an interview with ASI’s professional development manager, Dana Reaume (pictured below). How many of you hate getting your photo taken because it never looks professional enough? We hear you, which is why we set up the ASI Social Networking Booth, where a professional photographer will take your photo for use on all your social media sites. Perfect for your Facebook page. So far, nearly 500 members have taken advantage of this free service. If you missed it at the New York show, don’t worry. We’ll be in San Diego, May 18-20, and in Chicago, July 19-21. I promise you, it’s a snap. Click here to take a look. The New York show is always one of my favorites because I worked in the city for so many years and it always feels like going home. I love seeing old friends and checking out all the innovative new products. This year, we saw thousands of items showcased by 350 suppliers, including more than 100 exhibitors who weren’t in New York last year. We got tons of positive feedback from suppliers and distributors who were excited by steady traffic during the two exhibition days. Jeremy Rich from Debco (asi/48885) heard great things about the 75 new products his company exhibited and Lindsay Mortensen from SnugZ USA (asi/88060) described the show as a good mix of quality and quantity. Distributor Gary Goodhart from AIA Corporation (asi/109480) said they bring sales reps in from all over. “They really benefit from the great education,” he said, “meeting with suppliers and seeing everything that’s new for the year.” Let me know what kind of show experience you had and if you have any suggestions for next year by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
March 17, 2011 Go for the GreenFiled under: Members, Using Ad Specialties Test your St. Pat’s Day knowledge: What color was originally associated with the patron saint of Ireland? If you guessed blue, you’d be right. Today, of course, we brighten Irish-themed celebrations with all things green – including the rivers in Chicago. Here at ASI, we’re celebrating with our second-annual list of the top 7 promotional products lighting up St. Patrick’s Day marketing promotions, advertising campaigns and themed parties. You can bet your lucky shamrock the products below will bring you some promotional green:
To watch a “Joe Show” video featuring the products and to see photos and purchasing information for each, click here. And let me know how you’re celebrating by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
March 10, 2011 Virtually a SnapFiled under: ASI Shows, Members, News About ASI Our March Virtual Trade Show attracted 1,700 attendees, no doubt drawn by the ease of networking from the comfort of home or office. We did get one “complaint,” but it’s one we’d gladly hear again: a supplier reporting “too many leads to handle.” This show distinguished itself by logging more visitors per booth than previous shows, for an average of 837. Altogether, visitors stayed an average of 72 minutes, conducted 1,776 one-to-one chats and viewed nearly 3,000 documents and 900 webcasts – efficiently and effortlessly. If you missed this week’s virtual event, you can access it now on-demand. If you did not register for Wednesday’s show, check here first. If you did register, log on here. Who attended? A number of top exhibitors, including:
We always love feedback and comments. Sharon Brill of Raelyn Marketing Promotions called the virtual event “your best ever.” Samantha Tyrrell of Paradox Crafts, a first-time visitor, said she liked the format because at brick-and-mortar shows, “It’s hard to not feel like you’re taking a sales rep from others when you have a lot to ask. This was much easier.” Brenda Metcalf of Salt 1 to1 Inc. also commented on the in-depth talks she was able to have with suppliers and thanked our crew for their help in getting her team up and running. ASI’s virtual shows always feature top suppliers, virtual show booths, multimedia demos, digital catalogs, online sample requests, a complete passport program and thousands of dollars in prizes. We know the all-day, online events are effective because exhibiting suppliers experience an average 24% increase in ESP searches the day after each show. And, you can attend education classes that are applied to your BASI or MASI certification right from the show floor. While virtual events won’t replace in-person shows (New York City is March 22-24) but you can’t beat the ease and value. This was our seventh virtual show and we expect to host three more in 2011. The next one is April 19, so mark your calendar. If you were at the show, tell me your experience – and offer any suggestions for improvement – by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
February 28, 2011 ASI Makes Some NoiseFiled under: ASI Shows, ASICentral, Media Coverage, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties In an ongoing effort to increase awareness of the ad specialty industry, ASI has stepped up its public relations initiatives. Those efforts really paid off during our recent show in Dallas, where we scored unprecedented TV coverage. Former first lady Laura Bush – who spoke at the show and during the ASI Women’s Summit – generated a ton of news coverage, including a lengthy feature in The Dallas Morning News and more TV coverage than any other single ASI event to date. Click here to watch segments from Fox, NBC and CBS. Click here to listen to a KRLD radio clip. In addition, ASI and Laura Bush received mention on more than 278 online sites and publications, for a total potential circulation of 41 million. And Promo Man, the new “face” of the industry, piqued the interest of the city’s ABC affiliate, which broadcast from the convention center floor to showcase a number of products. Click here to watch. Featured suppliers in the segments include Clique Here Inc. (asi/4535) and their scented tees, Limb Gear (asi/67554) with iHoodies, Golden Pacific (asi/55549) and the solar powered briefcase, Cruzin Cooler (asi/47747) and their ride on cooler and Think Geek (asi/91123) with electric guitar shirts. In each case the important keywords “advertising specialty” received prominent mention. When’s the last time your company was on TV? Did the mention generate any new business? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
February 18, 2011 Dallas Show Sets RecordFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Members, News About ASI I’m very pleased to share the news that our Dallas show attracted nearly 3,600 distributors, an increase of 8.6% from last year, representing 1,545 distributor firms, up 10.5% – and a new record. In addition to education and 500 exhibitors, the three-day event featured a keynote by first lady Laura W. Bush, who addressed nearly 600, a record keynote attendance. Mrs. Bush also hosted an intimate cocktail and lunch reception during the 2nd Annual ASI Women’s Summit. From among 30 finalists, the summit included the first-ever “Top Women to Watch in the Advertising Specialty Industry” Awards ceremony. In this pic, Mrs. Bush graciously poses with some of the women in attendance. We got lots of great feedback from the show. Kristina Fredericks from Moderne Glass (asi/71920) said the traffic was strong. “We’ve received a lot of great leads and sample requests and are putting together a number of programs. It’s been a fabulous show and we’re very pleased.” Lori Bauer from Norwood BIC Graphic (asi/40480) agreed. “Distributors are excited for the new sales year. We are seeing lots of order opportunities and business is already coming in. ASI Dallas was the perfect event to launch our latest promotion for Norwood Bags and Drinkware.” Mark Gammon from The Vernon Company (asi/351700) called the show “terrific” and said, “It’s the perfect way to kick off the new year – by seeing our preferred suppliers and discussing our clients’ needs with them.” Michael Hartney from That First Impression LLC (asi/343536) summed it all up when he said, “I’m leaving with great sales ideas.” Without a doubt, our 2011 show momentum indicates no sign of stopping as we forge ahead to the ASI Show in New York City in Tuesday, March 22, through Wednesday, March 24. Let me know your thoughts by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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