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Monday
July 16, 2012

Last Show in the Second City

Filed under: ASI Shows, News About ASI

We’re in Chicago this week for our last ASI show of the season – and we are definitely going out with a bang.

Tuesday is an incredible first for ASI Education: an all-day session with motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Maybe you’ve read his best-selling books or even watched his videos. But nothing compares to catching Robbins live, on stage.

I can’t wait to see how Robbins interacts with our Chicago audience during “Unlock and Unleash: The Power of Breakthroughs.” I guarantee it’ll be as intense as a warrior workout. To help you experience the rush even if you’re not with us, Counselor® editors will blog highlights throughout the day.

The ASI Show™ takes place through Thursday at McCormick Place in Chicago, which is a great town to visit in summer. Whether you’re into jogging along Lakeshore Drive, strolling through Millennium Park or enjoying any number of top restaurants, there’s always something happening in this Midwest hotspot.

Speaking of hot, Wednesday, Counselor magazine hosts its annual Hot Party at the Crimson Lounge nightclub, where we’ll name this year’s trendsetters. We wrap up two exhibit days Thursday, when the city’s former mayor – the outspoken Richard Daley – will share lessons he learned as the nation’s top urban executive during an intimate morning keynote.

If you see me in Chicago, please stop and say hello. If you’re not here, you can still follow all the action on www.asicentral.com and through nonstop tweets from ASI staffers.

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Monday
July 2, 2012

Home Made Holiday

Filed under: Community, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties

A recent report from the Boston Consulting Group caught my eye, for it noted that the USA-made trend is picking up speed, as more than a third of U.S.-based manufacturing executives at companies with sales greater than $1 billion are planning to bring back production to the U.S. from China or are considering it.

In light of the July 4 holiday, ASI put together its own list of USA-made ad specialties, along with a product demo video from Joe “The Joe Show” Haley. Whether you watch fireworks, hit the beach or simply stay put in the AC with a cold one, I hope you enjoy your holiday — and can use some of the ideas below in an upcoming campaign.

Below is the list of ASI’s Top 7 Made-in-the-USA Products:

  • Laptop backpack, from Sports System Custom Bag Corp. (asi/88782). Protects both books and laptops in a fully-padded laptop compartment and an even larger front compartment.
  • Cocktail shakers, from Howw Manufacturing Company (asi/61952). Light-up or clear cocktail shaker adds pizzazz to any office party or company dinner.
  • Lanyard and knit bracelet, from SnugZ/USA Inc. (asi/88060). Flash a brand via knit bracelets and lanyards made from 100% Virginian cotton.
  • Beach towel, from Terry Town Inc. (asi/90913). Make any sandy beach a personal billboard by imprinting or embroidering logos, slogans or brand names.
  • Mini Frisbees, from Target Line (asi/90640). 100% biodegradable.
  • Wall mounted clock, from Calconix Inc. (asi/43270). Time marches on with branded clocks.
  • Cooler, from Visual Promotions (asi/93997). Made from high-density plastic for extra cold retention, it holds over 12 cans, making it perfect for company picnics and retreats.

To see photos of the products and a video demonstration, click here.

Let me know what you think of the USA-made trend and whether you’re seeing more American-made products by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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Monday
July 2, 2012

Opening the Lines of Communication

Filed under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties

One of my favorite movies was “You’ve Got Mail,” an oldie but goodie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. And even though my computer no longer chimes the long-familiar AOL catchphrase, I do still love getting mail.

Ever since ASI® introduced our ESP Websites™ and recent improvements across our entire suite of products, I’ve received a ton of feedback and suggestions worth sharing (last names deleted to protect privacy):

  • From Mike: I have been using my site with walk-in customers, and it has served as a very good selling tool. I think it makes us look more credible and puts the customers at ease, and they feel more confident in buying from us. Keep up the good work!
  • From Sheri: We love all the new improvements! If I had one wish for the site, it would be that at checkout my customers would have an option (drop-down list?) to identify their sales rep. I’d like my salespeople to drive more traffic to the site, but they are concerned with losing commissioned sales. If their customers were able to identify their sales rep, then I feel like my salespeople would be really excited about driving Web traffic! (I replied to Sheri that I loved her idea and also suggested we could set up individual sites for each person off her main site, which would allow the individual salespeople to link to their own social media, put up their own videos, product picks, etc.)
  • From Sally: We promoted the new website on our company Facebook page, and several of our clients and friends have already used it. Needless to say, it is miles ahead of the LogoMall® website, and we have had excellent feedback so far. I am going to try a presentation to see how that goes. Nice job. I also mentioned to one of our groups on LinkedIn that they should take a look at that as well as the webinar on ASI SmartSales™ which we saw this week. Congratulations to ASI for these great improvements from a company that has used ASI for about 20 years!

  • From Jan: I am really excited about the new ESP Website. My experience with ASI over the last 7-1/2 years is that everything ASI does is top-of-the-line and innovative, and the distributor support I receive is excellent. I happened to call in yesterday, and the man I spoke with walked me through doing a presentation as well as applying my customer’s logo to the items in my presentation. He was very helpful and patient, and he did run into a couple of problem areas. I was impressed that he told me he was making note of the areas that could be improved, and would be reporting what he had discovered that needed to be fixed. I have been waiting a long time for the shopping cart and am thrilled to have gotten mine set up. Thank you and all of your staff for all of their ideas, creativity and hard work!
  • From David: What can I say? The new ESP Website has inspired me to move forward with a fully functional e-commerce promotional products store. The improvements from the old LogoMall are so vast, it’s like going from a dialup modem to full T1. I feel this is a high-quality, professional product I can display to my clients.

To upgrade your site, visit www.asicentral.com/ESPwebsites or call ASI® support at 1 (800) 546-1350. Remember: New ESP Website customers are eligible to receive a free ESP Website to brand for a best customer. Contact your ASI account executive at 1 (800) 546-1350 or visit www.asicentral.com/ESPwebsites.

I’m really proud that we continue to build the best products in the industry, and you can certainly expect more moving forward. Your comments, feedback and suggestions are invaluable – so keep those cards and letters coming.

And let me know what you think of ESP Websites by posting a comment, and if you have any questions, please e-mail me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

P.S. Since I mentioned the movie I want to acknowledge the recent passing of Nora Ephron, a real gem who wrote and directed “You’ve Got Mail.” She is missed.

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Tuesday
June 26, 2012

ASI’s Norman Cohn in The Wall Street Journal

Filed under: Community, Media Coverage, Members, News About ASI

Tuesday’s front page of The Wall Street Journal – which reaches a global audience of over 2 million – features a profile of ASI® Chairman Norman Cohn.

I encourage you to share the story with clients, friends and family via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., using this link: http://webreprints.djreprints.com/45722.html.

This story is part of a multi-year public relations and educational outreach effort ASI has made on behalf of the industry to reinforce the undeniable ROI of ad specialties and the power and reach of a vital industry that employs over 400,000 people across North America. Click here for recent examples of more stories in Bloomberg Businessweek, the Washington Post and Christian Science Monitor and on Fox News.

Norman – who is in his 50th year of leading ASI – is a one-of-a-kind leader: competitive but not a bully, smart but approachable, strong but kind. He absolutely loves the industry he has nurtured since he was 19.

While researching The Wall Street Journal story, the reporter spoke with a number of industry people, including Peter Geiger of Geiger (asi/202900), Bob Stevens of Footprints USA (asi/55030), Barry Hermanson of Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers (asi/37465) and Paul Bellantone of PPAI. I’d like to thank them and everyone else who participated.

I think the piece is incredibly positive and, along with all the other coverage we’ve generated, presents enduring evidence of the brand-building business tools at the heart of our industry. I couldn’t be prouder.

Let me know what you think of the story by e-mailing me here.

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Monday
June 25, 2012

Are We There Yet?

Filed under: Community, Members, News About ASI

To many of us, summertime means one thing: road trip. My favorite was one I took with my family in August of 1974, when we drove from Indiana to Florida in an old Ford with a camper that had no bathroom or shower.

I vividly remember sites like Weeki Watchee (a tourist attraction that featured “real” mermaids underwater) and The Lost Sea, a “secret” underground lake in Sweetwater, TN.

My biggest regret: I missed seeing Nixon resign on TV after I’d spent a great deal of time watching all of the Watergate hearings after school each day. Instead of witnessing that historical moment on the tube, I was sitting in a restaurant in Birmingham, eating corn on the cob.

Here at ASI, annual road trips are fast becoming a tradition for three Counselor® magazine editors who embarked today on an eight-day, 17-city cross-country quest to find the coolest workplaces in the industry.

Melinda Ligos, Andy Cohen and Joe Haley are visiting companies from New York to Seattle and beyond for Counselor’s upcoming Best Places to Work issue, which will highlight the many ways the people in this industry have devised to light up their 9-5 lives.

Their first stop: Axis Promotions in New York City, where they enjoyed a Monday morning breakfast party with bloody marys and mimosas.

You can look for the Best Places issue this fall – but this week you can check out www.counselormag.com/counselortour for a running road trip blog and photos. And! Every time you tweet with the hashtag #counselortour, you’ll become eligible for a $500 prize.

Wish Melinda, Andy and Joe good luck on their Ulysses-like odyssey and don’t forget —
every time you tweet about the road trip, you enter to win $500.

Let me know what road trip you’re taking this summer by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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Thursday
June 21, 2012

Business A-Go-Go

Filed under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties

Every company is continually on the lookout for that all-important “cool factor” when it comes to garnering interest in their products.

Outstanding functionality makes things cool. Sharp design makes things cool. Clever marketing does its part as well. I think ASI’s ESP Mobile™ for iPhone, iPad and Android clinches cool because it’s rapidly becoming a go-to resource for a growing number of industry companies. To me, that’s pretty cool. And I say this from the middle of a heat wave!

This week we announced user popularity of ESP Mobile has led to total downloads surpassing 5,000 users. If you’ve jumped on our mobile bandwagon, just consider how many times you’ve conducted business on the run since downloading the app to your device.

Quite a lot, right?

When we asked around for a few distributors to tell us how they’re relying on ESP Mobile to do business, Mike Woodall, owner of BrandIT (asi/145195), told us he downloaded the iPad app the first week it dropped.

He likes its simplicity – and accessibility. He even takes his iPad to his daughter’s volleyball games and practices, to research products right then and there.

To get a leg up in business these days, it’s clear you need to be ready – and able – to do business anytime, anywhere. So I’m glad ASI® can provide a quick, efficient means for salespeople to search products on ESP Web™ – where distributors can source and order every ad specialty product in the industry from more than 3,200 suppliers – and send proposals to clients 24/7.

As you know, ESP Mobile for Android, iPhone and iPad is only available to authorized distributors of promotional products who are ESP® subscribers. If you haven’t gotten ESP yet, call your ASI account executive at 1 (800) 546-1350. And anytime you have questions, contact ASI’s product and technical support team at support@asicentral.com. They’re always happy to help.

And I’m always on the lookout for comments posted here or e-mails sent to me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Stay cool!

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Wednesday
June 13, 2012

Score Big with Top Golf Products

Filed under: Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties

It takes a lot of imagination to devise cool new products for a game as old as golf, which began in Scotland way back during the Middle Ages.

And now that I’m in my middle age, I’m not afraid to make a confession: I’m not a golfer. I know that for a businessman, that’s about as crazy as saying I don’t like making money, but it’s the truth. That said, I am really impressed with the batch of golf products Joe “The Joe Show” Haley recently compiled in honor of this Sunday’s Father’s Day.

To see all the pics and watch Joe’s video demo, click here.

The ad specialties below can be easily branded by any number of companies and charitable organizations to reward tournament winners and to advertise a brand, club, group or greens any time of the year:

  • Golf bag, from King Par (asi/64861). A lightweight, multi-pocket golf bag with retractable legs is the perfect high-end gift for executives or as a prize for tournament winners.
  • Umbrella, from Windbrella (asi/97247). Every golfer needs an umbrella that is oversized and has vents to prevent the wind from turning it inside out. Imprint a school or company logo on this model’s panels.
  • Cover keeper, from Eisinger Smith Inc. (asi/51810). Golfers love to protect their clubs, but the problem with golf club covers is that they tend to disappear, like the missing sock during a wash cycle. The cover keeper ensures that once the club has been removed, the cover doesn’t stray.
  • Spotless Swing 3-in-1 towel, from Pro Towels Etc. (asi/79750). This 3-in-1 golf towel has a carabiner so it easily attaches to any loop on a golf bag. It has three surfaces: inside for muddy clubs, a grooved towel for irons and the outside surface for hands and faces.
  • Ball marker, from Tin Cup Products (asi/91354). Make like a pro golfer and use a similar felt-tipped marker and tin cup to mark yours, too.
  • Hook/slice correcting ball, from Polara Golf (asi/78841). The average duffer has one of two unwanted habits: either hooking or slicing the ball too often. This ball can correct those tendencies by 75%, which means straighter drives from the tee box.
  • Flag, from Quinn Flags (asi/80228). Golf outing organizers can give away customized flags at day’s end so golfers have something to remember them by.
  • Divot tool set, from EMT (asi/52263). The switchblade-action divot repair tool comes in a gift tin and includes three ball markers that adhere to the unit via a magnet. The ball markers and tin can be totally customized.

  • Shot glass, from Crown Products (asi/47700). Now for something completely different – this shot glass is made of food-grade silicone and will not break, even if it’s run over by a car. But the neat thing is it has a dimple on the bottom, and when turned over it can actually be used as a golf tee. A fun giveaway for a charity golf event.
  • Wristlok bracelet, from Fey Promotional Products Group (asi/54040). Comes with removable tabs and is perfect for golf outings. Each tab can be used for a drink or to participate in contests like longest drive or closest to the pin.
  • Cap with ball marker, from Headwear USA (asi/60282). Many golfers wear a cap or visor when golfing. This cap features a unique magnetized ball marker.
  • Award, from Proactive Sports (asi/79682). At the end of the day, a glazed ceramic award with polished chrome finish that comes in three different sizes is the perfect prize.

Let me know what golf gifts resonated with your clients this year by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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