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Thursday
September 23, 2010 Log On, Tune In and Sell, Sell, SellFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI Our September Virtual Trade Show got off to a roaring start with 640 attendees logging on in the first hour alone. And they kept on coming. Each booth averaged 722 visitors and each distributor spent about 80 minutes enjoying the show. There was a ton of networking, too. In five hours’ time, a whopping 5,000 one-to-one chats took place. If you missed this week’s virtual event, you can access it now on-demand at www.asicentral.com/vts. Who attended? A number of top exhibitors, including The Magnet Group (asi/68507), Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear (asi/92125), Harry & David (asi/59710) and World Emblem (asi/98264). Comments streamed in fast and furious:
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. Virtual events certainly won’t replace our bricks-and-mortar ASI Shows (Orlando is January 23-25) but in these busy times, they’re an added value. The next ASI Virtual Trade Show is Wednesday, January 5 from 10 a.m. -3 p.m. ET, so mark your calendar. If you “attended,” let me know what you thought by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
September 22, 2010 Education Is the Key to SuccessFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI We just took a giant step toward boosting the professionalism level of every member of our industry. Starting now, distributors, suppliers and decorators can work toward the industry equivalent of a bachelor’s and master’s through a brand-new education initiative: the Advertising Specialty Institute Certification Program. The program is free, all-encompassing and user-friendly. And the virtual component means anyone can take part – from anywhere and at any time. What better way to impress new and existing clients than with proof of your industry knowledge? The demand is clear. In 2010 alone, 4,600 distributors took more than 16,000 live education courses at our trade shows, making ASI the largest educator in the $16 billion ad specialty industry. And no matter where I am, I hear from members who have a burning desire for more. This latest initiative is all part of our ongoing commitment to educating our members. ASI already invests about $1.3 million a year on education, and this new program is expected to cost another $100,000. What’s incalculable is the value of the skills needed to out-think, out-perform and out-service the competition. Tuesday afternoon, I held a heads-up conference call with members of my inner circle and almost immediately started receiving emails from people excited about the certification, which we formally announced during a special ASI Internet Radio show this morning and during today’s Virtual Trade Show, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ET. For answers to just about any question and even more info, click here. Here’s how the Advertising Specialty Institute Certification Program works: BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information)
MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information)
Both live and online ASI Education courses qualify for credit. Candidates must complete certification within three years of beginning the program. Following defined guidelines, courses taken at a past ASI Show, on the ASI Education Online Learning Center, or completed at major industry events, such as the PPAI Expo or regional association conferences, will be eligible for transfer. There’s more. ASI members who earn BASI and MASI certifications will also qualify for numerous perks, like invitations to exclusive cocktail receptions at ASI Shows, VIP access to select events, advance copies of ASI surveys and research, and conference calls with me. In addition, you’ll get a certificate ready for framing and authorization to add BASI or MASI to your title, website, business cards and the like. You can start the certification process right now. Go to www.asicentral.com/education for a complete overview of ASI Education. ASI members can take advantage of a full slate of online offerings, including webinars, video packages and ASI Radio programs on the ASI Education Online Learning Center (www.asicentral.com/education). We’re also offering educational sessions at the ASI Power Summit, taking place November 7-9 in Florida, in addition to live courses offered at all ASI Shows in 2011. Please get in touch if you have any questions or need more info, and let me know what you think of the program 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.
Thursday
September 2, 2010 Celeb Marketers=SalesFiled under: Education, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties As ASI’s Successful Promotions reports in this month’s issue, when it comes to marketing, sex still sells. And if you’ve got a sexy celebrity hawking your goods, look out: You just might make international news. In addition to a list of the 10 sexiest celebrity marketers, Successful Promotions details five successful marketing campaigns that incorporated sexy themes. The scintillating promotional products featured include Sexy Water and the “candom,” a can cooler shaped like an oversized condom. To read the Successful Promotions “Sex (Still) Sells” issue, click here. The reports were written by ASI Staff Writers Jennifer Vishnevsky and Daniel Walsh, who interviewed a slate of marketing experts about celebrity appeal and the role of sex in advertising. The key is to match the right celebrity to your brand – and integrate them in the campaign beyond just paying for them to show up for an event or a photo shoot. While there’s no guarantee that star power will translate directly into super sales, a successful sexy campaign can have a huge impact on the bottom line. As Walsh reports, Calvin Klein’s sales increased by 275% after the clothing company ran ads in 1980 featuring a young Brooke Shields saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Here’s our list of the Top 10 Sexiest Celebrity Marketers:
Successful Promotions is read by more than 50,000 corporate marketers throughout North America who are looking for innovative techniques and products to promote their businesses. As an added-value service, more than 800 of ASI’s biggest distributors have a gift subscription for Successful Promotions sent to their biggest clients. Let me know who you think is the hottest celebrity marketer by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
August 30, 2010 ASI Gets the GoldFiled under: Guest Blog, News About ASI I recently had the honor of accepting the Gold Award for service on behalf of ASI at the 23rd annual Proforma Convention and Family Reunion in Las Vegas. This is the second year in a row ASI received this prestigious recognition. This award, which is voted on by owners, is particularly gratifying because it recognizes the hard work and dedication of over 400 ASI employees who create, develop and support the many business tools and education resources Proforma owners use every day to grow their sales. I’ve had the privilege of being one of ASI’s contacts for the Proforma organization for more than 15 years, and I’m proud to be a part of the relationship we’ve developed. At the conference, I spoke to many owners who raved about their ASI services and support – and it reminded me of how fortunate I am to be a part of the ASI team. To read the press release, click here. Proforma is the second-largest distributor firm in the U.S. and now has more than 1,500 personnel using ESP to help clients with sourcing, idea generation and presentations. Proforma LogoMall sites get close to 1 million hits each month from end-buyers shopping for promotional items and ideas. Here are a few of the great comments I heard from owners: “I could not run my business without ASI or ESP,” said Sherry Novelli of Proforma Cornerstone Concepts. “My ability to source products for my clients and quickly turn those products into an online presentation has been the most invaluable tool for operating my business. I love you guys and the partnership we share.” “Without ASI and LogoMall, I would not be able to share with our customers such a vast number of available products,” said Sherry Kennedy of Proforma A-Z Specialties. “The office loves ESP because we can search for current pricing or product information and have immediate results. I cannot tell you how many orders I can attribute to both of these products.” “My business has benefited tremendously from the many technology tools that ASI offers,” said Luis Ostos of Proforma DCS. “Our clients love the option of being able to do product research on their own time, from anywhere, by using LogoMall. And ESP Web offers my team the same flexibility, at the office or on the road, to research and present to our clients the information they request quickly and professionally.” Thank you, Proforma owners – we will continue to work hard to bring solutions that drive more promotional sales. And, congratulations to all my colleagues at ASI for the great support you provide our clients each and every day. – Heather Heather DiPrato is ASI’s senior VP of distributor services. She can be reached at hdiprato@asicentral.com.
Monday
August 23, 2010 Media Stats Tracks Your ROIFiled under: Member Benefits, News About ASI There’s no question advertising is vitally important for any business. (It’s the first name of ASI!) Now, we’re offering a new way for advertisers in our print publications to effectively gauge their advertising ROI through ASI Media Statistics, which tracks results for ESP, LogoMall and print – all in one place. It couldn’t be easier. Every month, suppliers can either check their inbox or go online to review a set of comprehensive reports tracking all ASI magazines, catalogs and editorial mentions for advertisers. We’ve been offering similar stats for ESP and LogoMall customers for years, so adding print was the next logical step. A team here at ASI consolidates all the data from a variety of sources to create a tailored report for each advertiser. In addition, if an advertiser sends us a list of their competitors, we’ll track those ad pages as well, so the advertiser can see just how their company stacks up. It makes strategizing and planning a snap. To read our press release about this latest service, click here. To review ASI Media Statistics, click here. ASI offers numerous print advertising opportunities, including our eight catalogs and six magazines: Advantages, Counselor, Successful Promotions, Stitches, Supplier Global Resource and Wearables. It’s worth noting that ASI publications have recently won 35 national editorial awards, including three Jesse H. Neal Awards – considered the Pulitzer Prize of B-to-B journalism. Let me know what you think is the most effective advertising vehicle by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. P.S. I can’t help but suggest you ask other magazine publishers to provide equivalent reports, and then – if they can! – compare your ROI from ASI magazines and digital media with any of our competitors. Hands down, we provide the best ROI you can get – and that’s based on conversations with our advertisers. If you get reports that show otherwise, drop me an email because I want to know.
Friday
August 20, 2010 Power On To FallFiled under: News About ASI, Research With the dog days waning, it’s hard to think of anything besides a last-gasp vacation and Labor Day barbeque. But I’ve got the perfect way to help you plan strategically for 2011 and beyond, and make those vital people connections: ASI’s 2010 Power Summit. Registration is open for ASI’s annual gathering of the best minds in the business. This year, we’re meeting November 7-9 at the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura, Florida. If you’ve already registered but haven’t yet reserved a room, please do so by Tuesday, August 31, since rooms are going fast. Click here for reservations. In addition to a slate of activities and the popular speed-networking event, Power Summit 2010 features 20 of the savviest business leaders in the industry. Summit vets will join first-time panelists like Bobby Lehew, Rich Witaszak, Gentry Harrington, William D. Smith Jr., Sandy Gonzalez, Jeff Anderton, Kevin Kearns, Kim Newell, Matt Malone, Larry Zavadil, Chris Blakeslee and Bill Korowitz to share strategies, tips and trends. We’re kicking things off with an opening session on the state of the economy – and what businesses can expect heading into 2011. And while nearly everyone experienced a tough time over the last couple of years, some companies completely turned their operations around. Find out how in our “From Bear to Bull” session. At the end of every summit we ask participants to rate their favorites (and offer valuable feedback), and each year Matthew Cohn’s session with the latest Counselor Power 50 leaders earns top marks. Don’t miss it this year. We’ll also unveil an update to ASI’s Ad Impressions Study, which continues to be consistently cited on blogs and in trade stories. In a sneak-peek session led by Counselor Senior Writer Dave Vagnoni, you’ll be the first to learn how domestic and international consumers rate the effectiveness of promo products compared to other advertising media like TV, radio and print. It’s great info to have on hand when courting new clients. So before you head off to the beach one last time, check out the website and cruise through all the Power Summit has to offer. Come November, you’ll be happy you signed on for three days of sun, golf and insight. Let me know if you’ve attended past Power Summits and what you found most informative by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
