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Thursday
March 11, 2010 Texas Here We Come: Advantages Roadshow Continues 2010 TourFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI There’s no sweeter phrase in business than “We’re number one” and that distinction belongs to ASI’s Advantages Roadshow. The industry’s most successful traveling show is just 5 weeks into its 16-week tour and has already attracted more than 3,000 distributors. Next week, the 2010 tour hits Texas: Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston. Last year, the Texas portion of the tour drew 617 distributors and 73 supplier companies, giving exhibitors the opportunity to spend time with many more clients and prospects than they could by making traditional sales calls. It’s free for distributors to attend! Texas – home to the second largest number of distributors – is a lucky state for ASI. In February, ASI Show Dallas attracted distributors from 1,383 firms, along with about 500 suppliers. The show – the largest industry event in the Southwest – returns to Dallas next February 16-18, 2011, so mark your calendars. Each year, the Advantages Roadshow visits more than 70 cities throughout North America, including Canada, providing suppliers with an intimate, one-on-one environment to introduce products and services to quality distributors and decorators. And, three times a year, the show co-locates with the Stitches Roadshow. The two-for-one shows provide decorators with opportunities to meet equipment, software, supply and service providers face-to-face, see new wearables vendors, enjoy valuable education and network with other decorators. Let me know how the Advantages Roadshows have worked for you by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
March 1, 2010 The Power Within, California-style: Videos from ASI Show San DiegoFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI This morning I took a cue from Tony Robbins and asked myself one important question: What will I focus on today to accomplish my goals? Tony brought a packed house to its feet at ASI Show San Diego during his 2-hour motivational talk, which centered on what we ask of ourselves and how we look inside to find the answers. Tony also turned us on to the “Emotion from Motion” theory, which explores the power of movement. Change your physiology and change your level of performance. It’s that simple. For more on Tony Robbins, click here to watch my Tim’s Take video from San Diego. Tony’s keynote was the perfect way to open the final day of our San Diego show. The pumped-up crowd flowed onto the show floor, where thousands of distributors converged over three days – exceeding expectations and setting the bar for our return to California next May. Click here for my San Diego wrap-up. And don’t forget to register at www.asishow.com for our next two shows in New York May 4-6 and Chicago July 13-15. Let me know what question you asked yourself today by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
February 26, 2010 ASI San Diego Launch Exceeds ExpectationsFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI I’m very happy to report ASI’s inaugural San Diego show just wrapped up after attracting more than 2,200 distributors, exceeding early projections. Distributors were drawn from about 1,000 firms across the nation and many had great things to say. Stephanie Critchfield, from The Vernon Company, asi/351700, enjoyed visiting with over 300 leading suppliers on the show floor and said, “The proximity for our California reps is terrific. They are so excited to have a California show.” Ross Silverstein, from iPROMOTEu, asi/232119, loved San Diego – and seeing all the hot new products. And Beverly Walter, from Brown & Bigelow, asi/148500, is already planning for next year’s San Diego show: “The show is great. We will definitely do it again!” The show attracted more than 300 exhibitors and opened with more than 500 people attending a full day of 55 educational seminars and workshops (sponsored by Fields Mfg., asi/54100 and MediaTree, asi/70303). Attendees also enjoyed a number of spirited networking opportunities, including one at the fabulous Stingaree club, one of the hottest dance places I’ve been to. Highlights of the three-day show included a standing-room-only keynote by legendary life coach Tony Robbins (pictured), who brought the crowd to its feet with empowering advice on achieving outstanding success through passion, focus and action. Let me know what you thought of the show by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
February 26, 2010 New Full-Color Catalog Imprinting – VideoFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties “New” is the word of the week here at ASI Show San Diego. New show. New city. And a new full-color imprinting machine, featured for the first time at our catalog booth on the show floor. Click here for my interview with ASI’s Jack Flohr, catalogs marketing director, as we demonstrate how quick and easy it is to imprint full-color logos. Distributors tell us this popular new feature is already ratcheting up their sales. Every catalog you order can be imprinted and personalized with your logo and contact information in full-color any time throughout the year. Catalogs, which are great for either mailing or a leave-behind, are a perfect vehicle for distributors to promote their brand and increase traffic to their website. According to a recent ASI study of end-buyers, paper catalogs drive 93% of purchasing decisions — and 91% of the time recipients take action as a result of something they noticed in a paper catalog, with nearly half (49%) purchasing a product. Let me know how catalogs have boosted your sales by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
February 25, 2010 Educating San Diego on FOX TVFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties There’s a noticeable vibe on the show floor here at ASI San Diego, so much so that FOX 5 Click here to watch the video. And click here for photos and info about the products featured on-air, including:
Let me know your favorite products by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
February 24, 2010 Promo Products on the Charity Auction BlockFiled under: Community, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties The administrative team at ASI – spearheaded by Carole Seymour – organized a silent auction to benefit the Bucks County chapter of the American Red Cross. Over two days, employees bid on an eclectic array of items furnished by the editorial department, from a glittery Obama T-shirt and turkey fryer to a golf bag and ukulele. The auction raised $1,447, with the highest bid going for the Obama shirt. Personally, I was angling for the ukulele. The auction is one effort among many. Since 2003, ASI has helped raise nearly $2 million in cash and goods for worthy causes. That amount includes $620,000 for the American Red Cross to assist hurricane victims, over $25,000 for the Adopt-A-Family program, five tons of donated items to food banks and homeless shelters, $60,000 to PPEF (an industry education fund), chairman Norman Cohn and his family’s efforts to raise about $1 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (http://www.cohnsisters.com/), and over $64,000 for a food bank I helped establish in my Indiana hometown of Hope. It’s gratifying to know that even when times are tough – perhaps especially when times are tough – we can count on each other to help those in need. What charities are you or your company involved in? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
February 22, 2010 LogoMall Has Actors Walking Across the ScreenFiled under: Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI
ASI’s LogoMall is reaching for the stars as well, using the latest in digital marketing – walking, talking onscreen personalities – to engage visitors and potential buyers. It works like this: Click on a LogoMall website and an actor of your choice actually walks out onto the screen, says hello and proceeds to guide you through the site, helping you find promotional products and ideas. The first time I saw it, one word popped into my mind: Cool. The videos – and there are plenty to choose from – are professionally produced by ASI affiliate RIVWorks Inc. They can also create custom video to further personalize your site. No matter what you choose, the end result is further reinforcement of your brand and higher sales conversions. To view an online demo, click here. The best part of this incredible new marketing tool is it’s easy. Instead of spending time and money making the videos yourself, we do it for you, leaving you more time for selling. As an added bonus, real-time analytics track each campaign to show you your video impressions and click-through rates to document leads. The interactive platform also records whether visitors are first-time or return, and then it delivers the right video instantly. Distributors with a LogoMall site can join the future of online marketing and subscribe to the new video service immediately, at special pricing for ASI members. Tell me what cutting-edge moves your company’s made recently by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
