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Thursday
February 25, 2010 Find Your Way to San Diego – 2 VideosFiled under: ASI Shows, Using Ad Specialties We’re here in California enjoying day two of our very first show in San Diego. More than 5,000 sunshine state distributor firms belong to the ASI network. But guess what? More than half forgo trade shows. What they’re missing is a prime opportunity, especially here at the San Diego Convention Center, where more than 300 exhibitors are ready and eager to do business. ASI TV’s Melinda Ligos interviewed me on the show floor on ways distributors can maximize their trade show experience. Tip of the Day: Spend quality time with suppliers and ask them for 3 best practices for selling their products to your clients. Watch the video: click here. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to getting from point A to point B, I’m “Old School.” Instead of a disembodied computer voice telling me where to go, I prefer checking a map – especially when I’m driving in a new city like San Diego. Luckily, Pop-Up Products (asi/68650) makes handy compact maps that provide a terrific visual snapshot of numerous cities across America. Click here to see my video showing this handy map, which your clients will love and I’m relying on to find my way to tonight’s networking bash at Stingaree Nightclub. If you’re at the show, let me know your favorite part so far 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.
Friday
February 5, 2010 Top 10 Sexiest Valentine’s Day Promotional ProductsFiled under: Industry Initiatives, News About ASI, Research, Using Ad Specialties What gifts hit your list on Valentine’s Day? Boxed candy and flowers? This year, think outside the box and check out ASI’s very first list of Top 10 Valentine’s Day Promotional Products. The romantic giveaways and business gifts on the list are sure to start a conversation – or a very interesting evening. There’s no doubt romance is a smokin’ hot market – a search for romantic giveaways in ASI’s database reveals marketers are in mad pursuit of everything from logoed condom packs to chocolate lips to help them launch Valentine’s-themed campaigns. There’s more – much, much more. The top 10 sexiest Valentine’s Day promo products for 2010 are:
For a video featuring some of the products, click here. For photos of each product and for more information about how to purchase, click here. Let me know what themed items you sell the most by posting a comment or emailing me here. Of course, I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. And have a very happy Valentine’s Day!
Wednesday
February 3, 2010 Hot Products and Cool Video from the Lone Star StateFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties There’s lots of action on the show floor at a packed house in Dallas this week as we preview novel new products for 2010 while applauding some consistently reliable crowd pleasers. In honor of ASI Vice Chairman Matthew Cohn’s 40th birthday, which he celebrated in fitting style at ASI Show Dallas, we ordered a gorgeous, custom-made tapestry from Terry Town Promotional Wearables (asi/90913), imprinted with his photo. Click here to preview one of Terry Town’s 100% customizable items. In another Tim’s Take video, I recap my Hot Seat interview with Dan Townes, president and CEO of writing instrument supplier Shepenco/Shelbyville Pencil Company (asi/86850). Dan told us he feels good about 2010 and the investments he’s made in his fourth-generation, family-owned company, serving customers for an astonishing 77 years. Click here for the recap. With Super Bowl just days away, I’m really excited about the sports-related party products here at the show. Click here for a round-up of products, including:
As if that wasn’t enough, we also previewed some really funky products that just might light up your Valentine’s Day. Click here for ordering info and pics of these products, and more:
Finally, check out the Tim’s Take featuring a live report on the latest machinery and the newest embroidery and imprinting technology from Hirsch International, which had decorators like Trina Banner of Creative Designs in stitches. If you’re at the show, let me know what you think by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
February 1, 2010 Super Bowl Means Super SalesFiled under: Industry Initiatives, Research, Using Ad Specialties For many Americans, Super Bowl Sunday is a day of ritual strictly observed in the Church of Sport. Everything – from the cold brew and hot wings to the commercials and halftime show – is integral to a decades-long tradition. Including the all-important game winning tee shirts. This year, when you’re getting ready to end your long Super Bowl day, think about companies like Pony Xpress Printing and Dunbrooke Apparel just starting theirs. They’ll hustle all night to make sure tens of thousands of tee shirts and jackets will be online or on store shelves for fans to snap up after the big game. Jeff Henderson, executive VP of Pony Xpress Printing (asi/297068), an officially licensed provider of Super Bowl XLIV apparel, says it’s all hands on deck with more than 50 staffers working split shifts to make strict overnight delivery deadlines. Dunbrooke COO Matt Gray says his company’s popular Super Bowl jackets are decorated on-demand and shipped within 72 hours directly to the fan, thanks to 12-hour nightshift crews that start work as soon as the final whistle blows. These powerhouse promotional items have a long shelf life, too, with companies ordering them throughout the season as employee gifts and client giveaways. For more details, read our press release by clicking here. Let me know which team your money’s on by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
January 18, 2010 ASI Pledges $100k to Education InitiativesFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Research, Using Ad Specialties ASI is seriously committed to education, so it should come as no surprise we’re committing a serious amount of money – $100,000 – to our latest campaign to demonstrate the value of promotional products to end-buyers. Taken together, ASI’s latest broad-based education efforts will encourage buyers to increase their use of advertising specialties in their marketing plans while creating a bigger buzz about the power of promotional products in the national media. We definitely hit the ground running. Check out highlights of the campaign: Media blitz. Aggressively pitching stories to media nationwide, highlighting the reach and effectiveness of promotional items. A recent ASI story about the dramatic increase in sales of hand sanitizers resulted in nearly 100 media mentions nationwide, including spots on CBS Money Watch, Philadelphia Business Today and Live 5 News. ASI Show-related publicity. Increasing pursuit of media coverage of advertising specialties among the five metro areas of the ASI Shows. Florida State Representative Kevin Ambler and Senator Paula Dockery visited the just-completed Orlando show and the Orlando Sentinel wrote an article about it (comments accepted online) and posted ASI TV videos featuring interviews with the politicians on its blog. Orlando’s CBS station, Local 6 News, also provided a sneak-peek of the show. Successful Promotions magazine campaign. ASI’s award-winning editorial team is sending a monthly e-newsletter to 600,000 marketers, filled with case studies and education. A PowerPoint presentation about the positive return-on-investment (ROI) of promo products has already been featured, available to download here. Also, a new Facebook fan page for the magazine will be launched first quarter, providing additional resources and editions of The Joe Show. ASI Marketing Advisory Board. This recently-formed board of business leaders is driving the industry forward by connecting with end-buyers and sharing their feedback and suggestions with the industry. Research. ASI Research published an advertising specialty impressions study in 2009 for distributors to send to their clients and prospects, showing them the high ROI of promotional products. The study will be updated this year. For more details, read the press release by clicking here. Tell me which initiative you think will have the most impact – or what ideas you may have – by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
January 14, 2010 Imprint This!Filed under: Industry Initiatives, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Every day, hundreds of thousands of harried end-buyers thumb nervously ASI now offers full color imprinting on all catalog publications. This allows distributors to create a strong brand in the marketplace by carrying over the same logo they have on their website and placing it on their catalog covers too. It builds brand awareness and gives distributors a more professional image when they mail or hand their catalogs to clients. Research says catalogs work. According to a recent ASI study of end-buyers, paper catalogs drive 93% of purchasing decisions. Further, the study shows that 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. The full results of the exclusive study from ASI are available by clicking here. Adding your full color logo on ASI catalogs is free of charge, with no additional fees. To order online, click here. For more information, contact me, executive director of distributor services, at dbrown@asicentral.com or at 800-546-1350. — Dan Brown |
