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Tuesday
March 3, 2009 Top 5 Reasons to Advertise With Catalogs During a RecessionFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Using Ad Specialties
And yes, catalogs are key, especially during a recession. In fact, research suggests that companies that market themselves more during a recession increase value and sales immediately, and up to three years beyond the end of the recession. Catalogs provide a great way to market yourself, and here are five additional reasons why you should consider using catalogs to gain serious market share right now: Top 5 Reasons to Advertise With Catalogs During a Recession: 5. Wise investment. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that for every dollar a business reduces its advertising by in a downturn, it will need to spend three dollars after the recession to recapture the original market share. 4. Smart. Catalogs are targeted, strategic and niche-driven marketing vehicles that also drive 50%-70% of online sales. 3. Brand yourself. Only ASI invests in graphic designers, a photo studio and consultants to create catalogs that build your professional brand and speak to the latest trends and buying habits of your customers. 2. Proven reach. The average catalog is viewed by three or more prospective customers. Even online auctioneer eBay is shipping catalogs to reach its customers and prospects. 1. Unmatched success. Research from the Direct Marketing Association shows that catalogs are still the largest revenue generator, averaging nearly 50% of all sales in 2007 and 2008. Now’s the time to be smarter with your spending and to increase your advertising with catalogs. – Dan O’Halloran is Senior Vice President of Distributor Services. Email him here.
Wednesday
February 25, 2009 Time to Get Focused on the RecoveryFiled under: Using Ad Specialties
While certainly many of us have been affected by the economic environment, there are many things we can do to help us improve sales – like marketing smarter, networking more, being better informed and asking clients how business has changed so you can understand how to help. I also think we need to get out of negative thinking as a group and be responsible for improving our own psychological outlook. So for a few hours this weekend, I’m hosting a gathering of friends to celebrate my own personal declaration of the end of the recession. Here’s part of my invitation: “So, rather than wait for the economists and their cloudy crystal balls, several of us looked into our glass half-full and saw in tiny print: Recession calls it quits.” Maybe you could host a networking or business social for your clients and friends in your area? You might get some new prospects, learn how you can help your customers be more successful, and maybe get a new order? I’m having snacks and beverages at mine and ordering several promotional products with the logo you see in this post to drive my message home with attendees and to remind them that we need to remain focused. What are you doing to find ways to win in this economy? Tell me what you think anytime – post a comment now or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Wednesday
February 25, 2009 Ideas for the Auto Body MarketFiled under: Education, Members, Using Ad Specialties
I’m sure some nearby auto shops could have used a magazine like FenderBender to help me with my car. FenderBender – a trade publication mailed to 55,000 collision repair and auto body shop owners around the U.S. – recently asked me to share the value of promotional advertising with their readers. Click here to check out the article. The new publication, which hits a whopping 85% of the collision repair market, helps shop operators “think outside the blocks” with their marketing, which we all need to do these days. I shared some results from ASI’s latest end-user study, which indicates that over 80% of recipients who receive a promotional product remember the brand on the item. You know those car air fresheners everyone seems to have? I suggested that shops could give one away stamped with a special Website customers can visit for a monthly prize drawing. Business owners get proof of traffic because that item is the only marketing vehicle carrying that Website. Another thought: include a clickable link online so customers can send the contest Website to friends and expand the shop’s referral base.
To find products, shop owners can search their local area for qualified ASI distributors at successfulpromotions.com, hosted by ASI. If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them. Post a comment on the blog or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Friday
February 6, 2009 Hot Product Videos and Record Dallas AttendanceFiled under: ASI Shows, Education, Member Benefits, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties
Read the press release here. I enjoyed checking out “must have” products for this year, meeting with distributors and suppliers, and of course sampling Texas barbeque at Eddie’s Deen’s Ranch. Also, watch my products video from the ASI booth featuring these cool items for 2009, like:
There’s also my video on closing day, featuring the new stainless steel drinkware with digital wrap-around printing and a double-wall acrylic travel cup with leak-proof seal. They’re all great products that will brighten your day and interest clients, no matter what the economic challenges are. Now, more than ever, marketers need the impact and high ROI that advertising specialties provide. Everyone’s been really excited after attending Don Hutson’s keynote and we’re ready to put into action the sales tools and strategies he’s devised to get any business cracking. Everyone who attended his session also received a copy of his book, The One-Minute Entrepreneur: How to Prosper Beyond Your Wildest Dreams. Along with all the great distributors and suppliers I met and friends I reconnected with, I’m returning to ASI more energized for the year and with a really interesting piece of Texas trivia: In the Lone Star State, it’s illegal to put graffiti on someone else’s cow. What products have you seen that caught your eye in Dallas or elsewhere? Post a comment on the blog now or email me anytime at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Tuesday
January 13, 2009 Enhancing LogoMall with More CustomizationFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties One resolution I haven’t had any trouble keeping is helping industry companies become stronger and more streamlined throughout 2009 and ASI is delivering.
The new ASIsecure design manager now provides distributors and suppliers with a time-saving way to update their site’s design and content, including featured products, and to pick up client order requests and traffic reports in one place. Users can also export orders, leads and catalog inquiries in batches to an electronic file to eliminate double entry and streamline order processes. Also, LogoMall customers who use ProfitMaker will have the ability to export shopping cart orders directly into ProfitMaker, allowing for a more seamless ordering system. ProfitMaker, from ASI Computer Systems Inc., is advanced business software that provides electronic links between distributors and suppliers. If you’re not a web designer you’ll also be happy to learn that ASIsecure doesn’t require you to know HTML coding, and comes with all the support, video tutorials and tips you need to create a more visually exciting online presence – one that clients are sure to notice. All of these features will provide distributors and suppliers with more time to hone in on selling.
Also, check out the earlier posts for four videos of unique products from ASI Orlando, and visit my YouTube channel for more product videos and ideas for your clients from our shows. If only sticking to the rest of my resolutions was this easy!
Monday
January 12, 2009 New Order Management System a Hit, Orlando Fashion ShowFiled under: ASI Shows, Education, Industry Initiatives, Using Ad Specialties People have been responding to news of our multimillion-dollar initiative to create a seamless order management system for the industry, so I wanted to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to learn more about this. The new system, announced at the ASI Show in Orlando, links distributors, suppliers and industry service providers across ASI’s full product suite and is designed to make you more efficient and save time and money in 2009. Click here for the press release with more benefits of the initiative. Designed based on continuing industry feedback, our effort has been under way for about a year, and in the test phase distributors placed over $10 million in orders with suppliers. So far, the results have been phenomenal and have provided consistent order structure, content integrity and order delivery. To learn more, check out the media release here. Additional elements of the initiative that we demonstrated in Orlando include:
The initiative is projected to include the launch of additional key components throughout 2009 and into 2010. Also, click here to see the latest trends in corporate and casual apparel for your clients in coverage of our Fashion Show in Orlando. There are many featured styles from leading apparel companies, including Dunbrooke, Global Traders and Suppliers Inc., Hanes/Outer Banks, Perry Ellis International, Charles River Apparel and Reebok. I also have a video from Orlando featuring products you can sell to your clients, including pens made from recycled currency and denim, a knit fleece jacket/sweater, a mini video camcorder, and more. Click here to watch. As always, I welcome your input anytime. Post a comment now or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.
Monday
January 5, 2009 Fashion Show Photos, New Products Videos, ProfitMaker Integrates with ESPFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties All good things must come to a close and today is the final day for ASI Show Orlando. What an incredible three days we’ve had previewing the best the industry has to offer and getting charged up for selling this year. Last night, we enjoyed two really exciting events: the ASI Fashion Show, featuring the season’s hottest new looks in casual wear, and the ASI Show Gala Celebration at Universal Studios. In a word, the thrill rides, food and entertainment were outrageous. I met a number of real characters – and not all of them were in costume! Click here for Sunday’s Fashion Show photos.
I also stopped by Norwood’s booth for more new products for your clients, and click here for a video of some new wine accessories and a solar-powered rotating globe. And, at Leed’s, the supplier of the year, I discovered a new line of heavy-duty, highly colorful Scripto pens – watch here. In breaking news, ASI announced that ProfitMaker, a business management system offered by ASI Computer, now provides integration with ESP Online. The integration electronically links suppliers and distributors and streamlines order flow.
Click here for the full press release with many more new features. Post a comment on the blog now or email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com. |
While we’re acknowledging the economic challenges of today, we’re not burrowing our heads in the sand. Instead, we’re leading the way to aggressively help distributors find opportunities for success. 
I’m getting tired of the doom and gloom about the economy in the news media, which was originally quick to call the beginning of this recession and is happy to continue providing the play-by-play on an hourly basis. 
The new time-saving features allow distributors who use ProfitMaker to access ESP Online’s product images and pricing information and to import the information directly into ProfitMaker. These features are available at no additional cost for ProfitMaker users who are ESP Online subscribers, and a low-cost subscription is available for ProfitMaker users without ESP Online.