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Wednesday
April 10, 2013 Go SocialFiled under: Community, Members, Research, Using Ad Specialties ASI® recently welcomed about 35 members of the PAPPA members (who used to be called Specialty Advertising Counselors of the Delaware Valley) got an eyeful from Jake Krolick, ASI’s rock star creative director, in a fast-moving presentation offering practical, tactical tips for businesses to “go social.” He was joined by special speakers (and former ASI-ers) Jay Ostrow and Dale Denham. During the seminar, everyone was encouraged to branch out. Share product info with clients through the information corkboard site Pinterest and add more video to your marketing mix. It’s also quick and easy to liven up your company’s YouTube site with something fresh, like a behind-the-scenes tour of your company. Remember to make it fun – and keep it short. With a little imagination, you’ll find the possibilities are endless. So next time you’re pitching a potential new client, send an infographic on the ROI or CPI of promotional products along with your presentation. Spread the news about a new product by uploading a captioned pic through Quickmeme. And don’t forget about good old blogs, which can help bump up your company’s search engine results while allowing you to better engage with customers and potential customers. I hope PAPPA members enjoyed their morning at ASI. Several members later told me how much they enjoyed it and thanked ASI for hosting. In return, I’d like to sincerely thank PAPPA for the recent award the organization presented to ESP®, the PAPPA 2013 Liberty Award in the technology category. The tech award recognized, among other things, proclivity, user friendliness and mobile marketing efforts. ESP, of course, uses world-class search technology to give members and their customers a superior searching experience, and we are delighted to see that recognized. In the photo at left, Heather DiPrato, ASI’s senior VP of distributor services, proudly displays our award. Let me know what new technology or social media site has made a difference at your company lately by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube – and exploring new possibilities like blogging site Medium (founded by ASI keynoter Biz Stone and his partner Ev Williams), the new iPhone app Whisper (which is taking off like gangbusters on college campuses) and Sina Weibo, billed as China’s Twitter – with twice the number of users.
Wednesday
January 30, 2013 5,500 ESP Websites … And CountingFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Everyone loves celebrating milestones, whether it’s a birthday, graduation or even billions of burgers sold. Here at ASI®, we’re commemorating ESP Websites™ surpassing 5,500 published sites. It’s worth noting because ESP Websites have attracted distributors in droves since launch, with over 5,500 sites already live and thousands more waiting in the wings. In response, our tech team has worked double time on upgrades and recently announced an additional 50 new features, including:
We’ve also gotten rave reviews, including an “awesome” endorsement from Lisa Marks, owner of On Your Marks (asi/351700), which is powered by The Vernon Company. Marks now has 10 ESP Websites and is certain she’ll see an increase in business over the next 12 months as a result. “Searchability for our customers is paramount, and we now have an easy solution for them,” Marks told us. “It’s enabled us to compete for new types of business and easily integrates with our e-mail marketing. Plus, we can easily customize our client sites, making them more individualized. But you don’t have to be a Web designer/expert by any stretch – and when you need ASI support, they’re great.” For more info on getting your own ESP Website (LogoMall® customers, by the way, can upgrade for free), click here or call (855) 240-9360. If your company is one of the 5,500 or so who helped ASI reach this milestone, let me know what you think of ESP Websites by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. P.S. In case you’re wondering what burger milestone McDonald’s has reached, it’s over 247 billion sold – and counting. With ASI Dallas coming up next week, I’ve got beef on the brain. Any guesstimates on how many burgers each cow can potentially make???
Tuesday
December 18, 2012 ASI Launches Company StoresFiled under: Community, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties In today’s online age, there’s really no better way to impress new and even existing clients than with a customized microsite that shows off their brand in action, which is why ASI® just launched the all-new Company Stores. Powered by ESP Websites, Company Stores represent the next generation of online selling. It’s fast, easy – and impressive. All you do is choose from ASI’s slate of online templates, stock it with up to 1,000 products, click once to add your client’s logo and voila: a branded store for your best customers. Click here for more info or call your account executive at (800) 546-1350. ESP Websites™ Company Stores highlights include:
Hopefully, you were able to join ASI’s user experience VP, Rob Watson, for a demo of Company Stores. Stay tuned for more upcoming webinars and demos, as it’s really the best way to test drive ASI’s latest products and feature updates. Check it out and let me know what you think by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
November 19, 2012 A Few Words from Norman CohnFiled under: Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties I recently attended the 2012 ASI® Power Summit in Naples, Florida, a wonderful annual gathering of about 250 of this industry’s most respected leaders. During one of our dinners, I had a chance to address the group and to thank everyone on behalf of ASI CEO Tim Andrews, the ASI team and our family for taking the time to attend, learn and benefit from the summit. I wanted to make sure that when participants returned home, they could ask themselves a simple question – Was it worth your time to attend? – and get a resounding “YES!” as an answer. At every Power Summit, we do everything possible to ensure everyone has a great learning and networking experience. And that’s because we want all of you to come to the next Power Summit, Sunday, September 15 to Tuesday, September 17, 2013, at the Montage Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT. As I said in my remarks, over the years, I’ve witnessed tremendous changes to this industry – and to ASI. But one thing has stayed very much the same: my family’s involvement and love for this business. It’s been incredible to witness the involvement over the years of our multiple generations, including my mother and father, of blessed memory. I’m proud to continue to work alongside my wife of 47 years, Suzanne, and my son, Matthew, and daughter, Stephanie, who I’m sure you’ve seen at our trade shows. Our other three children have been involved over the years, and already some of our 10 grandchildren are working as interns. Throughout more than 60 years in this business, I’ve learned an awful lot. At the summit, I shared five of the most valuable things I’ve learned, and I’d like to share them with all of you as well:
Hug your family and God bless America. Thank you. – Norman Cohn, ASI Chairman of the Board Pictured above at the 2012 Power Summit, from left: Jon Sloan, Jill Stirnkorb, Lori Bauer, Norman Cohn and Tom Savio
Wednesday
November 14, 2012 ASI Releases Landmark Research StudyFiled under: News About ASI, Research, Using Ad Specialties This week, ASI® released the Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study V.3, which contains the most powerful data available to convince clients of the cost-effectiveness of promotional products. Unveiled at the 2012 ASI Power Summit in Naples, Florida, this definitive research study shows customers, prospects and end-buyers how promotional products can increase sales and brand exposure. I encourage you to circulate this study as widely as possible, and to visit a specially-designed Web page on asicentral.com for a downloadable PDF, convincing graphics specific to each and every highlight, and a video. Each chart can be seen in full-screen format – and comes with a “recommend” button to share via social networks. Just click here to access these valuable tools. And to Tweet about the results, use this link: http://bit.ly/SHWqEQ. For the study, conducted from July through September of 2012, ASI’s ace research team hit the streets and interviewed consumers in 12 North American and European cities. The results show promotional products are consistently popular and persistent, with most people owning about 10 items they generally keep for nearly six months, a far longer time period than any other form of advertising. In addition, the study shows promotional products give consumers a more favorable impression of advertisers in every international city surveyed and deliver commanding advertiser recall among 87% of all recipients – up four percentage points over 2010. The study – ASI’s third since 2008 – clearly shows that with a cost per impression at about half a penny, promo products offer the best value when compared to local TV or radio, at a fraction of the production cost. The V.3 study includes demographic information broken down by political affiliation, ethnicity, gender, age and income, since knowing the likely recipient of products is paramount for an advertiser. This year, the comprehensive report includes even more global markets and additional products, such as USBs. Armed with all of this data, distributors can target an audience and confidently recommend the best, most effective products and ideas to clients. Other highlights from the study include:
It’s now up to you to read the study in its entirety, download the graphics that will help you on your sales calls, and spread the word about the power of promotional products every chance you get. Please let me know how you plan to use this study in your business by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
October 25, 2012 Five Billion Reasons to CelebrateFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties When it comes to the U.S. economy, it’s difficult to determine exactly where we stand – and what the future holds. While we’ve seen some signs of hope in job gains, the housing market and consumer confidence, unemployment remains high and the stock market continues to be volatile. Maybe your perspective depends on what newspaper you read or whether you tune in to Fox, CNN or MSNBC. If you’re reading industry news here on asicentral.com, I hope you were heartened by our reporting on the 4.6% year-over-year increase in sales among ASI distributor members – the 11th consecutive quarterly increase. The increase was the smallest since the industry began its rebound, to be sure, but with more than half of all distributors surveyed reporting an upsurge, $5 billion in total sales is cause for celebration, especially when many U.S. companies are releasing stagnant or falling 3Q numbers. There’s no doubt election sales are impacting industry sales, with ASI estimating total election-related ad specialty spending in 2012 hitting about $870 million by the time its all over. We derived our election estimate by comparing total promo product spending to total advertising spending in the U.S. and estimates of the total amount spent on elections this year. Not all of the promotional political products are sold through the distributor channel, of course, but nearly half of all industry distributors sell election-related items like yard signs, flyers, pins, buttons and tee shirts used by campaigns at local, state and federal levels along with special interest groups to promote their candidate or cause. What election items are paying off for your company? Any surprises? Like everyone else, I’m waiting to see how else the election and its ultimate conclusion impact our industry. A lot can change in regard to health care and taxes, all of which will impact decisions on hiring, marketing spend and capital improvements. In general, it seems companies, and their clients, are taking a wait-and-see attitude. To read the entire ASI® 3Q research report, click here. And let me know what’s happening with your business – and what you’re anticipating by year’s end – by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
October 23, 2012 Fight Like a GirlFiled under: Community, Using Ad Specialties Every October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, thousands of dedicated people come together to walk or run for the cure. Unfortunately, nearly everyone has been touched in some way by the disease, which can strike both men and women. Every October, I always think back to 1973, when I was in 6th grade. One of my favorite aunts had Stage 4 breast cancer – only we didn’t know it because back then it was a medical problem that people whispered about but didn’t name. All I knew was that it was serious and something bad might happen. My aunt – Lenora Hull, now 80 and still living outside my hometown of Hope, Indiana – underwent a radical mastectomy 39 years ago today, followed by cobalt radiation. I spoke to her this week and she recalled how, for many, breast cancer was treated like a secret. Rather than say she’d lost a breast, one neighborhood parent said she’d lost a leg! Luckily, Aunt Lenora (pictured here) survived. Although treated for metastatic cancer in the lung in 2001, she is now cancer-free and feisty as ever, keeping in touch with family on Facebook and on Skype. As she told me this week, “God has certainly blessed me. You kids were all still in school and I thought I might never see you as adults. But I did and I am very proud of all of you.” For 15 years, she was chairperson of a Reach to Recovery program at the local hospital, giving back by “It’s just part of life and we just have to go on,” Aunt Lenora told me, sharing very wise words indeed. In our industry, pink is also the color – and promotion is the point. Everyone who carries, waves or wears pink apparel and ribbon-imprinted accessories at events helps spread the word about breast cancer while raising much-needed funds for research and education. The goody bags given away by fundraising organizers often contain branded items participants can use during runs and walks, like umbrellas in case of rain, bottled water or pedometers. Click here for a press release ASI issued this month on ways the industry is helping to fight for the cause. And let me know how this disease has touched your life by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
