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Friday
October 19, 2012 Promo Products 101Filed under: Community, Education, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Pop quiz: Next time you find yourself in a group of college students who don’t know what you do for a living, ask them about promotional products. Then ask if they’ve heard about the industry in their marketing class, or if they’re considering our industry for a potential lifetime career. I’m betting you’ll get a lot of blank stares in response. If recent discussions I’ve had with distributors in Chicago and Los Angeles are any indication, just about everyone is on board with the need for more outreach to colleges and universities. We want to get young people educated and excited about this industry. Hopefully, they’ll give it the ultimate stamp of approval and brand it “cool.” To that end, ASI® recently announced a unique education initiative designed, in great part, to teach college students ways to become successful entrepreneurs as distributors in our industry. Along the way, they’ll also learn about suppliers, decorators and the ad specialty industry itself. We think it’s a great way to expand the number of new college graduates who understand the industry and, we hope, become interested in making it a career. Or at least understand the great ROI from using promotional items in the marketing programs they might create in whatever career course they might take. Right now, our industry is rarely if ever mentioned in marketing, advertising or business courses or textbooks – and I’d like to see that change. It’s a pilot program so we’ll see how it goes. Right now, it involves a single institution: Babson College, a Massachusetts school that blends top-flight business education coursework with hands-on training, online education and real-world applications. At Babson, approximately 500 first-year undergraduates enroll in a year-long course to learn how to run a business. Instructor-led groups of about 20 students each receive approximately $3,000 in seed money, which some groups will use to buy, imprint and sell promotional products during the second of two semesters. As part of our effort to introduce the industry to potential new hires, ASI is donating our time and energy, along with offering access to ESP® and ESP Websites™. Students will also be able to take courses at ASI’s Online Learning Center and further hone their business and networking skills during an on-site guided tour at our New York City show in May (featuring a keynote by Buddy Valastro, Jr., the “Cake Boss” on the hit TLC reality show). We’ve had positive feedback from several local distributors interested in speaking to or mentoring students during this trial. A couple of other people were worried about “the competition” but I think our active distributors can overcome a few kids as we build a pipeline of future industry leaders. Let me know what you think about this new initiative and if you have any suggestions by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
October 8, 2012 Goody Bags Score Major PointsFiled under: Media Coverage, Using Ad Specialties No matter who you thought won the first presidential debate, it’s clear the promotional products in the media goody bag really stole the show. Westword, Denver’s equivalent to the Village Voice, posted a gushing report on the items inside the bags the University of Denver gave out to journalists gathered in Colorado to cover the debate. The reporter was clearly wowed by the bags’ contents, which included industry staples like water bottles, lip balm, pins, pens, caps and even a gluten-free snack bar. “Upon close inspection – i.e. giddy dumping of contents on the floor – we found all sorts of surprising goods: some edible, some health-oriented and some sure to endure as mementos of another political happening that puts Denver in the spotlight,” the reporter gushed. All in all, I’m sure the bags provided long-lasting PR for the university – and our industry. Click here to read the post and see photos. (Like many reporters, this one used the word “swag,” which is loved by some in our industry and hated by others!) Let me know what you thought of the first presidential smackdown by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
September 4, 2012 Election Business is BoomingFiled under: Members, Research, Using Ad Specialties With the presidential candidates locked in a virtual dead heat, it’s obvious our industry will continue to play a key role in helping the candidates market themselves to voters. Pardon the pun, but at each political convention, we’re seeing promo products left and right. Counselor® reporters are continuing their convention coverage in Charlotte this week, providing boots-on-the-ground observations of the products being worn, banged and waved by Democrats. Click here for pics of what they’ve seen so far.
As Chicago supplier Rich Carollo, whose family owns Lion Circle (asi/67620), told our ASI Radio audience Tuesday, this election is all about visibility. So when the cameras scan the convention center, keep an eye out for Lion Circle’s “bang a banner” – basically a sign that makes noise – which is bound to be a hit. While standards like yard signs, bumper stickers and pins continue to be the biggest sellers, there’s no end to the creativity on display this election year. Last week in Tampa, Republicans showed off everything from “Got Mitt?” T-shirts to Obama punching bags. To see more pics of some of the zanier sights from the RNC as captured by Counselor cameras, click here. The election is big business and with two months to go, there’s still time to get in on the action. According to ASI®’s research, an estimated $870 million will be spent on election-related ad specialties – including $350 million on the federal election alone – by the time it’s all over. Local and state elections are great opportunities for distributors who might have a tougher time making the “big time” connections for national purchases. The man or woman running for Congress might like to buy from a local distributor and your neighbor might even be running for city council or school board. In Florida last week, our reporters didn’t see any branded pens or tote bags, which means the RNC missed a chance to provide low cost, high ROI products that everyone could have used during the convention (as well as once they got home) as constant, valuable reminders to support their candidate. And as Rich suggested, don’t forget to call on all the special interest groups out there who are trying just as hard as politicians to get out their messages. Earlier this year, we also conducted a survey to analyze the effects of advertising specialties on voter opinions. The study’s purpose was to understand how promo products influence voters, what kinds of products are preferred and if there are differences in the perceptions of promotional products based upon political affiliation. For a press release on the results, click here. You might be able to use a stat or two during your next campaign office sales call. What election-related products are you selling – and who’s buying? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
August 21, 2012 Into the Future with SmartLinkFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Remember the days when you actually had to drive to a store during regular hours to buy stuff? Now we routinely traffic in e-commerce, a business reality first made possible in 1991, when the Internet opened to unrestricted commercial use. Today – unless you’re operating a lemonade stand – it’s nearly impossible to consider running a business without an online presence. But planning, designing, building and maintaining a website isn’t necessarily easy, especially when you consider the myriad of data you need in an industry like ours, with more than 700,000 products. To smooth the way, ASI® first introduced ESP Websites™, an A-to-Z guide to creating your own site. Now, ASI is taking e-commerce one important step further with the launch of ASI SmartLink™, a quick and easy business solution that supersizes any e-commerce site using ESP®, the industry’s leading product data and search engine. Searches are powered via the Internet’s leading e-commerce shopping engine – the same searching engine used by major retailers Walmart.com, Barnes & Noble and Crate and Barrel. And whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or have a website developer, ASI provides the support you need to get the job done, along with detailed and easy-to-follow documentation. For more information on ASI SmartLink, click here. And let me know what you think: Are we better off now, or do you wish you could hop in a time machine and return to the days when apple was just a fruit and the web was for spiders? Personally, I think it’s funny how some people long for the pre-computer “good old days,” as if there’s something wrong with a faster, easier way to do business. To me, it’s like longing for using an outhouse instead of a bathroom (I didn’t have a flush toilet until the 5th grade). Let me know your thoughts by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
August 8, 2012 Remember Snow?Filed under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Personally, I’m not one for Christmas in July. And it bugs me that even though summer doesn’t officially end for more than a month, we’re saturated with back-to-school commercials on TV. But while I’ll stubbornly cling to my shorts and sandals, I know that in our business it pays to think ahead, making this a great time to pitch clients with holiday and thank-you items from our Gift Book® catalog. We’ve already sold over 40,000 copies of our upscale 2012-13 Gift Book, featuring an all-new digital version and three special sections. And distributors who order The Gift Book® by August 31 receive a free personalized digital version and free color imprinting. The catalog comes with a guaranteed circulation of 75,000. You know how there’s always one friend or family member who’s impossible to buy for? It’s the same way with certain clients. They’re discriminating and hard to please. Luckily, The Gift Book – ASI’s most upscale, elegant catalog – boasts an impressive collection of gifts designed to appeal to even the most sophisticated buyers. The catalog includes classic gift, food and drink and sports sections, along with quality children’s toys, custom gift cards, high-performance electronics, holiday ornaments and much more. If you can’t find it here – it probably doesn’t exist. We’ve got gifts for the home, office or playing field, including high-end products like wine sets, crystal vases, golf clubs, leather portfolios and an abundance of sweets and treats, easily divided by type, price range and product line. The Gift Book features:
According to Counselor® magazine, more industry sales occur in the fourth quarter than any other period during the year; much of it is due to end-buyers’ needs for quality items for incentives and corporate gift-giving programs. In fact, according to a recent ASI study of end-buyers, 91% of recipients have taken action as a result of something they’ve noticed in a paper catalog, with nearly half (49%) purchasing a product. To view sample pages of the 2012 The Gift Book catalog and to order online, click here. For more information, contact Dan Brown, executive director of distributor services, at dbrown@asicentral.com or at (800) 546-1350.
Let me know if you’re one of those people already done with your holiday shopping – and if I’m on your list! – by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
July 2, 2012 Home Made HolidayFiled under: Community, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties
In light of the July 4 holiday, ASI put together its own list of USA-made ad specialties, along with a product demo video from Joe “The Joe Show” Haley. Whether you watch fireworks, hit the beach or simply stay put in the AC with a cold one, I hope you enjoy your holiday — and can use some of the ideas below in an upcoming campaign. Below is the list of ASI’s Top 7 Made-in-the-USA Products:
To see photos of the products and a video demonstration, click here. Let me know what you think of the USA-made trend and whether you’re seeing more American-made products by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
July 2, 2012 Opening the Lines of CommunicationFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties One of my favorite movies was “You’ve Got Mail,” an oldie but goodie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. And even though my computer no longer chimes the long-familiar AOL catchphrase, I do still love getting mail. Ever since ASI® introduced our ESP Websites™ and recent improvements across our entire suite of products, I’ve received a ton of feedback and suggestions worth sharing (last names deleted to protect privacy):
To upgrade your site, visit www.asicentral.com/ESPwebsites or call ASI® support at 1 (800) 546-1350. Remember: New ESP Website customers are eligible to receive a free ESP Website to brand for a best customer. Contact your ASI account executive at 1 (800) 546-1350 or visit www.asicentral.com/ESPwebsites. I’m really proud that we continue to build the best products in the industry, and you can certainly expect more moving forward. Your comments, feedback and suggestions are invaluable – so keep those cards and letters coming. And let me know what you think of ESP Websites by posting a comment, and if you have any questions, please e-mail me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. P.S. Since I mentioned the movie I want to acknowledge the recent passing of Nora Ephron, a real gem who wrote and directed “You’ve Got Mail.” She is missed. |
