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Wednesday
March 14, 2012 Bow Wow WowFiled under: Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties I think the world can be divided into Dog People and Cat People. Which one are you? Although I have nothing against cats, I think I fall into the “dog” camp. Either way, you should check out a recent hot list we sent out to press highlighting some of the industry’s top pet gifts. Statistically, an astonishing 62% of U.S. households now care for at least one pet, paying for everything from veterinary care and food to grooming, toys and treats. This month, ASI’s Advantages magazine offered a great business primer on the booming pet market. So if you haven’t yet added pet stores, vets, kennels, pet insurance companies, dog groomers and municipal dog parks to your roster of potential clients, now’s a great time to start. To me, a dog dish with a funny picture on it is fancy. So I was genuinely amazed at how creative some of these gifts are. Did you know, for instance, that you can now bake your own dog biscuits? Just don’t mix them up with the cookies you baked for your child’s school! Things like premium treats, natural food and fashion-forward accessories helped push U.S. pet industry sales to $58 billion in 2011, with sales expected to reach $74 billion in 2015, according to research firm Packaged Facts. For more info, click here for a “Joe Show” product video and click here for photos. Click here for the Advantages story on the burgeoning pet market. Below are some of the products we selected for this year’s pet gift list:
Let me know the greatest gift your pooch ever got by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
February 23, 2012 Supplier Sales Going Up, Up, UpFiled under: Research, Using Ad Specialties Suppliers got great news recently when ASI released its 2011 supplier sales report showing over two-thirds (68%) of surveyed companies posted greater sales in 2011 than 2010, indicating an increase in sales of 7.1% over 2010. Supplier revenue in 2011 totaled an outstanding $12.2 billion. So now’s the perfect time to take advantage of new technologies and better marketing that can help power your company into the future. Total supplier sales for the fourth quarter were approximately $3.6 billion, up $185 million over 2010 Q4 sales. This is the eighth straight quarter of growth – another strong indication that our industry has not only turned the corner, but is barreling full steam ahead. Further, three-quarters (75%) of suppliers expect 2012 sales to be higher than those of 2011. Click here to read the full report. And let me know what steps your company is taking to keep pushing forward by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
February 10, 2012 50 In Argentinah!Filed under: Community, Using Ad Specialties It’s an old adage but one I firmly believe in: Practice what you preach. I’m as bullish on this industry and its products as possible, which is why I chose so many cool items to commemorate a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Argentina to celebrate my 50th birthday. Something else I believe in is taking a long walk in somebody else’s shoes. The experience of choosing and ordering a full slate of promotional items from start to finish was kind of like stepping into an episode of the reality show “Undercover Boss.” What I learned is being a distributor is really hard work. To start, I had ASI’s top-notch creative director Jim Lang create two logos based on his idea, incorporating “50” and “Argentinah” in a nod to a gorgeous country. In one, we also used a map of Argentina, which stretches from Bolivia to the tip of South America, encompassing a wide array of geography and climates along the way. As gifts for the friends accompanying me on the two-week trip, I branded everything from socks, T-shirts and fleeces to bandanas, flip-flops and keychains. There is even a combo iPad screen and keyboard cleaner, as well as a personalized travel diary. Getting really creative – as you certainly can in this industry – I also had M&Ms and playing cards for use during the 12-hour flight actually imprinted with the faces of my friends. In the logoed travel bags I’m gifting, I included useful items like hand sanitizer, lip balm, sunscreen and bags of pistachios. There’s really no end to what you can choose from when it comes to promotional products! My actual 50th birthday is February 13 – a birthday I share with my late mother. I decided on this trip months ago and planned it with zeal. Since I’m the master of detail, I deliberated down to the hour, choosing every destination, hotel, restaurant and even wine. The best birthday gift I could possibly imagine is the gift of friendship, and what better way to celebrate the half-century mark than with my best friends in the land of Jorge Luis Borges, world-famous steaks, Evita Perón and Tierra del Fuego? Logistically, it’s been a challenge, since I’m coordinating travel plans with nine friends scattered across the country, friends whose professions cover the gauntlet – with the personalities to match. Now that the trip is here, I almost can’t believe it’s finally happening. We’re spending the first week in Mendoza, which is like the Napa Valley of Argentina. In between taking in lots of sights and horseback riding like gauchos, we’ll drink lots of fine Malbec wines. A highlight is sure to be seeing Patagonia’s glacier-carved landscapes up close. Luckily, Argentina’s seasons are reverse to ours, so we’ll visit during their summer. The second week we’ll relax our pace somewhat and enjoy the best cosmopolitan Buenos Aires has to offer, including shopping, cooking lessons, visits to a silversmith and art galleries and, of course, dancing the tango and meeting porteños. As the gauchos say, disfrute compadre. In other words, we will enjoy and, above all, have fun!
Friday
February 3, 2012 Super Bowl Means Super SalesFiled under: ASI Shows, Member Benefits, Using Ad Specialties No matter which team scores the Super Bowl trophy, ASI member companies printing T-shirts, jackets and other sports-related memorabilia will be big winners this weekend. Hundreds of ad specialty companies are sure to work into the wee hours Sunday into Monday to get Super Bowl items to eager sports fans. We spoke to Jay Meyer, president of Blue Dolphin Screen Print & Embroidery (asi/141732) of New Hampshire, which is one of the companies working tons of OT this weekend to keep sports fans happy. If the New England Patriots win in the big game against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, Blue Dolphin expects to print at least 25,000 shirts overnight in the initial order. “The big sports stores start showing up around 3 a.m. because they want to have the apparel ready in the morning when they open,” Meyer told us. “If it’s really doing well, they’ll reorder, probably another 5,000. Last week after the AFC championship, we printed 7,000 shirts.” Over 40 employees will work on the initial order, starting by the game’s third quarter. Printing starts as soon as the game finishes. And even if the hometown team fails to take home the title, Meyer said Blue Dolphin still expects to print at least 9,000 Giants shirts. We’ll be back from the ASI Show in Dallas – where Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wowed the crowd this morning with business and social media tips – and I can’t wait to see the newest commercials along with Madonna’s half-time performance. And the game of course! Who’s your Super Bowl pick? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedInand YouTube.
Tuesday
January 31, 2012 Onward To DallasFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties We’re winging our way to the ASI show in Dallas for a three-day event that promises to be as action-packed as the great state of Texas itself. Education day on Wednesday features the “Industry’s Biggest Speed Networking Session”. As always, all sessions are eligible for credits in the ASI Certification Program. In addition to two days of exhibits featuring the industry’s hottest new products, Dallas features a brand-new gala at the Dallas House of Blues and a keynote by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. In addition to offering up some awesome business tips, Stone will let us know how one of the most influential social media outlets in the world opened opportunities in marketing, politics and philanthropy. We’re definitely on a roll, especially considering what a great success we enjoyed in Orlando, with record-breaking education, a SRO keynote and 2,100 people whooping it up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom gala. If you missed us in Orlando, check out some video highlights: Click here to see an interview on the Orlando Fox affiliate with keynoter James Carville, a Democrat who sparred onstage with Republican pundit Bill O’Reilly. Click here for a wrap-up video with highlights from a barn-burner of a show. Click here for best-selling product highlights from our Supplier of the Year, Hub Pen (asi/61966). And click here for a roundup of terrific products for the adventurer set, featuring Counselor Distributor Choice Award winners. Featured products include Tekweld natural insect repellent mister (asi/90807); carabiner bottle opener watch and matching wristwatch from Logomark (asi/67866); Elleven Amped checkpoint-friendly compu-backpack from Leed’s (asi/66887) and the Port Authority Nootka jacket from SanMar (asi/84863). Let me know if you’re joining us in Dallas by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
January 17, 2012 ESP Mobile Is HereFiled under: ASI Shows, Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Drumroll, please. You can now download the free iPhone app from the Apple App store, free with your ESP subscription. For a video with all the reasons why this should be your No. 1 app, click here. Any iPhone user can download the app today directly from iTunes here. ASI’s development team has automatically applied an ESP Mobile license to all members with a current license to ESP Web. These members simply download the app from the Apple App Store and enter the same log-in credentials as ESP Web. That’s all it takes. Users who only have a license to ESP Online will need to get set up through Product Support – in a process that takes about the same time it takes to fix yourself a cup of coffee. If you have any questions, please contact ASI Product Support at 800-546-1350 (press option #2). If you’re on site with us in Orlando and have any questions about ESP Mobile, come speak to our Product Support team at the ASI Booth. To download ESP Mobile from the App Store, follow these few simple steps: 1. Visit the Apple App Store on your mobile device. 2. Search for “ESP Mobile.” 3. Download the free app. 4. Once the download is complete, tap the app icon to start up the app. 5. Enter your credentials. 6. Kick back and enjoy everything this new app has to offer. Why get ESP Mobile? Check it out:
Suppliers interested in advertising in ESP Mobile should contact their ASI rep or contact Gene Rahill at grahill@asicentral.com and Suzanne Izzo at sizzo@asicentral.com. Try it and let me know what you think by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
December 28, 2011 Business Grab BagFiled under: Community, Industry Initiatives, Research, Using Ad Specialties How many of you gave gifts to clients and prospects this year? According to a recent gift-giving survey from ASI, average spending on such gifts was up 13.9% to about $30 per gift this year. Our executive director of research, Larry Basinait, found clients aren’t the only ones benefiting from corporate beneficence. Employers who answered our survey say they spent an average $42.52 per employee “thank you” gift this year, up 19.6% from 2010. Like last year, our survey shows gift cards and cash remain the most popular employee gifts, with 38% of respondents planning to give gift cards to employees. Cash bonuses are second, but fell by 8 percentage points to 24% since 2010. Does gift-giving work? Nearly a quarter of respondents say giving gifts to clients and prospects results in sales and leads, with over one-quarter (27%) of those surveyed saying the gift resulted in a referral and 24% reporting generating a lead or a sale. Other survey highlights include:
Over at “The Joe Show,” Joe Haley demonstrated a number of the year’s hottest business gifts, including: Coffee table books, from National Geographic Society, asi/73383. Beautiful books from National Geographic not only include incredible photography, but they can also be customized and personalized. iPad keyboard, from Pingline, asi/78137. High-tech products and accessories like the Bluetooth-activated keyboard – which makes typing a whole lot easier – are on everyone’s wish list. Outdoor jacket, from Trimark Sportswear Group Inc., asi/92122. Jackets are essential and appreciated, come in men’s and women’s styles and are perfect for people who work and play outdoors in the winter months. Leather wrapped thermos, from Sweda Co. LLC, asi/90305. Practical and elegant, it’s just the thing for the sales rep on the go. Customized wine and spirits, from A Plus Wine Designs, asi/30223. Make a strong showing with a giveaway that’s perfect for holiday parties and to leave with clients on visits. Leather Nook cover, from Royce Leather, asi/52390. Sure to give the iPad a run for its money, the new Nook tablet is a best-seller this year, and accessories will show thoughtfulness. Throw blanket, from KTP Design Co., asi/63773. Winter months bring images of snuggling up in front of a warm fire. Enhance that experience with a custom woven afghan that companies can imprint with any image or logo. Ogio bag, from SanMar, asi/84863. Duffel bags are perfect for travel and going to the gym. This bag has flexible spines, allowing it to stand or bend at will. Ornaments, from Faro USA, asi/53697 & Marbex Inc., asi/68708. A finely-crafted holiday ornament doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Most can be easily mailed, hung from a company’s tree or given out to visitors. What was your favorite gift to give this year? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
