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Thursday
October 22, 2009 New ASI Study Reveals Third Quarter Sales Off 10.9%Filed under: Research Today we’re announcing the results of a new study that shows third quarter sales of promotional products are off 10.9% versus third quarter 2008. But while sales are still off, the study shows the decline is slowing and optimism is rising. The exclusive ASI third quarter sales survey showed that the year-over-year sales decline among distributors represented a decrease of about $551 million in ad specialty sales compared to the same quarter last year, but also indicated that the 10.9% decline is less than the 13.9% decline in the second quarter and the 18.0% decline in the first quarter. This is the fifth consecutive quarter that industry revenue has declined; the decline began in the third quarter of 2008, when sales dipped by 1.6% Nearly 30% of respondents reported an increase in sales, up 11 percentage points from 19% in the second quarter. Larger distributors ($1 million or greater in revenue annually) showed the smallest decline in sales, off 8.1% versus 12.8% in the second quarter. The message to take away from this study is one of cautious optimism. Almost every distributor and supplier I’ve spoken to over the last two months has told me that their sales are up this year versus last year. To view the full ASI quarterly sales report, click here. Read the press release here. I’d love to hear about your third quarter experiences, so post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Monday
October 19, 2009 New 70% savings on UPS Freight…the Real DealFiled under: Member Benefits, News About ASI A keen competitive edge can often make the difference between closing a deal – or closing Yep, 70%. That’s more than any other industry shipping program. Whether you’re shipping something that weighs 150 pounds – or 10 tons (which pretty much covers everything from Oscar de la Hoya to a very large elephant), the discount is the same. It covers all shipments billed collect to a member company, prepaid from a member company, or billed to a member company as a third party. Further, this program can be customized for every member and these special rates aren’t available anywhere else. I’m especially pleased to continue a partnership with UPS first forged in 2004, when we first started helping members save thousands of dollars each year with exclusive shipping discounts. In addition to the actual shipping, UPS provides ASI members a menu of workflow products and features that leave more time for selling, including:
To read more in the press release, click here. Let me know your experiences with UPS or any of our other dozen member benefits by posting a comment now. Of course, you can also connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
October 15, 2009 The power of catalogs: new end buyer studyFiled under: News About ASI, Research Want to turn the page on a down market? I’ve got one word for you: “catalogs.” According to an exclusive new end buyer study from ASI, paper catalogs drive 93% of purchasing decisions. Need more? The study also shows that 91% of the time, browsing a paper catalog leads to action — with nearly half those browsers spurred to buy something. The full results of the exclusive study are available by clicking here. The study supports what we’ve been saying all along. Catalogs are not only effective sales tools, but also serve as resources for buyers, who read them and get great ideas while discovering new products and hot trends. The bottom line is catalogs are reliable, grow sales and provide a big bang for your buck. They’re a proven one-stop sales tool that gets clients excited – and shopping. ASI is now rolling out its line-up of 2010 catalogs and I urge you to take a look. Need a reason? How about 4 million of them? That’s the number of people that have seen our catalogs. Let me know your experiences with catalogs by posting a comment now. Of course, you can also connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
October 7, 2009 Brave New World of Social Networking – Study ResultsFiled under: Community This year, I jumped on the social network bandwagon in a big way, So I was fascinated by the results of a recent ASI Research study showing that an increasing number of you are also tweeting, friending and posting on blogs. Our results show LinkedIn – the online site for professionals – is used by about 54% of distributors and 46% of suppliers, with more than 85% using it for business purposes. Facebook – a more casual online site – has But, as the study shows, things are always evolving in the online space. Nearly 90% of respondents feel social networking already is or will become a good way to promote their business. Read the press release by clicking here. Let me know your social networking experiences – good and bad – by posting a comment now. Of course, you can also connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. LMK (let me know).
Wednesday
October 7, 2009 Suppliers can now View all Suppliers’ Products in ESP OnlineFiled under: Industry Initiatives, Member Benefits, News About ASI If you’re a supplier – check this out. We’ve made some changes to ESP Online and I think you’ll love them: — You can now view products (without pricing) from all suppliers in ESP Online, to help you benchmark your offerings versus the competition. If your product lineup is ahead of the curve, now you know. If it’s behind, now you know, and you can adjust your marketing accordingly. — In addition, you can also view all ASI Supplier Ratings, so you see where you stand among other suppliers in the system. Take advantage of the new enhancements today and improve your business so you can sell more. The latest upgrade is being delivered automatically to current users and will be completed over the next several weeks. To learn more about ESP Online and for a free demo, click here. To read the press release, click here. I’d like to hear about your recent experiences with ESP Online, so post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Tuesday
October 6, 2009 Showstopper Tony Robbins is coming to San DiegoFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI It’s extraordinary to witness one man completely command a crowd, but that’s exactly what Tony Robbins did when he appeared at our Orlando show earlier this year. Timed in the first quarter, ASI San Diego is the perfect platform for suppliers to showcase their new products and services in the early part of 2010. Many Top 40 companies will be exhibiting. Read all the details in our press release by clicking here. Be forewarned: Seating for this extraordinary event will be limited so ASI members should register at ASI Show by November 30 to be guaranteed a seat. In Orlando, Robbins’ message was so compelling and his enthusiasm so contagious he actually pulled the cheering crowd to its feet. It’s no wonder he’s known world wide as an authority on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, organizational turnaround and peak performance. I can’t wait to see him again. Let me know your Tony Robbins story by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Friday
October 2, 2009 Only the Best with SelectFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties In the last year alone, distributors have rated nearly 100,000 transactions on 25,000 supplier ratings reports submitted in ESP Online. Elite suppliers with the highest ratings – and you know who you are – are the only companies invited to advertise in our 2010 Select catalog. Distributors, this means Select is virtually worry-free. Thanks to the ratings, you know exactly what you’ll get: great products from reputable suppliers. Also, each copy is imprinted with your logo and contact information, so your clients know who to call. The catalog provides more than 200 products, including clocks and watches, apparel, executive gifts, and food and drink items – all of which will appeal to a wide variety of buyers for their marketing campaigns, events or recognition programs. For more information about Select, read the press release here. To see sample pages or to order Select online, click here. You can also order by contacting Dan Brown at ASI, at dbrown@asicental.com. Here’s a sweet deal going on right now – with every order you’ll receive a free bag of product samples from featured advertisers plus free shipping. I’d love to hear about your experience with Select, so post a comment. I’m also on Twitter and LinkedIn. |
