We all know how to sell promotional products to small- and medium-sized businesses. It’s the industry’s forte and how the majority of companies have built their revenues — whether it be the first printer who sold book bags or the current distributor selling pens to a local bank. But one of the best ways to grow your business is to diversify your income. That means broadening your horizons to sales opportunities you wouldn’t have thought of before. Follow these tips on selling promotional products to three specialty markets.
July 17, 2018
It’s All About the Email Signature
Submitted by Kelly Glass
Many business owners think of marketing as a larger scale topic, something you actively do to go out and find new customers. But there’s a secret weapon hidden in every business’s day-to-day arsenal: email signatures. It’s something small that, once you set it up, you never have to think about — but it works wonders as a passive marketing possibility. No matter whom you send your emails to, your business information will be on the bottom for them to read. Follow these tips to make sure you’re getting the most marketing bang out of your email signature.
July 10, 2018
The Undeniable Genius of Taco Bell’s Branded Wedding Merch
Submitted by Kelly Glass
Going to the chapel and we’re gonna get . . . tacos? Yep. About a year ago, Taco Bell began letting brand fanatics get hitched at its flagship store in Las Vegas. So far about 60 couples have been married at the restaurant and another 25 are already scheduled for this year.
July 3, 2018
Everything You Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Sales Tax Decision
Submitted by Kelly Glass
After 26 years of sales tax rules, the Supreme Court recently overturned a 1992 decision from the Quill Corporation v. North Dakota case. This decision will change the way many companies handle online transactions and business — including those in the promotional products industry that run online stores.
June 26, 2018
The History of the Promotional Products Industry
Submitted by Kelly Glass
In 1789, George Washington took his position as the first president of the newly formed United States. With that came the first purposeful use of promotional products: commemorative buttons. They were printed and distributed throughout his campaign and then became so popular that similar items became available, including rulers, calendars and almanacs.
June 19, 2018
Wow Your Clients with Tech Enhanced Mailers
Submitted by Kelly Glass
We may live in an almost completely digital world, but as we mentioned in a previous blog post, direct mail is still seeing great returns — and in some cases, it’s doing better driving sales than many other marketing channels. One of the perks of our digital existence, though, is that we can combine the latest technology with traditional methods in order to get more attention for things we want to promote. You can go beyond the standard catalog or postcard mailer and add some new-age interest to it.
June 12, 2018
Welcome Summer Warmth with Winning Outdoor Products
Submitted by Kelly Glass
It’s officially summertime (Well, not officially, but we only got about a day of spring!). Warm weather means outdoor parties, cold drinks at the lake, grilling, catching rays on the beach . . . Essentially, it means a plethora of opportunities for promotional products companies to capitalize on the heat. If you haven’t yet hopped on the bandwagon of outdoor promos, follow these tips to make sure you do so in the best way possible.
June 5, 2018
Meet the PPAI Woman of Achievement Winners for 2018
Submitted by Kelly Glass
Every year, the Promotional Products Association International bestows a special award on women in the industry called the Woman of Achievement Award. The award honors women in the industry who have worked tirelessly to advance the role of women in the promotional products world, as well as women who have shown great leadership and community contributions. This year, two women took home the award: Marsha Londe and Mary Ellen Sokalski. Let’s get to know them.
May 29, 2018
Spotlight on the Top 5 Promotional Products Companies
Submitted by Kelly Glass
Every year, ASI releases a list of the best places to work in the industry for both suppliers and distributors. Some interesting facts from this year? Washington won out as the state with the biggest concentration of winners, five in total, and small companies with 25 employees or less accounted for the majority of the list. Here’s an inside look at the top five companies winning the “best place” honor this year and why they made the grade.
May 22, 2018
Promo Companies Make their Markle with Weird Royal Wedding Products
Submitted by Kelly Glass
Royal Wedding fever recently struck the nation with the nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and promotional products companies worldwide appear to have had some fever dreams of their own. Successfully marketing unique products can be downright difficult, but these royal wedding-themed ones are . . . just plain weird!