Promotional Fashionista

3 Summer Accessories from Expo East

The beach tote, sunglasses and nail polish fit for warm weather promotions.
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Be Bold, Be Different, Be Memorable

Listening 101

A good listener is a valuable friend, and a valuable friend is a trusted business partner. Read More >>

Be Dazzled

The Baby Boom: 3 Must-have Maternity Pieces

The rumors about Beyoncé’s second pregnancy may be false, but that shouldn’t stop you from outfitting other moms-to-be in promotional maternity apparel. Read More >>

Mike's Blog

Sales Channel Conflict: How a Furniture Wholesaler Resolved the Issue of Selling Direct

An importer in an industry similar to ours comes to a decision on this risky, make-or-break-your-business issue. Read More >>

Not So Technically Speaking

The High Cost of a Low Training Budget

If you train your staff, there's a risk they'll leave; if you don't, there's a risk they'll stay.
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Jeff's Rant

Why...?

Why... be connected? I've often talked about my love of trade shows and the value of business relationships, which are the cornerstone of a successful business. 
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Selling Smarter

Help! My Customers Know the Codes

A promotional products distributor recently wrote me and asked how to handle clients that have figured out the industry's pricing codes. Here's my advice on how to respond. Read More >>

Beyond Words

A Blog of a Different Color

When we communicate with others—through a presentation, through graphics or through text in an article—the use of color can truly add to our message. If not used properly, color can take away from what we're trying to emphasize. Read More >>

Embellished

Call For Sources: Michigan Suppliers and Distributors

Do you work in Michigan, or do you sell into the restaurant industry? I want to hear from you. Read More >>

Kiwi's Coaching Corner

Think Like Your Client

Getting out of the commodity game requires hard work, thoughtful work and requires learning new skills and work habits. You need to learn to think like your client. You need to move from being a source to becoming a resource. Read More >>

The Hot Button

Have You Cleaned Out Your Teenager's Gym Bag Lately?

Performance clothing has changed over the past 10 years: silkier, stretchier, more mesh, even less stinky in some cases. So how did that change happen? How did this performance craze evolve? Read More >>

Big Picture Promo

The Shift to Empowerment Marketing

Empowering is the act of giving away your power to those around you so you can elevate the group as a whole. At the birth of marketing, empowering was the antithesis of a successful marketing campaign. Read More >>

Friday Sales-thought of the Week!

Reverse Engineer Your Sales Success

Steven Covey reminds us that when setting goals ... "Start with the end in mind." That is to visualize the end result that you hope to accomplish and start your planning process from there ... "With the end in mind." Read More >>

Editor's Notes

The Perfect Match

The Super Bowl has also become the Ad Bowl, where brands duke it out to see who has the funniest, stickiest ad in the land. Read More >>

Compliance Chat

When a Picture Says a Thousand Words: Bangladesh

It takes a single negative image to undo even the most successful campaigns in the eyes of your customers—and many of them will never forget what they’ve seen in the news. Headlines from Bangladesh and Pakistan underscore the need for social accountability audits.
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My Two Cents

CPSC General Counsel Clarifies Distributor Responsibilities for Children's Apparel

There aren't many distributors who would describe themselves as manufacturers. But under CPSIA, the majority of promotional products distributors—at least those who buy blank apparel from a wholesaler and then send it out to have it decorated—are just that. Read More >>

The Sales Challenge

Think and Succeed

What would happen if you woke up in the morning and your first thought was, "I am never going to sell anything today. Why would anyone buy anything from me? I'll be lucky to even survive." Read More >>

From the Pub

Creating More Purposeful Sales Conversations

Under 100 Days to Achieve 2011 Goals

It's hard to believe, but there are fewer than 100 days left to achieve 2011 goals! Are you on track to achieve your sales goals? Read More >>

Industry Voices

In a Recession, Dress Up To Cheer Up

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with Executive Apparel's president and its director of product development in Orlando, Florida. In desultory fashion, we discussed the weather (unusually cold for Florida this time of year) and the economy (not so hot either) over dinner until someone raised the subject of socks. Suddenly the evening sprang to life: The men pushed their chairs back from the table and rolled up their pant legs. Read More >>