Ask the Accountant… Question: I use two item numbers for my distributorship—one is the item number I assign internally and show the customer, and the other is the supplier’s number. Can I use both in QuickBooks? Answer: Yes, QB Premier and Enterprise allow for two different fields of item numbers. When you set up an…
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You don’t need a date for Valentine’s Day to fall in love with promotional products. That’s something we do every single day of the year. And, thankfully, we have a job that allows us to celebrate with this weekly column. Enjoy this week’s Fave 5, featuring phone wallets, Windows XP lava lamps and whatever a fastnacht is…
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Not even a high-touch and highly creative industry like promotional products is immune to the “Amazon Effect.” That may have many distributors rushing towards an e-commerce model to meet buyer expectations—but before you completely throw out the traditional relationship-based model, let’s discuss…
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For the new year, I have decided to ask some of the most respected industry leaders to share their thoughts on success. Thank you to Norm Hullinger, the CEO of alphabroder, for sharing his valuable advice. First question: In your years of experience in our industry, what do you think the most financially successful people…
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Ask the Accountant… Question: I have sales in several states. Do I have to collect sales tax in states other than my own? Answer: Sales tax has always been a complicated issue, and it was made infinitely more complicated by the Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair in 2018. The decision means that…
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The biggest day in advertising is right around the corner. That’s right—Super Bowl Sunday. It’s basically the Super Bowl of advertising! For those of us who keep our eyes out for solid promotional items, we don’t have to wait for one year to celebrate clever advertising. We get to do it every week! This week’s edition includes public transit stress balls, fan bobbleheads and Chinese New Year packaging…
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If you want to achieve more wealth, just write yourself a check and post-date it. The law of attraction is a very real thing. The truth is that everything in our universe is about vibrations. I know that most things look solid, but the truth is that all things are made from atoms and all…
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We’re out in Vegas for the PPAI Expo, so in addition to the mind-boggling amount of promotional samples we’re finding all day, Las Vegas is a treasure trove of promotional products in the wild. Read on for our five favorite promotional items we’ve found on the show floor and in our travels.
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It’s curious to me that we are in the “branding business,” yet so many companies seem to have a brand that does not contribute to their success. Here’s a rule I learned many years ago: If you sell products, you will be asked to quote prices. If you sell solutions, you can name your price. Pick…
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Ask the Accountant… Question: Do You Know Where Your Order History Is? Answer: I have been working with OrderMaster users recently, because this software system is no longer supported by the manufacturer and the software is crashing. Hundreds of distributors have been using OM for as long as 20 years. It is now failing because…
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