About 10 years ago I had some discussions with the owner of a company interested in learning more about Proforma. After a few conversations, he decided to maintain the status quo and not move forward. Fast forward 10 years. I get an email from a consultant telling me that the owner of that company has…
Read MoreShopify has been working with musicians and celebrities on new ways to integrate experiences into their marketing campaigns. E-commerce platforms can feel threatening to distributors, but what Shopify has done with experiential marketing creates a very teachable moment for distributors: Bring brands out into the world.
Read MoreThere’s a term for the rising demand (and cost) of travel and experiences following COVID: “Funflation.” With the world reopened, people are allocating more money and time to travel and experiences, presenting new opportunities for distributors to help their clients create branded memories.
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PRINTING United Expo might appeal to printers from all over the world, but if there’s one thing we’ve highlighted with our coverage is how the convergence of print and promotional products was fully on display in Atlanta. Speaking of displays, every trade show is sort of a promotional products show if you think about it.…
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We have all heard the saying that “experience is the best teacher.” While sometimes it may be true, I believe that far more often experience is not the best teacher. First, I’ve met thousands of distributors and sales reps whose sales are very low. Sometimes they will tell me that they have been in the…
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Dive into the world of apparel pricing tailored specifically for promotional products distributors! Our newest blog explores the nuances, common pitfalls, and effective strategies of the trade. It’s more than just numbers—it’s about understanding value in the promo world. We’ve served it with a blend of actionable insights and a dash of fun. A must-read for every business enthusiast!
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Ask the Accountant… Question: If I use SAGE for my presentations and orders, why do I need QuickBooks? Answer: SAGE Online has a comprehensive system with search, presentation, CRM, project, and order management system capabilities, to name a few. They are not, nor do they want to be, an accounting system. You will not be…
Read MoreAfter watching a few clips of Street League Skateboarding, I noticed how marquee sponsors used their logo as actual skateable objects on the course, rather than just signage. It’s a valuable lesson in branding integration and building an experience for the end-user.
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Ask the Accountant… Question: I just got off the phone with QuickBooks/Intuit. They told me that QB has filled all the gaps between QBO and QuickBooks Desktop so the switch into QBO would be easy. Is that true? Answer: Be very careful when analyzing software. The standard answer from a salesperson with software is that…
Read MorePrint distributors are always on the lookout for profit-building opportunities. Notice we said “profit” and not “sales.” There are plenty of products that bring in sales, but do they make money? If you have products with low profit margins, you can sell a lot of them and still not make very much. This is where…
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