The NFL Draft is arguably football’s second-biggest night. But, in terms of hats, well, it might still be the second-biggest night. But the NFL Draft tradition of draftees donning their new franchise’s hat after being selected is a fun one. And, each year, the NFL and its merchandise partners take great care in designing headwear…
Read MoreEditorial Type: Columns/Opinions
How Digital Label Presses Take the Sting out of Ingredient Changes
If you sell labels into the consumer product markets, you know how frequently those labels change. When this occurs, it leaves your customers hanging with obsolete inventory as they race to reprint those labels while wondering how much those changes are going to cost them. Those changes not only cost them in obsolete labels, but…
Read MoreLessons from a Lobster
It’s not often we stop and think about what kinds of business lessons can be taught by Mother Nature. One of the most intriguing analogies for business growth and entrepreneurship, in my opinion, comes from the book “Grow Like a Lobster,” authored by Joshua Dick. Below are highlights from some of his key concepts –…
Read MoreIs Your Decorator Stealing Clients?
Imagine this: You’ve spent months, even years, building a solid relationship with your clients, only to have them snatched away right under your nose. This nightmare scenario happens more often than you think in the world of promotional product reselling, especially when your apparel decorator plays both sides of the field. But what if the culprit behind your vanishing clients is, in fact, your current decorator?
Read MoreHow to ‘Park’ An Entry in QuickBooks for Later
Ask the Accountant… Question: When I enter my credit card charges or bank entries, I don’t always know where to put them in QuickBooks. Do I have to wait until I know before entering them? Answer: QuickBooks has an expense account that allows you to “park” an entry until you can figure out where it…
Read MoreYou’re 2,000 of These Away from Being a Millionaire
I love Dan Pena. He tells the unvarnished truth. He has a great short (30-second) speech that you are 2,000 cold calls from being a millionaire. He’s right. But the problem, as he so truthfully says, is that most people don’t want to be a peddler. Check it out: Yes, most buyers are happy…
Read MoreThe Power of Customer Service and Clear Communication
There are two powerful elements that set successful businesses apart from the rest — exceptional customer service and clear communication.
Read MoreOne Day. Or Day One.
We have all postponed starting a new program or activity at times in our life. Whether it’s personal goals or business goals, committing to start sometime in the future is much easier than starting right now. Instead of saying: “One day I will lose weight.” “One day I will start working out.” “One day I…
Read MoreHow LCV Changes How You View Your Customers
Are you familiar with the concept of Lifetime Customer Value (LCV)? If so, have you thought about it in terms of your own business? Have you ever thought about why LCV would even be important to understand or calculate? LCV is the value of the customer to your business over the lifetime of that relationship.…
Read MoreWhat Could You Accomplish If You Weren’t Afraid
I have had the wonderful opportunity to personally get to know thousands of people in our industry. Truth is that most of them never became all they could be because of fear. Fear of making sales calls. Fear of learning new product lines. Fear of asking for referrals. Fear of introducing yourself at a networking…
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