Lessons from an Auto Repair Shop

Four years ago, we brought our car into a neighborhood mechanic’s business. It looked pretty typical from the outside—two bays, cinder block building and a NAPA sign and display or two inside. Cliff, the owner, had just moved back to Michigan and had the entrepreneurial spirit.

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Do I Have to Buy QuickBooks Premier Software Every Year?

No; currently, QuickBooks Premier is a desktop software and not a subscription service. That means that when you buy the software, you own it.

QuickBooks supports its desktop software, such as Premier, for three years. QuickBooks Premier 2012, for instance, is supported until May 31, 2015. During this time period, you can expect to receive automatic updates and fixes, as well as support and access to any integrated add-on services.

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7 Truths About Electronic Communication in the Promotional Products Industry

Suppliers and distributors are finally moving forward in improving electronic communications. While there are plenty of hurdles still to overcome, the industry is finally moving forward and making real progress.

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$2 a Slice

You would think that $2 a slice is referring to buying pizza by the slice, but in this case, I’m referring to slicing a piece of paper—one piece of paper.

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Become a Better Strategic Partner by Helping Your Clients Plan

The promotional products industry for decades has bred reactive salespeople. As I have interviewed top performers over the years, one trait seems to surface more times than not. It’s not the verbalizing of having “great customer service,” no, it’s actually putting that statement into practice well beyond what most would consider good customer service.

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Evolving Communication Trends

Marketing has changed. If we don’t embrace emerging trends, we as distributors and suppliers will miss the opportunity to distinguish our businesses from competitors. 

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Sprint… Lessons from the Company of NO!

This Rant addresses my business experience with Sprint. It’s one of the most dysfunctional business dealings I’ve ever had. But as usual, in life’s experiences, there are lessons to be learned.

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Dealing with Internet Price Shoppers

These days Internet sites abound with promotional products, frequently at discount prices, but can a website provide the level of service, creativity and product knowledge that you, a promotional products sales professional, can?

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Should I? Or Shouldn’t I? The Value Of A Compliance Program

Our industry seems to be struggling with the question of whether or not to commit time, effort and money to developing compliance programs. It’s an oversimplification, but you can group our industry into five basic categories on this topic.

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