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Thursday
February 28, 2013

Save The Date - Exclusive ASI Radio Interview with Ben Stein

Filed under: Fun, asi radio show

Ben Stein“Bueller? Bueller?”

If you know that line and who uttered it repetitiously in the famous 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, then you know the deadpan humor of Ben Stein. The actor — who’s also an economist, best-selling author, attorney and professor — will be giving an exclusive ASI Radio interview on Tuesday, March 5 at 10:30 am EST.

Ben, who will also be the keynote speaker at the ASI Show Long Beach in March, will be discussing everything from small-business challenges to political predictions, and everything in between. So if you’re up for a lot of good business advice and a little humor to boot, then you don’t want to miss this show!

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Tuesday
February 26, 2013

Top 10 Fastest-Growing and Slowest-Growing Job Sectors

Filed under: Tip of the Day

Hot New MarketsIf you’re a distributor in this industry, you probably already know that education, financial and health-care are some of the top markets. But what are some of the up-and-coming markets gaining steam that you should be targeting?

That’s the question Counselor magazine asked in its March issue for the article “Hot New Markets“. Read on to find out about five new markets that offer big sales opportunities in 2013. And in the meantime, here are the 10 fastest-growing and slowest-growing sectors in the U.S. between 2010-2020.

HOT!

  1. Registered Nurse
  2. Retail Salespeople
  3. Home Health Aides
  4. Personal Care Aides
  5. Office Clerks
  6. Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  7. Customer Service Representatives
  8. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
  9. Laborers and Freight, Stock and Material Movers
  10. Post-Secondary Teachers

NOT!

  1. Word Processors and Typists
  2. Data Entry Staffers
  3. Miscellaneous Agricultural Workers
  4. Fast-Food Cooks
  5. Postal Service Clerks
  6. Switchboard Operators
  7. Postal Service Carriers
  8. Sewing Machine Operators
  9. Postal Service Mail Employees
  10. Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Ag Managers
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Thursday
February 21, 2013

Five Powerful Point of Purchase Products

Filed under: Tip of the Day

When you think of the word “pop”, what comes to mind? For me, several things, like a type of music, “Snap, crackle”, and an odd term some use to call carbonated beverages. Oh, and Michael Jackson.

But as an acronym, POP really doesn’t resonate. Until now!

Advantages magazine’s “Advantages University” feature for March is chock full of interesting advice and facts about point of purchase advertising — or POP — which is defined as: The point where products meet the consumer who has the capability and desire to buy. Want to learn more? Then don’t miss this article! And in the meantime, here are five powerful POP products:

  1. Inflatables add dimension to POP display. They can replicate an oversized version of a brand mascot or have utility value, such as an inflatable beverage-branded cooler to fill with ice and canned drinks at an event.
  2. Counter mats turn countertops into a mini showroom, putting a sales message right in a customer’s line of vision. Some mats are available with an antimicrobial surface to make sales more germ-free.
  3. Floor mats put advertising underfoot right at a business’ doorway or checkout register. They come in a variety of shapes, colors and materials. The best mats offer extra utility value, providing anti-fatigue surfaces and anti-slip engineering.
  4. Banners and banner stands engage full-color digital printing and dye-sublimation to make colorful displays for showrooms or trade show booths or on the field at an outdoor event. Banner stands range from retractable and pop-up options for easy carry-and-display potential to curved tabletop and wall-sized frames for an exciting backdrop.
  5. Bottle glorifiers are used by restaurants, clubs and bars to attractively display beverage brands. However, they can also work well for point of purchase promotions highlighting other bottled products such as sauces or perfumes. Glorifiers can be as simple as a plastic or wood imprinted riser or as involved as a backlit acrylic showcase.
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Tuesday
February 19, 2013

The Harlem Shake Goes Viral in the Ad Specialty Industry!

Filed under: Fun, Uncategorized

The Harlem ShakeJust a few days ago, I never heard of The Harlem Shake. Now, I can’t go a few hours without hearing about it!

Featuring a song by Baauer of the same name, The Harlem Shake is basically an Internet meme that went viral earlier this month where groups of people film themselves emulating a funky dance style. Lasting no more than 30 seconds, The Harlem Shake begins with one individual — usually masked or helmeted — dancing alone for 15 seconds and surrounded by people who seem quite oblivious. Then, as the music kicks in, everyone joins the convulsive dance. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Well, not really, but you know what I mean.

How or why this has become such an Internet sensation is befuddling, but it’s so pervasive that some of the folks in the industry — including ASI — have jumped onto The Harlem Shake bandwagon. Check them out below, and if your company is doing one, we want to know! Post a link here, or email us at feedback@asicentral.com.

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Wednesday
February 13, 2013

6 Sexy Promo Products for Valentine’s Day

Filed under: Fun, General

Sexy ProductsQueue Barry White’s Greatest Hits and get the wine chillin’ … it’s that time of year again, when lovers young and old exchange heart-shaped Hallmark greetings, drop ridiculous dough on fancy restaurants, and overdose on chocolate. Yep, Valentine’s Day 2013 promises to be all that and more for those of us with significant others. (For those of us without, like yours truly, there’s always a hockey game on and cold beer in the fridge.)

And in keeping with his annual tradition, Joe Haley of The Joe Show fame presents his top sexy promotional products of the year. Watch this year’s video here, and in the meantime here is the list of the 6 Sexy Products for Valentine’s Day:

  • Condom in a Match Case
  • Bling Cup
  • Thigh Highs
  • Diamond Ring Keytag
  • Pasties
  • Chocolates
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Tuesday
February 12, 2013

10 Cool Tech Facts

Filed under: Tip of the Day

Tech Market FactsLooking for a new market to target? Try technology.

One of the few bright spots in the 2012 economy, not only are tech sector jobs growing but they’re driving secondary job creation as well. This month’s Advantages’ magazine cover story “What It Takes to Win the Tech Sector” explores this hot market in depth and provides great tips and advice on how to take advantage of the wealth of opportunity here. So what are you waiting for?! Read this article now! And in the meantime, here are 10 interesting tech facts:

  1. The world’s top five technology companies by revenue: Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, HP, Foxconn, IBM.
  2. Unemployment in the high-tech sector is far below the national rate. In recent years, employment growth in technology has outpaced growth in the private sector as a whole by a ratio of three-to-one.
  3. What’s a STEM job? It’s science, technology, engineering and math related.
  4. The top three states for high-tech employment concentration: Washington, Massachusetts and Virginia.
  5. The richest person in America is Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
  6. 70% of college students use keyboards (not paper) to take notes.
  7. China is the top mobile market.
  8. Apple sold its 100 millionth iPad in October, two and a half years after its first model came out.
  9. 38% of college students can’t go more than 10 minutes without checking their smartphone or other device.
  10. Alaska is the only state that can be typed on one row of a QWERTY keyboard.
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Wednesday
February 6, 2013

Fastest-Growing Distributors and Suppliers from the Past 6 Years

Filed under: Awards

Fastest-Growing CompaniesIf your company has been experiencing incredible growth over the past few years, then ASI wants to hear from you! Why? Well, you could be recognized by Counselor magazine in its annual Top 10 Fastest Growing companies in the industry award.

To be eligible for this category, your company must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Promotional product sales were $200,000 or more in 2010.
  • 2011 sales must be more than 2010 and 2012 sales must be more than 2011.
  • 2012 sales were $1 million or more.

Both suppliers and distributors are eligible. So … does your company have what it takes? Then click here to nominate it now! And in the meantime, here are the fastest-growing distributors and suppliers of the past 6 years:

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

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Monday
February 4, 2013

Poll Results - Who Will Win Super Bowl?

Filed under: Poll Results

Super Bowl XLVIII, like the rest of the country, seemed to be on the San Fran/Colin Kaepernick bandwagon, predicting the 49ers and their young, upstart QB would win Super Bowl XLVII over the Baltimore Ravens. Las Vegas had the odds leaning toward San Fran (-3.5 points), and every poll result I read was overwhelmingly in favor of the NFC champs. The underdog Ravens — who improbably knocked off not only Peyton and Denver, but Tom and the mighty Patriots in the playoffs — had to be out of steam by now, right?

Wrong.

Baltimore and MVP Joe Flacco came out of the gate quickly and never looked back — despite a head-scratching power outage — defeating San Fran 34-31 and in the process left me eating crow. But thankfully I have a lot of company to help consume it.

On Monday, January 28, I posted our Super Bowl poll asking who would win. Of the 232 total votes we received, 126 (54%) voted in favor of San Fran, with the remaining 106 (46%) going for Baltimore. Not a landslide, but definitely on par with the rest of the popular concensus.

Here’s the complete breakdown, including chart, to this poll: (TOTAL VOTES: 232)

Ravens-49ers Poll Results

 

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