ASICentral Team Blog http://asicentralblog.com/blog Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:56:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 en Fastest-Growing Ad Specialty Companies http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/03/fastest-growing-ad-specialty-companies/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/03/fastest-growing-ad-specialty-companies/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:56:25 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3371 From Counselor PromoGram:

Is Your Company One Of The Fastest Growers?

Counselor is on the hunt for the fastest-growing companies in the ad specialty market. Did your company increase its revenues double-digits in 2011? We want to hear from you. Enter Counselor’s Fastest-Growing Companies (both suppliers and distributors can enter) awards by clicking here and filling out the online form. 

The top 10 Fastest-Growing Suppliers and Distributors will be honored in the May issue of Counselor. Click here to enter now.

So what are you waiting for? Enter the awards now! To see the fastest-growing companies in the ad specialty industry from the past five years, click here. Below are the #1 fastest-growing suppliers and distributors in the industry for the past five years, along with their % of growth.

2011

  • Distributor: Mediacation asi/267029 (400% growth)
  • Supplier: U.S. Flash & technologies asi/93131 (1,002% growth)

2010

  • Distributor: The Kanga Group asi/238906 (559% growth)
  • Supplier: Visstun asi/93975 (922% growth)

2009

  • Distributor: Touchstone asi/345631 (273% growth)
  • Supplier: eGrips Technology asi/54596 (1,700% growth)

2008

  • Distributor: Level 2 Sportswear Inc. asi/252696 (275% growth)
  • Supplier: Impressline asi/62479 (500% growth)

2007

  • Distributor: Gimmees.com, asi/207070 (902% growth)
  • Supplier: Source Abroad Inc., asi/88242 (1,220% growth)
]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/03/fastest-growing-ad-specialty-companies/feed/ Introducing Score! from Wearables Magazine http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/02/introducing-score-from-wearables-magazine/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/02/introducing-score-from-wearables-magazine/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:22:38 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3365 ScoreOne thing that’s certainly not lacking here at ASI Central is a fraternity for professional sports fanatacism. From rooting for our favorite teams to managing our fantasy ones, pro sports provides not only a valuable and tempory escape from the rigors of the day, but ample opportunity to rib a rival fan over his team’s shortcomings. (Being a Yankee fan working among Phillie Phanatics, I took more than my share of liberties in 2009!)

And anytime you can combine sports and the job, well that’s just gravy man! Which brings me to the point of this blog …

Beginning with the January 2012 issue and occurring every other month, Wearables magazine has unveiled a brand-new section called Score! that will drop some knowledge on how to win more sports business through sales strategies and trends. In addition to the great magazine content, Editor C.J. Mittica has included an online component that includes everything from case studies to favorite sports lists.

The inaugural Score! focuses on basketball. Read the article here, and check out the online exclusive here.

And as a quick supplement to the blog, the following are the top 10 most-popular NBA jerseys (Source: InsideHoops.com), followed C.J’s top 3. Enjoy!

  1. Los Angeles Lakers
  2. Boston Celtics
  3. Miami Heat
  4. New York Knicks
  5. Chicago Bulls
  6. Oklahoma City Thunder
  7. Orlando Magic
  8. San Antonio Spurs
  9. Denver Nuggets
  10. Phoenix Suns

C.J.’s Top 3:

  1. Celtics
  2. Lakers
  3. Warriors

What’s your take? Which NBA team jersey do you think is the best?

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/02/02/introducing-score-from-wearables-magazine/feed/ Photos from ASI Radio’s 200th Episode + Contest Winner http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/31/photos-from-asi-radios-200th-episode-contest-winner/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/31/photos-from-asi-radios-200th-episode-contest-winner/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:16:43 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3360 This morning ASI Radio celebrated its 200th episode in fine fashion, as the hosts — as well as the engineers (yours truly being one of them!) — dined on cake and mimosas while surrounded by a bevy of balloons, all compliments of our very own Michele Bell.

It was a joyous and, dare I say, raucous celebration, filled with plenty of mirth and merryment (and champagne) to last at least another 200 episodes (well, almost!). We also gave out a $200 Visa Gift Card to one lucky listener who answered the following three questions correctly:

  1. Who was Counselor’s 2011 Person of the Year? (Marty Lott, SanMar)
  2. Who is the Keynote speaker at this week’s ASI Show Dallas? (Biz Stone of Twitter)
  3. Who is Captain Killjoy? (Andy Cohen)

Congrats to Judi Brown of Getting Personal Imprinting for getting all three correct and winning the $200! For a replay of the show, click here. And for some fun pics from the show, see below.

ASI Radio 200

Wow, is it really 200 episodes already? Sweet!

ASI Radio 200

Getting ready for episode 200.

Kathy Huston

“Hey, where’s the alcohol?” Settle down, Kathy, we got ya.

Andy and Jake

Andy, a.k.a. Captain Killjoy, with marketing maven Jake Krolick for ASI Radio’s 200th episode.

Vinnie D

Yep, you better believe I got some of this cake!

Jake and Michele

Jake and Michele Bell goofing around during the 200th episode.

Vinnie D on the Phones

Oh, there I am again, this time with a drink in my hand while I answer phone calls. What a job!

ASI Radio

Cheers to ASI Radio!

Rooster

The man, the myth, the legend … Rooster, who’s not unfamiliar with having a drink or two around him, manning the tech booth.

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/31/photos-from-asi-radios-200th-episode-contest-winner/feed/ ASI Radio Show 200th Episode - Win $200! http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/30/asi-radio-show-200th-episode-win-200/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/30/asi-radio-show-200th-episode-win-200/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:14:31 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3358 ASI RadioSince its inception in July of 2008, ASI Radio has covered a wide range of important industry topics, interviewed prominent celebrities like Michael J. Fox and Colin Powell, broadcast live industry events like the ASI Show and Virtual Trade Show, and entertained countless thousands along the way.

And now, the show is about to celebrate its 200th episode tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. EST!

In celebration of the 200th episode, we’re gonna offer one lucky listener a chance to call in during the show and answer three quiz questions for $200!

Good luck, and be sure to stay tuned to ASI Radio tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. EST.

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/30/asi-radio-show-200th-episode-win-200/feed/ Tip of the Day - Combatting Price-Cutters http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/24/tip-of-the-day-combatting-price-cutters/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/24/tip-of-the-day-combatting-price-cutters/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:09:55 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3356 Price CuttersI’ve been one of the engineers of the ASI Radio Show for almost three years now and one of the most common questions we get during our call-in segment from our listeners is how to combat price-cutters.

A common problem for many, price-cutters can have an immediate effect on your margins, but, according to Marily Landis, CEO of Basic Business Concepts Inc., it’s important not to push the panic button.

This month’s Counselor Blueprint section is all about combatting price-cutters and how you can beat those competitors that are too willing to cut prices. Chock full of tips and advice — including 4 steps to successfully combatting price-cutters — it’s definitely worth a few mintutes of your time, so check it out here. And in the meantime, here are the 4 steps to pique your interest!

  1. Step 1 - Scout The Competition
  2. Step 2 - Have Honest Conversations With Clients
  3. Step 3 - Analyze The Impact
  4. Step 4 - Negotiate Terms
]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/24/tip-of-the-day-combatting-price-cutters/feed/ Save the Date - Exclusive ASI Radio Interview with Michael J. Fox! http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/19/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-michael-j-fox/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/19/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-michael-j-fox/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:21:56 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3352 Michael J. FoxIf you’re like me and grew up in the ’80s, one of the most indelible actors of the time was Michael J. Fox, who not only made a huge impact on the small screen playing the young Republican Alex P. Keaton in “Family Ties,” but also dazzled on the big screen as Marty McFly in “Back to the Future.” Short of calling him my idol, I gotta say Fox was the inspiration for a lot of my ’80s interests, including skateboarding, Pepsi-Free and cool, jigowatt-powered cars whose doors open skyward.

Back to the present …

Fox, who will be the keynote speaker at the ASI Show San Diego in April, will be doing an exclusive interview with ASI Radio on Jan. 24 at 10:30 a.m. EST.

According to the ASI Show website:

“Actor and activist Michael J. Fox will share the remarkable life lessons he has learned from his struggle with Parkinson’s disease – and the hard-won perspective that helped him to see challenges as opportunities.”

So join us on Tuesday for what promises to be a great radio show!

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/19/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-michael-j-fox/feed/ Everything Old Is New Again http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/11/everything-old-is-new-again/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/11/everything-old-is-new-again/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:37:39 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3349 Blues BrothersI guess the old saying “Everything Old Is New Again” really is true, especially when dealing with promotional apparel. In fact, this month’s Counselor magazine has an article titled exactly that, with seven examples of iconic images from yesteryear tied back to some current fashion trends. For example, remember:

  •  James Dean’s T-shirt in Rebel Without A Cause?
  • Olivia Newton-John’s leg warmers in the video “Let’s Get Physical”?
  • Jennifer Beals’ off-the-shoulder sweatshirt in “Flashdance”?
  • Mr. Rogers’ cardigan?
  • Michael Jackson’s sequined glove?
  • The Blues Brothers’ Ray-Ban sunglasses?

Well, of course you do! And yes, they’re all coming back into fashion again! Read this article to find out more, and don’t be afraid to hold onto those parachute pants a little longer!

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/11/everything-old-is-new-again/feed/ Tip of the Day - Six Steps to Blogging Success http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/06/tip-of-the-day-six-steps-to-blogging-success/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/06/tip-of-the-day-six-steps-to-blogging-success/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:55:21 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3347 6 steps to blogging successBelieve it or not, this year marks my tenth year as a blogger. (10?! OMG, where does the time go!) From breaking news and high school sports updates as a professional journalist, to penning reviews of records for independent artists, I’m pretty familiar with the whole blogosphere and have a pretty good idea what makes a blog successful.

But this month’s “Technology Today” article for Supplier Global Resource by Unmana Datta really nails home the steps you need to take to create a very effective blog. It’s a quick read and very insightful, so check it out here. And in the meantime, here are the basic six steps to whet your appetite - enjoy!

  1. Get the Right Blogger - (”The person you want managing your blog is someone who is passionate about both business and blogging …”)
  2. Get Started - (”Ideally, you want a custom domain - blog.yourcompany.com or yourcompany.com/blog - rather than a generic domain …”)
  3. Blog Regularly - (”It’s no use having your blog featured prominently on your website if the last post is from August 2010 …”)
  4. Be Relevant - (”By now you might be asking what to write about every week …”)
  5. Use Different Media - (”Use interesting images to break the monotony of text and to reinforce your point …”)
  6. Pay Attention to SEO & Sharing - (”With all the effort you’re putting into your blog, you want it to be read by more people than your boss and your mother …”)

BloggDogg

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/06/tip-of-the-day-six-steps-to-blogging-success/feed/ Save the Date - Exclusive ASI Radio Interview with Biz Stone http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/04/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-biz-stone/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/04/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-biz-stone/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:55:05 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3341 Biz StoneLISTEN UP! On Tuesday, January 10 at 10:30 a.m. EST, ASI Radio will be doing a live interview with Biz Stone, one of the co-founders of the enormously popular social network Twitter. Stone, who will be a keynote speaker at the ASI Show Dallas in February, has been developing large-scale systems that facilitate the open exchange of information for more than a decade and will be discussing everything from his vision for Twitter to the “Fail Whale”!

If you’re like me and have been “tweeting” updates in 140 characters or less for years, or are completely new to the technology, you simply cannot miss this show!

More about Stone from the ASI Show website:

“Biz Stone, an American entrepreneur and author, is best known for co-founding Twitter. Stone has been named Entrepreneur of the Decade by Inc magazine, one of the most influential people in the world by TIME magazine, Nerd of the Year by GQ and one of Vanity Fair’s Top Ten Most Influential People of the Information Age.”

So in honor of Biz and his Twitter fame, here’s my 140-character Tweet about this show:

Save the date!! Twitter co-founder and author Biz Stone to be live on ASI Radio, Tuesday, January 10 at 10:30 a.m. EST. http://bit.ly/GHash

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2012/01/04/save-the-date-exclusive-asi-radio-interview-with-biz-stone/feed/ 6 Tips to Succeed with LinkedIn http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2011/12/28/6-tips-to-succeed-with-linkedin/ http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2011/12/28/6-tips-to-succeed-with-linkedin/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:02:52 +0000 Vince Driscoll http://asicentralblog.com/blog/?p=3339 LinkedInI gotta admit, of all the social networks that I’m part of, LinkedIn is the one I engage in the least. Sure, I check it from time to time, have over 100 connections (most of whom I’m not even sure how I know), but I’ve never really scratched the surface of this social network.

And according to Counselor’s January edition of “Tech Tactics,” that’s a huge missed opportunity.

Because not only is LinkedIn a powerful resource for connecting and networking with peers, but it’s also apparently a vast repository for sales leads. So don’t miss next month’s “Tech Tactics” on Counselormag.com, and in the meantime, here are six expert-recommended steps to maximizing the networking and selling power of LinkedIn.

  • Step #1 - Complete & Optimize Your Profile
  • Step #2 - Get Recommendations
  • Step #3 - Search & Connect
  • Step #4 - Create & Join Groups
  • Step #5 - Explore Applications
  • Step #6 - Upgrade Your Account

Now, excuse me while I go re-familiarize myself with my own LinkedIn account.

]]> http://asicentralblog.com/blog/2011/12/28/6-tips-to-succeed-with-linkedin/feed/