Archive for January, 2008

Recession?

Last week we had our board meeting to review Q4, recap 2007 and present our 2008 Operating Plan. Like most board meetings, when you are beating your numbers… life is pretty good. So we quickly went through Q4 and 2007 and focused our energy on 2008.

The topic quickly shifted to the unknowns surrounding the national economy, with the main question being… are we entering a recession? And if so, what will the impact be on the promotional products industry?

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Jason’s Favorite Products for 2008

I remember my first industry trade show… wow, all the products, the rush of ideas… it was sensory overload for a person with A.D.D. Ten plus years later, I must admit the “product buzz” has worn off.

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News from the Show Floor: PPAI Vegas

I’m typing this blog on the red-eye Southwest flight with the neon lights of Las Vegas quickly fading behind me. I’m taking the time to reflect on the highlights and lowlights of the annual PPAI Expo. For starters, it was a blur (for multiple reasons), and needless to say, I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.

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News from the Show Floor: ASI Orlando

The industry trade show circuit has started. Just two days into 2008, I was flying down to Orlando to attend the ASI Show… and there’s a slightly different buzz in the air than in years past.

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Best Pratices for Industry Supplier Reps

With our growing sales organization, we have hit the radar of all the suppliers in the promotional industry. This is both a good thing and a bad thing… the good thing is that we are developing great relationships with suppliers (and moving a lot of product)… the bad is that we are being bombarded by a lot of supplier reps who want to get in front of our salespeople to “show them stuff.”

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