Management

After COVID-19, What Role Will Promotional Products Have in Marketing?
May 6, 2020 at 11:55 am

We know business will be different, but how? Will client budgets be right-sized and constricted? What will events look like? To what extent will the virtual world remain? What about hiring practices when business begins to operate again? Will businesses be eager to invest and spend money? Here are a few predictions and ruminations as we all dig out and back in...

Pivot to Profit
May 4, 2020 at 12:51 pm

We are all learning some new vocabulary during these times. Phrases like “shelter in place,” “social distancing” and “herd immunity.” Another word I strongly recommend people learn is pivot. "Pivot" simply means to “turn.” Many people reading this need to learn to pivot or turn. To pivot to new types of companies wide open for…

AIA Corporation Appoints Nancy K. Schmidt as New CEO
May 1, 2020 at 8:54 am

AIA Corporation, Appleton, Wis., announced today that it’s board of directors has selected Nancy Schmidt as the company’s new CEO. Schmidt, a two-year veteran of AIA who most recently served as chief financial officer, is the first female CEO in AIA history...

Proforma Affiliate Owner Acquires $2M Distributor
April 28, 2020 at 1:45 pm

Mike Durkee, owner of Proforma Durkee in Charlotte, N.C., announced the acquisition of a $2 million promotional products distributor that is focused exclusively on the medical market. Durkee is a member of Proforma’s 5 Million Dollar Club with 2019 sales of more than $6 million...

In Absence of Live Sports, E-Sports (and E-Sports Merchandise) Is Thriving
April 28, 2020 at 11:41 am

Live sports remain on an indefinite hiatus, and there’s no real definitive light at the end of the tunnel quite yet. One competition has thrived under the COVID-19 lockdown, though: e-sports. Since this is basically the extent of team sports right now, experts believe that the demand for e-sports merchandise, like apparel, is growing...

How to Best Use Direct Mail Marketing During COVID-19
April 27, 2020 at 11:27 am

During a time of crisis, it can be hard to know how best to market your products or services to customers. With businesses having employees work from home, this certainly creates challenges for B2B marketers who use direct mail in their marketing mix...

Apparel Decorators Town Hall: COVID-19 Update
April 27, 2020 at 10:46 am

The SGIA Apparel Decorators Committee will be addressing concerns specific to the apparel community in a town hall panel event on Facebook. If you are a distributor or supplier that decorates apparel, this is a tremendous opportunity to address specific questions that pertain to your company with this panel of experts...

Pick One: A Math Problem or a Math Solution
April 20, 2020 at 11:21 am

I am hearing lots of news and talk about what percent industry sales are down. Some are saying industry sales are down 70 percent. Others are saying industry sales are down even more. If you listen to how much industry sales are down, you have a math problem. The problem is that it can sound…

4 Ways to Make Your Print Marketing More Effective
April 17, 2020 at 2:32 pm

As a marketing professional, one of the hardest tasks in your role is to identify the ROI on your marketing initiatives. With the myriad services available out there that can showcase metrics like product views, open rates, click through rates, time on page, etc., it can be easy to dismiss print advertising as an effective…