You guys know that I love T-shirts. I couldn’t write about them as much as I do if I didn’t. And I know that you guys love T-shirts, too. You wouldn’t be as good at your jobs as you are if you didn’t. But how much does your end-user love your T-shirt? That’s the make-or-break question of a successful promotion…
Read MoreCollection: Newsletter Blogs
We Are the Champions
I’m going to level with all of you. A few years ago, I did not know the first thing about…
Read MoreThe Law of Attraction: Who Do You Think You Are?
In my last article, I discussed the importance of gratitude. Today, I would like to talk about the two most powerful words in the English language. If I asked you, “Who are you?” your answer would start with two words: “I am.” I am. The two most powerful words in the English language. Don’t believe me?…
Read MoreShould I Upgrade to QuickBooks Enterprise?
Question: I have sales of $1.2 million annually and am using QuickBooks Premier. I see that QuickBooks recommends its Enterprise software for companies with sales in excess of $1 million. Should I upgrade to Enterprise? Answer: Whether you should upgrade to Enterprise or not at this point will depend on your particular company needs. Enterprise…
Read MoreQuit Trying to Be Everything to Everyone
It’s hard to leave money lying on the table. I’ve heard a lot of people eager for the sale, drooling over the pennies that could easily be had. “Money is money,” they will opine and blame and shame you for not picking up the easy bucks. Here’s the problem with the easy bucks: They keep…
Read MoreThe Best and the Worst NBA Playoffs T-shirts
If you’re like me, you concluded your relaxing Memorial Day weekend by watching the nail-biter seventh game in the NBA Western Conference Finals. While most people probably were focusing on Klay Thompson’s clutch three-pointers and Steven Adams’ scary mustache (no offense, big guy), I was zeroing in on the promotional T-shirts the fans were sporting in…
Read MoreUser Experience vs. User Interface
“User experience” is a buzzword, and with buzzwords come overuse. Nevertheless, a great user experience is critical in today’s world, both offline and online. Disney has done user experience offline better than anyone well before anyone started paying attention. Apple brought forward the importance of user experience when it introduced the first iPhone. A great…
Read More‘I Wouldn’t Buy It, But You Definitely Should’
In the promotional products industry, suppliers and distributors work hard to build relationships with one another—trusting that the other half of the relationship cares as much about the product and the end-user as they do. So how would you feel if you found out that supplier or distributor wouldn’t even buy its own product? Super confident, right? No, of course not…
Read MoreCan I Switch from QuickBooks Online to Premier?
Question: Last year, I called QuickBooks to ask which program I should buy. They told me QuickBooks Online, and switched me from QuickBooks Premier to Online, but it doesn’t do what I need it to do. Can I convert back to QuickBooks Premier? Answer: Yes, but it’s not easy. Intuit sells QuickBooks Online as a…
Read MoreThe Top 50: Do Acquisitions Hurt the Industry?
As we were preparing our Top Distributors issue, news broke of four major industry shakeups. In the span of two weeks, Ennis announced plans to sell off Alstyle Apparel to an undisclosed buyer (later revealed to be Gildan Activewear), Hanesbrands Inc. acquired Champion Europe and Pacific Brands Limited, Taylor Corp. bought Staples Print Solutions, and private equity…
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