Historically, there is a high failure rate amongst industry commission sales professionals. However, the upside is that there’s no ceiling to an individual’s income—the more you sell, the more you make. I have found that the most successful ones exemplify traits that take their game to a different level…
Read MoreJohn Michael Associates Acquires Creative Concepts Promotional Marketing
John Michael Associates Inc. (JMA), a Woman-Owned Enterprise and full-service promotional marketing agency, acquired Creative Concepts Promotional Marketing (CC Promos). JMA’s current operation and organizational structure will remain in place as the CC Promos team and clients transition under the JMA brand…
Read MoreAs the Pandemic Subsides, What Comes Next for Kitting?
Over the last year, kitting has become all the rage, especially for companies and brands looking to reach at-home workforces or host virtual events. But as the pandemic subsides, what comes next for kitting—and where does it fit in the promo distributor’s toolkit moving forward?…
Read MoreNew Era’s Short-Lived ‘Local Market’ MLB Caps Were a Total Disaster
On Tuesday, New Era released a series of MLB caps decorated with patches depicting landmarks, food items, area codes and other local oddities specific to each team. It went … poorly. So poorly, in fact, that New Era pulled the plug on the entire line by Wednesday. What happened?…
Read MoreHow One Distributor Channels His Inner Consultant for Print and Promo Sales Success
If you ask Isaac Ormond of InfoProducts Corp., a distributor based in Sumter, S.C., he’d tell you that he’s really more of a consultant than a salesperson. Part of that means integrating print and promotional products whenever he can—a best-of-both-worlds approach that delivers the best solutions for his clients…
Read MoreAre We Gearing Up for a Promo M&A Boom? (And What to Know If You’re Buying or Selling)
The print side of the industry has seen a number of mergers and acquisitions since the start of the pandemic, but the promo side has been relatively quiet. Here’s how a top supplier and top distributor have navigated the M&A landscape—plus, what to know if you’re buying or selling, and what’s in store for industry M&A in 2021 and beyond…
Read MoreVideo Meetings and Remote Work Are Here to Stay: What It Means for Promotional Polos and Business Casual Apparel
When remote work started last March, most of us thought it would be a temporary thing—two weeks, maybe a month. A year later, that temporary change has become permanent for many workers. Here’s what this new way of business life means for distributors selling polos and business casual apparel…
Read MorePRINTING United Expo 2021 Registration Now Open
Registration has officially opened for the PRINTING United Expo 2021, taking place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., on October 6-8. The expo show floor features a lively Apparel Zone, where attendees can make their own show T-shirt, listen to live industry podcasts and more…
Read MoreOur 5 Favorite Promotional Products of the Week: Xbox Anniversary Gear, USPS Sneakers and More
Are you ready to be halfway through 2021? You know when you accidentally make your podcast play at 1.5 speed? That’s what life feels like right now. Let’s slow it down with this week’s edition of our five favorite promotional products, featuring Xbox 20th anniversary gear, some very flashy basketballs and more…
Read More‘Space Jam 2’ Will Have 200 Licensed Merch Partners as Warner Bros. Looks to Top Original’s Reported $1.2B Merchandise Haul
Warner Bros. made a reported $1.2 billion in merchandise sales from the original “Space Jam,” thanks to hundreds of licensing collaborations. For the sequel due out this year, the studio is once again leaning heavily into licensing, with 200 merchandise partners on board. Can Warner Bros. beat its own high score?…
Read More