51 replies to this topic

[3Koi Maui]

http://www.trimega.org/

TriMega Signs Exclusive Relationship with ASI

Rosemont, IL (August 2009) - TriMega Purchasing Association announced that it recently entered into an agreement with the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) to provide access to product research, marketing tools and thousands of new vendors to help TriMega's independent dealers increase their promotional product sales. ASI is the largest media and marketing organization serving the promotional products industry, and has a membership of 22,000+ distributor and 3,500+ supplier firms.

ASI's reputation and proven experience in this world of ad specialties, along with bestin-class resources, like ESP Online, LogoMall, and educational offerings, made ASI a strong fit with the TriMega's strategy of plan of helping its members leverage the opportunity in this category by either adding promotional products to their product mix or growing their existing sales in this category.

"In an effort to continually add value for our members, we are pleased to partner with ASI," commented Grady Taylor, TriMega's Executive Vice President of Member Development. "As our members look for new ways to service their customers, the more they position themselves as the one-stop source - the greater the benefits they'll realize in sales, account profitability and customer retention," he remarked. "The addition of ASI products and services is will greatly enhance our members' ability to meet the broader needs of their clients, with the custom solutions and exceptional service they have come to expect from TriMega dealers," stated Taylor.

The agreement, which was first communicated to TriMega members late last month, allows TriMega Members to take advantage of ASI's products and services at an exclusive TriMega discount, as well as providing access to ASI's online and print resources, industry research, newsletters, websites, trade shows, databases, and interactive e-commerce, marketing and sales tools. TriMega members can also receive introductory ASI marketing catalogs to distribute to their customers and prospects to help generate awareness and drive new sales.

"We are pleased that TriMega has selected our products and services to help its members expand their advertising specialty business" said Dan O'Halloran, Senior Vice President of Distributor Services for ASI. "Not only are we impressed with the TriMega model and their established member network, we are also very excited to by the fact that promotional products buyers will benefit from greater attention placed on their needs through the additional services TriMega dealers are now able to provide them," he concluded.

"Many TriMega members have long recognized the significant opportunities and synergies with the addition of advertising specialties to their business, while even many more are now eager to take this new offering to their customers for the first time" commented Michael Morris, TriMega's Vice President of Marketing.

"Whether its embroidered logo apparel for staff incentives, bags for use at tradeshows or custom calendars for law offices, promotional products represent a terrific complement to the offering of most office product dealers," he commented. "To partner with such a progressive organization in ASI, ensures our members have all the right players, products and tools in their corner to make the most of this remarkable opportunity," he said.

"The initial, very early response from TriMega members has been fantastic," said O'Halloran. "They are as enthusiastic and excited about the TriMega & ASI program as we are - which is great. We are also thrilled to be able to provide TriMega members with access to a robust offering of educational programs and vehicles, through our ASI Shows, website and other training and marketing resources," he added. "With TriMega's support and ASI's capabilities, we're confident we can help TriMega members gain industry knowledge and grow their sales in the advertising specialty marketplace", he concluded.

About TriMega

The TriMega Purchasing Association is a not-for-profit member owned buying group serving office products dealers nationwide. The group helps its more than 585 members profit through group purchasing, rebate negotiation and tracking, the production of quality marketing materials and information sharing through networking and education at various TriMega events. For more information on the TriMega Purchasing Association, visit www.trimega.org, or call (847) 699-3330 or write to us at info@trimega.org.

About ASI

Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, with a membership of over 26,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of advertising specialties. Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to over 22,000 ASI distributor firms. Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain nearly every product in the industry from more than 3,500 reputable suppliers, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers. ASI provides catalogs, information directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers e-commerce, marketing and selling tools. Visit www.asicentral.com.

[Chris Miller]

wow.

Not sure what else to say. Just wow.

[Chris Miller]

Oh did I mention.... this is one of our biggest customers!! ASI is an ANIMAL. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

[3Koi Maui]

Ah, too bad for you and other distributors who sold to them.

But imagine all the office supply businesses now learning the promotional products business. There are definitely talented sales people at office supply stores, but my recent experiences here at the Office Max wouldn't boost my confidence to want to trust them with a promotional order with any complexity.

I would guess many of them start out with offering just a set of standard items, whereas the more intricate or specialized products would be best served by local distributors.

I wonder about the use of the word "exclusive". The detail of the announcement mentions that Trimega gets an exclusive discount. But I don't know that it means that no other industry resources could be utilized. If exclusive doesn't cover all other services, it could be a good opportunity and an expanded market for anyone offering 3rd party services such as websites, catalogs, order tracking, etc.

Certainly the non-ASI services such as logo conversion and digitizing should see this as an opportunity to market themselves to this new pool.

[3Koi Maui]

Chris, will you now offer DT membership to this pool of office supply businesses? They announcement below says only 585 members, but that is probably the businesses, not the employee count.

[rosec]

Chris,

I don't get it. It is another entity entering into the promotional industry. This is done every day?

Office Depot as is Staples .... all the players in the office supplies industry targeted the promotional products industry as another way to pull more $$$ out of their existing customer base. They have all had different approaches but it is a natural progression for them. All TriMega is is a co-op of independent owners doing the same thing? That is the free market system. One day your customer, the next your competitor.... happens to suppliers every day!

Not trying to be glib...but things are a changin.... for all of us.

Rose

[jimknecht]

I personally see this as worrisome. So if any group of resellers, resellers of anything, can group together to join our industry, what is to stop others from doing so?

Think about it. How about golf courses, high schools, college bookstores, souvenir stores, etc. Even if these folks sell promotional products, do we want them as distributors?

[3Koi Maui]

Changes like this are going to impact the suppliers, because of all the newbies that will hit the order chain. Sure, there's turnover and new distributors all the time, but now there will also be office supply clerks trying to place orders, probably without any training. Hopefully the office supply place will at least designate specialists in their store, like they do with copy and print orders.

Will there be MORE orders overall? Hard to say. An office supply store that sells promotional goods that might have been ordered via a distributor, or they might reach new customers that didn't have a PPD contact.

[Chris Miller]

3Koi Maui said:

Will there be MORE orders overall? Hard to say.

Thats my issue with it and I think the answer is NO. All that is happening is orders are being shifted away from those of us who do this for a living, and into the hands of part timers and big box stores who just do this for "extra" income. They have set the stage for buyers who expect to buy 10% over net costs and although there is high turnover, there will never be a lack of NEW trunk slammers for them to buy from.

Pretty soon ASI will be the only one making any real money in the industry, acting as a hub for every transaction that takes place.

[AdmanGR]

My suspicion is this ( I sold office products for ten years before coming into this industry back in 1996).

The typical indepenent office products dealer or salesperson is a fearful creature nowadays. Even with their buying groups they often wonder why they do what they do. The big players Depot, Staples, Max, CE eat them alive on price and their service isn't all that much worse than the "local" supply house. They face the big boys selling basic items at 10-30% or more below their cost in crazy price matrix schemes....ugly to say the least.

So, when they join ASI's Trimega program for a minimum of $1900 annual they are typically in the wrong mindset from day one( office supply battle fatigue). The first thing they think about is price and if they can compete...and many will be scared that they will lose their "quality" bread and butter office supply business "if the imprinted mug order goes askew" so they won't embrace this new opportunity. They may try leaders and loss leaders ~ that will be the death blow to them as they are already concerned with cashflow - good luck :tongue:

Many , if not most of the salespeople, in the office supply industry are simply order takers first and foremost. Those with some moxie and drive to really sell promo will be an anomaly and those will most likey defect to start their own distributorship or join with a traditional distributor to put the misery of the office products industry fully behind them. The rest will continue to take re-orders for toner and paper fearing change in their mundane routines...and once in awhile they will get an order dropped in their laps for promo....

So, as you may have gathered...I don't fear this group too much. They will enjoy some sales, but will not be a significant impact to the professional distributor who is out working and helping their clients to create action with successful promotions.

[ScottH]

One of the first things I do meeting with a new (potential) client is explain that this is all I do. No printing, no websites, no office supplies, etc. I'm their specialist in effectively using promotional products for promoting their brand. you'll get some people that don't care - probably doesn't matter - they're normally price shoppers anyway & wonder why the 39 cent 'coozees' they bought fell apart on the first use.
The serious buyer, that understands promotional products and the complexity of the industry gets you.

I've always liked the line about 'There are 2400 white, C- handle coffee mugs in this industry. I know which one is the right one for you." (or something similar).

Last week, I had a guy that wanted a laser pointer. Wouldn't give me any details, just wanted to see photos & pricing on each one. When I told him there were 1400 different ones, he was a little shocked.

You have to get clients to understand the complexity of the business and the complexity of using promotional products effectively. If you're a 'here's my catalog. call me when you find something' kinda guy, you're dead.

[abaker64]

I wonder how many traditional customers this type of deal costs ASI, 585 probably heavily discounted subscriptions in. How many full price ones out?

I also wonder how many of those 585 will still be around in a year when they realise just how much they have to learn and how tough it is to survive on the can coozies and cheap pen orders!

22,000 plus 585 may equal 21500!

Adrian

[royster13]

Come on folks!.....Do you really think selling promotional products is that hard?.....

[jimknecht]

royster13 said:

Come on folks!.....Do you really think selling promotional products is that hard?.....

Well yes, I do... if done properly. Now anyone can stick a catalog in front of a prospective client, but I do believe it takes years of training & experience to be a professional in this industry. There are just too many products & too many imprint methods... much less knowing which vendor is best for each situation.

[abaker64]

Well maybe not with magnets and message boards!:) sorry Royce

But if you want to put programs together, design packaging etc then yes there is a lot to learn.

[royster13]

What % of products sold today are part of a program or need packaging designed?....I think this is a very small segment.....But I agree for those there is a higher skill level required....

But in my mind most products sold today is just easy stuff......I got a package of samples from Hub Pen a while back and what caught my attention is that 2/3s of the imprints were straight text....And not even nice text.....

Any many folks here need those easy sales to make up for all the time they have to spend on clients that make them "jump through hoops"....

PS....I know more about message boards and magnets that most everyone here.....lol.....

[Chris Miller]

Come on folks, Royce is right just admit it. :) Some have repeated the nonsense over and over to themselves so many times that they are starting to believe it. Promotional products ARE easy to sell and anyone can do it. Those who know nothing get all the help they need when working with a supplier.

I got into this business 5 short years ago. Had never heard of it, never knew anyone who was in it. It took me all of a month to research it, learn all I need to know to launch a successful company, and put a forum online where I could pose as the industry expert. :D Really... not trying to be silly about it, but it's really not too difficult.

If what you all are saying it true, then no distributor could ever hire a new salesperson because the learning curve is just too much to handle. No supplier could ever hire a new CS rep - again, too much for the average person to wrap their head around. They do though, and companies like K&B have floods of "newbies" who do very well. All it takes is a basic understanding of a few imprint methods and you understand the entire industry.

Let's just face it.... it's not that difficult to sell promotional products. These guys will do a fine job of taking away business from even the most experienced distributor.

[royster13]

They just need to go to Barnes & Noble and pickup the 2009 edition of "Promotional Products for Dummies".....lol....

[abaker64]

Royce,

I know you know more about those products than nearly anyone alive:) but even with those products there are all sorts of options, upgrades, tipping, back side imprints, custom artwork, licensing ties ins, etc etc

My point is that you can take orders for stuff or sell products and services. Taking orders is easy but if you don't understand what you are doing can be low margins, they can also be very high margin.

I'm not opposed to getting paid for taking an order, but i like the higher margins available and repeat business when i actually contribute something to the process.

If you take orders and add nothing you are vulnerable to the next order taker with a sharper pen.

[abaker64]

Chris Miller said:

I got into this business 5 short years ago. Had never heard of it, never knew anyone who was in it. It took me all of a month to research it, learn all I need to know to launch a successful company, and put a forum online where I could pose as the industry expert. :D Really... not trying to be silly about it, but it's really not too difficult.

Chris,

If they let you in with no experience at all, why are you now complaining about them letting the next guy in!:D