Happy Halloween! Next week is one of our office's favorite holidays as we celebrate "All Hallows' Eve." Once again, our employees will be dressing up for prizes and fun as they strive to earn cold hard cash and more importantly "bragging rights". Last year's winner, Cory Short as "Proforma Pete" will have to give up his reign, unless he can cleverly disguise himself once again. Friday the 31^st, our employees will enjoy an extra long lunch hour (We will be closed from Noon to 1:30), for a special lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants, yes we all go out in our costumes. We will also post our videos for you all to vote, this year we will give you all weekend to vote so you all have ample time to place your vote.

We are close to the end of October and have already surpassed the total sales for last October, creating yet another record month for our Sales Team! I know you all are very busy with year end sales and getting ready for your own holiday celebrations, which is why it is that much more important to take a few hours away from your business to work ON your business rather than IN your business. Make an appointment with yourself, a friend, spouse or any trusted advisor. Evaluate your plans you made for 2014, determine what worked and what did not work, what you did and what you "planned" to do that never happened. Adjust your plans for the next 14 months, why wait till January to make "resolutions".

 

Get charged, play to win!

Fred

GET CHARGED!

Lisa Gilreath found just the right product for her Property management client, 352 #T230 ADDI Bluetooth Speakers. She used a "free goods" offer to add an additional 32 without cost from Spector resulting in an order worth close to $13,000.00. Gift season is just beginning! Lisa, tells me this is a brand new client of hers. She was introduced to the client at a Golf Outing that she attended. She sold promotional products to the sponsor of the golf outing and asked to attend. While attending she then asked her buyer friend for an introduction to the new client. Networking at it's best, all because she asked. 

Lisa also had a nice repeat order for caps for her Geotechnical Engineering firm that is an industry leader in the design and building of very large foundation earth retention and marine construction projects. What a specialty, and Lisa came up with the perfect custom-made hat from HTT, 1008 caps complete with 3-D logo embroidered patch, sandwich option and back embroidery. Guess what, one final touch, she added the Proforma Albrecht label with her contact info making this her branded cap. The order totaled over $6700.00.

Joe Altieri earned a great order for 1500 4 x 6 photo frames from PLP Hit Promotions worth over $5,000.00 for one of his college clients. His client, Marist College, hands the photo frames out to their graduates, what a great keepsake. While I was speaking to Joe about this project, he mentioned he had another project for a different college, during the process of ordering he was asked for a "ups type" envelope as they planned to have the product "direct mailed." He quickly informed the buyer that "he can provide direct mailing" and the order grew from $2,000 for the product, to $2,000 for the envelope and $2,000.00 for the direct mailing service he provided. One stop shop! It reminded him to start asking all of his college clients if he can help them with their direct mailing efforts.

Joe also scored a great order for 250 UA8440 Underarmour Backpacks from Driving Impressions, decorated by Cincinnati decorator, Everything's Image. All totaled, the order was for close to $17,000.00. The customer, a Federal Credit Union, gave the backpacks away as an employee gifts. 

Cathy Rossner is back in the headlines this week with two awesome orders. Cathy's large commercial construction client ordered Men's and Women's camp shirts being used as gifts for players in golf tournaments. They are style M535 and L535 from Sanmar, decorated  by Blue Frog Embroidery in California. The order totals over $5,000.00.

Cathy also sold another division of her Biotech client some Holiday Gifts for Department Employees. She chose Velvafur Throws from Kanata Blanket in Canada. Her client purchased 500 Throws totaling over $26,000.00.

Here is a "Key" observation about orders coming in for "Holiday" gift giving. First and foremost, I find that many of the orders are coming from what I call the "hidden gem" departments within the various existing clients. Many Sales Executives just assume they are penetrating their accounts or that "my buyers" do not buy for "Gift Giving", yet Millions of dollars are being sold in last minute "food gifts" by retailers like Harry and David because the "buyers' promotional salesperson" simply forgot to "ASK". So what I see is buyers from across the country are purchasing "gifts" for employees or their clients. Many times, each "department" has a budget to spend, sometimes larger budgets. My point, be sure to "Ask" for the holiday order or ask "What does your company do for "Holiday Giving" over the next 2 months? You might find that hidden "Gem".

Words of wisdom from Donald Trump

When asked in an interview how he convinced the City of New York to lease him what turned out to be "prime property" for 40 years for $1.00...he simply replied, I did not ask for 50 years!. Moral of the story, if you want it bad enough, ASK for it.