‘Hey look,’ you must’ve thought before clicking on this article, ‘it’s that guy who’s always posting on LinkedIn about wearing pink on Wednesdays.’

Guilty. “Pink Wednesday” is a weekly reminder to spread love and kindness to others in our industry and beyond. Those posts helped me make a name for myself and put me on PPAI’s #Online18 ranking of the promo industry’s best follows on social media for 2023.

The odds are overwhelming that you don’t know me personally even though I’ve been in this industry for a decade. You might not even follow me on LinkedIn or Facebook – it’s not like I have millions of followers. But because of the way I use these platforms to market myself and the work I do for Hirsch, you’re still pretty likely to have seen my posts shared into your feed and have at least a vague awareness of who I am and what I do.

And in this industry, which is built on relationships, that means something.

We all recognize that our digital lives are a massive representation of ourselves and our businesses. You can no longer afford to handle your marketing in only print, or even through digital ads or email blasts. Social media is now the public square. Whether you’re a supplier or distributor, it’s where all of your customers go to hang out on a daily basis – especially LinkedIn.

But so many of us are still hesitant or unwilling to embrace this vital piece of the customer funnel.

In fact, that was me not too long ago, before coming into my own online and in my career within the last five years. If that’s your feeling about social media now, I hope that the lessons I’ve learned can be helpful for you.

Find A Purpose

How did I get here?

It started by allowing myself to fall in love with social media despite my previous feelings about it. Years ago, I had actually deleted all of my social platforms. I felt they were wasting my time and not doing me any good. Then, while volunteering for the Houston Promotional Products Association, I was put on the social media committee. This got me back on social with a new profile and an intention to get involved for work, but post nothing personal.

Once back on all the platforms, I started to see and appreciate them in a totally different way. I loved connecting with so many people in the industry and becoming friends before even meeting in person. I discovered a new purpose for the way I used social media, and the rest is history.

Recognize Your Audience

After rejoining social media and focusing my efforts on posts related to my work, I discovered that, despite what can sometimes feel like shouting into the void, people actually do listen and read what you put on social media.

Some come to know you through your posts, and truly care about your words. I started posting about wearing pink on Wednesdays as a way to bring positivity during the pandemic. I figured most people would find it annoying, but they did not. They embraced the insane positivity and let me do my thing.

Aim For Consistency

The Pink Wednesday posts are now a staple in my life. I make a point to stop what I am doing every Wednesday to make that post. People expect it now – it’s part of my online identity, which is something you have to purposely craft and be mindful of to market effectively on social media.

You can’t be spotty in your posts if you want to gain any sort of traction or following. You have to establish routines. Sometimes breaks are needed, and that’s OK. But overall, aim for consistent posting.

It’s not just once a week, either. Some experts say you should post daily. Some say three times a week. Do what works for you: Rarely do I post multiple times a day, because I feel people do not want one person or company monopolizing their feed. Remember, you do have an audience. There’s no need to oversaturate them.

Be Yourself, Fearlessly

Don’t be afraid to show your passion for your work and things that matter to you. Allow your expertise to shine. This will make your messaging meaningful to people.

You don’t want to take the audience for granted: This is about creating a mutual trust and friendship. Let everyone see the true you, and a lot of people will gravitate to it.

Every one of these social media platforms could tank and be gone tomorrow. But you will still be you. So own who you are, what you care about and what makes you great and what you do.

And run with it!

WRITTEN BY: JOSHUA POSPISIL, MAS - MAY 17, 2023 

Published with Permission from PPAI

The promo industry’s largest company is also one of the best run overall in the United States, according to Deloitte and The Wall Street Journal.

Washington-based supplier SanMar has been named by the two entities as a US Best Managed Company for 2023.

According to the Best Managed Companies program, a recipient of the honor has “demonstrated excellence in strategic planning and execution, a commitment to their people and fostering a dynamic culture, as well as strong financials.”

Digital transformation, action toward sustainability and a commitment to DEI are all criteria to be given the designation.

• Private U.S. companies with revenues of at least $250 million are considered.
• Each company applicant is evaluated and ultimately chosen by a panel of external judges.
• The four key areas that the panel evaluates are strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture and governance/financial performance. 
  
  

More than 45 countries are represented tin the Best Managed Companies program. In the U.S., 56 companies earned the honor for 2023. It was SanMar's second time to make the list.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition for all the hard work and dedication of our team,” says Jeremy Lott, SanMar president. “As a family-owned company that empowers team members to drive positive change, we are always working to create the most dynamic workplace culture and invest in the long-term future of our employees.”

The company was founded by Marty Lott, Jeremy's father, in 1971. Jeremy Lott joined the family business full time in 2003. 

"The only way I knew how to run the business was the way my dad ran the business; he's my mentor. That was to be really engaged and hands-on," Jeremy Lott tells PPAI Media. "I travel almost every week, because for me, being on-site in our warehouses or being with our customers or in our factories, that's how I gain a huge amount of knowledge."

SanMar continues to expand its reach. Earlier this year came word of a new SanMar distribution center in Ashland, Virginia. The 1.1 million square foot facility is SanMar’s ninth distribution center in the United States, and is expected to employ 1,000 people.

The company has evolved its brand positioning in recent years, shifting from the vision tagline of "A Canvas for Good" to, more recently, "Together for Good," meant to emphasize its efforts to improve the lives of SanMar workers across the world, particularly women, and create connections through its products.

"We made a really conscious decision as a company... to say it's not good enough for us to just not do bad things, and have an auditing program to make sure we're not doing bad things," Jeremy Lott says. "We need to make sure that we are doing good things in the world and that we are a positive influence in the communities of the people who make our products and for our customers and the communities that they're in."

Published with Permission from PPAI

Goldstar has promoted three North American sales and global marketing team members following the recent merger of its North American and European operations.

• Charles Duggan has been named vice president of sales, North America, and will lead the development and execution of corporate strategic goals for the North American market field sales and national account teams.
• Rob Baumgardner steps into Duggan’s previous role as national accounts manager, North America. He joined the company in 2018.
• Lane Hokanson becomes global marketing manager after two years at the company as key account marketing coordinator.

HALO has earned an EcoVadis Silver Rating, signifying its dedication to sustainability, ethical practices and corporate social responsibility, and placing the distributor among the top-performing organizations in the industry.

• EcoVadis, a globally recognized provider of sustainability ratings, evaluates companies based on their environmental, social and governance performance.
• Attaining the EcoVadis Silver Rating required HALO to undergo a rigorous evaluation of its sustainability initiatives, policies and practices, and covered a broad range of criteria, including environmental impact, labor practices, human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.
• The benefits and implications for HALO and its stakeholders include demonstrated sustainability leadership, enhanced reputation and market advantage, supply chain excellence and continuous improvement.

HALO CEO Marc Simon says, “This recognition validates our efforts to operate in an environmentally conscious and socially responsible manner. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated team members and partners whose collaborative efforts have made this achievement possible.”

iPROMOTEu (PPAI 218870, D12) has announced four promotions within its executive and management teams. 

• Joe Hoffmann has been promoted to senior vice president of operations. Formerly of alphabroder, Prime Resources and Jetline, he joined iPROMOTEu in January 2021 as vice president of vendor management. 
• Dave Kneram is now senior vice president of software engineering. He had been vice president of information technology since joining in December 2020 and previously worked in IT with VistaPrint and Cimpress.
• Emily Codner is the new director of affiliate services. A 10-year veteran at iPROMOTEu, she was most recently senior manager of affiliate services.  
• Mike Segal has been promoted to director of accounts receivable. He was previously senior manager of accounts receivable.

FedEx Corp., a PPAI Affinity Partner, recently announced at its DRIVE Investor Event that it will consolidate its operating companies into one organization, creating efficiencies that will enhance the company's ability to meet the evolving needs of customers and ultimately build a stronger, more profitable enterprise.

• This phased transition, with full implementation expected in June 2024, will ultimately bring FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Services and other FedEx operating companies into Federal Express Corporation, becoming a single company operating a unified, fully integrated air-ground network under the FedEx brand.

This new structure will help facilitate the company’s DRIVE transformation, including Network 2.0, the multi-year effort to improve the efficiency with which FedEx picks up, transports, and delivers packages in the U.S. and Canada.

Raj Subramaniam will serve as President and CEO of the combined organization.

“We are building a simplified experience for our customers, who are at the center of everything we do, so they can adapt to the market,” says Subramaniam. “This combination will allow us to provide customers with even greater value, offering the most advanced data-driven insights to help them make smarter decisions for their business.”

• FedEx Freight will continue to provide less-than-truckload freight transportation services as a stand-alone company under Federal Express Corporation.

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group®, North America’s largest producer and manufacturer of visual communications solutions for tradeshows and events, retail environments and corporate interiors, is thrilled to share that it has been named one of PPAI Magazine’s 2023 Greatest Companies to Work For. This is the third year Orbus has received this recognition, previously in 2019 and 2022.

The PPAI Magazine's Greatest Companies to Work For award recognizes companies that provide exceptional work environments, maintain employee engagement and satisfaction, and promote a positive company culture. Orbus was selected for the award based on its commitment to employee well-being, professional development, and community involvement.

The process for winning this recognition includes sending a questionnaire to employees who are asked to rank their employer on topics such as: “I am confident about my future at this company,” to “I have a good benefits package compared to other companies,” and “This company operates by strong values and ethics.”

On average, the employees from winning companies either agreed or strongly agreed with the positive questions about their employer and workplace. Orbus is honored to be included among 67 ither top promotional products suppliers, distributors, and business services firms.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from PPAI Magazine,” said Gary Keefer, CEO of Orbus, “At Orbus, we believe our employees are our most valuable asset, and we are dedicated to supporting their personal and professional development.”

Alan Vaught is retiring.

The co-founder and president of Garden Grove, California-based supplier and HPG subsidiary Evans Manufacturing, announced that he is stepping down, effective June 30.

Industry Leader

Evans was founded in 1983 as an injection molding company with a focus on retail markets. In the company’s early days, Vaught would sleep on the factory floor to make sure the injection-molding machines ran through the night. He and Evans have come a long way. In 1992 it moved into promotional products.

• Evans operates in many categories, including healthcare, household, office, drinkware, pet, writing instruments, travel, auto, golf, outdoor, tech, spirit, school and more.
• It added a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Nogales, Mexico in 2008.
• Evans was named to PPAI Magazine’s Greatest Companies To Work For list as recently as 2021.
  
  

The company was acquired by HPG in December 2022. As part of the transaction, Vaught continued to lead Evans as division president.

"It has been an incredible journey working with the talented individuals at Evans Manufacturing,” Vaught says. “I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am confident that the company will continue to thrive and flourish in the years to come as part of the HPG family."

What’s Next

Vaught leaves an indelible mark on the company he co-founded. Credited with being an inspiring mentor and role model for numerous colleagues throughout his career, he is applauded for his willingness to share knowledge, provide guidance, and nurture talent.

After retiring, Vaught plans to focus on personal interests such as sailing and spending quality time with his loved ones.

“The HPG team wishes Alan a fulfilling and joyous retirement and expresses deep appreciation for his unwavering dedication and remarkable achievements during his tenure,” says Chris Anderson, CEO of HPG. “Evans and HPG remain committed to upholding the legacy Alan leaves behind, as it continues to deliver high-quality products and frictionless services to its valued customers. That said, Alan remains a significant HPG shareholder, and a trusted advisor to the company, and to myself.”

Like many industries, two of promo’s biggest daily challenges are cybersecurity and order management efficiency. Through a third-party vendor, Florida-based supplier Koozie Group (PPAI 114187, S13) is finding solutions to both areas on the journey to digital transformation.

The Florida-based supplier sends 300,000 order updates to customers per month, according to a case study by Bitly. The sheer volume of business is likely one reason Koozie Group became a client of the leading connections platform, which provides companies the use of branded links, custom QR codes and link-in-bio solutions.

Koozie Group’s 300,000 monthly order updates are sent through Bitly’s secure short link technology, giving customers a sense of security as well as a clear and streamlined communication process.

"With tens of thousands of orders being placed each month with Koozie Group, it's important to us that we create the best possible experience for our customers when they receive a communication from us," says Phil Gergen, SVP of Technology at Koozie Group. "With the Bitly Connections Platform, we are able to generate hundreds of thousands of trackable links for email and SMS messaging that are always stable, reliable and customizable. And because all of Koozie Group's shortened links are powered all in one place by Bitly, we can also continuously improve their performance and the overall customer experience."

Koozie Group is one of several companies spotlighted by Bitly’s “Imagine The PossiBITLYties” campaign that shows how customers are using its Connections Platform to engage with their audiences.

According to Bitly’s case study, Koozie Group uses Bitly short links to send customers directly to their orders through encrypted links without having to log in or receive other status updates, “which is a smoother user experience and still keeps their information secure,” Gergen says.

Koozie Group has always used encrypted links in email updates to customers, but those links could be over 100 characters long. The shorter links are both safe and more user-friendly, and will be “much more appropriate for updates via text, which is an option on the horizon,” the company said. Customers can still choose to bypass the link and log in to their Koozie Group account.

SAGE has officially released its Global Statistical Report for the first quarter of 2023, using data obtained through SAGE Total Access. The Q1 report takes data of various distributor activities and compares it to previous quarters and years in an effort to get a glimpse of the state of the promotional products industry.

Overall, the results from the Q1 reports point to positive trends, which falls in line with what PPAI Research’s Q1 Survey had indicated about a strong start to 2023.

Notable Results  

SAGE is a valuable tool for product searches, and so far in 2023, distributors are using it in this manner even more than they were in January, February and March of 2022.

In terms of total product searches:

• January 2023 yielded a 20% increase over January 2022.
• February 2023 yielded a 7% increase over February 2022.
• March 2023 yielded a 1% increase over March 2022.
  

As is often the case, the new year saw a big increase in product searches from distributors who began searching for orders to be delivered later in the year, after the usual dip during the holidays.

• There was a 30% increase in distributor product searches from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023.
  
  

When it comes to product category searches, bags are still king…

• Bags were the most searched product category in January, February and March 2023, as they were in those months in 2021 and 2022.

...and pens have made a significant leap…

• Pens were the second-most searched category in January, February and March 2023, despite not claiming that spot in any of those months the prior two years.

…which means shirts took something of a dip.

• Shirts, which had been the second-most searched category in all months of Q1 in 2021 and 2022, dropped to the third-most searched product category in January, February and March 2023.
  
  

Meanwhile, distributors have been more commonly making sales presentations in early 2023, relative to Q1 of last year.

• Total sales presentations by distributors in January 2023 were up 18% over January 2022.
• Total sales presentations by distributors in February 2023 were up 9% over February 2022.
• Total sales presentations by distributors in March 2023 were up 1% over March 2022.
  
  

^Total Sales Presentations Created By Distributors Q1 Year-Over-Year Comparison

A full list of the top-50 product category searches for Q1 of 2023 include many of the usual suspects.

• Magnets made a leap into the top 25.
• Phone accessories moved into the top 50.

View The Full Report

The SAGE Global Statistical Report is a snapshot of how the industry is using one of its most powerful search tools. Information about trends, habits and volume can be gleaned by looking at the collected information.

To view the full report for Q1 of 2023, click here.