PPB May 2018

Where do you see your company by year end and how does that compare to 2017? We hired four new employees in 2017 [a total of nine full-time employees, plus eight independent contractors] so there is still a learning curve, but our new team dynamic has created a ripe environment for exponential success. What trends or issues are having the biggest impact on your business and why? Companies wanting to buy more retail-type items have caused us to think outside the box and seek relationships with manufacturers who understand the retail market. It has also moved us into the supplier role as we have developed two new products for the market. Seth Weiner, MAS President/CEO Sonic Promos (PPAI 288270) Gaithersburg, Maryland Company Founded: 1997 Key Markets Served: Commercial/residential real estate, financial sector, events and recognition programs, health and wellness, company stores and engagement programs Types Of Services Offered: Design, fulfillment, company store creation, advertising and promotional items How is your business faring so far toward meeting its 2018 goals? Our business is currently up 15 percent. Where do you see your company by year end and how does that compare to 2017? We expect to maintain our percentage to meet an all-time company high in sales for 2018. What trends or issues are having the biggest impact on your business and why? We have seen a number of clients looking to implement bid and RFQ processes with the hope of saving on the bottom line. Businesses that have implemented these processes with a focus on keeping brand identity intact have found ways to save money because they are working consistently with us to create programs that best support their brands and product needs. Companies that are focused on bottom-line savings only have learned quickly that saving a few pennies is not worth it if they wait for all the bids to come in to submit the order and then realize the order needs to be rushed. In that case, they pay 20 percent more when they could have placed the order a week earlier with no rush and ground freight. Patrick Black, MAS President/CEO Perfect Imprints (PPAI 310979) Fort Walton Beach, Florida Company Founded: 1999 Key Markets Served: Perfectimprints.com is an ecommerce-based promotional products agency serving a variety of nationwide client markets. Types Of Services Offered: Promotional products and custom apparel comprise the majority of sales, but the company also offers additional marketing services such as graphic design and web design. How is your business faring so far toward meeting its 2018 goals? On the heels of A Snapshot Of 2018 Year-To-Date 11 Business Leaders Reveal Their Progress So Far—And The Trends Influencing It Small Distributors Teresa Beaudoin Chief Operating Officer Already Gear, Inc. (PPAI 268451) Dallas, Texas Company Founded: 2000 Key Markets Served: Education, city government, business-to-business, churches, teams, individuals Types Of Services Offered: Custom imprinting on just about anything How is your business faring so far toward meeting 2018 goals? We are moving slowly this first quarter—we had a major setback that we are working around. We may not meet our financial goals for the first quarter, but the setback has caused us to restructure and add a new strategy. by Tina Berres Filipski W ith the year’s first quarter in the rearview mirror, most distributors are feeling good about 2018. Seven in 10 distributors who responded to PPAI’s 2017 annual Sales Volume Study are reportedly optimistic about 2018, with 85 percent of large distributors (those with annual sales over $2.5 million) and 72 percent of small distributors (those with sales under $2.5 million) expecting sales this year to be higher than 2017. PPB asked a sample of distributor principals to share their thoughts on their business year to date, plus their anecdotal forecast for year end, and insights on the biggest trends and issues affecting their business. FEATURE | PPAI Exclusive Research: 2017 Distributor Sales Volume Estimate 50 | MAY 2018 |