PPB August 2018

feed back Send feedback on articles in PPB or opinions on industry issues to JamesK@ppai.org . New Industry Partnerships In June, PPAI, SAGE and Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC), the association serving the Canadian promotional products industry, announced a strategic relationship to deliver a comprehensive membership solution to promotional products distributors and suppliers in the Canadian marketplace. This is long overdue. Looking forward to this exciting implementation. SHIRLEY COUTURE Owner Corporate Gifts & Incentives, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia Celebrating Curveballs The June issue of PPB profiled Kyle Gibson, president of KG Specialties, LLC, who, after an illness diagnosis changed his career path, found himself in the promotional products industry and at the head of his own distributor company. What a great story, thank you for sharing it. I’ve found that with a great team, you can accomplish almost anything. Looks like Kyle has built a team that achieves. Congrats! CYNTHIA BAKER PR & Promotions Manager Heritage Sportswear Hebron, Ohio PPAI 177353 Applauding The Women Of Achievement At the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference in Hollywood, California, this June, the Association recognized Marsha Londe, owner and CEO of Atlanta, Georgia-based Tango Partners, and Mary Ellen Sokalski, MAS, CEO of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, creative marketing agency The Scarlet Marketeer, as recipients of the 2018 PPAI Woman of Achievement award. Letter- writer Margaret Custer Ford, MAS, won the award in 2010. The outstanding ladies who have been selected as this year’s honorees for the PPAI Woman of Achievement awards could not have been a more worthwhile selection. Both have given, and given, and given of themselves, without thought of personal gain. Both are absolutely stellar, and I am happy to welcome them into our proud sorority. Now you can sit back and rest on your laurels, but I know you wouldn’t do that, it simply is not in your DNA! You have given us so much. And, I know you will just keep on giving— for which we are all immensely grateful. Thank you both. MARGARET CUSTER FORD, MAS Founder MARCO Ideas Unlimited, Inc. Portland, Oregon PPAI 106680 Weighing Costco Vs. Amazon In the June issue of PPB , James Roren, Sr., founder of PromoOwners.com, wrote “Distributors: Be A Costco, Not An Amazon.” In his piece, he highlighted the value in building a quality experience with customers, cementing their trust and preference. Like it or not, part of the “hybrid distributor” model will include on-demand transactions, acquisition of customers and ultimately the evaluation of those clients to see who is worth keeping. Most relevant online providers have thousands upon thousands of customers they do not have time to follow up with, nor are they willing to invest in additional hybrid strategies to be more consultative. There are a few, but not too many. The art of hunting has all but disappeared, which is why Boomers will always have work. JIM FRANKLYN Vice President of Business Development Swag Promo, LLC Alpharetta, Georgia PPAI 562712 T 8 | AUGUST 2018 |