On Air with AIA

On this episode of On Air With AIA, host Clay Hall chats with Eric Coryell, coach and author of “Revolutionize Teamwork: How to Create and Lead Accountable Teams.” They discuss the importance of creating an environment where teams are able to be open, honest and functional. Eric provides great advice for any team looking to communicate more effectively.

On this episode of On Air With AIA, Clay welcomes Sarah Spratt, owner of AIA-affiliate distributorship, Third Power Promotions. They discuss Sarah’s journey from the beginning of her promotional products career to the present, including anecdotes about her mentor, Harry Hawkins. They also chat about how resiliency and reflection are key to getting through any industry challenge.

On this episode of On Air With AIA, Clay welcomes Stacy Tuschl, best-selling author, speaker, owner of multiple 7-figure businesses and the creator of the Foot Traffic Formula. They discuss some strategies entrepreneurs can use to reenergize their business, as well as how important a positive mindset is to reaching your goals.

In this episode of On Air With AIA, Clay sits down with Bill Petrie, managing partner at brandivate, a full-service executive marketing, sales, branding, and coaching outsourcing team. Bill talks about what it’s like starting a business during a pandemic, how to communicate through podcasts and what he thinks the future of promo will look like.

Our guest this episode is Paul Bellantone, the President and CEO of PPAI (Promotional Products Association International). He discusses how the promotional product industry has adapted since COVID-19 arrived on the scene. He also takes a look at the future of the promo industry and what things might look like in six months and in 18 months.

This week’s guest Mikalee Byerman, Vice President of Strategy at Estipona Group, gives advice for creating a brand voice and sticking with it. Her and our host, Clay Hall, talk about the most important parts of creating content for your brand: authenticity, humanity and being able to tell a story. It might be overwhelming to create that voice, but it will be worth it in the end.

On Air With AIA welcomes guest Jay Busselle, the Marketing Director at Equipment Zone, Inc. Jay is also the founder of a promotional products Twitter chat called #promochat and a self-proclaimed CTO – Chief Taco Officer. They discuss how to market during unpredictable times and how to move forward without having all the answers for what’s ahead. They also talk about the importance of (virtual) human connection and empathy.

This week’s guest Damon West, college professor, keynote speaker and best-selling co-author, talks about the importance of applying life’s lessons to your professional career. He also discusses ways to persevere in the toughest of circumstances while sharing some inspirational anecdotes from his best-selling books.

In this episode Clay Hall sits down with Kevin Ciccotti to discuss the journey that has to be taken to become a great leader, and the benefits of being optimistic, especially in times of uncertainty. They explain why it’s so important to not just talk the talk as a leader, but to also walk the walk. There’s power in acknowledging your flaws and learning from them as well as setting a good example to those around you with positivity.

Clay Hall speaks with DeShaun Diggs about how Gemline is adapting to the changes brought on by COVID-19. Diggs points out some new and exciting product lines as well as what it means to be “knee deep in the now” while still being proactive for the future. They also touch on how suppliers, distributors and distributor groups can collaborate and get through this time together.

COVID-19 is having a huge impact on every industry in America. We’re all adjusting to this new environment, and the promotional products industry is no exception. Clay Hall sat down (virtually) with Fred Hickman, the National Account Manager for SanMar. They discussed how the promotional products industry has become even more flexible with its ability to rise to the occasion for the new needs of consumers.

It’s no secret that Amazon is an industry giant, but for promotional dealers, they’re a giant pain. Tim Andrews, President & Chief Executive Officer of Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), talks through the struggles promotional distributors face in a world of instant gratification and the steps distributors and suppliers need to take to keep the industry moving forward. He points out that, “in the State of the Industry Report only a bit over 60% of distributors revenue is coming from the sale of promotional products - 35-40% of their revenue is coming from things that aren’t promotional products that they are selling; it’s printed materials they are doing for their clients, it’s the creation of websites for their clients, it’s helping with SEO to drive traffic to a website that that client already built or they built for them, it’s providing fulfillment for that client.” Take a listen for some great insights into how you can compete with the pressures and expectations of today’s buyers.

In our latest podcast, Scott and Steve Schmidt from Promote the Brew talk with us about marketing to a niche industry and the importance of building strong relationships. Scott and Steve come from a family with Promotional Product history and they share a love for beer. They combined their love for both markets by establishing a company that helps smaller, local breweries build brand recognition. Scott and Steve both believe that, as promo distributors, loyalty is key. Building relationships with their clients through value-added services like webinars, RPM programs, and other educational seminars helps them build that loyalty and trust. We also get some great craft beer recommendations; we’re ordering our sahti now!

In this episode, Chad Kopitzke discusses the challenges of tracking, motivating, and retaining talent in today’s market. With the emergence of Millennials in the job market, companies are having to re-evaluate their recruitment process in order to draw in and retain the best talent. Chad’s advice to organizations who are trying to retain top talent is to ask themselves; “Do you know what you’re promising?” and “What makes you different and better than your competitors?” Using these answers will help companies build their stories and create a refreshing perception of their business. Take a listen to hear the rest of Chad’s great advice for blending work styles of baby boomers and millennials to achieving maximum job satisfaction and motivation for top talent across the generations.

In this episode, Bryan Kramer talks about the evolution of Marketing and how all of the things that used to work now work more! After starting and successfully running, PureMatter, a global leader in Digital, Social Media and Content Marketing, Bryan discovered he needed more in his life and he started making video content, writing blogs, and doing interviews like this. Bryan’s philosophy is that today’s market is based on #H2H (Human to Human) interaction, not B2B or B2C. Here are the top 3 things that entrepreneurs should focus on to attract and retain customers: Personalization - really understanding your potential client. Understanding so much that you are personalizing the approach for them rather than grouping them into a category. Don’t be salezy, be helpful - the more helpful we are the more it is going to create trust. Engage - engagement means that you are creating more relationships which will eventually create more abundance. Take a listen and find out Bryan’s advice on how to build personal relationships with your clients or prospects in a market overrun with digital interaction.

According to Forbes.com, Alice Heiman is among the world’s leading experts on the complex sale. She is the founder of Alice Heiman, LLC, a leading sales consultancy for midsize companies whose clients see double and triple-digit increases in sales, and co-founder of TradeShow Makeover, the industry leader in preparing companies to close more deals by investing in trade shows and events. Alice talks to us about her incredible background in sales and sales training, as well as sharing some of her tried and true methods for improving your sales strategy. Take a listen to find out how starting each day with a positive mindset can be the first step to catapulting your sales. For full show notes visit: https://aiacommunity.com/resources/podcasts/transform-your-sales-mindset-episode-005/

Mindy Moss, MAS, owner of Moss Marketing Agency, has been in this crazy 21 billion dollar industry for almost 30 years. Twenty-one years have been spent with AIA. Mindy was thrown a business plan at the beginning of her career and told to give it a shot, so she had to learn everything from the ground up. She chats with us about the peaks and valleys she’s seen during her career and some of the business and sales strategies she has used to maximize success in this ever-changing industry. For full show notes visit: https://aiacommunity.com/resources/podcasts/adapting-to-the-promo-industry-episode-004/

When he was young, Chris Anderson (COO of Hub Promotional Group)always dreamed of being Maverick from Top Gun and becoming a fighter pilot in the US Air Force. Unfortunately, a failed eye exam provided him with the harsh reality that he was not going to be able to fly in the Air Force. Determined to still make it to the skies, he worked at a tractor supply store in order to pay for his flying lessons. He first crossed paths with Don Watkins, one of the co-founders of Handstands, while working at this store. Years later, as a young CEO of a rapidly growing enterprise without a vast background in the industry, Chris soon realized that he needed to gain some wisdom quickly. This need led him to Don Miguel Ruiz’s book, The Four Agreements. This book has helped Chris lead and drive the direction of several organizations. Throughout his career, he keeps going back to the four agreements he highlights in this book because he’s found them to be one of the most bulletproof formulas for getting things done! Chris found the wisdom he was looking for, and he hopes The Four Agreements can bring help to other burgeoning entrepreneurs as well. For complete show notes visit: https://aiacommunity.com/resources/podcasts/refresh-your-sal…drive-episode-003/

When he was early in his sales career, Matt Gresge (AIA Corporation’s President & CEO) discovered Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich, which resonated with him because it tied into a life changing lesson he learned as a teenager about using visualization and daily affirmations to set goals for himself. Together, the concepts from Think and Grow Rich and his football coach’s goal setting lessons prepared him to tackle the mental side of the entrepreneurial game later in his career. For full show notes visit: https://aiacommunity.com/resources/podcasts/think-grow-promo-episode-001/