Insights

The new year brings new promise for business. It’s also the time that profit seekers evaluate what and how they sell, as they put 2019 strategies into motion. For some, that means experimenting with a new product line—perhaps, the $5.51 billion promotional apparel sector...

It was a good year to be a distributor in the print and promo space. According to our data, overall revenue for the 2018 Top 50 totaled $3.58 billion for the most recently completed fiscal year, a 2.61 percent increase over our 2017 list’s...

It’s no secret that print does best in a mature economic recovery phase of the business cycle. Considering we have been in this phase for nine years when the average recovery tops out at seven, numbers should be skyrocketing...

The industry is a constantly moving and evolving thing. Over its long history, there have been events and trends that have changed the face of the print and promotional industry to its core, such as the constant evolution of technology, the dawn of the internet and the trend of rapid consolidation as a result of mergers and acquisitions...

The decision to target one, three or five verticals is personal. Being able to offer expertise in a single field certainly has its benefits, and distributors who position their companies as true marketing value-adds, selling on the merits of creativity and resourcefulness, will fare well. On the other hand, those who choose a vertical that is regulated may see their business suffer...

Our fifth annual "Women in Print and Promo" feature highlights women of varying professional backgrounds—from account managers to CEOs. What do they have in common? All of our nominees inspire peers, shift perceptions and have a demonstrated track record of success...

For being such a tiny word, “big” can breed various reactions depending on the other utterances with which we couple it. It is very rewarding, for example, to achieve a big break, hit the big time and be the big woman or man on campus, but it can also be pretty upsetting to...

Long before Donald J. Trump took office, he vowed to “make America great again.” For starters, he was vocal about his pro-business stance, something that resonated with executives across all segments, including the printing industry. On Jan. 30, 2017, 10 days after being sworn in as the 45th U.S. president, Trump signed a two-page executive order requiring federal...

The honorees in this year’s “Print+Promo Under 40” didn’t catch our attention by chance. True talent breaks unexpected barriers, which is exactly what members of the class of 2018 have been working toward their entire career. What their résumés lack in years, they make up for with passion, skills and deep-seated principles...

The holiday haze has lifted, and mailboxes are now filling with credit card statements, which means you’ll have to make a few extra sales to close the gap in 2018. If you haven’t done so already, perhaps now is the time to consider dressing up a little business in the $5.51 billion promotional apparel sector. To help you get started, we’ve put together a collection of tips...