Sep 2017
A few weeks ago I attended Content Marketing World (CMW) in Cleveland, Ohio. As a writer at heart, I was thrilled at the opportunity to attend so many sessions on content creation hosted by some of the industry’s greatest. At CMW, I learned that while it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, finding what… Read More
Sep 2017
I am very involved in the community and am a member of a number of organizations. For me, it’s a great way to stay connected. I had two different groups recently host combination-type trade shows and networking events. I exhibited at one and attended the other. It really got me to thinking, what’s the best… Read More
Sep 2017
The fall season is here and, with it, comes crisp mornings and chillier evenings—maybe even a rain drop or two. Yet, there are days where amid the cooler temperatures the sun is shining brightly. This distinctive climate calls for special apparel, and branded clothing ideas for the coming season. Branded fall fashion will appeal to… Read More
Sep 2017
I started Proforma in 1978, just one year after graduating from college, in my Cleveland apartment with a $200 investment in a phone answering machine, stationery and a used file cabinet. We grew nicely in those early years. By 1984, we had grown to about $4 million in the Cleveland area. I decided it was… Read More
Sep 2017
In my last blog, I wrote about the importance of building a recruiting pipeline. In today’s world, recruiters are being asked to do more with fewer resources. This is where talent pipelining comes into account. If you want to be a leading employer in today’s market, you need to develop a pipeline of qualified and… Read More
Sep 2017
We all know that highly useful promotional products are some of the most effective at driving your message, especially housewares. But many automatically assume that means kitchen products… and we get it. Beyond the fact that we all have to eat to survive, it’s the natural gathering place for the family and arguably the most… Read More
Sep 2017
“It’s not what you say, but how you say it” – a message I’ve addressed several times in the past in a handful of different ways. The way that a message is communicated, the very method of delivery itself, carries equal (oftentimes even greater) value than the words themselves. And, let’s be honest: while the… Read More
Sep 2017
I am what you would call a side-project junky. I work a day job and then I come home to work on a passion project. However, finding time after a day job to dedicate time to work can be difficult when I also manage an ever-changing schedule. I shared my problem with my coworker, Perry… Read More
Sep 2017
In my last blog article, I recalled a story from the early days of Proforma, and how a client’s request for 12 spiral rings led to earning a million-dollar customer with 50 percent gross profit. Here’s a story of another million dollar win. Back in those early years building Proforma, my practice was to get up… Read More
Sep 2017
“The customer is always right.” Many read into this popular phrase as an understanding to always say yes to their customers’ requests but they couldn’t be any more wrong. You do not need to do everything they say to make them happy in the end. It’s important to say no to your customers so that… Read More
