Study Shows Entrepreneurship Increasing
Business startups reached their highest level in 14 years in 2009, according to a new study released by the Kauffman Foundation, a nonprofit research firm. Data shows 558,000 new businesses were created each month in 2009, with African-Americans and people 55 and older fueling the greatest increases. "Challenging economic times can serve as a motivational boost to individuals who have been laid off to become their own employers and future job creators," said Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. "Because entrepreneurs drive up the economy, the growth in 2009 business startups is encouraging and hopefully points to a trend in terms of our economic recovery."

The increase in startups in 2009 continues a modest trend that began in 2007, based on Census and Bureau of Labor statistics. Entrepreneurial activity rose last year among both men and women and among non-Latino whites, while slipping slightly for Latinos and Asians. Geographically, entrepreneurship increased at its highest rate west of the Mississippi River, with Oklahoma, Montana, Arizona, Texas and Idaho realizing the largest gains. In these five states alone, roughly 450 per 100,000 adults created a business each month in 2009. In metropolitan areas, Houston had the highest business startup rate last year, while Seattle had the lowest.

"Entrepreneurial activity rates follow strong geographical patterns," said Robert Fairlie, the study’s author. "Entrepreneurial activity is highest in western and southern states, and lowest in the midwestern and northeastern states."

As more Americans are starting their own businesses, jobs are being added to the economy at a significant rate. The U.S. has added jobs every month so far in 2010, with payrolls increasing by 290,000 in April, the most in four years, after a 230,000 gain in March.

Video Report: Industry News Of The Week
Every week, Counselor PromoGram offers a video news report that highlights the industry’s top stories. Called Industry Update, each episode details the most important trends and news items impacting the ad specialty market.

In this episode, we discuss a groundbreaking licensing decision from the U.S. Supreme Court and share news on one Top 40 apparel supplier. Plus, why is the number of entrepreneurs increasing right now? Click here to check out the trends and to watch Counselor PromoGram’s Industry Update.

If you have any news you’d like to see covered on Industry Update or in Counselor PromoGram, please send it to newsdesk@asicentral.com.

Top Marketer Challenge: New Leads
According to a new study by MarketingSherpa, the most pressing challenge for business-to-business marketers is generating high-quality leads. The B2B Marketing Benchmark Survey finds that 69% of the more than 2,600 professionals surveyed name that as a top concern – and ad specialty distributors have ideas on how to help. "It’s critical to expand your leads and your network in general, but if you can be more specific and target those leads and get good ones, that makes a difference," says Erv Pesek, president of Common Sense Consultants (asi/165982), who services and advises a number of B2B marketers.

Pesek says that rather than just going after anyone as a potential new client, it’s important to have a good "suspect list" to begin with, and that a tangible promotional product can help close the deal. As many marketers are expected to do more with less, and stretch out their marketing and promotional dollars, it makes sense that "marketing to a lengthening sales cycle," came in as the second biggest concern on the survey, cited by 39% of respondents. "Clients may not have as many promotions and they’re trying to extend the lives of those promotions," says Pesek. He says for clients looking to get the most of their marketing dollars, he would urge them to target the products more effectively – for example, giving a coffee traveler to a trucker company, rather than a mug.

Podcast: Cold-Calling Secrets
On Tuesday’s ASI Internet Radio Show, the hosts took questions from callers looking for advice on how to be more effective at cold-calling. Looking for ways to improve your hit rate with cold calls? Listen now to this clip from the show. 

Click here to listen to the cold-calling-advice segment from Tuesday’s show.

If you’d like to check out a recording of the whole online radio show, go to www.asicentral.com/radio. And, don’t forget to join us next Tuesday, June 1, for our next broadcast. Log on to www.asicentral.com/radio at 10:30 am eastern time and give us a call at 215-953-4979 or e-mail us at radio@asicentral.com to participate on the show. We want to hear from you.

Obituary: John Palumbo, Industry Consultant
John Palumbo, a regional consultant for United Franchise Group, EmbroidMe (asi/384000) and Sign-A-Rama (asi/388000), died on Saturday, May 22, following a battle with cancer. Palumbo, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was 57.

Palumbo is survived by his wife Nannette, three siblings, four daughters and six grandchildren. A memorial service for Palumbo was held on Tuesday, May 25, at Temple Judea in Fort Myers, FL. Donations can be made to Temple Judea and designated for The Michelle and Erica Fund.

Get On Counselor’s Hot List
Are you doing something unique, hip, fun or trendy in the industry right now? Do you know somebody who is? 

Counselor is looking for nominations of people for its third annual Hot List, which will be published in August – our Hot Issue. We're on the lookout for anyone in the industry who is taking an interesting approach to business, shaking up the status quo or simply networking like a maniac at all hours of the night. We're in search of those people who are making the industry a unique marketplace that's fun and energetic. 

Send an e-mail to Karen Akers at kakers@asicentral.com explaining in 50 words or less why your nomination should be recognized on Counselor's Hot List in August. And, please make sure to include a picture of the person you're nominating.

Nominate Your Company For The Best Places To Work Contest
For the third year in a row, Counselor is setting out to identify the industry companies that employees simply love to work for. These are the distributors and suppliers that have a loyal work force and that provide a work environment which employees want to go to every morning.

Counselor will be unveiling its second-annual Best Places To Work issue in September, and it will undoubtedly include an elite list of industry companies. Do you want your company to be considered? Getting involved is easy – and it’s completely free to participate. The only necessary qualification is that a company has at least 10 employees. To nominate your company, or any others in the market that you think deserve to be recognized, simply click here. Also, there’s no risk to participating. Only the honorees – those companies with the best scores from the survey – will be published in Counselor.

ASI Online Learning Center  

Click here to get a sneak peek of just one sales strategy you'll learn in this course. 

Did you know you can take self-paced, on-demand courses at ASI Education’s Online Learning Center? This is the newest and most convenient way for distributors, decorators and suppliers to get educated. In our newest course for distributors, "Cold-Calling Clinic: Get More Appointments Now," we’ll teach you how to use cold calling as an important tool that can take your selling skills to the next level, including five ways to reduce rejection and key tips for connecting with your prospect. Click here to take the course.

Coming next month: Break Into Five Hot Apparel Markets

ASICentral: Take Our Survey … You Could Win $250!
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Help us out. Take the survey now and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win $250!

Got questions, comments or any type of feedback regarding anything ASICentral, don't hesitate to contact us at feedback@asicentral.com. Also, follow ASICentral at: .

In The News
Anvil Knitwear (asi/36350) has launched an exclusive line of organic apparel to benefit the Jane Goodall Institute and its global environmental and humanitarian youth program.

Boxercraft (asi/41325) has introduced a new promotion, offering its perfect fit T-shirt and boyfriend tank top for $1.99 with the purchase of any regular priced bottom.

Crystal D (asi/47759) has announced that its employees recently donated 18 units of blood to the American Red Cross.

iPROMOTEu (asi/232119) will hold its second annual "Boardwalk Bash" during Promotions East on June 8 at the GypsyBar in the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City. The event, featuring music, dancing and networking, is sponsored by ASI, Admints & Zagabor (asi/31516), Bag Makers (asi/37940), BIC Graphic USA (asi/40480), Corvest, Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125), Norwood, SanMar (asi/84863) and SnugZ USA (asi/88060).

Newton Manufacturing Company (asi/283300) has announced that Jay Donlin, executive vice president of sales and marketing, has been honored with the Shining Star-Spirit Award by the Incentive Marketing Association.

People On The Move
Cap America (asi/43792) has promoted Sarah Page to director of customer relations and Liz Tesreau to customer service manager.

Digispec (asi/49716) and Visstun (asi/93975) have added Robert Line and Ericka Ziegelmaier as sales counselors.