Strategies that are paying off in today’s marketplace. By Barb Ernster Competition can be stiff in this economy, but business owners are dealing with it in a variety of creative ways. Some face competition from cheaper products coming from overseas, others from cheaper products coming from the U.S. Although they are feeling pressure to meet [...]
Companies in the banner and signage industry adapt to the prevailing business climate. By Janice Kleinschmidt Increasing competition, a volatile economy, new technology, changing standards—just surviving in business these days, let alone flourishing, demands the qualities of a nursery rhyme hero (“Jack be nimble, Jack be quick”). In Jack’s time (the early 1800s), jumping over [...]
By Jamie Swedberg Some shops make a good living selling retractable awnings. They have managed to make retractables their bread and butter, while others simply maintain a thriving retractable awning trade as part of a larger custom awning or patio furniture business. Yet across the specialty fabrics industry, many sellers find retractables troublesome. Some say [...]
Jim Miller experiments with improbable concepts until they become a reality. By Sigrid Tornquist “We love working with architects because they often have great ideas and challenge us more than anyone else,” says Jim Miller, president of J. Miller Canvas Inc. in Santa Ana, Calif. “Sometimes I think we should probably say ‘no’ to some [...]
By Galynn Nordstrom Business events and trade shows offer one of the best opportunities to make yourself known within your profession or industry. The converse is equally important: trade shows offer a unique opportunity to get to know people in your industry—the professional contacts who can help you become more successful. If you go in [...]
Each effort should include an element of the other. By Joe Dysart Specialty fabrics businesses trying to get a handle on social media as a promotional tool have found one easy solution: simply integrate the medium into existing email marketing programs. For some, this fusion of social media and email marketing seems inevitable. For example, [...]
Smart branding helps to build strong connections with customers. By Brenda Haines What prompts a customer to choose one company over another? For many companies, the frustrating answer is price. To avoid competing exclusively on price, companies must build a strong emotional connection with customers and prospects. Effective branding will help them look beyond price [...]
Careful planning and tenacity take a new product from the idea stage to successful commercialization. By Barb Ernster From grassroots efforts to sophisticated business processes, companies are finding the means to bring new technologies and products from the lab to the marketplace. Those that are successful in commercializing their ideas have done their homework well, [...]
Mark Mordecai engages customers and employees in the process of creating high-performance products. By Sigrid Tornquist “Keeping product lines relevant is really a question of how we can harness the energy and talent of our whole team to make that happen,” says Mark Mordecai, director of business development for Globe Manufacturing LLC, Pittsfield, N.H. “It’s [...]
There’s never been a better time to expand into an international market—if you are patient, committed and open to new ways of doing business. By Jill C. Lafferty When Walt Disney songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman penned “It’s a Small World (After All)” for a ride at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, they couldn’t [...]
1801 County Road B W, Suite 100
Roseville, MN 55113-4052, USA
+1 651 222 2508
800 225 4324
1801 County Road B W, Suite 100
Roseville, MN 55113-4052, USA
+1 651 222 2508 | 800 225 4324
Copyright @ 2024 Advanced Textiles Association. All rights reserved.
Copyright @ 2024 Advanced Textiles Association. All rights reserved.
