State & Regional Sales Report
Business was down all across the United States in 2020, but these strategies and trends will help you find success right now, no matter where you sell.
2020 U.S. Promotional Products Sales Revenue
$20.7 billion -19.8% decline
ASI Media’s annual State and Regional Sales Report typically takes the long view. But like with everything else, the pandemic has changed things. While the future still matters, at this moment distributors are concerned with the right here and now. Which states are opening up? What events are returning? Which markets are ready to buy?
That’s where our report comes in. Our exclusive data reveals which states and regions proved the most resilient for selling promo. Likewise, our reporting offers the strategies, products and trends that are going to propel distributors as the U.S. eyes perhaps a soaring economic expansion.
Note From Tim Andrews, ASI s President/CEO: Getting America and Promo Back to Business
It’s clear by nearly every metric – continued low interest rates, huge pent-up demand for travel and entertainment, “help wanted” signs all over America – that we are on the brink of perhaps the biggest economic expansion in decades.
With the masks starting to come off, Americans are leaping at the chance to get back to normal – and back to business. A critical component for success: Vaccinations. About 40% of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
Our industry entrepreneurs were the first in 2020 to spin to a totally unknown market and provide lifesaving PPE, leading even established providers of healthcare products and generating hundreds of millions of sales dollars that kept distributors and suppliers afloat and, in some cases, breaking their own revenue records.
Sizzling Housing Industry Presents Promo Opportunities
The real estate market is white-hot across North America right now, and promo firms are benefiting.
Those who sold or bought a house this year (or tried to) can tell you it’s been a wild ride. A combination of well-qualified buyers, flush with savings after a year of working from home, as well as increased mobility because of recently implemented remote work policies and a dearth of houses for sale has made the bidding process increasingly cutthroat.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median home price across the country was $329,100 in March, the highest it’s been in more than 20 years, and up 17.2% from March 2020. At the same time, inventory is also down almost 30% from a year ago because of huge demand and fewer listings; because of virus fears, many people just aren’t ready yet to open their doors for showings, plus they’re seeing how difficult it is to find a new property.
Project 2021: Spring Brings Hope
This year, we’re following 10 promo companies – suppliers, distributors and decorators – to see how they meet the challenges of a post-COVID world. By ASI Media Staff
As the first quarter of 2021 wraps up, the 10 participants in ASI Media’s Project 2021 report varying levels of success – and an overall optimism for the rest of the year. Overall, in the promo industry, sales were down by nearly 15%, compared to the first quarter of 2020. However, most promo pros believe 2021 sales will surpass 2020 levels, and over 40% expect to beat their 2019 sales.
All year long, ASI Media has been tracking a cross-section of industry players across the United States and Canada – from one-person operations to Top 40 multinational firms. Each month, we check in to learn about their unique challenges and celebrate their hard-won successes. You can read the previous installment of the series here. And stay tuned for