Intern Today, CEO Tomorrow

Wednesday May 18, 2016 | Filed under:

One of the biggest concerns distributors have over hiring summer interns is the time and effort it takes to train newcomers about our industry. I get that. To help, we made training a key component of a bold new ASI intern program.

ASI devised a series of training webinars that offer interns hired by industry companies a broad overview of products and their ROI, biggest markets, industry players and more. It’s like taking Promo 101.

I’m such an unabashed cheerleader for the promo industry that I want to keep it flourishing forever, but it’s clear we’re in dire need of more millennials and greater diversity. Interns can provide new energy, ideas, enthusiasm and insights into the new millennial generation – our future buyers as well as future employees.

According to Forbes, there are 80 million millennials in America alone, and they represent about a fourth of the entire population and $200 billion in annual buying power. They are the trendsetters. Take a moment to review your own staff – how many millennials work with you? How many people of color?

As the age and demographics of buyers change, as well as the audiences they’re trying to reach, we need an industry that reflects those demographics so we can better understand preferences, what works and what doesn’t work.

As it stands now, though, the advertising specialty industry is largely invisible to millennials. In school, they learn about buying and using TV, radio and Internet advertising, direct mail and everything else, but marketing programs rarely mention the power of promotional products and their incredible ROI.

That’s why hiring an intern makes good business sense. Even if they don’t enter the industry full-time, they’ll learn why they should include promotional products in whatever future marketing campaigns they create in whatever industry they choose.

So please check out the ASI® Summer Internship Program, which will provide each intern hired by an industry company with:

  • Free ESP® access for distributor interns for the summer (license expires 9/1/2016)
  • An ASI summer gift pack of promotional items
  • An invitation to attend ASI Chicago
  • VIP breakfast at ASI Chicago
  • A 5-week webinar education series and industry overview (beginning June 1)
  • An internship completion certificate

ASI will also award at least one intern with a $1,000 scholarship.

We just announced this program, and already about 60 people have registered. Join the trend! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at tim.andrews@asicentral.com.