Every week there are articles published that are of interest to promotional products industry professionals across the land. To save you time, a rotating group of PromoKitchen chefs have culled the internet for the ones you should read and the ones you should skip. This week’s Dish was authored by Chef Bill Petrie.

Predicting President Trump’s Effect on the Promotional Products Industry – “Must Read” Article of the Week

Love him or not, Donald Trump is the president of the United States and his policies will impact every corner of business – including the promotional products industry. This fantastic article by ASI takes a look at several key areas and how it may change the current state of our industry. From tax breaks and deregulation to a possible trade war with China, current promotional products leaders weigh in including Jeff Lederer (Prime), Greg Muzzillo (Proforma), Brandon Mackay (SnugZ), Jonathan Isaacson (Gemline), and Mark Graham (Rightsleeve and commonsku). This is truly a must read for anyone in the promotional products industry.

How to Use ‘No’ to Close More Deals

As a salesperson, I’m not sure I have the words to describe how much I love this article. All too often, salespeople say yes to people and opportunities that really don’t fit the overall view of the organization. This article walks through five steps to truly understand who is buying from you and when saying “no” is the best way to build a long-term relationship. Every salesperson in every industry should read this article on a quarterly basis.

5 Strategies to Make Customers Trust Your Brand

On the surface, the tips in this article seem quite simple and basic and, candidly, they are. It’s only when you dig a little deeper as the article gives you tangible strategies that shorten the distance from “I know” to “I do.” My favorite strategy in here is maintain consistency as it ensures people know what – and when – to expect from you brand. Trust is a difficult feeling to cultivate but it is crucial to long term success.

Gildan Completes Acquisition of American Apparel – “Don’t Waste Your Time Reading” Article of the Week

The ONLY reason this article is listed this week is in the hopes that it is the very last time the brand formerly known as American Apparel is discussed in the industry. Gildan acquired the brand for approximately $88M after winning a court-supervised auction. While the American Apparel brand will continue to exist, the retail stores will not. Move along, nothing to see here.