And the thunder rolls...

The IMRA Marketing Conference ended yesterday with a mini "Brand" event for promotional products distributors. The Conference was held in Nashville, at a superb hotel (The Hutton) with outstanding service.

Attendance was in excess of the "stretch goal", and the overwhelming sentiment was that everyone learned a lot and it was worth the time. Other than the evacuation caused by a tornado that almost hit downtown it was a wonderful week.

The mood was upbeat--there is finally some optimism (cautious as it might be) about the business in general. Nobody was on Suicide Watch, we left the doors to the roof unlocked, and sharp objects were not hidden. All this is fundamentally Good.

The market has its "issues"--Amazon, the general, slow decline of the big "battleship" accounts, etc.--but the "one-off" business has increased quite a bit so far in 2011 and the portent is for it to continue. Reps and Suppliers alike are more positive.

And we even got some Comic Relief at my expense, courtesy of The Man Upstairs. As I approached the podium to accept the IMRA Presidency, a loud crack of thunder shook the entire building. After a few seconds of stunned silence, the room erupted in laughter--was it an affirmation, or a warning?

I'm taking the High Road--it was an affirmation. It's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

And the thunder rolls...


Pete