Cheryl Hokanson is the promotional products director at Ironmark (asi/169127) in Annapolis Junction, MD, and she recently earned her MASI through ASI’s certification program.

Q: After taking ASI Certification courses, what’s one thing you’ve changed about how you approach running your business, marketing your services or closing a sale?

A: I really learned to take a consultative approach to selling promotional products. I’m not so much a sales person but more of a solutions provider. I’ve learned to ask the right questions and then, most importantly, listen. It’s amazing what your clients will tell you if you truly listen. In addition, I like to use stats provided by ASI to show the effectiveness of promo products or to explain why I chose a particular item.

Q: What’s a content area in which you’ve really grown your knowledge since becoming certified? How has it helped you as a distributor?

A: I’ve really grown in the area of social media. After receiving my BASI, I created a Facebook page called “The Promo Insider.” I wanted to create a brand for myself and have an avenue to share information about the promo industry, including new products, decorating techniques and ideas for my clients. This Facebook page has morphed into a video series that we produce monthly here at Ironmark. Each segment has a theme, like outdoor celebrations, or Earth Day, or how to thank your clients. I choose several new products and then give ideas on how to use them. This has been very successful for my company and has translated into increased sales.

Q: What are the benefits of continuing your professional development? Why should industry professionals make the time investment to become certified?

A: Regardless of your industry, I believe you should always strive to better yourself. In order to stay relevant, you must invest in education. This industry is definitely constantly changing. When I got into it 12 years ago, I had never heard of social media, sublimation or fidget spinners, but I sure do now! So thank you, ASI!

I’m also learning about various products and ways to decorate apparel, and I’ve also learned how to improve my LinkedIn profile (thanks to Marki Lemons-Ryhal), how to take a consultative approach to selling promos (thanks to David Blaise), and fun tips like suggesting that clients use a promo product instead of a business card. Don Sanders suggested using a microfiber cloth with your business card info printed on it. I took that idea and suggested a financial planner client print his business card onto an RFID blocker sleeve for credit cards. He let me know that he booked six appointments from his first networking event using those. And one person said she was not going to forget him or throw away his card. You just never know when you’ll make a sale based off a class you took, even if it was years ago. I’ll never stop learning and exploring this industry. You can never know it all.

The free ASI Certification Program offers two certification levels for our members: BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information) and MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information). To learn more and start working toward your own certification, visit www.asicentral.com/education.