Lisa Denham

• Marketing Director of Executive Apparel (asi/53418) in Philadelphia
• Nearly 15 years of industry experience

What I Wish I Knew When I Started …
You can choose what you say yes and no to. In the beginning, eager to impress and make a name for myself, I said yes to every project. Not only was I overworked, I was spreading myself too thin, watering down my talents. If you can specialize in a few key areas that will further your career, you become skilled at those things.

What Frustrates Me the Most …
When people say they can’t learn new technology. I like the challenge of learning to communicate with people in a way that opens their mind to the possibilities of how something can work, but if they’ve already decided something is impossible, it can be very frustrating. The good news is if you’re tenacious and can move that super-negative person to change their mind, then you have a very strong collaborator.

I’ll Never Do That Again …
Raise my voice in the heat of an argument. I once got bad advice on how to handle a difficult situation with a co-worker and acted on it. It didn’t go well. I’ve learned that lowering your voice in a difficult conversation is much more productive. Whenever possible, de-escalate!

If I Were Queen of the Industry …
I’d make it cheaper to make small runs of branded products.

What I Wish I Could Say to a Client …
Be yourself in your marketing efforts. Authenticity is the best way to make real personal connections. Don’t look for a quick fix by copying someone else’s style because it will seem insincere on you. You have a voice that belongs to only you, and people will respond to it.

Best Advice I Received …
Stop multitasking. As someone who must switch gears from technical to creative tasks, I can tell you that it’s not something that you can do too frequently in a day with good results. Writing, for example, is a right-brained task that, if done in a proper time-frame, can actually generate a whole slew of ideas for more articles. Along those same lines, creatives must pay attention to “The Muse.” If an idea will not go away while you’re working on a huge spreadsheet, it’s time to switch gears.

Denham with renowned mosaic muralist Isaiah Zagar

Worst Advice …
Take every call – one of my first bosses as a young sales trainee told me that. Just don’t. If I heeded that advice, I would be on the phone all day trying not to buy products and services. I read most emails, unless there are typos in the subject line. If something seems useful to me, I’ll do my research and reach out for more information. I’m actually the marketer’s dream customer whose goal should be to shrink the timeline between first contact and purchase.

What Suppliers Can Do Better …
There’s a fine balance to doing everything well. Customer service must be excellent. Product should always be high quality and excellent value. In this industry, inventory positions can be the wild card. It’s a juggling act in an industry that customizes. As garment manufacturers, we must sometimes ‘steal’ sizes for alterations and then quickly refill our stock positions. To combat this problem, we consistently add to the stock budget for our top-selling items.

Most Overrated Trend …
If the client really has her heart set on fidget spinners, are you going to tell her that they’re overrated? You may, but I think it pays to ask yourself this first: ‘In a veritable sea of fidget spinners, how can I make my customer’s fidget spinner the absolute best one her audience has ever laid eyes on?’ You may offer some other new product ideas, too, but I think in this industry, creative customization wins the day. I would propose a gift box of five versions of the most “overrated” items and blow her mind with fun.

Stereotype About Salespeople I Hate the Most …
That they’re lazy. I know our distributors are some of the most driven, energetic professionals out there. Yes, they want information fast. Yes, they are often on the road, on their phone and thinking about five things at once. Yes, they can challenge our patience ... but they’re most definitely not lazy!