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Singer works from home, but closes deals in restaurants or at the client's office.

A native of Michigan, her family
has always been involved at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. After
graduating from the University of
Michigan, she earned a master's at
/ 1 Columbia in international relations.
Her first solo venture, geared
toward individuals, involved selling
embroidered gifts — monogrammed
baby bibs, blankets and beach towels.
A friend suggested she look for corpo-
rate customers and offered her
employer as part of the initiation.
After selling logo towels for a beach
outing to that company, Singer joined
the Advertising Specialties Institute
(ASI) and met with suppliers.
"I was very aggressive and asked
friends to put me in touch with mar-
keting representatives where they
worked," she said. "I'd do an initial
presentation, showing them many
samples, and I'd take orders.
"That's what I still do for new
clients. I try to get to New York four
times a year to touch base with some
people, but I take care of everything
else by phone, fax, FedEx and UPS."
Singer's field is growing. Sales of
promotional products rose from just
over $5 billion in 1990 to $9.5 billion
in 1996 according to ASI. Women
represent 56 percent of the distribu-
tors.
One of Singer's most interesting
clients is a producer of special events.
After hearing about Getting Personal
from an associate, he asked Singer to
find giveaways for an Elvis Presley
tribute concert at Graceland, and she
came up with 16,000 mini-flashlight
key rings.

The next year, the same producer
needed security bracelets for the audi-
ence gathering to see the Pope in New
York's Central Park. Singer arranged
for a shipment of 100,000 pieces that
indicated-each bracelet holder's
assigned seating.
Although maintaining a home
office means Singer can spend more
time with her two preschoolers, she
also has a live-in nanny.
"The reality is that it's still hard to
have a career while raising a family,"
Singer said. "I juggle as best as I can
and struggle with the fact that my
children might open my office door
and call out to me while I'm talking to
an important client."
Michael Singer, chief operating offi-
cer of a 'computer services company, is
his wife's accounting manager, helping
her chart expansion with an increased
client base.
"I knew of other solo practitioners
in New York, but I don't know any-
body here- who operates the same way
I do," Franci Singer said. "I try to
have very competitive pricing because
I have low overhead working out of
my home."
To keep her professional image,
Singer never has clients come to her
residence. Her office is a converted
bedroom and storage space for sam-
ples is in the basement. Business deals
are made over lunch at a restaurant or
in a customer's office.
"I work on a very even keel, and I
treat my clients as if they were my
friends," said Singer. "Actually some of
them have become just that." []

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7/17
1998

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