If you’re a new or mid-level distributor trying to jump-start your sales success, this track was created just for you. These information-packed sessions will help sharpen your skills and give you insider tips for winning clients and closing deals.

This track will provide you with a solid game plan to make your sales skyrocket in any economic situation. You’ll benefit from the knowledge of experienced industry and sales experts, and learn how to outsell your competitors every time.

In this fast-paced track, you’ll learn everything you need to know to market your business – and yourself. You’ll learn how to use social media tools to achieve your marketing goals, and leave with strategies and tips to really stand out from the crowd.

This track will help you grow your distributorship, save money on credit card fees, win back lost clients, and set your mind toward success even in the face of hardship.

This track will give you an insider look at how to make the move to selling brand-name products and programs in the lucrative $90 billion corporate gifts and incentives markets. You’ll learn from experts who can help you expand your promo products business and profit from this niche.

Take a break from the exhibit floor and attend a fast-paced Power Session to discover tips, techniques and insight into improving your marketing, customer service, public speaking and social media skills.

This unique track offers hands-on training in using Adobe Illustrator to create and edit your clients’ logos and designs. (Be sure to bring your own laptop to get the most out of the customized instruction in this popular graphics program.) In addition, you’ll learn about innovative heat press techniques and see decorating machinery in action.

This track is a complete interactive learning experience for designing, selling and producing multi-decoration apparel and personalized products. The sessions are perfect for decorators and distributors who want to expand their reach into profitable business opportunities in multi-decoration apparel and personalized products. A vinyl cutter and heat press will be demonstrated, along with specific design, production and sales techniques for apparel multi-decoration including rhinestone heat transfers, monogramming, glitter vinyl, embroidery and appliqué. The six sessions are part of a progressive learning experience, but you’re welcome to attend individual sessions.

In this specialized track, you’ll learn all about the latest version of ASI’s ESP, the industry’s largest, most accurate sourcing and marketing service. You’ll also see how ESP Websites and digital marketing tools can help you boost your sales and grow your bottom line. Plus, you’ll discover how to use video in your marketing, and hear about the hottest markets and products to focus on now.

Take a break from the exhibit floor and attend a fast-paced Power Session to discover tips, techniques and insight into improving your marketing, customer service, public speaking and social media skills.

Stay up-to-date on all the hottest apparel trends and styles. View mannequins dressed in the newest styles to visualize fit, touch fabrics and recognize quality construction details.

Recharge your mind, body and phone! Plus, join a 30-minute Q&A with ASI Chairman Norman Cohn on each exhibit day.

Vice chairman of the ASI Family of Companies (composed of The ASI Show!^®, ASI Computer Systems^® and ASI^®), Matthew Cohn, MASI, has launched businesses in publishing, e-commerce, trade shows and medical information. He has also served as president, education chair and treasurer of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization and is on the board of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Young President's Organization (YPO). The Philadelphia Business Journal recognized him in their “40 Under 40” awards, and he was named among the Top 100 People to Watch by Business Philadelphia magazine, as well as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the trade show industry by Tradeshow Week. He has been a featured speaker at national conferences such as American Society of Association Executives, Direct Marketing Association, Internet World, Annual Catalog Conference, Seybold Seminars, International Association of Exposition Managers and SISO.

With so many great events taking place at the ASI Show, it can be a daunting task trying to fit everything in. As a new attendee, we know how important it is for you to get the most out of the time you have – but where do you start? Join ASI's Vice Chairman Matthew Cohn as he shares great tips for working the show more effectively, and hear about all the free services and amenities available to distributors/decorators while at an ASI Show.

Liz Wendling is a nationally recognized business and sales consultant and the author of six books. She empowers smart professionals to sell smarter by using an authentic and non-salesy approach. Straightforward and practical, Liz helps professionals modernize and customize their sales language, process and approach, and stand out from the competition. She provides highly effective guidance that focuses on what it takes to close more business in the new economy.

Do you struggle to convert interested prospects into invested clients? Are you sending out proposals and virtual samples to leads who then disappear? In this session you’ll learn how to personalize your follow-up, increase your response rate and close more sales. By knowing how to craft customized and interesting follow-up messages, you’ll win more business and solidify your client relationships. You’ll leave knowing why most prospects ignore follow-up messages, and the creative, easy ways you can capture their attention and get the sale.

Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MASI, is the president and CEO of Cliff Quicksell & Associates and serves as the exclusive sales and marketing consultant and acting director of marketing for iPROMOTEu, Inc. During his 35+ years in the industry, his passion for education and training has been exemplified by his having served five terms as the education chairperson for the regional trade association CPPA of Maryland, and he currently serves on the board and is the chair for the Awards Committee. The author of thousands of articles and recipient of numerous awards, Cliff speaks, trains and consults internationally to associations and national business groups on more effective ways to market themselves and their products and services, as well as how to motivate their personnel.

Most individuals enter business with passion and the idea of being their own boss; however, they also tend to enter without a strategy or plan. Regardless of whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional, this session will uncover the top 10 secrets to running a successful, profitable small business. You’ll leave knowing how to:

• Understand the value of your brand
• Jumpstart your 2020 sales and keep the momentum going all year long
• Increase your company’s performance
• Drive higher sales and grow your bottom line.

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a fifth-generation entrepreneur dedicated to all things social media and technology. With over 25 years of marketing experience, she has taught more than 300,000 people how to earn up to a 2,682% return on their marketing dollars. The recipient of several sales awards, her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, Homes.com and REALTOR Magazine.

A solid video strategy – starting with a three-minute Facebook Live video highlighting one of your services, that can be repurposed to YouTube, Instagram and Twitter – is one of the best ways to engage with prospects and stay top of mind with current customers. In this session you’ll learn the process to follow during your Facebook Live broadcast, and leave knowing how to:

• Create a scripted Facebook Live Comment, Facebook Live Script and Facebook Ad Stream
• Develop a compelling call to action
• Create a lead-capture form
• Utilize a simple step-by-step checklist for your broadcast
• Take the proper steps after each broadcast to dramatically increase your results.

Jeff Shavitz is the president of Merchant Advocate Ventures. He’s spent the majority of his career in the payments industry, and previously co-founded Charge Card Systems Inc., a national credit card processing company which grew to over 500 sales agents throughout the U.S. representing a variety of business types. The bestselling author of six books, he is also a contributing writer for Entrepreneur magazine and The Business Journals. In addition, he’s a member of the advisory board and a contributing writer to The Green Sheet, the leading trade publication in the payments and merchant processing industry.

In this session you’ll explore the most counterintuitive business concept you’ve ever heard. You’ll learn why – whether your business is a startup or a seasoned, profitable distributorship – it’s a smart strategy to “waste” some money in order to experience significant growth. In fact, by including a “waste money” line item in your budget, you open yourself up truly creative thinking in your marketing and promotional concepts. The session will also delve into case studies of how this unique use of capital resulted in major returns for three companies, proving that “wasting” money is actually funding opportunity. In the words of Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, “Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical."

Barb Hendrickson is the president of Visible Communication, which helps companies be more visible in their marketplace through effective marketing and communication strategies. She is also a charter member of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA). Through her companies, Barb has sold merchandise gifts, rewards and incentives, gift cards, travel rewards and designed performance improvement programs, as well as promotional products. She has also provided national fulfillment for clients as well as manufacturers. She is a past president of the IMA and a member of the IMA Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.

In a survey, end-users said receiving a corporate gift made them feel happy, thankful and appreciated. What’s more, 68% of employees would rather receive a holiday gift than attend a year-end party. You can help your clients take advantage of this goodwill – and grow your business – by selling corporate gifts and incentives. In this session, you’ll discover how to find the contacts within your current clients’ organizations who use corporate gifts and get advice on the types of programs to pitch. You’ll discuss different approaches for communicating the value of corporate gifts and incentives to your clients, and explaining the benefits of working with a distributor rather than purchasing through retail outlets. You’ll also learn how to find sources for various types of corporate gifts, how to present them for maximum impact, and other tools to add value for your customers.

Presented in partnership with The Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), a nonprofit trade association for the corporate gift and incentive industry.

TBD

Rachel Sennett manages strategic accounts in the Stahls’ Decorator Network. She’s been in the decorating business for seven years, beginning her industry career by managing an office of sales reps selling promotional products. Having discovered her passion for solving customers’ decorating issues, she enjoys working with Stahls’ clients across the country.

Alison Zuccaro is the strategic production manager/Stahls’ Decorator Network manager. She’s been in the decorated-apparel industry for over 25 years, working in customer service, training and management, and presenting at tradeshows and workshops across the U.S. In her current role, Alison influences new product development and execution, using customer feedback to drive company improvement.

T-shirts are the number-one promotional product category, and if you want to grow your business, offering quality heat printing decoration is a sure bet to capture more sales. In this hands-on session you’ll discover:

• The imprinting possibilities when using a heat press
• Competitive solutions for small-run jobs
• Unique heat-transfer types that offer more profit
• Heat-printing techniques for sensitive substrates
• Tactics for printing on unique locations.

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

Multi-decoration is the process of combining different decorating techniques to create dynamic, highly profitable apparel and personalized products, and a vinyl cutter and heat-transfer press are the ultimate production tools. This session will outline the basic design and production concepts for multi-decoration in an interactive learning environment. You’ll see the multi-decoration process from start to finish with a vinyl cutter and heat-transfer press, using the industry-leading Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration System, and you’ll also:

• Identify what you need to start producing multi-decoration apparel
• Understand how to operate a vinyl cutter and heat press
• Examine specialty heat-transfer films including glitter vinyl and metallic films
• Learn how to avoid common pitfalls and maximize your profitability.

Don Burbach is the director of digital sales for ASI. Don and his team help ASI distributor members achieve their sales goals through the best use of digital-based advertising platforms. He has over 10 years of experience working with platforms such as Facebook and Instagram plus a deep understanding of paid advertising and search engine optimization.

You’ll want to attend this class if you’re just starting out in business or want to improve your sales and marketing tactics. You can expect to learn:

• Tips to help you uncover promo products opportunities and techniques to close the sale
• How to incorporate websites, SEO, social media, email marketing and catalogs into your marketing strategy
• Ways to build relationships and turn loyal customers into advocates through networking
• How to use free ASI resources, like ASI University, to stay current on industry trends, decorating processes, target markets and more.

Conrad Franey is the managing director of Elements of Success Consulting Group, which he launched in 2018. He has 35 years of proven success as a straight-commission salesperson, sales manager, chief marketing officer and business owner. In 1994 he became the vice president of sales – and the sixth employee – of promotional products distributor GatewayCDI; at its peak, the company had 100 employees and revenue of $35 million. Conrad is also an author, and he provides advice and counsel via real-world examples that help people succeed.

They say the devil’s in the details, but in our industry, success lies in the details. In this session, 25-year industry veteran Conrad Franey will share his insight on the value of keeping detailed notes for every step of the sale, a simple way to build confidence in prospects and clients, and best practices that work for both the rookie sales rep and the seasoned veteran. You’ll leave armed with:

• Specific tactics for prospecting and developing a book of business
• A plan for those prospects who seem impossible to reach
• The confidence to drop bad customers
• Detailed recommendations on ways to sell more, starting today.

Kathleen Ronald is the founder of Speaktacular, a renowned business-growth expert and an enthusiastic, unparalleled networker. With over 25 years of experience as a business consultant, she helps companies, executives and entrepreneurs develop strategies that expand their profits, productivity and peace. She’s been featured on the Dr. Phil show, and has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

As Henry Ford said, “Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.” The power to change negative thinking lies within you, but first you need to understand how your brain works in order to identify and evict limiting beliefs. This session will offer steps you can take toward more positive thinking and better business relationships. You’ll discover:

• How your personal beliefs are driving your behavior
• How your limiting beliefs can sabotage your life and business
• How shifting your speech and thoughts can attract new opportunities.

Jay Busselle is the marketing director for Equipment Zone. He began his screen printing and graphics career reportedly sometime in the 80's in Mr. Perry's graphics class at East High School. Jay started printing “unofficial replica” T-shirts of his favorite surfing, skiing and skateboarding companies, as well as a few bands which will remain nameless. He landed his first industry job while in college as a cut-and-paste artist for a Yellow Pages publishing company. It didn't take long before he was working for a screen printer, and soon thereafter for his family-owned promotional advertising agency. It's been over 25 years and he’s still in the industry, is a highly regarded speaker and trainer, and is still pretending to grow up.

Creating a strong LinkedIn profile is the single easiest action you can take to present yourself professionally to the world. This session will show you which steps to take (and which mistakes to avoid) as you get started with your personal profile. You’ll learn how to showcase your brand and position yourself as a thought leader, and leave knowing how to:

• Optimize your LinkedIn profile to get more views from your ideal clients
• Grow your network with proven engagement strategies
• Build rapport with your leads before you try to sell them anything
• Drive traffic to your website using LinkedIn posts, articles and videos.

Will Knecht is the chairman and chief brand officer of Pennsylvania-based supplier Wendell August Forge (asi/37457). He began his tenure at the company in 1989 as an order coordinator working on the shop floor. He has been named Family Businessperson of the Year by The Pittsburgh Business Times and the Businessman of the Year by his local Chamber of Commerce, and he chairs three small businesses/startups in his hometown.

Adversity is something we’ve all experienced, and while business pitfalls may be inevitable, the way you and your team react will determine the future of your business. Will you throw in the towel and give up, or see the hardship as a launching pad for exciting new possibilities?

In this session, Will Knecht, chairman of industry supplier Wendell August, will share the true story of a devastating fire that could have destroyed the business and its people, but instead became a catalyst for new thinking and new opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to learn from Will’s fascinating experiences, and leave inspired to face future challenges head-on.

Barb Hendrickson is the president of Visible Communication, which helps companies be more visible in their marketplace through effective marketing and communication strategies. She is also a charter member of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA). Through her companies, Barb has sold merchandise gifts, rewards and incentives, gift cards, travel rewards and designed performance improvement programs, as well as promotional products. She has also provided national fulfillment for clients as well as manufacturers. She is a past president of the IMA and a member of the IMA Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.

Suppliers within the corporate gifts and incentives field are eager to help you succeed in this lucrative niche. They offer a wide variety of high-end and name-brand products, along with consultative assistance for your client programs. In this lively panel discussion, suppliers will share case studies of successful projects they’ve worked on with distributors, discuss the services they offer, and reveal the ways they’re set up to work specifically with promotional products distributors for maximum ROI.

Presented in partnership with The Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), a nonprofit trade association for the corporate gift and incentive industry.

TBD

Rachel Sennett manages strategic accounts in the Stahls’ Decorator Network. She’s been in the decorating business for seven years, beginning her industry career by managing an office of sales reps selling promotional products. Having discovered her passion for solving customers’ decorating issues, she enjoys working with Stahls’ clients across the country.

Alison Zuccaro is the strategic production manager/Stahls’ Decorator Network manager. She’s been in the decorated-apparel industry for over 25 years, working in customer service, training and management, and presenting at tradeshows and workshops across the U.S. In her current role, Alison influences new product development and execution, using customer feedback to drive company improvement.

Your clients are shopping online every day, and they expect to be able to buy promo products online too. Having an online storefront is a way to stand out from the competition and make it easy for customers to see your products and purchase from you. During this interactive session you’ll see decoration equipment in action and leave knowing how to:

• Expand your customer base with e-commerce
• Effectively boost your apparel sales with heat printing
• Improve your overall business performance.

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

This session will demonstrate design and production techniques for creating multicolor rhinestone transfers, and outline profitable business opportunities for rhinestone multi-decoration apparel, including the school market, corporate apparel and specialty markets. You’ll see a vinyl cutter and heat press in action, learn how to start offering custom rhinestone apparel, and discuss sales and marketing techniques to help you compete at the highest level.

Abby Koss, BASI, is the head of distributor marketing at ASI. She’s been with the company for four years and in the marketing space for 15 years. She brings to her role an inherent passion for the latest marketing trends and tactics, coupled with a love of all things creative. She also has a unique perspective on ASI’s marketing, as she was an end-buyer of promo products earlier in her career.

You’ll want to attend this class if you understand the importance of digital marketing for your business and would like to learn in-depth ways to apply it to your business. You can expect to learn:

• Tactics to improve your SEO and appear higher in search engine results
• Ways to increase brand recognition and engage with customers through social media
• Email marketing dos and don’ts
• Tips for fitting digital marketing into your busy week.

Johnny Campbell is the CEO of Promotional Product Profits. As a recognized speaker, author and high-performance expert, he helps promotional product professionals develop marketing and sales campaigns that result in higher sales and real businesses growth. He is a Toastmaster International Accredited Speaker as well as the past president of the Illinois chapter of the National Speaker Association. Based on his sales results, experiences and ability to help organizations overcome their challenges and experience business success, Johnny is known as “The Transition Man.”

Poor client presentations and miscommunications can cost countless dollars in lost revenue and productivity. In this session you’ll learn communication strategies and sales presentation methods that will give you the edge over your competition, whether you’re meeting with a new prospect or an established client. This session will show you:

• The seven elements for crafting a winning sales presentation
• How to present your sales message with confidence and clarity
• How to connect, engage and convert prospects into buyers.

Liz Wendling is a nationally recognized business and sales consultant and the author of six books. She empowers smart professionals to sell smarter by using an authentic and non-salesy approach. Straightforward and practical, Liz helps professionals modernize and customize their sales language, process and approach, and stand out from the competition. She provides highly effective guidance that focuses on what it takes to close more business in the new economy.

The sales methods that worked a decade ago are now outdated and inadequate. It’s time for a more modern and natural way to sell yourself and your products and services. In this session you’ll get practical, tactical guidance about what it takes to attract, connect and communicate with today’s clients and prospects to close more sales. You’ll leave knowing how to:

• Quickly build likeability, credibility and trust
• Convert leads into customers
• Use the right words – and avoid the wrong ones – when asking for business.

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a fifth-generation entrepreneur dedicated to all things social media and technology. With over 25 years of marketing experience, she has taught more than 300,000 people how to earn up to a 2,682% return on their marketing dollars. The recipient of several sales awards, her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, Homes.com and REALTOR Magazine.

An estimated 71% of US businesses use Instagram to reach its 1 billion+ monthly active users. IGTV is a new app designed for watching long-form, full-screen vertical videos, and Instagram Stories are another avenue to reach potential clients. Instagram works especially well when paired with Facebook, as pictures shared to Facebook from Instagram receive 23% more engagement than images published directly on Facebook itself. In this session you’ll find out how to get real results with Instagram by:

• Producing photos and videos with Canva, Quik and Legend
• Setting up an Instagram business account
• Generating and cross-promoting Instagram Stories
• Automating your Instagram content to share on Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, Pinterest and Facebook
• Selecting and utilizing hashtags to increase engagement
• Creating an IGTV Channel and uploading a vertical video.

Jeff Shavitz is the president of Merchant Advocate Ventures. He’s spent the majority of his career in the payments industry, and previously co-founded Charge Card Systems Inc., a national credit card processing company which grew to over 500 sales agents throughout the U.S. representing a variety of business types. The bestselling author of six books, he is also a contributing writer for Entrepreneur magazine and The Business Journals. In addition, he’s a member of the advisory board and a contributing writer to The Green Sheet, the leading trade publication in the payments and merchant processing industry.

You know your distributorship needs to accept credit cards in order to capture the most sales. But did you know your card processing system could be costing you more than it should? In this session, presented by a leader in the payments and merchant processing industry, you’ll discover what you need to know about the unregulated credit card processing industry, including:

• Why business-to-business transactions are different than business-to-consumer transactions
• The tactics processors use to bury fees
• How to read between the lines of complicated monthly statements
• The importance of breach protection and PCI compliance
• How you can avoid the most common fees and increase your profitability.

Barb Hendrickson is the president of Visible Communication, which helps companies be more visible in their marketplace through effective marketing and communication strategies. She is also a charter member of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA). Through her companies, Barb has sold merchandise gifts, rewards and incentives, gift cards, travel rewards and designed performance improvement programs, as well as promotional products. She has also provided national fulfillment for clients as well as manufacturers. She is a past president of the IMA and a member of the IMA Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.

In this session, Barb Hendrickson and suppliers will share case studies about distributors who grew their business through corporate gifts, rewards and incentives. Their success stories of adding brand-name items to their offerings of traditional promotional products and apparel will encourage you to make the leap yourself. You’ll hear how distributors found great program ideas, helpful suppliers, and buyers who understand the value of high-end gifts and incentives. Don’t miss this chance to see how expanding into the corporate gift market has positively impacted distributorships just like yours.

Presented in partnership with The Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), a nonprofit trade association for the corporate gift and incentive industry.

TBD

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

Today’s wearables buyers expect branding and creative services from their distributor, in addition to great decoration. All things considered equal, a distributorship with an effective graphics capability will stand out from the crowd. With the current technology from Digital Art Solutions, you don’t need an on-staff graphic designer or freelancer to produce professional, custom graphics for your clients. This session will explore state-of-the-art technology that enables anyone (regardless of skill level) to create customized graphics, marketing proposals and production-ready graphics files. You’ll leave knowing:

• How a strong graphics strategy can help you outshine the competition
• How to use graphics as your secret weapon to convert leads and maximize sales with existing clients
• How to leverage social media to increase sales and market exposure.

Michael D'Ottaviano, MASI, is an executive director of corporate accounts at ASI. He specializes in strategic solutions, helping ASI distributors members realize opportunity and grow their businesses by utilizing creative website design combined with innovative marketing campaigns. He also works with distributors to develop social media campaigns to increase web presence and grow their customer base. Michael is passionate about technology and implementing integrated solutions to help distributors streamline their business processes and grow their businesses.

Plan to attend this class if you have an ESP license and would like to get the most out of the powerful platform by learning about the new available features. You can expect to learn:

• The best markets and products to pitch with the new Idea Center
• The easiest ways to narrow search results
• How to close sales using the new features in the Virtual Samples tool
• Quick tips for creating customized presentations tailored for specific clients.

This event is first come, first served - or you can purchase a $10 ticket in Registration to reserve your seat.

During this interactive event, you'll enjoy a lively roundtable discussion with sponsoring suppliers and your distributor peers. You'll discuss relevant topics and industry trends while suppliers share their knowledge as subject-matter experts.

Melanie Sibbitt is the president of distributorship Two Crazy Ladies Inc., based in Victoria, BC. She and her sister Kim started the company with a love of working with people and one product: The Doodle Mug, created and designed by Kim. Melanie credits her success to listening to her heart and her clients, and to surrounding herself with people who support her journey through good times and bad. Her distributorship is a multiple award winner in Canada, and she’s been nominated for the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award.

It’s often said that people do business with people they like, and that’s especially true in our industry. The relationships we form with our clients, suppliers and team members can mean the difference between business success and failure, and between waking up in the morning with excitement or dread about heading to work.

Studies show that feeling – and expressing – gratitude in your daily life can improve relationships, increase your productivity and make you a more effective manager. What’s more, gratitude has a ripple effect; when people feel appreciated they’re more likely to show appreciation to others, and to go above and beyond the call of duty. In this session, led by the president of a successful industry distributorship, you’ll discover new ways to show appreciation and say “thank you” to those who deserve it most, as you watch your sales grow.

Joan Miracle, BASI, is an executive director of corporate accounts at ASI. She’s been providing business counseling to entrepreneurs for over 24 years, with seven years in the ad specialty industry. Her background includes successfully running a $46M operation, including the startup of numerous businesses from real estate development and acquisition to open profitable operations. Her main focus and passion has been in sales and sales training, assisting new business owners with startup marketing, and helping established businesses grow through strategic marketing plans that emphasize online marketing and improving operational efficiency.

Mark your calendar for this class (feel free to bring your lunch!) if you have an ESP Website license and would like to customize your site to your needs. You can expect to learn:

• Tips to modernize your website’s design
• How to leverage the ESP Presentation tool with your site
• The key to displaying your favorite suppliers/vendors at the top of the search results
• How to block specific products, suppliers or categories from displaying on your site.

Jake Krolick, BASI, is ASI's executive creative director. He's been with ASI for 11 years, and was previously ASI's digital marketing manager. A born communicator with a deep love for the art and craft of advertising, Jake has extensive experience in video and new media and helped ASI launch a successful video program. Outside of his role at ASI, he has extensive experience working in the music industry doing photography, video and creative promotion for bands and venues across the U.S.

In this unique session taught by ASI’s creative director, you’ll be inspired by case studies from successful non-conformists. Don’t miss this chance to delve into four key tactics: practicing deep listening, wearing the shoes of your customers’ clients, being a friend and problem-solver first, and making super-fans of promotional products.

Kathleen Ronald is the founder of Speaktacular, a renowned business-growth expert and an enthusiastic, unparalleled networker. With over 25 years of experience as a business consultant, she helps companies, executives and entrepreneurs develop strategies that expand their profits, productivity and peace. She’s been featured on the Dr. Phil show, and has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

Clutter affects 19 areas of your life and business, and the cost of clutter is enormous. Stephanie Winston, author of The Organized Executive, estimates an hour each day is lost to disorder, costing a business $8,000+ annually for an employee earning $65,000. What’s more, 91% of people say they’d be more effective and efficient if their workspaces were better organized. In our industry, you can’t afford to ignore business clutter if you want to thrive. During this session you will:

• Discover how clearing out clutter can benefit your personal and professional life
• Learn one easy rule to reclaim seven hours per week
• Uncover the organizational secrets that lead to a bigger paycheck.

Jay Busselle is the marketing director for Equipment Zone. He began his screen printing and graphics career reportedly sometime in the 80's in Mr. Perry's graphics class at East High School. Jay started printing “unofficial replica” T-shirts of his favorite surfing, skiing and skateboarding companies, as well as a few bands which will remain nameless. He landed his first industry job while in college as a cut-and-paste artist for a Yellow Pages publishing company. It didn't take long before he was working for a screen printer, and soon thereafter for his family-owned promotional advertising agency. It's been over 25 years and he’s still in the industry, is a highly regarded speaker and trainer, and is still pretending to grow up.

In this session you’ll learn the specific steps to take in LinkedIn to secure meetings with highly targeted, highly qualified leads. You’ll see how to use cutting-edge lead-generation strategies and develop a prospecting persona, and leave knowing how to:

• Create a LinkedIn Lead System
• Build a LinkedIn Target List for tracking
• Use messaging templates to increase engagement and convert leads to meetings
• Create a LinkedIn company page to build your profile credibility.

Johnny Campbell is the CEO of Promotional Product Profits. As a recognized speaker, author and high-performance expert, he helps promotional product professionals develop marketing and sales campaigns that result in higher sales and real businesses growth. He is a Toastmaster International Accredited Speaker as well as the past president of the Illinois chapter of the National Speaker Association. Based on his sales results, experiences and ability to help organizations overcome their challenges and experience business success, Johnny is known as “The Transition Man.”

It takes less effort to sell to current customers vs. turning leads into new clients …but what about former clients? In this session you’ll learn how to start attracting lost customers in the next 30 days. This untapped reservoir of potential sales could increase your volume by 20% to 30%. You’ll leave knowing:

• How to market to lost customers using social media, video and direct mail
• Methods for bringing back lost customers without cutting your price
• How to identify and evaluate the value of lost customers.

TBD

TBD

Steve Oswald, BASI, is ASI’s executive art director, and has been creating in Adobe Illustrator for over 20 years. During his 29 years with ASI, Steve has helped to direct and shape the advertising for many of ASI’s first-class brands. He has extensive experience creating vector artwork for decorating promotional products, including screen printing, embroidery and direct-to-garment printing.

(We recommend bringing your own mouse and laptop, loaded with Adobe Illustrator software, to this session.)

This hands-on session is perfect if you have some experience using Illustrator and want to enhance your skills in creating artwork for imprints on products and screen-printed garments. You’ll explore the basic elements that make up vector graphics: paths, strokes, fills, anchor points and typography. You’ll also learn how to use Illustrator’s powerful drawing tools, including the pen tool, drawing curves and much more, and build gradients and apply them to objects to create professional-quality artwork. You’ll also see some of the most popular features in Illustrator, including the Envelope Warp menu and distorting and transforming objects. Finally, you’ll create a logo and set it up with color trapping to easily print on almost any product.

Note: An external mouse is recommended. Internet connection is not guaranteed. Laptops will not be provided, and the instructor will not be able to work on or help fix your laptop. The strategies and training provided in this session will apply to Adobe Illustrator CC and Adobe Photoshop CC through CC 2019.

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

This session will outline an essential skill set for the design and production of apparel graphics and personalization, focusing on vinyl cutting, digital printing, embroidery, print/cut, screen printing, laser engraving and sublimation. You’ll explore innovative design techniques, tips and ideas for improving the quality of your graphics, and compare traditional production methods in CorelDRAW or Illustrator with state-of-the-art techniques using popular add-on tools, including the Smart Designer Pro software from Digital Art Solutions. You’ll also learn:

• The secret success template used by the industry’s elite companies to increase sales through graphics
• How to boost sales using automated sales proposals and virtual-sample technology
• Ways to enhance your creativity, streamline your production workflow and increase your margins.

Joe Haley, MASI, a 25-year veteran of the advertising specialty industry, is the education director for ASI's training and development department as well as the product editor for its magazines. A huge proponent of video as part of marketing plans, Joe has been involved with ASI videos from the beginning; he has starred in and produced more than 1,000 episodes of “The Joe Show” and has shot and produced hundreds of videos for the ASI editorial team.

Be sure to attend this class if you want to learn how to use video for your business in an engaging and fun way. You can expect to learn:

• Why video should be part of your marketing plan
• How to easily create your own videos
• Ways you can emulate great videos made by others
• Mistakes to avoid when creating videos for your audience.

Bill Petrie is the president of industry distributorship PromoCorner. He has over 20 years of experience working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. In 2014, he launched brandivate – the first executive outsourcing company solely focused on helping small- and medium-sized promotional products enterprises responsibly grow their business. In 2017, brandivate was acquired by PromoCorner. Bill is a frequent speaker, a PromoKitchen chef, co-host of the industry’s most popular podcast, “unScripted,” and has served on numerous industry boards. He was named as an inaugural PPAI Fellow – a program designed to recognize influential individuals who have actively supported the industry through personal involvement.

Amazon has set consumer expectations at an all-time high by offering a simple transaction, free two-day shipping and effortless returns. In this session, you’ll discover not only how to beat Amazon (and other online rivals) at their own game, but also how to deploy many of those same tactics in your own company to crush your traditional competition.

Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MASI, is the president and CEO of Cliff Quicksell & Associates and serves as the exclusive sales and marketing consultant and acting director of marketing for iPROMOTEu, Inc. During his 35+ years in the industry, his passion for education and training has been exemplified by his having served five terms as the education chairperson for the regional trade association CPPA of Maryland, and he currently serves on the board and is the chair for the Awards Committee. The author of thousands of articles and recipient of numerous awards, Cliff speaks, trains and consults internationally to associations and national business groups on more effective ways to market themselves and their products and services, as well as how to motivate their personnel.

If you’re an investor, you know the importance of constantly reviewing your accounts; perhaps certain investments need to be sold or moved, or you need to invest more in higher-performing stocks. The same process holds true for your sales portfolio. How often do you review your numbers, look at your accounts, check into other smart investments, sell (or fire) accounts in order to make your portfolio reach maximum profitability? This seminar will help you uncover your true sales potential by zeroing in on the performance of your sales portfolio. You’ll leave knowing:

• The importance of the self-evaluation process
• What it takes to be profitable, driving ROI
• How to mitigate your risk with unsavory clients
• The value of diversification for a successful portfolio
• How a mentor, coach or advisor can help with the process.

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a fifth-generation entrepreneur dedicated to all things social media and technology. With over 25 years of marketing experience, she has taught more than 300,000 people how to earn up to a 2,682% return on their marketing dollars. The recipient of several sales awards, her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, Homes.com and REALTOR Magazine.

Do you want to stop being stressed over what to post on social media? To increase your online visibility and reduce wasted time, create a 12-month marketing calendar of relevant content for the businesses and markets you serve. When you plan for annual calculated growth – and utilize resources that supply you with content – you can start each day knowing exactly what to post and when to post it. You’ll leave this session understanding how to:

• Build online trust and position yourself as a promo product thought leader
• Determine the best hashtags for your business
• Implement daily consistency to meet your SMART goals
• Leverage your time to better reach your prospects and clients.

Conrad Franey is the managing director of Elements of Success Consulting Group, which he launched in 2018. He has 35 years of proven success as a straight-commission salesperson, sales manager, chief marketing officer and business owner. In 1994 he became the vice president of sales – and the sixth employee – of promotional products distributor GatewayCDI; at its peak, the company had 100 employees and revenue of $35 million. Conrad is also an author, and he provides advice and counsel via real-world examples that help people succeed.

Whether you lead a team of one or 100, there are specific steps you can take to become a better leader and improve your company. In this session you’ll learn how to manage superstars and poor performers alike, discuss best practices for hiring, firing, running meetings and improving morale, and hear proven tactics that will make your business more efficient and profitable. You’ll leave knowing:

• Ways to improve your reputation with your team
• The surprising power of parking spaces
• Why annual reviews should take place off-site
• The importance of congratulating publicly and reprimanding privately
• How little surprises can boost productivity and performance.

TBD

TBD

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

In this session you’ll discover proven sales and marketing tips from the experts at Digital Art Solutions and InkSoft. These companies recently joined forces, and their combined industry experience and insight will help you outsmart and outsell your competition. You’ll learn how to attract and win new business, build sales campaigns that result in maximum ROI, and grow your business though online stores, e-commerce and social media.

Michelle Castells, BASI, is ASI’s executive director of distributor services. She joined ASI in 2018 and brings over 23 years of experience in digital and print marketing sales. She has worked with small- to medium-sized businesses throughout the U.S. to help guide them to grow their business with the right marketing program. Her expertise allows ASI to expand its current offerings to members, as well as show members additional ways to gain clients in the marketplace.

Be sure to attend this class if you want to target hot markets for promo products and discover the products they buy most. You can expect to learn:

• The top five industries that buy promo products
• The newest product ideas for these industries
• The leading uses of promo products
• Powerful stats and tips you can use for the perfect pitch.

Kathleen Ronald is the founder of Speaktacular, a renowned business-growth expert and an enthusiastic, unparalleled networker. With over 25 years of experience as a business consultant, she helps companies, executives and entrepreneurs develop strategies that expand their profits, productivity and peace. She’s been featured on the Dr. Phil show, and has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

At networking events, do people tend to cut short their conversations with you, or seem to find a bathroom within minutes of connecting with you? You may be guilty of some common networking sins that are costing you new client opportunities. What’s more, once you’ve repelled those you were trying to attract, they will avoid you rather than tell you what you did wrong. In this session you’ll laugh, learn and discover:

• The seven behaviors that can sabotage your networking and ROI
• The business etiquette that makes people want to connect with you
• Tips to become a networking magnet.

Liz Wendling is a nationally recognized business and sales consultant and the author of six books. She empowers smart professionals to sell smarter by using an authentic and non-salesy approach. Straightforward and practical, Liz helps professionals modernize and customize their sales language, process and approach, and stand out from the competition. She provides highly effective guidance that focuses on what it takes to close more business in the new economy.

In an attempt to distinguish themselves from the crowd, distributors often end up using the same generic language as others, making them blend in rather than stand out. Phrases like “I respond quickly to phone calls and emails” and “We treat every client with care and respect” are simply what buyers expect, rather than being impressive. If prospective clients can’t perceive any difference between you and your competition, how do you think they’ll notice you, remember you and want to do business with you? In this session you’ll discover:

• How to become the obvious choice to a prospective client
• Ways to stay top of mind
• Places and events to showcase your new language
• The difference between a USP, a UPV and 30-second commercial.

Johnny Campbell is the CEO of Promotional Product Profits. As a recognized speaker, author and high-performance expert, he helps promotional product professionals develop marketing and sales campaigns that result in higher sales and real businesses growth. He is a Toastmaster International Accredited Speaker as well as the past president of the Illinois chapter of the National Speaker Association. Based on his sales results, experiences and ability to help organizations overcome their challenges and experience business success, Johnny is known as “The Transition Man.”

In 2020, millennials (those born between about 1980 and 2000) are forecast to comprise half of the American workforce, and by 2025 they could make up 75% of the global workforce. This powerful group is tech-savvy, as they’ve never really known life without being online. They also like to be in control of the shopping and buying process, and they research many options before making decisions – including ordering promotional products. In this session you’ll learn:

• How millennials use mobile devices to interact with brands and make purchasing decisions
• How to use mobile marketing to connect with millennial buyers
• How to generate more leads and sales using social media and video.

Dr. Steve Treat is a senior therapist and former director and CEO of Council for Relationships (CFR), the nation’s oldest and largest counseling agency. He oversees the running of 14 clinical offices throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, numerous professional and public educational programs, and maintains his own busy clinical practice at CFR. He received his doctorate in 1976, and is licensed to practice marriage and family therapy in Pennsylvania. He has also coauthored two books, in addition to numerous book chapters and articles on process and content of marital and family therapy.

Employee communication is vital to the success of any company, and even more so in a family business. During this interactive session with senior therapist Dr. Steve Treat, you’ll examine family dynamics as they pertain to running a business. You’ll leave with insights and skills that can help family members of all ages get past their differences and lead to better communication, business practices and relationships.

TBD

TBD

Steve Oswald, BASI, is ASI’s executive art director, and has been creating in Adobe Illustrator for over 20 years. During his 29 years with ASI, Steve has helped to direct and shape the advertising for many of ASI’s first-class brands. He has extensive experience creating vector artwork for decorating promotional products, including screen printing, embroidery and direct-to-garment printing.

(We recommend bringing your own mouse and laptop, loaded with Adobe Illustrator software, to this session.)

This hands-on session will deliver instruction to grow your knowledge of vector-ready artwork. You’ll learn how to convert bitmap images into vector art, and explore several real-world scenarios of working with low-resolution and low-quality images to turn them into printable vector artwork. By the end of the session, you’ll feel confident in using these techniques to create vector artwork for one-color or multicolor imprints.

Note: An external mouse is recommended. Internet connection is not guaranteed. Laptops will not be provided, and the instructor will not be able to work on or help fix your laptop. The strategies and training provided in this session will apply to Adobe Illustrator CC and Adobe Photoshop CC through CC 2019.

Craig Mertens is the co-founder and General Manager of Digital Art Solutions. In June of 2019, Digital Art Solutions was acquired by Inksoft, an industry leader in sales and e-commerce solutions. Craig has been working in the apparel decoration industry for over 30 years. Prior to co-founding Digital Art Solutions, he was a top-producing manufacturer’s rep in the imprinted sportswear industry. He has spent his career developing products and services that assist in managing graphics, optimizing sales and growing profitable businesses. His approach is based on a concept called ASSET: (A)rtwork + (S)oftware + (S)upport +(E)quipment + (T)raining = Success. He is the inventor of the process of creating rhinestone heat transfers and rhinestone decals with a vinyl cutter and a heat press, and has a wide range of expertise in graphics and production for screen printing, vinyl graphics, rhinestone multi-decoration, embroidery, applique, digital printing and laser engraving. He is also the facilitator of the Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration Online University, a free training program that has helped thousands of apparel decorators and personalization businesses maximize their productivity and grow their sales.

Justin Pearson has over 20 years of hands-on experience in printing, sales, software development and marketing. He's been a top producer for Digital Art Solutions and Ryonet, and has been involved in the InkSoft project since its inception. He's worked in the design room for some of Arizona's most successful print companies, and has firsthand sales and graphics experience with software, artwork and production. He focuses on helping businesses grow their web offerings and ecommerce sales, while staying up to date on trends and relevant tools that help printers succeed in the modern economy.

Most embroidery professionals rely on outsourced digitizers to produce embroidery files, as digitizing is a complex process that takes years to master. But a new technology now enables non-professionals to quickly convert vector graphics to production-ready sew files – without digitizing. In this session you’ll compare traditional digitizing techniques vs. breakthrough vector-to-stitch conversion technology using the DRAWings XI Pro software. You’ll leave knowing how to:

• Increase your productivity and profits with embroidery and appliqué
• Use 3-D renderings of embroidery and appliqué to create outstanding sales proposals
• Reduce or eliminate digitizing costs and gain spontaneity with embroidery graphics.

Abby Koss, BASI, is the head of distributor marketing at ASI. She’s been with the company for four years and in the marketing space for 15 years. She brings to her role an inherent passion for the latest marketing trends and tactics, coupled with a love of all things creative. She also has a unique perspective on ASI’s marketing, as she was an end-buyer of promo products earlier in her career.

Events. Groups. Lives. Stories. When it comes to Facebook and Instagram, do you know what these things are and how they can help you attract your ideal customer? In this session, you’ll delve into the two social media giants, going beyond posts to discover new ways to promote your business and generate sales. You’ll leave knowing how to use more of the features inside Facebook and Instagram to prospect for new clients – without being overly “salesy.”

The night before the show floor opens, enjoy light snacks and an open bar during this exclusive preview of NEW products (and ONLY new products) that suppliers will highlight in their booths on both Exhibit Days.

Ticket includes a hot breakfast and the motivational keynote. $10 tickets are available through June 23, 2020. Price increases to $20 each from June 24 – July 20, 2020, and to $30 each onsite.

In this one-of-a-kind presentation, peak performance expert Dan Thurmon will explore the reasons why some individuals fail under pressure, while others seem to handle crucial moments with ease and excellence. Here’s a hint: It isn’t an innate talent, but an ability that can be learned and mastered – Thurmon calls it "Perform-Ability.”

Being able to perform at a crucial time depends on proper preparation and understanding the mindset and methods of top performers. Thurmon will demonstrate these concepts in his unforgettable style that includes juggling, acrobatics and even a unicycle. You’ll leave armed with new tools and the enthusiasm to tackle your biggest challenges – and you’ll have fun!

Jay Busselle is the marketing director for Equipment Zone. He began his screen printing and graphics career reportedly sometime in the 80's in Mr. Perry's graphics class at East High School. Jay started printing “unofficial replica” T-shirts of his favorite surfing, skiing and skateboarding companies, as well as a few bands which will remain nameless. He landed his first industry job while in college as a cut-and-paste artist for a Yellow Pages publishing company. It didn't take long before he was working for a screen printer, and soon thereafter for his family-owned promotional advertising agency. It's been over 25 years and he’s still in the industry, is a highly regarded speaker and trainer, and is still pretending to grow up.

A style guide is the roadmap for your brand – a living document that provides guidelines and the outline for the way your brand should be presented from both a visual (graphic) and language (written) perspective. Creating a style guide will bring an order and clarity that will attract more clients. Unfortunately, many promo companies don’t have a style guide, which results in inconsistent marketing messages that get lost in a sea of advertising. During this session, you will:

• Discover the six steps to create an effective style guide
• Review examples of effective style guides
• Learn who should have access to your style guide
• See a professional style guide worksheet with dozens of questions that lead to better branding.

Bill Petrie is the president of industry distributorship PromoCorner. He has over 20 years of experience working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. In 2014, he launched brandivate – the first executive outsourcing company solely focused on helping small- and medium-sized promotional products enterprises responsibly grow their business. In 2017, brandivate was acquired by PromoCorner. Bill is a frequent speaker, a PromoKitchen chef, co-host of the industry’s most popular podcast, “unScripted,” and has served on numerous industry boards. He was named as an inaugural PPAI Fellow – a program designed to recognize influential individuals who have actively supported the industry through personal involvement.

In our continually evolving marketplace, clients are seeking sales experiences that are as frictionless as possible. It's about going beyond the “big things” that all distributors do well: source, decorate, deliver and invoice merchandise. To truly stand out and reduce client friction in today’s online world, it's the seemingly small and insignificant areas where it’s critical to give 100%. In this session, you’ll discover easily implemented, tactical actions you can take immediately to create an experience that clients will gladly pay for again and again.

Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MASI, is the president and CEO of Cliff Quicksell & Associates and serves as the exclusive sales and marketing consultant and acting director of marketing for iPROMOTEu, Inc. During his 35+ years in the industry, his passion for education and training has been exemplified by his having served five terms as the education chairperson for the regional trade association CPPA of Maryland, and he currently serves on the board and is the chair for the Awards Committee. The author of thousands of articles and recipient of numerous awards, Cliff speaks, trains and consults internationally to associations and national business groups on more effective ways to market themselves and their products and services, as well as how to motivate their personnel.

The dynamics of marketing and sales have changed dramatically in recent years. The methodologies have expanded beyond traditional means, which creates a greater challenge to compete. Our industry, according to many statistics, outperforms all other media, but with that said, how do we take our medium beyond its traditional use – how do we elevate, target and get better engagement, not only for ourselves, but for our clients? This session will get you thinking differently about what you do, and applying the lessons learned will lead to bigger sales and higher profitability. You’ll leave knowing how to:

• Recognize the ways industry changes are affecting business growth
• Take traditional industry tools and elevate them to the next level
• Unleash the power of creative marketing
• Engage your clients and become a market leader.

Jeffrey Brenner is the director, Special Markets and Military Divisions, for Seiko Watch of America LLC. He has a diverse background in sales, marketing and business development in DC, BC and B2B channels. He previously worked for companies including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ashford.com, Hartmann Luggage and Steuben Crystal. Jeffrey is currently the president of the Incentive Manufacturers and Representatives Alliance (IMRA) and sits on the board of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA).

In this session, you’ll learn how corporate gifts and incentives can increase your business with existing customers, open doors to new clients, and significantly improve your bottom line. You’ll see how incentive programs are similar to promotional product campaigns, how they differ, and what it takes to give the same high level of service to an incentive customer that you currently provide to your promo products clients. You’ll receive an overview of brands and gifts – plus incentive, appreciation and recognition programs – and leave knowing how to effectively pitch and sell them.

Ticket Required

Board the Mystic Blue for an exclusive night of music, food and fun. The night starts when you board the Mystic Blue at McCormick Place for a one hour cocktail reception.

Session details to come.

Session details to come.

NEW! Selfies with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot

Join us in the Connect It area on the show floor for selfies with Promo! Bring your smile and your cell phone to take photos with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot!

Norman Cohn is chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute^® (ASI). Under Cohn’s guidance, ASI remains staunchly committed to the continued success of the promotional products industry and to raising awareness of ad specialties through such vehicles as ASI’s Global Ad Impressions Study. Over the years, Cohn introduced numerous innovations to the industry, including the first industry-specific, computerized business software system to manage supplier and distributor businesses. ASI Computer Systems® remains the most widely used business management system in the industry. Cohn was named ASI’s chairman of the board in 1967 and remains active in the company. In 2016, he was honored with PPAI’s Pioneer Award, which recognizes people whose business acumen or technological skills played a role in the advancement of the promotional products industry. Cohn and his wife, Suzanne, have been married for over 50 years. They have five children and 10 grandchildren. ASI remains a family-owned company, with seven of the fourth generation having interned at the company co-founded by their great-grandfather, Maurice Cohn, who was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 1990.

We are excited to announce this new show feature - a Q&A with ASI Chairman Norman Cohn. Held in the brand-new Connect It area of the show floor, ASK Norman gives you an opportunity to gain valuable insight from an industry legend. Norman has 65+ years as a leader in the promotional products industry and will provide plenty of tips for success. Plus, refreshments will be served!

Post your questions on social media (@TheASIShow) and in-person during the event.

NEW! Selfies with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot

Join us in the Connect It area on the show floor for selfies with Promo! Bring your smile and your cell phone to take photos with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot!

Invitation Only

This invitation-only networking breakfast honors ASI members who’ve earned their BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information) or MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information) certification. If you have your BASI/MASI and didn’t receive the invitation, please email asieducation@asicentral.com with your information. For information about the BASI/MASI program, please visit www.ASIuniversity.com.

Many entrepreneurs tend to falter when taking their business to the next level. But that’s the ideal time to go back to basics and take a closer look at what makes people successful despite disappointment, adversity and relentless competition. In this presentation, legendary Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, a success both on and off the field, will share his strategies for maintaining success through persistent self-improvement. All of us, he says, want to better ourselves, to learn about ourselves and to apply that learning towards a common goal.

Bradshaw will invite you to think in new ways about sacrifice, pain, competition and adversity, while giving specific examples of how to focus the power of dreaming, thinking and strategizing toward your goals and success.

Free for ASI Members. Early Admission ($29) and Meet and Greet tickets ($79) are available.

Session details to come.

Session details to come.

NEW! Selfies with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot

Join us in the Connect It area on the show floor for selfies with Promo! Bring your smile and your cell phone to take photos with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot!

Norman Cohn is chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute^® (ASI). Under Cohn’s guidance, ASI remains staunchly committed to the continued success of the promotional products industry and to raising awareness of ad specialties through such vehicles as ASI’s Global Ad Impressions Study. Over the years, Cohn introduced numerous innovations to the industry, including the first industry-specific, computerized business software system to manage supplier and distributor businesses. ASI Computer Systems® remains the most widely used business management system in the industry. Cohn was named ASI’s chairman of the board in 1967 and remains active in the company. In 2016, he was honored with PPAI’s Pioneer Award, which recognizes people whose business acumen or technological skills played a role in the advancement of the promotional products industry. Cohn and his wife, Suzanne, have been married for over 50 years. They have five children and 10 grandchildren. ASI remains a family-owned company, with seven of the fourth generation having interned at the company co-founded by their great-grandfather, Maurice Cohn, who was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 1990.

We are excited to announce this new show feature - a Q&A with ASI Chairman Norman Cohn. Held in the brand-new Connect It area of the show floor, ASK Norman gives you an opportunity to gain valuable insight from an industry legend. Norman has 65+ years as a leader in the promotional products industry and will provide plenty of tips for success. Plus, refreshments will be served!

Post your questions on social media (@TheASIShow) and in-person during the event.

NEW! Selfies with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot

Join us in the Connect It area on the show floor for selfies with Promo! Bring your smile and your cell phone to take photos with Promo, the ASI Show Mascot!

Jesyca Hope is the founder of Hope Communications Consulting. With a Master’s degree in communications studies, she has over 20 years of experience in media, outreach, organizing and public speaking, and has held positions in news, community promotions and as on-air talent. She was named the 2006 Broadcaster of the Year by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters and has been honored with “20 Under 40” and “Women of Excellence” awards in her hometown of Topeka, KS.

Public speaking and client presentations are proven ways to build your business, but unfortunately, many people fear public speaking and making presentations. You know you can offer the best service and products for your clients, but if you can’t overcome the fear factor of public speaking and learn to deliver with style, your presentations will never be as effective as they could be. In this interactive session a communications expert will demonstrate:

• How to set the scene using the five steps to a good story
• Why transitions are repetitive, but NOT redundant
• Why you should start with the ending, and other lessons from radio
• The skills that will give you confidence when addressing groups of two or 200.

Vincent Driscoll, BASI, is the director of ASICentral.com. A 12-year veteran of ASI, he plays an integral role in the evolution of some of the company’s digital properties, including the corporate website and social media. His deep roots in editorial and new media enable him to elevate the impact of ASI’s wealth of content, and he’s helped expand the company’s brand awareness in the digital realm. To date, he’s sent over 32,000 tweets on behalf of ASI.

Abby Koss, BASI, is the head of distributor marketing at ASI. She’s been with the company for four years and in the marketing space for 15 years. She brings to her role an inherent passion for the latest marketing trends and tactics, coupled with a love of all things creative. She also has a unique perspective on ASI’s marketing, as she was an end-buyer of promo products earlier in her career.

Events. Groups. Lives. Stories. When it comes to Facebook and Instagram, do you know what these things are and how they can help you attract your ideal customer? In this session, you’ll delve into the two social media giants, going beyond posts to discover new ways to promote your business and generate sales. You’ll leave knowing how to use more of the features inside Facebook and Instagram to prospect for new clients – without being overly “salesy.”

Jesyca Hope is the founder of Hope Communications Consulting. With a Master’s degree in communications studies, she has over 20 years of experience in media, outreach, organizing and public speaking, and has held positions in news, community promotions and as on-air talent. She was named the 2006 Broadcaster of the Year by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters and has been honored with “20 Under 40” and “Women of Excellence” awards in her hometown of Topeka, KS.

A looming issue facing our industry is multi-generational communication and continuity. From Baby Boomers to Generation Z, each group uses different communication tools, platforms and methods, and sales reps need to know how to fine-tune their own communications approach to get the best interaction and results from clients of every age. In this session you’ll learn how to speak a common language with different generations, helping you to bridge the communication gulf and win the sale.

The best way to end your ASI Show experience is at the Closing Celebration, where you can collect new friends' business cards and relax before heading home. Enjoy complimentary snacks, beer, wine and other beverages, plus live music.

Exciting prizes will also be given away during the Ask It to Win It: Passport to Products Program prize drawing at 3:45 p.m.