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.

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.”

You know it takes less effort to sell to current customers vs. turning leads into new clients…but what about former clients? COVID may have cost you clients, but 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% and carry you into 2021. You'll leave knowing:

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

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.

Today more than ever before, customers are going online to find a distributor partner. In this session you'll learn digital marketing best practices and see how to apply them to your business. You'll leave knowing:

• 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.

Rachel Corey 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.

Headwear is a growing category in the promotional products industry. Join STAHLS' to learn how to create high-quality, retail-ready looks using a heat press. We'll explore opportunities for various styles of hats, emblems and print locations to drive more profit into your apparel decorating business.

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.

Today's clients 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. All things considered equal, a company with an effective graphics capability will compete at a higher level in the marketplace. With the current technology available from Digital Art Solutions, you don't need an on-staff graphic designer or freelancer to produce graphics at the highest level. This class will explore state of the art technology that enables anyone regardless of skill level to produce customized graphics, marketing proposals, and production-ready graphics files. You'll learn how to:

• Use graphics as your secret weapon to convert leads and maximize sales with existing clients
• Create customized graphics and highly effective promotional materials
• Use online graphics collaboration tools to get ideas in front of buyers
• Leverage social media to increase sales and market exposure.

Details to come.

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.

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.

Business networking as we knew it may be on hold for a bit longer…or may even become a thing of the past. To not only survive but to thrive, distributors must understand and embrace the new ways of connecting in the COVID era. In this session you'll explore the best ways to network, plus the “deadly sins” that may be costing you leads and sales. You'll laugh, learn and discover:

• The strategies for successful networking now – both online and in person
• The behaviors that can sabotage your networking and ROI
• The business etiquette that makes people want to connect with you.

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.

2020 has been a year unlike any other, but there's still time to pivot and take advantage of the winter holiday season. This session will deliver 20 ideas to help you discover new opportunities and restart your sales – big-picture strategy moves, small-step tactical moves, and everything in between. You'll leave with several ideas that are just what you need to help your business rebound and grow in Q4 and into the new year.

Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MASI, is the president and CEO of Cliff Quicksell & Associates. 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 elements of successful marketing have changed dramatically since the coronavirus impacted the U.S., which leads to – if looked at through a positive lens – amazing opportunities to connect and 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 results, 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:

• Understand the ways industry changes are affecting business growth
• Harness the power of creative marketing
• Take traditional industry tools and elevate them to the next level
• Creatively engage your clients
• Deliver higher impact with creative marketing that gets remembered.

Rachel Corey 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.

Stay ahead of the curve by learning how to decorate the items that receive the most impressions and provide your clients with the ultimate in brand exposure. In this session, we will review popular placements and branding for face masks, outerwear, T-shirts, polos, hats and drinkwear.

JP Hunt, MBA, is co-founder of InkSoft, the sales platform for the decorated apparel industry. With over 15 years of industry experience, he combines his expertise in e-commerce, digital marketing and strategic planning to help apparel decorators solve problems and grow their bottom line. He describes himself as a “coffee drinker and technology addict. Some people call me a marketing guru; I don't correct them.”

With more clients shopping online every day, you need to know how to effectively sell in the digital space. In this session you'll discover tools to boost your efficiency and productivity, practices to expand your reach, and tips and tricks to help you stand out on the e-commerce stage. If you want to level up in 2020 and start the new year strong, don't miss:

• Launching an effective e-commerce store that incorporates custom graphics, not just logos
• Providing an online design experience for buyers that enables them to produce and order products with customized graphics
• Using sales enablement tools including online proposals to engage clients in the creative process
• Closing sales and shutting out the competition using online stores and a revenue-sharing mode
• Incorporating a successful e-commerce strategy into a traditional distributorship to grow revenue.

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.

Details to come.

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.

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.

Melissa Newman is ASI's social media manager. She's been in the digital marketing space for four years with a significant concentration in social media marketing, and she holds an M.S. in Digital Innovation in Marketing. She's passionate about social's ability to create community and brand equity, and provide value to customers. She co-hosts The Social Angle podcast and loves collaborating with ASI's internal departments to evangelize ASI to promo professionals everywhere. When she's not combing through Facebook Groups or overthinking the perfect tweet, you can find her highly caffeinated in her kitchen attempting to replicate recipes she finds on TikTok (with varying degrees of success).

With most companies still in work-from-home mode, business travel at a stand-still, and distributorships walking a fine line in how they present themselves during such a tumultuous and stressful environment, finding meaningful ways to connect with clients is critical. Relationships are more crucial than ever before, and in this session, ASI’s social media experts will explain smart strategies including:

• Effective ways to use social to cut through the noise
• How to make your message resonate with your intended audience
• Ways to position yourself and your company as authentically as possible.

Victoria Nardini is the GroupeSTAHL Director of Event Sales & Marketing. While her role took a much different path in 2020 due to the pandemic, she continues to enjoy managing and growing customer, partnership and affiliate relationships for the leading heat printing supplier and manufacturer. With over six years of experience in the imprinted sportswear industry, she knows what it takes to build a successful custom apparel business and is familiar with multiple garment decorating technologies. Her strong background in tradeshow promotion and exhibit building make her a natural at networking and thinking on her feet, at one time planning over 60 national show events per year.

Your clients expect the best representation of their logo, including the true colors and unique finish options, including dimension. This session will review these logo opportunities so you can help your clients stay on-trend and stand out from the crowd.

JP Hunt, MBA, is co-founder of InkSoft, the sales platform for the decorated apparel industry. With over 15 years of industry experience, he combines his expertise in e-commerce, digital marketing and strategic planning to help apparel decorators solve problems and grow their bottom line. He describes himself as a “coffee drinker and technology addict. Some people call me a marketing guru; I don't correct them.”

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.

While many schools and sports are operating on a new schedule, there is still a strong desire to support them at all levels. This class will explore a proven framework for leveraging school spirit and sports enthusiasm to produce ongoing fundraising programs that power sales through e-commerce and specialized graphics. You'll leave knowing how to:

• Develop relatable graphics that support schools and sports
• Launch an e-commerce store specifically tailored to school and sports fundraising
• Maximize exposure on social media platforms
• Use fundraising programs as a launchpad for expanding your traditional distributorship
• Implement community support into fundraising efforts
• Generate more profits with paid sponsorships.

Details to come.