TREVOSE, PA – March 6, 2009 – The Advantages Roadshow, managed by The ASI Show, announced today that preliminary numbers show 646 distributors and 50 supplier companies participated in the tour’s second Midwest week, part of the 18-week 2009 schedule.

The largest and best-attended traveling show in the advertising specialty industry consistently delivers more attendees than other traveling shows.  Over 11,000 distributors, suppliers and decorators attended the ASI Advantages Roadshows in 2008. To date, 3,590 distributors have attended the first five weeks of Advantages Roadshows. 

Distributors in Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee spent time with leading suppliers introducing new advertising specialties for the start of the year.  The impressive exhibitor list included:

• Augusta Sportswear, asi/37461 
• Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers, asi/37461  
• Bodek & Rhodes, asi/40788 
• Debco, asi/48885  
• Fields Manufacturing Inc., asi/54100
• Lanco Corp., asi/66224
• Marathon Mfg/Prestige Lines, asi/68707    
• Stouse, asi/89910    
• Virginia T’s Inc., asi/93917 
• Whispering Pines Sportswear, asi/97027 

A total of 120 attendees also enjoyed free education designed to help them sell in any economic environment.  Sessions included “Getting Started in the Advertising Specialty Industry,” for new distributors who want to sell promotional products; the “Exhibitor Presents” session, featuring hot products; and the “Build Your Distributorship through Better Marketing” session, which provides expert marketing tips.   

All distributors are invited to attend the Advantages Roadshow for free, and can either register on-site with a business card or can pre-register on each city’s to receive exclusive exhibitor specials and show updates in advance.  Suppliers interested in exhibiting may contact Nick DiNicola, at ndinicola@asicentral.com, or their ASI Show rep, at 1-877-ASI-SHOW.

The Advantages Roadshow now moves on to visit Minneapolis, Des Moines, Omaha, Overland Park and St. Louis March 16-20 (Midwest III series).  The entire exhibitor list, which includes these respected industry suppliers: 

• Augusta Sportswear, asi/37461 
• Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers, asi/37461    
• Custom HBC Corp., asi/47934      
• Debco, asi/48885    
• Fields Manufacturing Inc., asi/54100  
• Hotline Products, asi/60960 
• Lanco Corp., asi/66224  
• Marathon Mfg/Prestige Lines, asi/68707   
• Stouse, asi/89910      
• Whispering Pines Sportswear, asi/97027 

“The Advantages Roadshow targets 130,000 industry distributor salespeople from more than 22,000 ASI distributor companies,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president of The ASI Show.  “Suppliers can easily meet hundreds of distributors each week and that’s more than they could meet through personal phone calls in the same amount of time.”  

Reactions from attendees have been positive.

“Aside from making numerous new business connections, we had a lot of fun reconnecting with old friends,” said supplier Teddy Scott of Debco (asi/48885).  “The Advantages Roadshow consistently delivers a productive sales-building event – allowing us to introduce our new products and services to hundreds of quality distributors in just one week.”

“What I love most about the Advantages Roadshow is seeing all the new product ideas in one convenient location,” said distributor Cindy Hannon of Cindy’s in Stitches of Indianapolis.  “It’s a quality show that also allows me to network with other ad specialty professionals.”

In addition, the Advantages Roadshow is co-locating with the Stitches Roadshows in six locations.  Attendees and exhibitors experience two shows in one, providing decorators with opportunities to meet equipment, software, supply and service providers face-to-face, see new wearables vendors, enjoy valuable education and network with other decorators.

For more information about the Advantages Roadshow and for the full 2009 schedule across 70 cities, click here.    

About the ASI Advantages Roadshow
The ASI Advantages Roadshow is the official traveling tradeshow of ASI, visiting over 70 top cities throughout North America every year.  The ASI Advantages Roadshow is the largest and best-attended traveling show in the advertising specialty industry, connecting more top industry suppliers with more quality distributors and salespeople than any other traveling show.  In 2009, the Advantages Roadshow is also co-locating with the Stitches Roadshow in six locations.  Visit www.advantagesroadshow.com.