TREVOSE, PA – October 23, 2009 - The Advantages Roadshow, managed by The ASI Show, announced today that preliminary numbers show 496 distributors participated in the Eastern Canada part of the 2009 schedule.

The largest and best-attended traveling show in the advertising specialty industry consistently delivers more attendees than other traveling shows.  To date, 11,237 distributors have attended this year’s Advantages Roadshows. 

Distributors in Montreal, Ottawa, Ajax, Mississauga and Burlington spent time with leading suppliers introducing the latest advertising specialties.

The impressive exhibitor list included:

• Ash City, asi/37127
• Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers, asi/37465
• Bag Makers, asi/37940
• CFS Promotions For Now!, asi/42989
• Canada Sportswear Corp., asi/43682
• Debco, asi/48885
• Headwear Canada, asi/60281
• Hit Promotional Products, asi/61125
• Leeds, asi/66887
• Pioneer Balloon Canada, asi/78168 

A total of 86 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 Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore Oct. 26-30 (NortheastII).  The Advantages Roadshow co-located with the Stitches Roadshow in select cities, allowing attendees and exhibitors to 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.

The entire exhibitor list, which includes these respected industry suppliers: 

• AZX Sport, asi/30250 
• All In One, asi/34256 
• Bodek & Rhodes, asi/40788 
• Custom HBC Corp., asi/47934 
• Enduraline, asi/52480 
• Hit Promotional Products, asi/61125 
• Logo Mats Inc., asi/67849 
• Marathon Mfg/Prestige Lines, asi/68707 
• SanMar, asi/84863 
• 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.

“The best part of the Roadshow was meeting so many new distributors while reconnecting with old friends who were equally enthusiastic about our products,” said supplier Irene White of Matsuda.  “The Advantages Roadshow always delivers, and provides a huge boost in challenging times.”

“I’ve already got plenty of ideas from the show I’m planning to put to work for me,” said distributor Susan Heslop, of Creative Images Marketing in Mississauga.  “These days, you need all the edge you can get and the Roadshow allows me to spend quality time with exhibitors while taking advantage of the free education offered.”

About The ASI Show and Advantages Roadshow
The ASI Show was created for active ASI member distributors and suppliers, and attracts more distributors than any other industry show. Offering a full education conference, networking opportunities and a manageable one floor/one hall layout, The ASI Show provides a complete trade show experience. In five host cities per year (Orlando, Dallas, San Diego, New York and Chicago), The ASI Show is ideal for promotional products businesses searching for new ideas and new business. In January 2006, The ASI Show launched the Advantages Roadshow, a traveling show visiting over 70 top cities throughout the country. In addition, the Stitches Roadshow was created to bring together embroidery professionals. More than 30,000 distributors attend an ASI Show or Advantages Roadshow each year. Visit www.asishow.com and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and the CEO’s blog.