TREVOSE, PA – October 30, 2009 - The Advantages Roadshow, managed by The ASI Show, announced today that preliminary numbers show 648 distributors participated in the last show of 2009, which took place in five cities across the Northeast.

The largest and best-attended traveling show in the advertising specialty industry consistently delivers more attendees than other traveling shows.  In 2009, a total of 11,915 distributors attended Advantages Roadshows. 

Distributors in Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore spent time with leading suppliers introducing the latest advertising specialties.

The impressive exhibitor list included:

• All In One, asi/34256
• Ash City, asi/37127
• Bodek & Rhodes, asi/40788 
• Custom HBC Corp., asi/47934 
• Debco, asi/48885
• Enduraline, asi/52480
• Hit Promotional Products, asi/61125
• Leashables By Oralabs, asi/66715
• Logo Mats Inc., asi/67849 
• Marathon Mfg/Prestige Lines, asi/68707
• Sabina, asi/84470
• SanMar, asi/84863
• Whispering Pines Sportswear, asi/97027 

A total of 151 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 link here 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 2010 Advantages Roadshow returns to Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore January 18-22 as part of the 2010 schedule, which features shows over 16 weeks across North America and is now available online at www.advantagesroadshow.com.  The Advantages Roadshow co-locates 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 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 both exhibitors and attendees have been positive.

“The ASI Advantages Roadshows are tremendous,” said supplier John Mills, marketing manager of Fox Laminating Company (asi/55230).  “I just like being able to talk with the distributors one on one in a relaxed atmosphere. And I’m really seeing results.  Customer calls and orders follow a few days after meeting at the shows.”
 
“We personally connected with a terrific number of distributors,” said supplier Candi Crispin, sales manager of SanMar (asi/ 84863).   “These were quality contacts – and a lot of them.  We’ll definitely be back.”

“I’m really enjoying the Advantages Roadshow,” said distributor Jim Soutar, vice president of Crown Trophy (asi/381025).  “There’s a good mix of vendors here and they’ve been very helpful. They take the time for instruction on how to sell their products.  I also stopped in on education and really found it helpful.”

 “What I love most about the Advantages Roadshow is seeing all the new products ideas in one convenient location,” said distributor Wendell Harris, owner of Creative Rewards (asi/170730).  “It’s a quality show that also allows me to network with other ad specialty professionals.”

For more information about the Advantages Roadshow and for the full 2010 schedule across 70 cities, click here.  

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 ASI and ASI Show at asishow.com and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, the CEO’s blog and the ASI Social Network.

Contact

Dawn Marie,
Executive director of corporate communications

Email industry news and press releases to Chris Ruvo, Digital News Director and Promogram Editor at cruvo@asicentral.com

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