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January 27, 2023

Recapping ASI Fort Worth: ‘Valuable, Uplifting & Encouraging,’ Attendees Say

Distributors and suppliers reported a good experience at the largest industry trade show in the Southwest.

By  Christopher Ruvo

“Valuable, uplifting and encouraging.”

That’s how Shawnda Salazar of Ashland, MO-based distributorship Proforma Business Builders (asi/490674) described her time at the ASI Show Fort Worth, held January 23-25 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

It was her first promo products trade show. From the professional development sessions and idea-generating interactions with suppliers on the show floor, to the social events like a fun night at the ASI-hosted Promo Party at River Ranch, Salazar said the experience was fantastic.

“There was a real sense of community,” said Salazar. Proforma Business Builders is an affiliate of Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094).

Shawnda Salazar and Ron Fauss, tradeshow attendees

Shawnda Salazar and Ron Fauss had a great experience at the ASI Show Fort Worth.

Salazar was among the 2,500 promotional products professionals who attended ASI Fort Worth, the largest promotional products trade show in the Southwest. The event featured nearly 400 booths, including 70% of the industry’s Top 40 suppliers and 50 new suppliers.

The region is critical to the promo business: According to ASI Media’s annual State & Regional Sales Report, the South continues to lead the nation with promo sales of $9 billion, with promo powerhouse Texas alone posting $3.4 billion in promotional products sales, up 17% from the previous year, leading every state in the South.

Like Salazar, other distributor pros said the show was time well spent. Ron Fauss, Salazar’s colleague at Proforma Business Builders and an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, said the intellectual capital he gained from speaker Marki Lemons Ryhal’s keynote on leveraging artificial intelligence tools to power online/social marketing was a huge boon.

“With these new technologies we learned about, we can be ahead of 95% of our competitors,” Fauss said.

Meanwhile, sales pro Phyllis Proske of Schulenburg, TX-based distributor Schulenburg Printing (asi/321057) was at the show to scout for new products. She said the show was big enough to offer a wide breadth of items, but intimate enough that she could have meaningful conversations with suppliers, rather than stand in long lines to scan and move along.

“Everyone has been very informative,” Proske said.

Lorenza Radut of distributor Promoload (asi/302186) made the trip down from her home in Ontario, Canada for ASI Fort Worth.

She has clients in Texas, and found both the show and being in Fort Worth to be helpful for building rapport with pivotal local suppliers that support her sales efforts in the Lone Star State. She also loved industry consultant and speaker Cliff Quicksell’s education session on building profit with the help of packaging solutions.

“His advice is great and he has so much energy,” said Radut. “He pumps you up.”

Suppliers reported positive experiences, too.

“Almost from the moment the show floor opened, our booth was busy with interested and qualified distributors,” said Tina Berres Filipski, director of corporate relations at supplier PowerStick.com (asi/51566), whose new ClearCharge wireless charger was garnering ample attention from distributors.

Filipski continued: “Even the cold, rainy weather didn’t deter the crowds. This was my first ASI show in many years and it beat my expectations in every way. We just recently decided to exhibit and I’m so glad PowerStick had a presence there. It was a great place to see, be seen and tell our story – as Texas and surrounding states are such an important region for us.”

Terrin Conway, national account manager at Lee’s Summit, MO-based Sock101 (asi/88071), said a raft of distributors were interested in the suppliers’ new products, which included a cooler line and light-up sneakers. “We’ve been able to have really good, quality conversations with qualified distributors,” Conway said.

San Diego, CA-headquartered Terry Town (asi/90913) had a large, well-lit space on the floor that resembled a pop-up retail store. Aaron Bradley, vice president of sales and compliance at Terry Town, said foot traffic was especially heavy through late afternoon on the first day of exhibits. Distributors were keen on the supplier’s new camping blanket and recycled blankets that are made with 60% recycled cotton, Bradley said.

“It’s been a good time with good people,” Bradley said of the show.

Charlotte Jones, co-owner and chief branding officer of the Dallas Cowboys, delivered a Day 2 keynote that won raves. “Charlotte was great,” said Daniel Hartlieb of On Purpose Branding (asi/270903). “She nailed it as far as being about passion and purpose. That’s what drives us and that’s what gets us to the end zone.”

“I was so impressed by the exhibitors and distributors who refused to let a little chill and showers dampen their enthusiasm and drive,” said Tim Andrews, president and CEO of ASI, the largest membership organization and technology provider in the $23.2 billion promotional products industry. “It was clear from the moment the balloons dropped that everyone was ready to charge into 2023 by doing deals, checking out the latest products, engaging with their supplier partners and sharing fun times together. I couldn’t be happier with the overall results.”