Kicking off 2024, ASI Orlando brought energy, excitement and momentum to the Orange County Convention Center, with attendees raving about everything from the ample networking opportunities to the inspiring keynote speeches.

Many thanks to the 4,500 industry pros and sensational keynoter Jesse Cole who helped make #ASIOrlando, the 1st industry show of the year, a rousing success.#promo #promoproducts pic.twitter.com/JlJrT1ybkJ

— Timothy M. Andrews (@Tim_Andrews_ASI) January 5, 2024

Held from Jan. 3 to 5, the trade show brought 4,500 industry professionals to bustling show-floor aisles that were packed with new and innovative promo items. Plus, more than 800 attendees took sales, marketing and social media classes on Education Day.

Anthony Gonzalez, account manager at Elemental Bottles (asi/51846), called this year’s Orlando show an “amazing experience.”

“Since the gates opened and people have been flooding in, it has been nonstop action,” Gonzalez said. “This has been one of the busiest years we’ve seen at an ASI Show.”

Attendees of ASI Orlando were thrilled with the energy and bustle at this year’s show.

David Bloom of Miami-based Good Catch! (asi/209985), known to clients as Speedy.promo, said he’s been coming to ASI Orlando since 2002 and loves that he still runs into suppliers and distributors at the show whom he wouldn’t encounter elsewhere. At this year’s show, Bloom said he sought out information on new decorating techniques and was on the hunt for low-cost but fun merch.

“I have a client who only wants under-a-dollar items, and I can still find a ton of them,” Bloom added. “Will I make money from the show? Absolutely.”

Jodie Schillinger, executive vice president of Mosinee, WI-based Maple Ridge Farms (asi/68680), was grateful that so many distributors – both longtime customers and new faces – visited her booth to sample coffee cakes, nuts, chocolates and other treats. “We’ve been so fortunate that all our customers are stopping by to say hello,” she said. “The energy is just super-vibey, and we’re so grateful.”

An ASI member since 2019, Suzanne McCarter of Burns Printing, Inc. (asi/150837) in Knoxville, TN, was thrilled to experience what she described as a “fuller” show this year. “It’s a very brisk business environment and a lot of great new products,” McCarter added.

In particular, McCarter was drawn to driveable coolers, plush blankets and a rugged Carhartt chore coat for canine companions. “I can’t wait to show that,” she added. “We have a lot of customers who are dog lovers.”

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Here’s a recap of all the highlights from ASI Orlando:

8 Common Sales Myths Dispelled

Carolyn Strauss explained how distributors could draw inspiration from HSN, using sales tactics like scarcity, social proof and authority to win repeat clients. She also dispelled a laundry list of common myths – including the idea that a salesperson needs to know more than their prospect and should be “slick and polished.”

Content Marketing Strategies for Reaching the Right Buyers

Martine Cadet of Kaderique Consulting Group shared tips for crafting effective social media marketing posts, noting that a post should be “the start of a conversation” and not an end point. “It’s a handshake, not a post and ghost,” she added.

Flash Polls Signal Distributor Sales Growth

During an Education Day wrap-up session, live polling showed 2023 sales were higher than 2022’s for most attendees. Plus, more than half of attendees said they were already using AI in their businesses, and another 44% had plans to start using tools like ChatGPT in the near future.

Beth Paretta Inspires With Tale of Barrier-Breaking Race Car Team

In a standing-room-only keynote, Beth Paretta explained how she was able to “change some people’s perception of what’s possible” in just six seconds, after her woman-owned, woman-driven and woman-forward INDYCAR team qualified for the Indy 500 and performed a textbook-perfect pit stop during the race. It was the first time a woman-forward team competed in the race.

Savannah Bananas Founder Jesse Cole Encourages Crowd To Create Fans, Not Clients

In an energetic and interactive keynote that included a singalong and a dance contest, the owner of the viral exhibition baseball team shared the story of his success and how he grew the Savannah Bananas from selling just two tickets to having more than 1 billion social media views and over half a million fans on a waiting list for tickets.

5 Trends From the Show Floor

High-end bags and sustainability initiatives were among the biggest trends at ASI Orlando this year. Retro gifts and customizable white-label cigars were also among the more interesting finds.

Podcast: ASI Media Editors Discuss Show Highlights

In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo and Theresa Hegel talk about some of the biggest moments and most interesting promo items that came out of the first industry trade show of 2024.

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