Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend
and enjoy an extra hour of sunshine!
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PPAMidwest Launches PhD Award Program! |
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What is it?
The PPAMidwest Board of Directors has added Education as a focus to our strategic plan. In an effort to encourage participation and reward active members, the PPAMidwest PhD (Promo Honors Designee) award program was developed. PPAMidwest will continue to offer exciting and ongoing educational programs and your participation can lead to awesome recognition!
How will it work?
Annually, 3 outstanding members will be rewarded with the PhD Award. Throughout the year, points are awarded for activities as detailed on our point structure below. In November, the PPAMidwest Board of Directors will review the points standings and determine the 3 recipients, based on the top 3 point earners and a vote, in the event of ties.
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How do I earn points?
The Check out the list to the right. You earn points for doing things that you are likely already doing. For each category, there is an annual maximum noted. For live events and activities, your attendance will automatically be recorded and points assigned, provided you are an active member of PPAMidwest. For recorded webinars, referrals and completion of PPAI Certifications or renewals, simply complete the easy request form to have your points credited. It is that simple!
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What will I get?
At our December Holiday Socials, our Education Chair
will present this gorgeous trophy to the 3 recipients.
This lifetime award can only be earned once and recipients’ names will be added to our PhD Honors listing for the life
of the program! Other members will see your accomplishments for generations to come.
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Important Dates:
March 1st, 2021 – PROGRAM LAUNCHED
Points begin accruing for any events after this date
November 2021 – PPAMidwest Board Meeting
Official recipients will be determined
December 2021 - PPAMidwest Holiday Socials
At these events, the winners will be announced and presented their awards
January 1st, 2022 – Points Reset and We Begin the 2022 Cycle
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Compete with friends
In an effort to make this even more fun, PPAMidwest will regularly report current standings, so you can compete with your fellow members and ensure that you remain at the top of the leaderboard!
Watch your e-mails for all ongoing live webinars and events and we will let you know how many points can be earned for attendance of each. Remember the maximum limits though. Once you have completed the maximum in one category, time to focus on the next!
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Register Today for our Upcoming Virtual Lunch Sessions: |
Virtual Lunch & Learn featuring Calverley, Inc.
Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 11am
Please join us as Stuart Richards discusses all things Calverley, Inc. which is a premium business gift supplier for over 17 years. Calverley decorates all of their products down to just 25 pieces, offers FREE virtuals and are generous with samples.
Stuart will cover how Calverley has the exclusive supplier contract for North America and Canada for Branded Tile as well as also discuss memobottle, Orbitkey and KeySmart all of which may be seen on Calverley's main website.
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Virtual Lunch & Learn featuring 3M Promotional Markets
Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 11am
3M Promotional Markets has expanded their product offerings in 2021!
Please join Denise to hear about the additions to 3M's Extreme Notes and Custom Printed Skin product lines, check out the NEW Banner Rolls that have provided even more functionality to Post-it® Notes and find out which favorite product is back in our promotion line-up! And of course we will take a peek at 3M's top sellers as Denise shares the sales tools that continue to be at your disposal!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Virtual Lunch & Learn featuring Perry Ellis International and MW Reps
Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 11am
Please join Tracey Stingley from Perry Ellis International along with Jen Kruger and Bryan Mercer of MW Reps to discover the many benefits of WHY you should be selling branded apparel and working with PEI, a one stop supplier. Featuring new products and best sellers from the following retail brands: Callaway Corporate Apparel, Original Penguin Golf and Perry Ellis.
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March 31, 2021 Wild Wednesday Webinar:
“Embrace the Winds of Changes - Adjust Your Sails"
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Are the changes in today’s marketplace an opportunity for prosperity or a pain in the neck? In this webinar, Johnny Campbell will explain what change really is and how business professionals can effectively lead and navigate the uncertainties of change and respond to marketplace shifts. |
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Coffee Chat is your opportunity to connect with colleagues and the PPAMidwest board while we share ideas and new strategies.
So pull up a seat and bring your questions, ideas or business challenges.
Together we'll achieve more!
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Koozie Group announces their recent acquisition of top calendar supplier HotLine Products, expanding their strategic plan for sustainable and scalable growth!
Like Koozie Group within our Triumph® and Good Value™ calendar lines, HotLine is well-known in the industry for their wide selection of calendars including appointment, desk, executive, and commercial styles, planners/journals and custom capabilities as well as offerings featuring Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post and David Maass, among others. Their focus on safety and responsible printing processes, using recycled materials and paper from sustainable sources aligns with Koozie Group’s enhanced commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
Koozie Group is committed to keeping the HotLine product assortment as it exists today for the 2022 calendar season. These items will remain available under the Koozie Group portfolio with the production of these calendars being produced out of our Sleepy Eye, MN facility and serviced by our sales and service teams who have a 20-year consecutive record of winning the ASI Distributor Choice Awards in the calendar category.
Koozie Group is currently in the slower part of calendar season, so over the next couple of months, our team is focused on coordinating the transfer of HotLine product and ordering information into our systems and support structures, including the production of the HotLine items into the Koozie Group Sleepy Eye, MN facility. For now, please continue to work with HotLine business-as-usual using the same website, phone numbers and email addresses. Koozie Group will be sending communications over the next few weeks with details on what to update in your systems and a timeline for those changes.
Koozie Group's team is excited to add HotLine’s assortment of high-quality, reputable products to our existing calendar line and look forward to helping build lasting brand legacies for you and your clients. Please note that your current Koozie Group Sales Account Manager will be the same contact for the HotLine calendar assortment should you have any questions.
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PPAMidwest Members....Don't Break The Bank Paying For College!
As students around the country begin to check their mailboxes anticipating college admission letters, parents are planning for the big transition their students will soon make. Now is the perfect time for students to apply for a Promotional Products Education Foundation scholarship. In 2021, PPEF is awarding 160 scholarships totaling $278,750.
Since 1989, PPEF has awarded more than $2.4 million in college scholarships to students who have a parent working in the promotional products industry or who are working for a company in the industry. Don't wait, share this email with your staff today!
The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm CT on Monday, March 15, 2021.
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PPAMidwest Members......
Are you taking advantage of your Member Benefits like a 10% Discount on SAGE products?
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Independent Contractor Status Threatened |
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There is still time to contact your Member of Congress! |
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New legislation has been proposed in Congress that would effectively ban independent contractor classifications under federal labor law. The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, H.R. 842, amends the National Labor Relations Act to establish a new definition of employees which expressly eliminates independent contractors in the U.S. The new legislation makes a broad presumption that all workers in the U.S. are employees unless each element of a newly established “ABC” test can be demonstrated. PPAI is opposed to the PRO Act because, if signed into law, it would significantly change how thousands of promotional products companies interact with each other, and it will eliminate jobs in our industry.
Specifically, the PRO Act would eliminate independent contractor agreements, enforce government control over private employment contracts and significantly broaden risk exposure to joint employer liability.
The legislation also sets new criteria for determining occupational status as an independent contractor instead of an employee. The proposed new criteria entail a three-pronged test for which each of the requirements must be proven if an independent contractor wants to retain his or her status under federal labor law.
The House is expected to consider H.R. 842 this week, with a possible vote happening by the end of the week.
Please click here to email and call members of Congress to educate them about why independent contractors in the promotional products industry do not want to be forced to reclassify as employees.
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5 Email Marketing Strategies to Conquer Consumer Inaction
Susan Guneluis • Entrepreneur Leadership Network VIP • Marketing, Branding, Copywriting, Email and Social Media Expert
Start creating list segments based on actions users don't take.
Email-marketing segmentation has been proven to boost campaign results, and thanks to modern automation features, it’s easier than ever to segment email lists and send highly targeted messages to people based on demographics, psychographics and behavioral data. As these tools get more sophisticated and deeper integrations become available between tools, websites, social media platforms, shopping carts, etc., the potential to segment audiences using unique behavioral data grows more robust.
While most marketers focus on active consumer behaviors like web-page visits, lead-magnet requests and opt-in form submissions, there's a significant opportunity for businesses to connect with audiences by tracking more passive or inactive behavior. Here are five examples of common consumer inaction that you can develop email-marketing strategies around to generate positive results. Read More
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Last Chance To Recognize Notable Industry Leaders |
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Take A Moment to Submit A Nomination.......Deadline is March 13th |
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PPAI depends on members like you to help them recognize notable work in the promotional products industry. We are extremely lucky to work with talented and passionate people who give so much for our overall success. These prestigious awards celebrate individuals for their outstanding industry service, professional achievements and commitment towards their communities.
Awards are given in the following categories:
- PPAI Woman of Achievement
- PPAI Distinguished Service Award
- PPAI Hall of Fame Award
- PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award
- PPAI RAC Volunteer
Nomination deadline is this Saturday, March 13
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