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A Message From Our PPAMidwest President......
PPAMidwest Members,
November is here. As we all know, November represents a time of thanks. Though I am thankful throughout the year for so many things, this seems like the perfect time to express additional gratitude to you, our members, for an amazing year. Our association has accomplished so much this year, with still more opportunities to connect coming up. I am incredibly grateful to the wonderful Board of Directors of PPAMidwest, our amazing Executive Director, Tiffany Kanak, and everyone who understands the importance of our regional association and jumps in to help throughout the year.
Now what’s next? Still so very much to update you on as we close out the year. Last week, your Board of Directors had our annual strategic planning session and worked tirelessly to put together a calendar of events for you next year. I think you will be pleased to see that PPAMidwest will offer you opportunities to connect and engage almost every month next week. Simultaneously, we put together a plan to deepen connections with our members in Nebraska, so stay tuned for all of the details each month.
At our strategic planning session, we also approved a deep slate of outstanding candidates to join the board on January 1st. Voting is underway now, so please check your emails and ensure that you cast your vote and make your voices heard. The Board is confident that these individuals will help us grow to levels we haven’t achieved before.
Last, but certainly not least, it is time for the annual holiday parties and association meeting. Invites we sent out recently and we know you will truly love the gatherings that we have put together for you this year. A special note to our St. Louis area members: Come out and join us for this unique first-time location as we celebrate the holiday all the way down Main Street in St. Charles. We are certain this will be an experience to remember!
I remain humbled to serve as your President. Please reach out directly to me with your comments, questions, or just to chat. I can be reached via email at dennis.oglesby@go2partners.com.
Yours in Service,
Dennis Oglesby, MAS
2023 PPAMidwest President
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November 15, 2023 Wild Wednesday Webinar: "Now That You’ve Decided to Sell Your Business – What’s Next?"
So, you’ve finally made the big decision, but you’re left worrying what do I do next? How do I pull this off successfully? Preparing your business for sell, valuation, and pricing, finding the right buyer, transaction issues and the selling process can all be quite daunting. Rick will guide us through this process and give you the tools you need to move forward with confidence.
Learning Outcomes:
- Key factors to consider in the decision to sell a business
- The steps involved in preparing a business for sale
- Key elements of business valuations and how the marketplace will likely value your business
- How to develop a strategy for marketing and finding the best buyer for you
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Each element of the sale process and best practices for avoiding conflicts
- Common transition options and how they affect the attractiveness of your business
Read more and register
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Enjoy a fun evening out with industry friends as
we mingle, network and enjoy the holiday season
We're having a social in both St. Charles and Overland Park, so please
choose your city, mark your calendar and make plans to attend.
11/29/23 - St. Charles Holiday Party
- 5 - 6pm: Meet at Llyweln's Pub for cocktails and appetizers
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6 - 8:30 pm - We will be participating as a group in the St. Charles Holiday Traditions "A Christmas Carol" Stroll where we will follow the path through the historic district as the plot of the holiday classic "A Christmas Carol" unfolds. Click here for more details on this unique experience
- Event includes 2 drink tickets and light fare
- No Charge for PPAMidwest members and their guest!
11/30/23 - Overland Park Holiday Party
- 5 - 8:30pm: Meet at Pinstripes to enjoy games, music, networking and a great time!
- Event includes 2 drink tickets and light fare
- No Charge for PPAMidwest members and their guest!
In the spirit of the holiday season, PPAMidwest will be collecting donations at
both socials for KVC Health Systems which is a family of nonprofit organizations
that provide services for children in foster care, strengthen families, prevent
child abuse and neglect, and help people achieve mental health wellness.
Please consider bringing an item with you to donate to this wonderful cause.
A complete list will be included on your confirmation email.
We look forward to celebrating the season with you!
Register to attend here
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SAVE THE DATES
For PPAMidwest's 2024 Shows!!
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Not Just Another Traveling Rep Show!!
Where Quality Suppliers Meet Quality Distributors
and Get Quality Results!
Our annual Spring Product Premiere will be held in St. Louis on 3/26/24 and then in
Kansas City on 3/28/24. We will also be hosting a social on 3/27/24 so that you may mingle and network with your PPAMidwest friends/customers the evening before the show.
This is not an end buyer event.
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2 Great Cities/2 Great Shows!
These end user friendly tabletop shows will once again be at two fun
and unique locations that you and your customers are sure to love!
Our annual Fall Holiday Showcase will be held in Kansas City on 10/8/24 and then in
St. Louis on 10/10/24. We will also be hosting a social on 10/9/24 in St. Louis.
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Mark your calendars for both of these awesome show series and
watch for registration details to come in the next few weeks!
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American Solutions for Business Holds Photo Contest for Promotional Products Work! Day
Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business recently announced that it has been selected by leading group purchasing organization (GPO), CoreTrust, as a promotional products supplier for their 3,000 member organizations.
ASB has renewed its three-year purchasing agreement with CoreTrust to continue providing its members, including large corporations and private equity firms with multiple-enterprise portfolios, with access to special pricing and terms pre-negotiated by CoreTrust and ASB for promotional products.
ASB has been a CoreTrust contracted supplier since 2014 for customized promotional products which includes but is not limited to drinkware, bags, apparel, writing instruments, tech items, awards & incentives, health & wellness items and accessories. As one of a select few contracted suppliers in this category, ASB looks forward to continuing to service CoreTrust’s members through its model of flexibility and exceptional customer service.
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OrderMyGear Acquires DistributorCentral
Dallas, TX – OrderMyGear has acquired DistributorCentral, the Kansas-based technology provider for suppliers and distributors in the promotional products industry. Dallas-based OrderMyGear, an online platform for selling custom-branded merchandise, announced the acquisition today.
DistributorCentral will continue to exist and operate under its current name as part of OMG.
OMG anticipates the deal to bring several benefits to both suppliers and the promotional products distributors, apparel decorators and team dealers it works with. Company CEO Leonid Rozkin says, "With DistributorCentral, OMG will be able to provide the best technology paired with the highest quality product data.” Read More Here
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Industry Veteran Dawn Olds, MAS, Announces Retirement From HALO
Sterling, IL – Dawn Olds, MAS, immediate past chair of the PPAI Board of Directors and senior vice president of industry relations and DEI at HALO – ranked the No. 2 distributor in this year’s PPAI 100 – is retiring.
A 35-year veteran of the promotional products industry, Olds has spent her entire career at the Sterling, Illinois-based distributor. She’s been in management for more than two decades, overseeing accounting, IT and general operations functions.
“It has been an honor to contribute to our company’s success and to witness the incredible growth and innovation that has taken place over the years”, Olds says. “I’m grateful for the friendships, the challenges and the countless opportunities to make a difference.”
Olds has also volunteered in the promo industry for several years and joined the PPAI Board of Directors at the beginning of 2020. Her time in the Association’s leadership tracked along considerable changes and challenges in the organization and industry at large, and she was instrumental in helping PPAI navigate the pandemic, leadership changes and revitalizing The PPAI Expo.
Olds plans on staying with HALO through 2023 and will end her tenure at The PPAI Expo 2024 in Las Vegas. Read more about her career and many professional accomplishments here.
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DID YOU KNOW?....
PPAMidwest members can automatically see Free Setup coupons
and more than 100+ supplier websites with PromoHunt?
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That's right -- just install the free PromoHunt browser extension, and then PPAMidwest coupons, Supplier phone numbers, and other helpful details will appear automatically at the bottom of supplier website pages.
Sign Up For Free
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The State of Responsibility 2023 Icon Award Winners | |
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PPAI Research: The State Of Responsibility 2023
Corporate social responsibility has become a priority for most companies, especially those in the promotional products industry. To be a good corporate citizen in 2023, a firm must commit to making a difference in the world, which includes supporting sustainability, product safety, philanthropy and DEI.
As part of its PPAI 100 research program, the Association gathered benchmarking data provided by companies that appeared in the inaugural ranking of promo’s leading distributors and suppliers, as well as those who didn’t make this year’s list or were too small to be eligible.
This report focuses on the details and questions that PPAI Media used to score the PPAI 100 Responsibility category and includes a comprehensive listing of suppliers and distributors of all sizes that have earned new PPAI 100 High Marks for Responsibility.
View Benchmarking Reports & Winning Companies
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Don't Talk to Another Customer Until You Learn This Simple Customer Service Secret
Micah Solomon • Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor • Customer Service Consultant, Trainer
Every customer is at the center of their own world. This simple realization can be your ticket to customer service transformation and excellence, as this customer service consultant and trainer explains.
Here's a simple principle of exceptional customer service that is essential to learn and take to heart: Every customer is at the center of their own world.
The person a customer cares most about (at least when conducting business with you) is themself. They don't care about, or at least don't give any thought to, the challenges that an employee serving them may be navigating. They don't care that other customers also need to be served or about the behind-the-scenes realities at your business, least of all your company's organizational chart.
In your customers' day-to-day lives, when they're not buying from or being served by you, they may be the most open-hearted, considerate, and even philanthropic people in the world. Yet, as customers, they're almost universally focused on themselves (as well as their kids, pets, partner or their boss). And that's OK — it's the way it should be. Read More
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AI’s Role In Promo Grows Despite Hurdles
In another sign that the promotional products industry has embraced the digital revolution, more than half of PPAI 100 distributors and suppliers are currently using artificial intelligence (AI), according to the latest survey from PPAI Research.
Furthermore, more than three quarters (78%) of PPAI 100 distributors and half of PPAI 100 suppliers report some level of positive impact from implementing AI in their business.
“AI's role in promotional products companies is undeniably growing, with a predominant positive tilt,” says Alok Bhat, market economist and senior manager of research at PPAI. “However, the varying degrees of this positive impact underline the importance of strategic, well-informed AI adoption and the continuous evolution in its application.”
Read more
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