commonsku (PPAI 552077), a business services provider for the branded merchandise industry, recently joined a dozen distributor customers and the team from SanMar (PPAI 110788, Platinum), the No. 1 supplier in the PPAI 100, ...

Not every prospect who reaches out will end up placing an order. However, every order starts the same way: as a sales opportunity. In simple terms, a sales opportunity is a lead that has real potential. They have a need, a timeline and at least some...

One of the pillars of PPAI’s new Strategic Plan is to strengthen community by uniting the marketplace through shared purpose, leadership development and deeper connections.One of theinitiatives outlined in the plan is to expand volunteer and reg...

In an industry built on relationships, branding visibility and connection, the important conversation around women’s leadership and influence is evolving beyond celebration and into structural change.In honor of Women’s History Month, PPAI Media...

Every sales team says they care about customer service. Sometimes, though, they can’t really explain what that means. That’s where a customer service philosophy comes in. This isn’t a catchy slogan or a poster in the breakroom. Instead, it’s a clear...

Every strong team starts somewhere. In the branded merch world, a junior account coordinator or sales assistant could become a leading client strategist or rep. But growth doesn’t happen automatically. It takes leaders who prioritize learning and he...

If there's ever a time to advertise where you went to college, it's for those few weeks as spring approaches; what most of America refers to as March Madness. As office pools tally up entries and first-time basketball watchers try to fill out the pe...

As a branded merchandise expert, you bring plenty of practical skills to the table. You know the merch and pricing, and you understand how to balance deadlines and client requests. But those technical abilities are only part of the equation. It’s be...

Exactly six months after announcing the pending retirement of CEO Tim Andrews, ASI has now announced his successor. Ashish Mittal will take over leadership of the company beginning April 1, the day after Andrews' official retirement, having spent 23...