Print+Promo Begins Fourth Year of Distributor Connect Events, Returns to Fort Lauderdale

Print+Promo, the Philadelphia-based leading source of business strategies for distributor sales professionals, recently concluded its first Distributor Connect of 2017.

Distributor Connect pairs top-selling distributors with leading print and promotional product suppliers for one-on-one, 20-minute, pre-scheduled meetings held in private supplier suites. For the latest event, which ran May 10 through 12, attendees traveled to the luxurious Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and were treated to ocean-view rooms just a few steps from the beach. The first full day of meetings was capped off with a private dinner along the scenic Intracoastal Waterway at Grateful Palate Catering & Events.

“At Distributor Connect, we bring great people together so great things can happen,” Jim Harvie, publisher for Print+Promo, said. “That is exactly what occurred again at our most recent Distributor Connect event in Fort Lauderdale. The meaningful connections that are developed from the one-on-one meetings at Distributor Connect continue into business solutions. Our sponsoring suppliers and trade printers left the event knowing they got real value for their investment, while the distributors left with real solutions that they can turn into income—a true win-win for both parties. That is what makes for a successful event. I can’t wait for the next one in early November in San Antonio.”

Unlike industry trade shows, Distributor Connect events enable distributor attendees to meet exclusively with sponsoring suppliers. For Carol Alexander, director of inside sales for FF&S Inc., Noblesville, Ind., that individual attention is the foundation for growing new business relationships.

“Hands down a great format to connect with vendors to learn about what they offer and how we can partner to provide the best product and service to our customers,” she said. “Far more valuable than the traditional trade shows. I appreciated the one-on-one time with each group. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this event and I look forward to new working relationships.”

In addition to building new books of business, some distributors were able to renew old relationships. “My time at Print+Promo’s Distributor Connect was so valuable,” Christine Giglio, vendor relations/product manager for Amsterdam Printing, Amsterdam, N.Y., said. “I reconnected, and made additional connections, with some great suppliers in the industry. Amsterdam Printing values our relationships with our suppliers. The meetings were strategic and we were able to make the ‘next steps’ to grow as partners.”

Distributors are not the only ones benefitting from the format. AmeriPrint Corporation, a Harvard, Illinois-based supplier and repeat attendee, experiences something new at each event. “[The] Distributor Connect in Fort Lauderdale was an overwhelming success for our company,” said Gary St. Onge, CFC, vice president of sales and marketing for AmeriPrint Corporation. “The quality of attendees is always good at these events, but everyone in attendance at this event was there to seek out new ideas in print.

The next event will take place November 1 through 3 in San Antonio.

Limited spaces are available for qualified distributors interested in attending Print+Promo Distributor Connect – San Antonio. For more information, contact Mike Cooper at mcooper@napco.com or (215) 238-5434.

Print+Promo also is accepting contracts for this event from new suppliers. Don’t wait—only a few spaces remain. To learn more, contact Jim Harvie at jharvie@napco.com or (215) 238-5436.

For event information and testimonials, please visit connect.goprintandpromo.com.