10 Reasons to Attend Print and Promo Trade Shows

I recently sat down with Tim Andrews, president and CEO of Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), and Dave Leskusky, president of PRINTING United Alliance, to talk about the upcoming PRINTING United Expo – and why promo suppliers and distributors should make it a point to attend the show. We also chatted about the value print service providers (PSPs) get from attending any of ASI’s three major trade shows. (Next up is ASI Orlando in January 2026).

In this episode of ASI Media’s Promo Insiders podcast, ASI President and CEO Tim Andrews and PRINTING United Alliance President Dave Leskusky chat about why trade shows are so important for print and promo professionals to attend.

“It’s a great learning experience for people to walk the show floor, see all the products in action and see the capabilities and technologies – whether you’re a supplier or a distributor,” Andrews says of PRINTING United Expo.

On the flip side, PSPs should come to ASI shows to take advantage of the educational and networking opportunities on hand, Leskusky says. “There are tremendous opportunities for partnerships at the shows,” he adds.

You can watch – or just listen – to the full episode of ASI’s Promo Insiders podcast to hear more of their insights. Based on that conversation, however, here are 10 reasons print and promo folks should consider attending each other’s trade shows.

Why Promo Professionals Should Attend PRINTING United Expo

1. Seeing (and feeling) is believing: When it comes to printing technology, a video demo isn’t enough. You really need all your senses to understand the full scope of decoration technologies available, from screen printing and sublimation to laser engraving, DTG, DTF and more. “Literally anything you can put ink on or decorate is there,” Leskusky says.
2. Be on the cutting edge: Going to the show helps promo firms get a first look at new and emerging technologies that make personalization, small runs and full-color printing more efficient and cost-effective.
3. Position yourself as an expert: Promo distributors likely won’t be investing in industrial printing equipment, but by attending the show, they’ll be able to educate themselves about how different imprinting technologies work and what they can and cannot do. It’s a great way to position yourself as an expert for clients, rather than just a seller of products, Andrews says.
4. Gain valuable knowledge: There’s an abundance of education on a wide range of printing-related topics throughout the event; plus, suppliers and distributors can take advantage of the expertise of the equipment manufacturers on the show floor.
5. Expand your network: Promo companies can find new partners in the print industry to expand their product and service offerings.

Why Print Professionals Should Attend ASI Shows

1. Understand the supply chain: PSPs would benefit from attending an ASI show to meet the top suppliers in the promo industry and get a better understanding of how its supply chain works, with suppliers providing a wide range of decorated products to distributors who sell them to clients, who then either sell or give them away to end-users.
2. Access education programs: A variety of classes offered at ASI Shows explain how to be an effective distributor and integrate promo into existing print businesses.
3. Explore partnership opportunities: For printers who aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into selling promo, there’s a chance to meet established distributors that may be looking to enhance their print offerings.
4. Expand revenue streams: Printers will be a step closer to becoming a one-stop shop by learning about promo products opportunities and offering those solutions to clients.
5. Find common ground: With the continued convergence of print and promo, there are a lot of areas of overlap. Custom packaging, for instance, has become more prominent in the promotional products industry, particularly since COVID. (Packaging was named ASI Media’s 2022 Product of the Year.) It’s an area that Andrews believes is still ripe for growth, and printers can help distributors take advantage of the branding real estate that packaging provides.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.