The 3 Ps of PPAI 2024: Process, Products, and People

There’s no bigger week in the Promo calendar than the PPAI - Promotional Products Association International Expo. People think trade shows are just about products. But there’s a lot more to PPAI.??

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It’s become a real hub for the Promo community, helping us regain that momentum and excitement at the start of the year after a hectic holiday season.??

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This year’s show felt like a real return to full force - it seemed busier than ever and you could feel the buzz on the show floor. Big credit to Dale Denham and the team for building PPAI’s reputation and reach to make that happen.??

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From connecting and building relationships before the show starts to being on the stand, here’s are the top Promo themes for 2024 that I took away from PPAI.??

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Processes?

This one had to be top of my list.??

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It really stood out to me how many other companies were operating on EOS. I wrote about how it really won me over, so it was great to trade stories with others on what they love about it.?

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On the flipside, difficulties implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems was a common struggle.??

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Though the benefits are great, getting to that stage where everything is working smoothly enough to really feel those benefits seems to take longer than most anticipate.??

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It’s a bit like remodeling a house: you spend twice as much and it takes twice as long as you originally thought - but hey, it’s all worth it in the end.??

Products?

Product wise, there was a continuation of post-COVID trends around e-commerce, packaging, and sustainability.???

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A lot of people were talking about stores they’re building for clients, with the number of pop-up stores also on the rise.??

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It’s something we spent a lot of time talking about within DCX last year as we nailed down the content for our E-Commerce Academy, so it was good to hear that reflected across the industry as we collectively get slicker at launching these e-commerce-related services.??

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It was also great to hear from business owners deciding not to go down e-commerce because it isn’t their core strength. Our industry and market is broad, and focusing on a particular area of expertise looks set to be a theme throughout 2024 as businesses look to double down on recovery and grow.?

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The other product-related standout was packaging - it looks better and better. Decoration options keep expanding and getting more creative, and you can also see sustainability considerations on the rise. There’s even businesses ticking both the creative and sustainable boxes - like Rupt ’s Second Life packaging.??

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People?

Lastly, and the most important P of PPAI - the people.?

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The chance to step away from the order book, the business, the day-to-day and talk about Promo more broadly leads to such great conversations and connections.??

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A personal highlight was attending a meeting that Joseph Sommer hosted on Monday afternoon. It was great to come together with a big group of distributors from multiple communities.??

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It wasn’t just handshakes and superficial networking chat - we shared pain points, successes, and the outlook for our businesses.??

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Many are moving past that recovery mindset, tackling challenges like aligning hiring strategies for return-to-normal growth levels in the industry.??

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The Year Ahead?

Being able to have those conversations, at our Partner Breakfast, on the stand, even on the court at Promo Hoops is only possible with a lot of hard work.??

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A big shoutout to Becki Heinen Customer Experience team for doing an awesome job listening to clients’ needs. We also had Perla Perez, SHRM-CP come along representing our Talent Acquisition team - her first ever time in Vegas.?

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And last but most definitely not least, a big thank you to Rory Young , Brittany T. Reeves , and ??? Emma Westley for the detailed planning that went into every single minute of the week, helping us build relationships, get feedback, and find the new opportunities that set us off on the right path for 2024.??

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Bring on PPAI 2025.??