Fascinating Takeaways Unveiled by SAGE’s Promo Live! Online Event

Addison, Texas (August 23, 2023) – SAGE, the leading provider of business services in the promotional products industry, has concluded its yearly interactive online promo event, Promo Live! Over the span of two successful days, the event drew the participation of over 1,100 industry professionals, up 20% over last year. This immersive online experience included 69 live and on-demand educational sessions, dynamic product showcases, personalized consultations with SAGE experts, and much more.

Leveraging the cutting-edge SAGE Digital Events platform, Promo Live harnessed SAGE's proprietary technology to deliver an engaging and interactive experience tailored specifically for the promotional products industry.

“Promo Live was a huge success,” said SAGE President David Natinsky, MAS. “It seems like I say this every year, but the accessibility that this platform has brought to the industry is incredible. So many more people can attend and enjoy the benefits of discovering new, trending products, networking, and learning, all from their home or office.” 

The event featured an array of live and on-demand educational sessions led by SAGE and leading industry suppliers, garnering a total of 10,127 session views. Distributors gained insights from top industry suppliers, who unveiled new and innovative products, novel sales strategies, and showcased their top-selling items. Additionally, attendees delved into the latest trends in promotional products through interactive industry panel sessions, fostering lively conversations and new connections. 

An exclusive industry panel, led by Terri Sparkman, Sales Development Manager at SAGE, Liz Haesler, Chief Merchandising Officer at PCNA Global, and Kym Frese, Regional Account Executive at Raining Rose, explored new ways to attract clients for the fourth quarter within the industry.

“Thank you, SAGE, for an excellent opportunity to meet suppliers,” said Nancy Brooks, Owner of Brookside Promotions and Embroidery.

On day two, another specialized industry panel presented by Andy Evans, Corporate Account Manager at SAGE, alongside Lori Lord, Founder and CEO of Promotional Marketing Services, Natalie O'Leary, Director of Business Development at Bamko, and Tricia Williams, Proprietor of My Tribe Print & Promo LLC, discussed expert perspectives on ways to leverage company stores, email campaigns, and social media to boost end-of-the-year sales.

Among other standout elements were the live SAGE Quick Tip Sessions, which offered expert guidance on topics such as new SAGE Company Stores, supplier integrations, SAGE & AI, and advanced product searching.

In addition to these highlights, distributors enjoyed the Supplier Showcase, a hub for video calls, live chats, and access to themed product showrooms, providing an opportunity to explore each suppliers’ latest offerings in promotional items for the upcoming fall and holiday sales season.

"We owe the success of Promo Live to the collective efforts of our distributors, suppliers, and sponsors,” said Natinsky. “The future of the industry is promising, and we eagerly anticipate its evolution."

For more information about Promo Live, visit https://www.sageworld.com/promolive/.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online^™, SAGE Web^™, and SAGE Mobile^™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, project management, website and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-buyer catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association as well as Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC), Canada’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

HPG Hires Alex Symms as Evans Manufacturing’s Director of Sales 

Braintree, MA. June 1, 2023: Top 8 promotional products supplier HPG announces the onboarding of industry veteran Alex Symms as Director of Sales of their Garden Grove California subsidiary Evans Manufacturing.   Symms joins HPG and Evans with a combined twenty year management background with promotional products suppliers such as Chameleon and most recently PowerStick.com. 

“I’ve had the good fortune of partnering with all functions of the manufacturing sector throughout my career, including R&D, sales and marketing and leadership and management,” says Symms.  “I am excited to join an incredible team of forward-thinking leaders that take corporate branded merchandise to an enhanced level with industry leading products and award-winning service.”

Evans Manufacturing is the latest addition to HPG’s line-up of brands, and Symms plans to incorporate the latest technologies, such as AI, in his sales strategies.  “I learned a long time ago that you either adapt to change, or get left behind, and that mindset pushes me to always be aware of new trends and identifying what might be coming up in the future.”

HPG CRO Trina Bicknell says, "I am very excited to add Alex to the HPG award-winning sales team and know that with his vast experience he will lead the Evans sales team to further success!"

Symms, his wife and two sons, nineteen and fifteen years old, are based in the Houston area.  “My weekends usually consist of either being on the sideline of a rugby pitch or along a fence line at a baseball tournament as both my sons are very active in sports,” he says.  “You can usually find me outdoors enjoying the fresh air.  I am always game for a spontaneous adventure!”

About HPG

Founded in 2017, HPG is a Top 10 supplier in the Promotional Products industry with over 15,000 SKUs from 11 leading specialist brands. HPG is the premier destination for award-winning customer service, innovative hard goods, and outstanding sales tools. HPG’s distribution capabilities are unmatched, producing and shipping from nine facilities spanning North America. HPG’s brands include some of the best-known names in the industry, including Hub, Beacon, Best, Debco, BCG Creations, Origaudio, Handstands, Batch & Bodega, Mixie, SugarSpot, and most recently, Evans Manufacturing.

For more information about HPG, visit hpgbrands.com

About Evans

Evans Manufacturing creates products for the promotional industry in categories including Healthcare, Household, Drinkware, Writing Instruments, Pet, Office, Travel, Auto, Golf, and Outdoor. Evans offers a broad array of thoughtfully designed, high value items delivered with consistency and reliability for gifting that leaves a lasting positive impression.

For more information about Evans Manufacturing, visit www.evans-mfg.com

 SAGE^® ADDS NEW WEB-BASED SUPPLIER CENTER PORTAL

Addison, Texas (March 8, 2023) – SAGE, the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry, announces the addition of a new web-based supplier center portal.

The new SAGE Supplier Center web-based platform has all the same functionality as the current Windows-based Supplier Center with a few exciting additions. Through an easy-to-use interface and access to more statistics than ever before, this new portal makes it easier for supplier Advantage Members, including Mac users, to access and update their product data from any device that connects to the internet.

“Our goal as a technology company has always been to provide solutions. To achieve that, two key factors for distributors and suppliers are ease of use and access to information,” said David Natinsky, President of SAGE. “With this new web-based platform, suppliers can update their product data from anywhere, which helps not only our supplier members but the industry as a whole, making real-time data even more accessible.”

Additionally, suppliers can view live product and advertising-related statistics right from their dashboard, from distributor and end-buyer product views, and profile views, to progress tracking of their monthly advertising budgets. Additionally, in the Performance & Stats area, suppliers can see a detailed breakdown of their product stats, including their most popular products, product engagement, their product category rankings, and profile engagement stats such as website and email clicks through SAGE Total Access. For suppliers participating in digital advertisements, the My Advertisements tab in the Performance & Stats area provides a detailed analysis of each ad’s performance.    

Suppliers can also now perform distributor searches through the new Supplier Center portal, providing a quick and easy way for suppliers to verify contact information all in one place.

Another exciting new feature of the Supplier Center portal is the addition of the SAGE Community. SAGE Community has long been available to distributors to network with their industry peers, and it is now open to everyone in the industry. SAGE Community allows suppliers to share industry news, best practices, and connect and engage with other supplier members on hot industry topics.

The SAGE Supplier Center web portal is available now to all supplier Advantage Members at no additional cost. Simply visit www.sagesuppliercenter.com to log in.

To learn more about a SAGE Advantage Membership, visit www.sageworld.com.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-user catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

SAGE^® Releases SAGE Mobile™11.1

The promo industry's most popular mobile app has been upgraded to the latest version, SAGE Mobile 11.1. The app now features an assortment of new features and enhancements to provide consistency across all SAGE Total Access platforms.

Addison, Texas (July 19, 2022) – SAGE, the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry, announces the release of SAGE Mobile 11.1. The app, available for iOS and Android devices, allows industry distributors easy access to all their critical research and business management operations while on the go.

This update introduces several new features and enhancements to product research, project management, file center, and SAGE Chat. SAGE Mobile 11.1 users will see more fields and filters to align with the recently updated capabilities of SAGE Online™ and SAGE Web™, enabling Total Access customers to manage their business across platforms from anywhere, effortlessly.

"We know our industry is always on the go. Because of that, we are committed to providing our customers a seamless experience whether they are using SAGE Online, SAGE Web, or SAGE Mobile to give them the flexibility they need to run their businesses in the most efficient and effective way that works for them," said SAGE President David Natinsky, MAS.

Some of the new features in the SAGE Mobile 11.1 updates include:

Product Research

·         Addition of new search fields, including EQP, Social Good, and Compliance

·         The product detail screen now includes all additional charge information

·         Now includes a new shipping section with an icon linking to the shipping charge estimator

Project Management

·         New filter option in Project Management to filter by Project Owner

·         More filter options in the activities section, including filtering by workflow steps or notes

·         Also, in the activities section, new actions have been added, including copy to clipboard, edit, toggle client visibility, or delete

File Center

·         Added functionality to be able to rename, copy, move, see properties, and delete files

SAGE Chat

·         Now able to search entire chat threads by word

·         Able to save a draft of chats per person

·         New action to email, copy or save today's transcript

SAGE Mobile 11.1 is available now. Current SAGE Total Access subscribers can download SAGE Mobile free from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or the Amazon App Store. The update will download automatically for users who have their app updates turned on.  

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE's flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Web™, and SAGE Mobile™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, project management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-buyer catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry's non-profit association, and Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC), Canada's non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

SAGE^® Announces Promo Live!

Addison, Texas (July 18, 2022) – SAGE, the promotional products industry's leading business services provider, announced registration is now open for all verified promotional product distributors to attend Promo Live, a brand-new interactive online event from August 30-31^st, 2022.

Promo Live will be held on the SAGE Digital Events platform, an exclusive digital experience for users to interact one-on-one with other distributors, suppliers, and presenters.

During this new event, attendees will hear from supplier partners on the main stage as they share new products, creative ways to sell their products, and highlight their best sellers for the upcoming holiday season. Plus, attendees will learn about the latest in product trends and much more during the roundtable sessions with distributors and suppliers.

Promo Live includes an interactive main stage with learning sessions, consultations with SAGE experts, on-demand sessions, product pavilions, and supplier rooms with live demonstrations and Q&A with top industry suppliers.

During the live discussions, distributors can contribute and interact with the presenters and fellow attendees to brainstorm ideas, ask questions, and more. Distributors will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with suppliers via chat or video conferencing throughout the event.

"We are thrilled for this new opportunity to help distributors learn, collaborate and connect at our new digital event, Promo Live," said David Natinsky, MAS, President of SAGE. "We look forward to offering this experience for distributors with exclusive content from our experts here at SAGE and top industry leaders nationwide."

Registration is free for all verified promotional product distributors. For more information on SAGE, please visit https://www.sageworld.com/promolive/

About SAGE

Based in Addison, Texas, SAGE is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE's flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-user catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) members and Promotional Professionals of Canada (PPPC) members. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

STARLINE WELCOMES NEW SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MANAGER - 

MICHELLE  SHERWIN, MAS   

Grand Island, New York; July 5, 2022 – Starline is excited to announce the addition of Michelle Sherwin, MAS, as the new Southeast Regional Manager covering AL, AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, and TN. 

Michelle comes to Starline with a wealth of experience and relationships, and a ton of energy!  Her 30-year career began as a promotional product buyer for Suntrust Bank’s Marketing Team. From there, she worked for 21 years as a distributor/owner of an Adventures in Advertising franchise and as a sales rep for Brown & Bigelow. Her supplier experience started with Vantage Apparel and now continues with Starline. Michelle served on the GAPPP Regional Board for 10 years and currently serves on the PPAI / Regional Association Committee. Her passion and enthusiasm for this industry is evident and her desire to engage, enlighten and educate is felt by her clients. 

"We are beyond thrilled to add someone with such amazing industry experience, on both sides of the aisle, to the Starline team,” says Brian Porter, SVP of Sales and Marketing. "Michelle brings years of strong relationships in the territory, now combined with Starline’s award-winning products and service, to a market that has grown exponentially over the past few years, and we see no limit to her potential!”

When she isn’t working, Michelle and her husband love to travel, play pickleball and spend time with family and friends. Michelle is a true Georgia Peach – born and raised in Atlanta, GA.  

About Starline | Starline is a top supplier in the Promotional Products Industry specializing in quality, high-end gifts. Starline carries a collection of trusted name brands including uni-ball®, Stanley®, Pelican™, JanSport®, Urban Peak®, and more. It is the home of the patented and award winning TruColor™ digital decoration technique. With locations in Grand Island, NY and Vaughan, Ontario, Starline remains committed to seamlessly servicing the needs of its North American distributor base.

Maple Ridge Farms Donates $7,500 to Habitat for Humanity of Wausau

June 20, 2022 – Mosinee, WI – Maple Ridge Farms presented a check for $7,500 to Habitat for Humanity of Wausau.  The donation was the result of the company’s “Give Back” program for 2021.  In that program, Maple Ridge Farms donates a percentage of the profits from a specially selected line of gifts. 

Presenting the check were Jodie Schillinger, Executive Vice President, and Shana Gardner, one of the main architects of the program.

Kim Tallitsch, Operations Director of Habitat for Humanity of Wausau, explained how thrilled they were to receive the contribution: “With continued support from incredible partners like Maple Ridge Farms, Habitat for Humanity of Wausau is currently aiding our 70th family in making their dreams of home ownership a reality. Our important work continues because of their generosity and together we are building homes, communities, and hope!”

Schillinger stated, “Affordable housing and employment are very intertwined.  Affordable housing can significantly impact employment opportunities, and in turn has the potential to create sustainability for a family and one’s career path.  We are thrilled to partner with Habitat for Humanity.”

For a complete list of charities supported by Maple Ridge Farms, visit the Community Outreach section of their website: https://mapleridge.com/about-us/community-outreach

For more information on the impact of Habitat for Humanity of Wausau, visit habitatwausau.org.

Located in Mosinee, WI, Maple Ridge Farms, Inc., (PPAI 114165, UPIC: MAPLE, SAGE 57654, ASI686800) was founded in 1979 and is the leading supplier of gourmet gifts to the promotional products industry. Recognized for outstanding freshness, the line includes a complete variety of candies, handmade chocolates, fresh-roasted nuts, baked goods, smoked meats and naturally aged cheeses presented in innovative gift boxes, gift baskets, gourmet towers, desk accessories, classic wooden vehicles and wooden collector’s boxes. For more information on the company visit www.MapleRidgeFarms.com

PPEF Awards $299,000 In Scholarships, Passes $3 Million Mark

IRVING, Texas, (June 15, 2022) – Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF; www.ppef.us), a nonprofit founded to recognize and encourage scholastic excellence and academic performance among promotional products industry employees and their college-aged children, today announced 162 recipients of $299,000 in college scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year, bringing the total amount awarded since PPEF’s founding to more than $3 million.

“With this year’s recipients receiving the most money we’ve ever awarded, $299,000, that takes us over the $3 million mark for total scholarship awards since the inception of PPEF,” said Matt Bertram, chair of the PPEF Board of Trustees. “Continuing to help the next generation is possible due to the generous support of companies and individuals within the industry. Thank you to all of the donors who believe in the power of education and generously support PPEF’s mission.”

This year, PPEF is awarding 130 new and 32 renewal scholarships to selected recipients who have displayed remarkable academic achievement, extracurricular participation and community service. Each will receive between $1,000 and $9,000 to support their college education.

Funded by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and generous donations from companies and individuals within the promotional products industry, the scholarship program enables youth and professionals to continue their education at the collegiate level. The Association and industry patrons have a long-standing commitment of service to the promotional products industry, and this fund supports those who demonstrate the same commitment.

The list of 2022 scholarship recipients is at www.ppef.us/winners-showcase/.

PPEF Scholarships

To learn more about applying for the 2023 scholarships, applicants are invited to visit www.ppef.us and click on the Scholarships tab. The application deadline for next year is March 15, 2023. Please direct questions to Sara Besly at SaraB@ppai.org. Donations can be made online at www.ppef.us or mailed to PPEF, 3125 Skyway Circle North, Irving, Texas 75038.

About PPEF

PPEF is an industry-based non-profit organization that raises money to help students achieve their higher education goals.  PPEF was founded to recognize and encourage scholastic ability and academic performance among promotional products industry employees and their children. Since its inception in 1989, PPEF has awarded over $3.02 million in financial assistance to 1,618 recipients.

SAGE ® REACHES 1 MILLION SUPPLIER VERIFIED PRODUCTS

Addison, Texas (June 14, 2022) –SAGE,the leading provider of information, marketing,and business management solutions to the promotional products industry,announcesthe accumulation ofone million verified products in the SAGE Total Accessproduct database.

SAGE has the only Verified by Supplier database in the industry. As a SAGE Advantage Member, suppliers are encouraged to verify product information and pricing throughthe SAGE Supplier Center in real-time.Products can also be verified through SAGE’s Bulk Product Update and real-time APIs. When a distributorsees the Verifiedby Supplier icon, they know they cantrust that the product’sdata and pricing are up-to-date and accurate. Over 80percent of activeproducts in the SAGE database are verified,and many distributors choose to only search for verified products.Additionally, verified products have an increased chance of showing up first in search results.

“With the supply chain issues and market fluctuations we’ve been seeing that are not likely to be resolved in the immediate future, the ability for suppliers to verify their product data and for distributors to be able to rely on that data’s accuracy for their customers is paramount for our industry,” said David Natinsky, President of SAGE.“We are thrilled to have reached a million verified products in our database,and we will continue to work with our suppliers to ensure that as many products in our database as possible remain verified.”

Distributors can limit searches to onlyverified products in SAGE Online,SAGE Web, or SAGE Mobileby going into the product search tab and selecting the VERIFIED checkbox inthe “Other FilterOptions” at the bottom of the search screen. Within search results, verified products display a red checkmark in the right top cornerofthe tile view. To see if a product is verified, locate the red verified logo next to the product’s pricing table. To view the most recent date ofverification, hover over the verified logo.

To learn more about SAGETotal Access,visit www.sageworld.com.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing,and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website,and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-usercatalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshowmanagement services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association. Formore information, please visit www.sageworld.comor call 800.925.7243.

PCNA Pledges Financial Support for Ukrainian Refugees

Leading Supplier Commits Portion of March 2022 Sales Revenue to Relief Efforts

Pittsburgh, PA – March 7, 2022 – Polyconcept North America (PCNA) is proud to announce financial support for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. PCNA will donate up to one percent of March sales revenue to humanitarian relief efforts benefiting Ukrainian refugees in Poland, where the company’s European counterpart, PF Concept, has operations.

“We recognize the plight of the Ukrainian people and are eager to lend our support. Amongst the more than one million people already displaced, as well as all those who remain in Ukraine, are the friends and families of our teammates in Eastern Europe. This is our way of showing solidarity,” says Neil Ringel, Chief Executive Officer of Polyconcept, parent company to both PCNA and PF Concept. “Similar to our partnership with 1% For The Planet, which directs one percent of eco-product sales to environmental nonprofits, this allows us to use our business to help those in need.”

PF Concept operates throughout Europe, including Poland, where the company’s Poznan production facility is located. In addition to financial support for relief efforts, PF Concept continues to donate products including blankets, clothing and power banks for those in need.

PCNA welcomes participation in this effort by all North American distributors and their customers simply through the course of normal business. Direct financial contributions can be sent to Red Cross Poland. “The humanitarian crisis is unimaginable,” Ringel says. “The Ukrainian people need and deserve our support right now.”

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About PCNA PCNA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Polyconcept, the world’s leading promotional products supplier. With headquarters near Pittsburgh, Pa., PCNA operates Trimark, Leed’s, Bullet, JournalBooks and ETS Express, offering customers the industry’s biggest and most diverse collection of products. To learn more, go to www.pcna.com.

CONTACT

Alicia Kauffman

Marketing Specialist

akauffman@pcna.com