Education Sessions

SAAC is again bringing top industry headliners to the 2013 SAAC Show. Don’t Miss Out!

Wednesday, August 7 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Survive and Thrive for the Future: a Glimpse at Three Successful Models for Growth

• Speakers: Mark Graham, CEO commonsku & RIGHTSLEEVE and Bobby Lehew,
  Chief Branding Officer ROBYN Promotions

Mark Graham

Bobby Lehew

Radical change has seized our industry in the form of technology, direct selling, and volatile refinements in buyers’ behaviors. It’s no secret that seismic shifts in strategy are occurring and the most successful distributorships are shoring up their value propositions in ways that will ensure future success. Join us in this keynote session as we walk through the three most important models to consider for your business and learn how to market your business to not merely survive these turbulent times but to stay alive and thrive.

Thursday, August 8 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Attracting And Retaining Next Generation Employees And Customers

• Speaker: Mark Graham

Mark Graham

Working with Gen Y employees and customers is one of the greatest challenges facing distributors and suppliers today. The changing demographics of the industry – with the majority of the industry over 50 years old – represents an enormous opportunity for those who can attract younger talent to their organizations. Gen Y employees have a range of options before them and most aren’t prepared to settle for the kind of job their parents accepted 25 years ago. In this seminar, you will learn how to build a great employer brand, master key management tips as well as dispel the myths on what it means to work with younger employees and customers.

Tech Tools for a Simpler Life and Greater Productivity

• Speaker: Bobby Lehew

Bobby Lehew

Thousands of products. Hundreds of partners. Dozens of clients. Millions of emails. Countless distractions (Social Media anyone?). How in the world can you stay organized in this crazy business and stay sane? There is a way! Join us for a power packed, idea-filled session that includes a review of some of the best project management and time management tech tools available. In this session we’ll demolish the stronghold that chaos has on your worklife and turn you into a thriving, proactive salesperson who gets it all done and lands more business. If you find yourself responding to what’s most urgent vs. what’s most important, you need this session.

“Think Quick” Maximizing QuickBooks Maximizes Profitability!

• Speaker: Amanda Corey. President, Biz-Mark & From the Desktop Consulting

Amanda Corey

QuickBooks is at the heart of many promotional products distributor companies. By taking full advantage of QuickBooks’ capabilities you will save time on operational tasks, reduce risk and reduce margin for errors, all translating to increased profitability.

Town Hall Session

• Speaker: Paul Bellantone, CAE / CEO PPAI

Paul Bellantone, CAE

Paul Bellantone, president and CEO of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) will present a Town Hall-style presentation covering the current and key issues and opportunities facing the promotional products industry, the association and its more than 10,700 member companies.

The informal Town Hall format will allow for attendee participation and lively discussion with topics to include:
·       Research and trends regarding the size, scope of the promotional products industry and the power of promotional products relative to other advertising media
·       The challenges facing our industry, and opportunities for industry and member business growth
·       An introduction and launch of PPAI’s newest end-buyer research, “Promotional Products – Influence on Consumer Behavior” released in February 2013
·       The importance of creating value and differentiation in a crowded and commoditized marketplace

Selling = Dating – The Rules are the Same

• Speaker: Joe Scott, MAS Vice President & Creative Director, Scott & Associates

Joe Scott, MAS

We spend billions of dollars on sales training each year with questionable results. We spend only hundreds of millions of dollars on daily services with much better results. Let’s apply what we know about dating to selling.

Improving your Outlook – A session dedicated to get the most out of Microsoft Outlook

• Speaker: Dale Denham, MAS+ CIO Geiger

Dale Denham, MAS+

Selling today involves a tremendous amount of email and unfortunately, an enormous amount of time is wasted. Get up to speed on the most powerful features of Outlook 2010 in this presentation customized for Promotional Product salespeople and staff. In this fast-paced session, you’ll learn several excellent time management techniques as well as how to master vital features in Microsoft Outlook.