That’s another show for the record books. The PPAI Expo 2024 wraps up this afternoon after an exciting four days at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Exhibitors and distributors both benefitted this week from the promo industry’s vigor and innovation.

PPAI is still crunching the numbers on The PPAI Expo 2024 but preliminary data points to this year’s distributor attendance registering a marked increase over 2023. By Wednesday afternoon, the show had exceeded 10,000 in verified distributor attendance. More than 16,000 industry professionals made it to The PPAI Expo 2024.

The PPAI Expo 2024 has been in full swing this week, with exhibitors buzzing that the show had that “old school” feel. Packed aisles, booths in full swing and connections being made, everyone felt The PPAI Expo magic this week.

“I feel like the buzz is back,” says Joe Douglas, trade show and event manager at Orbus Exhibit and Display Group. “It’s back to pre-COVID times. This is the most fun and the busiest we’ve been here for several years.”

It’s been a whirlwind week at The PPAI Expo, with myriad experiences and encounters with familiar and new faces.

So, what’s next? Following up with the people you met is a critical part of any conference or trade show. PPAI Media asked a few industry veterans to share their secrets for successful follow-up in the days and weeks to come.

The PPAI Expo 2024 provided ample networking opportunities, including a “meeting of the minds” between leaders of distributors at businesses generating eight figures in revenue.

Hosted by Joseph Sommer, founder and president of fully remote distributorship Whitestone (PPAI 666851, D4), the forum was designed to cover profitability strategies, the sales cycle, customer service, e-commerce 2.0 and the future of the promotional products industry.

More than 10,000 distributors on Tuesday flooded the aisles of the tradeshow floor at The PPAI Expo 2024 – the largest and longest-running trade show in the promotional products industry.

Covering roughly 1 million square feet in scope, the trade floor featured more than 2,500 booths and nearly 1,000 exhibitors, offering the latest products in every category.

Suppliers and distributors are the core of PPAI’s membership, but more than 200 business services members and a handful of select affinity partners offer important support operational support, from decoration to insurance to software, that keeps those promo businesses humming. Explore the variety of PPAI business services members, from artwork services to software, in our Solutions Center.

The day before The PPAI Expo Conference, commonsku held skuconX at the Keep Memory Alive center in Las Vegas.

• Sunday marked the 10th annual skucon.
• The event included panels and sessions hosted by industry leaders discussing a range of trends and issues affecting the industry currently.

“This is the tenth time we’ve hosted skucon,” says Mark Graham, commonsku’s president and chief brand officer. “But I can honestly say that the energy and momentum in our industry has never been stronger. We were thrilled to bring together new challenger brands and world-class thinkers to learn about client-obsessed insights, brand engagement and to share the real and raw stories from the trenches that make this industry great.”

The day has finally arrived.

At 9:30 a.m., the tradeshow floor will open at The PPAI Expo 2024, the largest and longest-running trade show in the promotional products industry.

Attendees are in for an exhilarating experience, combining inspiration and invaluable connections that await those who fully engage with the event, according to Dale Denham, MAS+, PPAI president and CEO.

“Beyond being the hub for an unmatched array of new products – providing an immersive experience crucial for meeting client needs throughout the year – The PPAI Expo 2024 holds immeasurable value in direct interactions and discussions,” Denham says.