It seems like everyone offers a membership or subscription nowadays, and it can often be hard to tell which ones are truly worth it. But there are a few popular offers that are obviously a smart choice. Shoppers have Costco and Amazon Prime. Drivers have AAA. Media lovers have Netflix and Spotify.
And promotional product professionals have SAGE + PPAI.
What is the relationship with SAGE + PPAI?
SAGE + PPAI is a program that offers incredible value. It’s the result of a special collaboration between the Promotional Products Association International and SAGE, the two leading U.S. organizations in the promotional products industry.
The program aims to offer the most comprehensive set of premium benefits anywhere in the industry by extending membership in one organization to equal a subscription with the other. That means that if you have a membership with PPAI, you automatically have a SAGE subscription, and vice versa, and at a lower cost than other industry subscriptions.
The big benefit of dual membership with PPAI and SAGE comes from the complementary strengths of each organization. The SAGE + PPAI program is the easiest and most cost-effective way to get the highest quality products, services, and resources to support your business, bar none.
What do I get with a PPAI membership?
PPAI membership gives you many benefits, but perhaps the most important is that you become a qualified distributor in the industry. Being a qualified distributor gives you access to the best pricing from suppliers as well as instant credibility with clients, assuring them that you know the industry and helping you capture more business.
Other advantages of PPAI membership span everything from networking and education to legislative action and business savings, and they remain unmatched by any other organization.
- PPAI offers extensive education. Whether you are just getting started in the industry or are a seasoned professional, as a PPAI member, you will never stop learning about industry trends, the best markets for sales, new business tools, career tips, new products and suppliers, and so much more. Attend conferences, get training at tradeshows, join webinars, and subscribe to any of PPAI’s highly respected publications.
- Achieve PPAI certification to show potential clients and colleagues that you’re a well-qualified business partner. If you’ve ever seen letters like CAS or MAS after a name, that designates a PPAI certification. Certified members are viewed as knowledgeable industry professionals who are experienced, dedicated to their profession, and have an established presence and industry contacts. You will enhance your ability to serve your clients, get training in a constantly changing field, and earn the respect of your peers for your investment in professional development.
- Pursue valuable networking and educational opportunities with PPAI’s year-round tradeshow schedule and events where you’ll meet your colleagues and suppliers in the industry. You’ll increase your knowledge and resources by forming relationships with experienced professionals and the industry’s rising stars. Plus, you’ll make valuable face-to-face connections with suppliers to strengthen business ties and identify the truly outstanding partners you want to work with.
- PPAI’s premium industry research on sales trends, industry business practices, buyers and users of promotional products, and more to help you run your business more effectively.
- PPAI Law and Government Relations divisions advocate by monitoring laws that may affect members’ businesses and lobbying to protect the industry. You can make a difference by joining their efforts in the Legislative Action Watch program.
- Get support from PPAI’s Product Responsibility program. Product safety laws can be complex and overwhelming, but this program takes on the challenge of interpreting and educating distributor members about product safety requirements.
- PPAI also delivers member-only savings on a variety of services like shipping, financial services, HR and office services, and product safety testing. When you’re spending on these essentials anyway, it only makes sense to take advantage of better pricing!
What do I get with a SAGE subscription?
SAGE + PPAI also puts SAGE in your corner to provide the practical, leading-edge technology and services to run your business day-to-day.
PPAI members are automatically entitled to one SAGE Total Access subscription user license. This license includes SAGE Online, SAGE Web, and SAGE Mobile for one user, which gives access to over 1.3 million products from suppliers in the largest promotional product database in the industry. Precise search filters help you find the products your clients are looking for, and SAGE Web and SAGE Mobile offer the flexibility to work from a Mac or mobile device.
Your Total Access subscription includes many business management tools as well. You can:
• Search for suppliers and decorators
• Create product presentations for clients
• Create samples in the Virtual Design Studio
• Save all your files in the cloud
• Create custom catalogs or flyers
• Manage your contacts with the CRM
• Send pre-designed or custom marketing emails
• Create quotes, sales orders, and more with Order Management
For every aspect of your business, SAGE offers a solution that supports your success.
If you’re the type of savvy shopper who will spend hours on end comparing products, we’ve got a time-saving tip for you: you won’t find a better industry membership than SAGE + PPAI. Don’t just take our word for it—start a SAGE subscription and join PPAI today. You’ll wonder what you waited for!
This blog was previously posted in 2017 and has been updated for accuracy.
