Whether you’re a newcomer to the promo industry or a longtime veteran, there’s always something exciting to experience at ASI Shows. That was true at the recent ASI Show Fort Worth, which took place from March 9 to 11. “There was a lot of energy, a lot of excitement and a lot of curiosity. That was something that really struck me,” says Tara Lerman, Counselor news editor, who was attending her first promo trade show.

In this postshow recap episode, Lerman and Counselor Editor-in-Chief C.J. Mittica recall their highlights from the show, including strategies from Education Day (building relationships is crucial) and top trends spotted on the show floor (Made-in-USA merch and elevated drinkware).

To wrap up the episode, we spoke to Koell Collins, founder of STBL Strategies (asi/300412), about her show experience and how she’s elevating sustainability with her clients.

Podcast Chapters

2:28: Education Day takeaways on building relationships
6:17: Attendee optimism about 2026 sales
9:16: Keynote message: Take a prescriptive approach to sales
11:48: Top trends from the show
19:00: Interview at ASI Fort Worth with Koell Collins of STBL Strategies

Key Takeaways

• ASI Show Fort Worth education speakers stressed building strong relationships and showing personality sets distributors apart, since many are selling similar products.

• Despite economic uncertainty and tariffs, most attendees feel optimistic, with the vast majority expecting higher sales in 2026 than in 2025.

• Fort Worth keynote speaker Nick Friedman, co-founder of College HUNKS Hauling Junk, advised distributors to act more like advisors by recommending a few strong options instead of overwhelming clients, positioning themselves as experts.

• Key product trends at the show included a surge in Made-in-USA and patriotic merchandise, along with more creative and transparent approaches to sustainability.

• New opportunities are emerging in areas like modernized workwear and evolving product categories, driven by changing preferences, regulations and end-user needs.

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