ASI Launches Email Marketing Tool for Distributors

New member benefit provides easy message creation and list uploading feature

TREVOSE, PA – July 21, 2009 – Advertising Specialty Institute®, the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, announced today a new easy-to-use email marketing tool for distributors.

The new ASI member benefit allows distributors to quickly create and send email marketing messages and promotions to customers with the click of a button. Users can choose from over 100 ready-made templates or can create a custom template. Additional features include customer feedback tools that allow clients to easily provide testimonials and feedback that distributors can use to promote their Website and LogoMall site, at no extra charge.

ASI has selected RatePoint, Inc., the leading provider of user-friendly, Web-based communication tools, to provide the program to ASI distributor members. RatePoint is providing the program at a substantial savings, exclusively for ASI distributor members.

The new program includes:

	•	Ability to easily upload contacts from nearly any application
	•	Industry-leading message delivery rate (CAN-SPAM compliant)
	•	Detailed reporting and tracking of messages
	•	Over 100 free, customizable email templates
	•	Free, unlimited customer support

The new email marketing tool is available immediately, with a 30-day free trial for distributors with no further obligation.

“We are pleased to provide this exclusive and powerful benefit, especially since it costs about the same as the price of lunch,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “ASI conducted an exhaustive search for the best service available, and we’re excited to provide this program at a time when distributors need cost-effective ways to reach customers and increase market share.”

Distributors using this new service will convert more prospects into buyers, improve customer perception, encourage repeat business and raise their company’s visibility in the industry.

The email marketing program joins more than 12 other member savings programs from ASI, including discounts on UPS® shipping, group health insurance options, office supplies at OfficeMax®, credit card processing and digital artwork services.

To sign up for the new email marketing tool and for a free 30-day trial, visit dev-asicentral.com/ratepoint. For more information, contact Dale Denham, senior vice president, at [email protected].

About ASI 
Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, with a membership of over 26,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of advertising specialties.  Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to over 22,000 ASI distributor firms.  Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain nearly every product in the industry from more than 3,500 reputable suppliers, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers.  ASI provides catalogs, information directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers e-commerce, marketing and selling tools.  Visit dev-asicentral.com.