Setting the tone for a dynamic exploration of how print businesses can diversify and grow through promotional products. Joan Miracle, Executive Director of Corporate Accounts at Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), warmly welcomed attendees to her session, Promo from the Ground Up: How to Grow Your Business Selling Branded Merch, which was presented during the 2025 PRINTING United Expo.
Miracle, who has spent over 16 years helping companies build successful promo divisions, has seen firsthand how adding branded merchandise can transform a traditional print operation. “It’s a really easy transition or addition to your business,” she said. “I absolutely love helping people get started. It’s my passion.”
The Scope of the Industry
Miracle began the presentation by laying out the size and opportunity of the promotional products market. “In 2024, industry sales reached $26.6 billion,” she noted. “That’s a massive number—and a massive opportunity for printers looking to expand.”
Although sales dipped during the pandemic, the sector has bounced back stronger than ever. “We just released Q3 sales figures for this year,” she said, “and we’ve had one of the largest gains in the last few years.”
Who Buys Promotional Products?
Miracle emphasized that promotional merchandise has a remarkably broad customer base. “The education market has been the number one buyer for at least eight years,” she explained. “The only time that changed was in 2020, when healthcare temporarily took the lead.”
Other key sectors include construction, finance, nonprofits, manufacturing, restaurants, and travel. “Chances are, some of your existing print clients are already in the top 10 markets for promo,” she added. “That’s why this is such a natural fit for printers.”
Read this full feature on Wide-Format Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
