THE DFI WHOLESALE GATEWAY PROGRAM

1. Industry Membership – PPAI Distributor ID # / UPIC Membership 2. Research Tools & Software - Products, Suppliers, Specials & More 3. Presentation Tools - Easily Design Product Quotes & Presentations 4. Product Catalogs - NAPCO and Norwood 5. Your Own Distributor Website + Shopping Cart + Email 6. Complete Client & Order Management System 7. Instruction, Training & Support 8. Artwork Support 9. Targeted Monthly Prospecting Program – 2 year subscription – a $1200 value

Direct connection to over 4,300 suppliers Cutting edge research & up to date information directly from the Industry Accreditation for industry-sponsored education Steep discounts on industry educational & training materials Member support from the industry’s top “new distributor” advocate

It's not a easy thing to become a licensed distributor in the promotional products industry.  For the aspiring entrepreneur trying to make it on their own, the initial requirements are steep. 

But because of our history & connection to the Industry, DFI can authorize your membership immediately with all the normal requirements waived. First year membership fees are included in our program. This membership translates into immediate benefits to your business, first and foremost of which is your ability to connect to the entire supplier base of the industry.

Your PPAI Membership ID Number is the identifier suppliers use to recognize that you are an authorized seller of promotional products. This means that virtually all the factories and suppliers in the industry will sell to you with no negotiations necessary to establish your account with them.

Additionally, because PPAI is the “not-for-profit” education & trade association of our industry, you will receive cutting-edge information about the trends and market developments within the industry. Plus you will receive industry accreditation for the education provided by PPAI to help you grow your knowledge and reputation in this business.

The Universal Promotional Identification Code (UPIC) is the promotional products industry’s comprehensive online identification system. As a distributor, you will be assigned your own unique alpha-numeric code that will make working with the more than 3,800 qualified and verified industry suppliers in The UPIC Directory fast and easy.

UPIC is the chosen program where your personal business profile is maintained for the industry. Suppliers use this information to determine your account standing with them. Given that distributors need suppliers & suppliers need distributors, UPIC provides easy access for both to facilitate the sale.

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SAGE Online* - Simply one of the very best online, real-time research tools in the industry Research over 800,000 products from over 4300 suppliers Search by product number, category, supplier name, line, geographic location and much more Access a complete listing of current & ongoing supplier product specials Create & access supplier quote requests & purchase orders via the request system Access full color supplier product catalog & individual pages in high resolution Download supplier catalogs in PDF format Request catalogs & product samples direct from suppliers SAGE order tracking & "SAGEim" real-time instant messaging included! Complete set of integrated presentation tools - see below. Suppliers rated by distributors in customer service, product & decoration quality, delivery & more And much more! SAGE Databook Comprehensive printed & cross referenced directory of over 4300 suppliers & product categories Complete supplier listings include company, line name & full contact information

With an outstanding comprehensive product, supplier, & specials search engine, included presentation tools, access to complete product catalogs, and regularly updated with new & improved features, SAGE Online is simply one of the absolute very best research tools in our industry.  With over 4300 suppliers & more than 800,000 products listed, SAGE Online is the only research tool you'll ever need!

Also includes a SAGE ID, which along with your PPAI number & UPIC gives you complete industry connection.   And best of all - DFI is able to waive all new distributor registration requirements from day one!

*SAGE Online requires Windows 2000/2003/XP or Vista.  Though there is no native Mac version it will run in virtualization software like VMware or with Apple's Bootcamp (included with OS X Leopard and later) on Intel-based Macs.  Virtualization software also requires purchase of a copy of a Windows operating system.  XP Home or Vista Basic is fine.

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SAGE Presentation Publisher Create personalized product quotes & idea presentations for your clients & prospects Personalize your presentations - Add your company logo to the header, customize the footer Include personalized greetings & summaries Add a reference number & complete client contact info for easy tracking Email your presentations to your clients directly from within SAGE Online Export your published presentations in a variety of formats including PDF, DOC, TXT, JPG or XLS formats Override default pricing grids to suit your needs Create & add your own custom items to your presentations - you are not limited to the catalog! And much more! SAGE Virtual Design Studio Create virtual product samples for your clients - Let them see their logo on product images! Email your virtual sample creations directly to your client Upload your custom creations to the presentation publisher

SAGE's Presentation Publisher, Project Center & Virtual Design Studio seamlessly integrate with the SAGE Online research tool giving you great power over how you present product quotes, sales ideas, even complete marketing campaigns to your clients & prospects.

POINT & CLICK SIMPLICITY! Quickly add a product to the presentation clipboard, remove an existing logo, upload & add your client logo, and add your custom product image with complete product pricing & details to a custom presentation in minutes!

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NAPCO Multi-Line Catalog starter package - 4 different catalogs - 200 catalogs total Promotions & Rewards Master Catalog (50) Effective Promotions (50) Brand Builders (50) Business Gifts & Rewards (50) Norwood Catalog Collection Get started right!  DFI personally connects you to one of our industry's largest & most respected suppliers Over 15 different companies / line names under the Norwood name Receive the complete Norwood Catalog Collection + Norwood Connect DVD

NAPCO's multi-line catalogs provide a great cross-section of the industry to your prospects and clients. Catalogs are a great “idea source” for your clients. These catalogs show no factory information and are retail priced.

Norwood's catalog collection gives you access to over 15 product lines in one easy to use collection.  In addition DFI personally connects you to the Norwood Family of companies as your 1st supplier connection.  And what a connection it is!  Norwood staff will personally contact you & help you get started in this great industry!

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Customizable distributor website with your own domain name (no slash addresses!) Work with DFI's webmaster to get the site you want - Your images, your words, your way! NO hosting fees!  And we'll pay for your domain name 1st year Includes shopping cart with over 100,000 of the industry's top products & advanced search features Completely integrates with your client / order management system - see below Create custom product catalogs Includes comprehensive quote request & contact forms - making it easy for your clients to reach you! Unlimited email accounts - yourname@yourdomain.com Create Company Web Stores Create additional websites for your best clients with custom product catalogs Unlimited number of Company Web Stores may be created at no additional cost

Today's distributor makes use of a wide variety of tools to reach out to their clients & prospects, and one of the most important is a quality, customized website that allows your clients & prospects to learn about your company, your company's services, browse online product catalogs, and access contact information 24/7.

With DFI you get a high quality, customizable & expandable website.  And best of all our webmaster works with you every step of the way, from site design to content creation, even editing if you need it!

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Tracks clients, suppliers, custom vendors, artwork submissions and orders online Maintains Order History & Reorder records Electronic order submission to participating suppliers (ePSA standards) - orders can also be printed & faxed Order any product from any vendor even if they aren't in the system - system is complete open ended Scalable – add salespeople as you grow Easy export to Quickbooks

You don’t have to re-invent the wheel here. With the Distributor Central system, all the tools that you need to keep track of client invoices & supplier orders are virtual and at your fingertips. The only thing you will need to add to the equation as your business starts to grow is Quickbooks, the bookkeeping software used by over 90% of the distributors in the industry.

But even if you prefer to do things the old fashioned way with paper forms, well we have those available too!  We will even add your logo & contact info to your own sales order, purchase order & customer quote forms.  

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Multimedia Training for New Distributors Designed from the ground up to help the new distributor get started building a successful business Core industry training - industry basics, suppliers and vendors, products and marketing, and much more. Multimedia format - Video Training DVDs + Audio & Interactive CDs Companion training guide & journal to keep you on track Access to distributor discussion groups & boards Access to distributor teleconferences DFI Distributor Member Website access including... DFI Industry Training - Multimedia - audio & video business coaching, document library Preferred Vendor Network of suppliers, links list, book recommendations DFI Distributor Member Blog DFI Knowledge Base DFI Personal Business Coaching Weekly Coaching Emails (30 weeks of organized topics) Personal 1-on-1 business coaching sessions by phone - get started the right way the first time! Business development support Marketing & prospecting support Product & supplier research assistance Email Q & A with the DFI support team Phone Q & A with the DFI support team Lifetime support!

No doubt about it! We take your training & support very seriously!  That's because your success is our success.  DFI starts you off with one of the best new distributor training packages available anywhere at any price in the industry.  It is designed from the ground up to help you understand the industry & lay the foundations for success from the very first day.

We also give you lifetime access to the DFI distributor member website where you will find additional audio & video industry & artwork training, access to Gail's exclusive business coaching library, the interactive DFI member blog, industry links lists & book recommendations & more.

But here's what sets DFI apart - we recognize that every distributor is different.  Your experience, your intuition, your desires are all unique.  And your distributorship will be too!  That is why DFI gives you lifetime access to the DFI support team via phone and email!  We call it "free form" support - Individual questions require individual attention & answers.  With DFI you are guaranteed the highest level of personal support! 

* CAS - Certified Advertising Specialist / MAS - Master Advertising Specialist

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Access DFI's "All About Artwork" training resources Access SAGE's ArtworkZone - a full service graphic design studio for the promotional products distributor Access PPAI’s artStudio – a full service graphic design studio for the promotional products distributor Access Artwork Source - a full service graphic design studio for the promotional products distributor

No doubt the biggest single issue the new distributor faces is how to handle client artwork - how to get it from the client and into a format the supplier needs without investing in expensive graphic design software, or spending years learning how to use it!

With DFI by your side you no longer have a need to worry.  From our artwork training resources to our industry connection with several of the very best artwork services in the industry, your artwork problems have a solution!  Add in our personal staff support when you have questions, and you have an unbeatable package!

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Designed exclusively for promotional products distributors Prospecting “How To” guide shows you exactly what to do to turn your targeted prospects into clients Member Blog – “Prospecting Focus with Vince Whaley” Full-color graphic HTML emails of EQP specials from YOU to up to 300 of your best targeted prospects each month. We design the pieces, we secure the specials, we send the emails, we manage the entire program... You just provide the email addresses - and we show you how to get them! This is not advertising.  This is not spamming.  This is targeted prospecting.  We teach you how to do it, and it is revolutionary. We produce full-color letter sized professionally designed PDF flyer of each month’s special – include with your invoices, attach your business card and hand out at network and chamber functions, etc.

“Nothing happens until somebody sells something.” That was said many years ago by the founding CEO of IBM, Thomas Watson. It was true for IBM then, and it is equally true for your business now.

The problem though, is that you are swamped with the details of just getting your business started. That’s why we created this program. It is designed to give your prospects targeted focus with leading promotional products on a consistent basis.

Our motto is: "We do the marketing - You answer the phone". It’s the best combination of effort we know to help you start growing your customer base. 

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From start to finish, you have the tools and the resources to build & thrive with great success! And with Distributors First, you have the finest support team in the whole industry to help you realize your dreams and goals.

OUR TOTAL PACKAGE COST IS

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