PPAI has announced significant improvements to its membership structure to empower PPAI members with unprecedented choice.

  • No longer will a member’s reported annual sales revenue dictate their membership tier. 

With a focus on simplicity and aligning benefits and value, the new membership structure will move all member categories (Distributor, Supplier and Business Service) from a complex 16-tier structure into a straightforward five-tier structure with clear benefits and cost. The intent is to ensure fairness across the membership base by elevating benefits and value to match the investment at each tier.

“We’re revolutionizing a decades-old, broken system to ensure that our pricing and benefits evolve in tandem with your needs,” says Dale Denham, MAS+, PPAI president and CEO. “The goal is to add value, simplify processes and empower you to make the most out of your PPAI membership.”

New PPAI Membership Structure

Within the updated structure, each member category has two membership types to choose from: Standard and Professional.

Standard membership tiers – Base and Plus – provide a base level of resources and support and are suitable for industry companies with less than $1 million in annual sales volume. Companies at these tiers are most likely only ready to utilize a few of the benefits that PPAI provides.

Professional membership tiers – Silver, Gold and Platinum – are designed to provide a higher level of support to help a company elevate its business and develop its employees. The enhanced level of benefits and engagement opportunities within these tiers is recommended for companies of any size that are ready to invest in their future. 

“This has been a three-plus-year work in progress with many eyes, ears and opinions before coming to the final product,” says Andrew Spellman, CAS, board chair for PPAI and vice president of corporate markets at Therabody. “What I like best is that there will be distinct benefits with significant value depending on the level that you choose. It allows each company to decide what’s best for them and to make their choice based on the value that they need.”

Companies have the flexibility to select any membership tier and report their actual sales to PPAI, even if they’re higher or lower than the recommended sales range for the chosen tier.

  • However, PPAI will only publish reported revenue within or below the designated revenue range of the chosen tier, including for recognition programs such as PPAI 100.

Current memberships will smoothly shift to the corresponding new tier upon renewal. Members can expect to receive a detailed email outlining the benefits and pricing of their new tier at least 30 days before renewal, giving them the flexibility to opt for a different benefit level if desired.

  • Between now and renewal, members will receive the benefits in line with their corresponding tier.
  • An email will go out to all primary contacts in mid-March with this information.


“Ensuring the long-term sustainability of any company requires ongoing evolution, and that’s exactly what PPAI is achieving by modernizing our membership structure,” says Ellen Tucker, CAE, MAS, PPAI’s vice president of revenue and expositions. 

“Now, members will have the power to select the membership tier that best fits their needs, budget and level of engagement. These new tiers prioritize simplicity and fairness, ensuring members receive value that aligns with their investment, not just an invoice based on sales volume.”

What Distributors Need To Know

Under the new PPAI membership structure for distributors, each tier offers a varying number of benefits and resources.

Although SAGE Total Access will remain a core part of every PPAI membership, members in the Standard-Base tier will have access for only one user while the other tiers will have access for three users. All tiers also allow for free registration to The PPAI Expo, but there are limitations depending on which tier you’re a part of. For example, members in the Platinum tier can have their full roster register for Expo for free.

Members in the Standard-Base tier will pay the member rate for PPAI certification fees, PPAI conference registrations and Pyramid Award entries. However, members in the other tiers will receive various discounts and benefits.

All tiers will receive access to PPAI’s full online course catalog with the number of users capped at a certain amount depending on each tier. All tiers will also allow members to participate in the FedEx Advantage Program, which provides an average savings of $1,329. Other benefits such as the PPW Toolkit, PPAI Research and NetSuite discounts will also remain available to all members.

Exclusive benefits for members in the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers include being allowed to advertise in PPAI media and at PPAI conferences, eligibility for PPAI 100 and High Marks and access to premium research. Only members in the Gold and Platinum tiers are eligible for The PPAI Expo Incentive Program.

What Suppliers Need To Know

Under the new PPAI membership structure for suppliers, each tier offers a varying number of benefits and resources.

While members in the Standard-Base and Standard-Plus tiers will receive one priority point, members in the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers will receive two, three and four priority points, respectively. Members in the Standard-Base tier will pay the member rate for PPAI certification fees, PPAI conference registrations and Pyramid Award entries. However, members in the other tiers will receive various discounts and benefits.

All tiers will receive access to PPAI’s full online course catalog with the number of users capped at a certain amount depending on each tier. All tiers will also allow members to participate in the FedEx Advantage Program, which provides an average savings of $1,329. Other benefits such as the PPW Toolkit, PPAI Research and NetSuite discounts will also remain available to all members.

Exclusive benefits for members in the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers include free lead retrieval and guest passes at The PPAI Expo, credits for advertising in PPAI media and at PPAI conferences, eligibility for PPAI 100 and High Marks and access to premium research.

Members in the Standard-Plus tier are also granted one free lead retrieval at Expo and a $250 credit for advertising in PPAI media and at PPAI conferences.

What Business Services Providers Need To Know

Under the new PPAI membership structure for business service providers, each tier offers a varying number of benefits and resources.

All members will continue to receive inclusion in at least one category in the Solutions Center, with eligibility for more categories based on which tier you’re a part of. While members in the Standard-Base and Standard-Plus tiers will receive one priority point, members in the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers will receive two, three and four priority points, respectively.

Members in the Standard-Base tier will pay the member rate for PPAI certification fees, PPAI conference registrations and Pyramid Award entries. However, members in the other tiers will receive various discounts and benefits.

All tiers will receive access to PPAI’s full online course catalog with the number of users capped at a certain amount depending on each tier. All tiers will also allow members to participate in the FedEx Advantage Program, which provides an average savings of $1,329. Other benefits such as the PPW Toolkit, PPAI Research and NetSuite discounts will also remain available to all members.

Exclusive benefits for members in the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers include free lead retrieval and guest passes at The PPAI Expo, credits for advertising in PPAI media and at PPAI conferences, eligibility for PPAI 100 and High Marks and access to premium research.

Members in the Standard-Plus tier are also granted one free lead retrieval at Expo and a $250 credit for advertising in PPAI media and at PPAI conferences.

Questions About PPAI Membership Changes?