WHFA Announces 2003 Summer Market Seminars

Furniture World Magazine

The Western Home Furnishings Association has announced the lineup of complimentary educational seminars for the 2003 San Francisco Market. Veteran industry experts like Phil Gutsell, John McCloskey, Carmine Caruso, and Ted Shepherd will provide powerful ideas and strategies for increasing profits, cutting costs, and transforming your business in these one hour seminars. Seminars are offered Friday through Sunday of Market, in the WHFA Retail Resource Center Seminar Room, Mart 2, Space 705 and are sponsored by WHFA members. To accommodate buyers’ heavy Market schedules there is no advance registration required and at least a _ hour between seminars, but space is limited so be sure to plan ahead to attend. All seminar seating is on a first come, first served basis, and complimentary refreshments are served throughout the day. So stop by to rest your feet and nourish your mind, compliments of WHFA. 2003 SUMMER MARKET SEMINAR SCHEDULE “Actions for Transactions - When They Just Aren’t Buying” Philip M. Gutsell, gutSELL & Associates. - “What Can I do to Get More Business?” Let’s assume for a moment that you have a dynamic and well planned merchandising program. Let’s also assume that your advertising is still bringing traffic through the doors and your sales staff complains “They just aren’t buying.” This seminar is going to go through an astonishing list of the procedures, steps and habits your sales staff needs to check off everyday like an airline pilot. Phil will outline the skills and techniques needed by your sales professionals: from attitude and preparation, through greeting strategies that break the ice, reading and qualifying the customer, value creating demonstrations, closing techniques that close today, and follow up for add on sales and referrals. This is a power packed seminar that you absolutely must attend if you want to overcome “They Just Aren’t Buying” and learn the Actions for Transactions. “Count on Advertising Results” Karen Fraser-Middleton, Marketing Action - At this hands-on session, learn how to win more sales and leverage your advertising budget. Find out how to test advertising messages and measure results to refine your campaign. Use research to develop your offer and differentiate your store from competitors. You’ll gain a better understanding of how to track response, enhance ad design and sell your store’s unique benefits to build your bottom line. Take away ideas that you can put to work immediately to improve your advertising. “Increase Profits Now!” John Egger, Profitability Consulting Group. - Today’s changing environment causes retailers to move quicker with better and more pertinent information. “Technology Enabled Selling” is one of the many ways to improve your profits. “Accessories as a Profit Center” Carmine Caruso, Bryant-Forney Associates. - Professionalize & Simplify The Art of: Planning Your Budget; Placing Your Order; Receiving & Pricing Your Product; Display of The Product; The Selling of The Accessory; Come away from this seminar with all the information to help Accessory Sales soar! “The 3 Goals of Every Salesperson” Phyllis P. Macay, PPM Designs. - Exactly what is supposed to be happening when a sales staff is showing a customer around the sales floor? You need to know what the customer NEEDS to fulfill her WANTS. You greet a first-time customer, you begin to bond, and you discover their total needs…Now…guide them around the sales floor and paint a picture of how their wants turn to needs. Call it the Store tour!! Make the Store Tour work for You! Achieve the 3 goals of every salesperson. “The Power of Advertising” Rick Dlesk, Jr., Mail America - This seminar will discuss how the retailer can grow their business & increase store traffic. Learn how to effectively place direct mail in your advertising budget to maximize the greatest ROI. Also learn helpful hints on how to effectively use direct mail on a continuing basis for maximum results. “Boosting Your Bottom Line Through Supply Chain Automation” Ron Sellers, FurnishNet. - The web, next generation EDI, and a host of new technologies make it easier than ever for retailers and manufacturers to get connected to reduce expenses and improve the consumer experience. Learn how you can take advantage of these solutions to eliminate order errors, shorten delivery cycles, and improve communications to satisfy customers and positively impact your bottom line. “The Twenty First Century Showroom” Stan Bossler, Bossler Design Services, Inc. - Enhancing your client’s total shopping experience…” The Twenty First Century Showroom” seminar will identify emerging trends in showroom design, visual merchandising and accessorizing. Aesthetic as well as technical advances in showroom design will be discerned. Seminar attendees will be encouraged to participate. Visual aids will reinforce all topics. Seminar attendees will receive a comprehensive hand out folder. ”Flowing Merchandise for Better Profits” John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group. - Many furniture store owners feel that the flow of merchandise through their business is a result of factors beyond their control. Stores that experience uncontrolled flow see higher expenses, lower turns, more damage and smaller margins. When store owners are able to control the flow of inventory through their warehouse and business, they see a reduction in expenses, and increase in turns, less damage, and better margins. This seminar will offer several methods to help retailers improve the flow of goods through their business. “How the Highest Profit Retailers Stay That Way” Ted Shepherd, Shepherd Retail Performance - The most profitable retailers safeguard themselves against profit reducers by installing functional accountability in every aspect of their business. Learn how any size retailer can apply these fundamental concepts and improve profitability. “Bring Customers into Your Store….Special Events ARE Special” Phyllis P. Macay, PPM Designs - Customer service is foremost on everyone’s mind. How can we promote our image, educate our staff, and bring customers flocking into our store? Special events promotions can do just that! Bring customers into your store in a non-threatening environment, take their charitable contributions, and entertain them. Come be an interactive partisan and explore the creative process and checkpoints to promoting a successful special event. “Sales Force Automation” Dave Mink, TRAXSales. - Customized sales force automation and customer relationship management will be the focus of this high energy presentation. You will walk away with tools to dramatically impact and improve your business. “Effective Assortment Planning” Ted Shepherd, Shepherd Retail Performance. - The foundation of any successful merchandising program is the assortment planning process. The most effective merchandisers only buy to their assortment plan, slot their floor, use a merchandise room, and an effective obsolescence plan. The results are improved margins, lower inventories and increased cash. “Increase Profits Now!” John Egger, Profitability Consulting Group. - Today’s changing environment causes retailers to move quicker with better and more pertinent information. “Technology Enabled Selling” is one of the many ways to improve your profits. ”Flowing Merchandise for Better Profits” John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group - Many furniture store owners feel that the flow of merchandise through their business is a result of factors beyond their control. Stores that experience uncontrolled flow see higher expenses, lower turns, more damage and smaller margins. When store owners are able to control the flow of inventory through their warehouse and business, they see a reduction in expenses, and increase in turns, less damage and better margins. This seminar will offer several methods to help retailers improve the flow of goods through their business. “Increasing Profitability in a Difficult Economy” Terry Nelson, PROFITSystems, Inc. - This seminar will demonstrate how to utilize better inventory management and sales floor opportunity management to improve profitability from the traffic you get.