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Educational seminars set for market

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 13, 2009

In this story:
Friday, April 24
Saturday, April 25
Sunday, April 26
Monday, April 27
Tuesday, April 28
Wednesday, April 29

All seminars are held in the NHFA Retailer Resource Center on the first floor of Plaza Suites unless otherwise noted.

Friday, April 24

2-6 p.m.
Industry-wide Web Summit 2.0
Mary Frye, president of the Home Furnishings Independents Assn.
Learn the bottom line, real world methods of making the Web work for your retail business. Once you learn the fundamentals, creating an Internet presence becomes a paint-by-numbers process. FurnitureDealer.net founder Andy Bernstein will help furniture sellers eliminate channel conflict by converting online leads into in-store sales; Leslie Carothers, principal of The Kaleidoscope Partnership, will speak about social media conversational marketing; and Chris Millet, Senior Business Consultant for PROFITconsulting, will demonstrate how to analyze, measure and improve your ROI through eMarketing. David Lively of The Lively Merchant and Rick Doran of R&A Marketing will join the panel for a question-and-answer session to conclude the Summit. This is a free event but registration is required. Register online at www.thelivelymerchant.com or call David Lively at (740) 415-3192. Market Square, Market Square, Room 262.

Saturday, April 25

7-8 a.m.
Furniture Fellowship Prayer Breakfast
The 15th annual prayer breakfast features keynote speaker Bob Shank, an entrepreneur in the construction business who has also been pastor of a megachurch and program director for Franklin Graham. In 1997, Shank founded The Masters Program, where he mentored Christian business and ministry leaders. Vernon Chandler will lead the music and worship service. Tickets are $20 per person, $100 for a half table for five people and $200 for a full table of 10. For reservations, contact (404) 643-8870 or csammander@furniture-xpress.com.
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Transforming Order Takers into Order Makers
Philip Gutsell, GutSELL & Associates
Are your salespeople behaving like order takers? Do they give up too easily when presented with common objections? Do they fail to close even when given solid buying signals? If your answers are “yes” to any of these questions, this seminar is for you. Phil Gutsell has researched thousands of retail salespeople and has uncovered the critical skills that transform order takers into order makers. Attend this seminar and learn the key factors that will propel your staff to earn more closes and satisfied customers.
10-11 a.m.
How Can Conventional Retailers Leverage the Internet to Achieve Multi-Channel Success?
Andy Bernstein, FurnitureDealer.net
Today's furniture consumer wants to buy from local stores like yours, but is looking to the Internet first as part of the shopping process. This seminar will take a look at successful furniture Web sites and discuss what retailers can do to win. The focus will be multi-channel (stores and internet) and local (not shipping across the country), and will not focus on deep discount prices as a strategy. This seminar is appropriate for brick-and-mortar retailers and manufacturers who sell through brick-and-mortar channels.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Help Wanted! My Sales Associates Can't Sell Water to a Thirsty Camel
Mark Lacy, The Furniture Training Co.
Attend this seminar to learn innovative and easy-to-understand training techniques for teaching sales associates the product knowledge, selling skills and room design abilities required to increase sales. These techniques have increased the sales of over 95% of the associates trained with them.
12-1:30 p.m.
Can Color Save the Day?
Kate Smith, Sensational Color
What you need to know about color trends and influences for interiors, furnishings, and home decor. As a color expert and strategist, Kate Smith is an authority on using color to communicate within the international business community and her services include: color trend forecasting, brand identification, product line development, product and packaging, in-house training and seminars. A complimentary box lunch will be provided. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom B
1-2 p.m.
Knowing Green: 10 Things Everyone Needs to Know
Jeffrey Hiller
This starter seminar provides a simple understanding of the complex issues involved in sustainable home furnishings. What's the current state of our industry? How important is it to consumers? When is it going to be a big seller? Based on a thorough review of all pertinent research, including a proprietary consumer survey, this presentation is guaranteed to get you highly motivated while providing the essential information you need to get moving in the right direction. Sponsored by Sustainable Furnishings Council and BiOH. www.sustainablefurnishings.org
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Advertising Strategies Designed to Turn Around a Furniture Sales Slowdown
Charles Horich, Jon Parks, Brad Lebow, Chip Hector; Horich Parks Lebow Advertising
This seminar will share specific ideas to help retailers generate more traffic and sales in 2009. Make this the year for sales increases with creative ways to drive product category growth with particular emphasis on selling more mattresses. Go on the offensive with hard-hitting television and direct mail promotions that have been proven effective in difficult market conditions. www.hpladv.com
4-5 p.m.
Performance Groups: Your Key to Success
Ron Huddleston, Impact Consulting Services
The concept is simple and effective: Successful business owners sharing best practices and ideas in order to help all members dramatically improve their volume and profitability. This presentation will cover the things to look for when selecting a provider to use and a performance group to join. www.impactconsultingservices.com

Sunday, April 26

7:30-9 a.m.
WithIt Educational Breakfast: Trick the Eye — Design Ideas for Living Large in a Small Space
Libby Langdon, HGTV's “Small Space, Big Style”
Tips, tools, tricks and comparisons will be given for small spaces helping retailers create the potential for these areas to be gracious, inviting and extremely functional. Book signing to follow. The seminar is free, but reservations are required. Contact cpayne@ihfc.com or go to www.withit.org. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom A
8:30-9:30 a.m.
An Overview of the Furniture Industry
Jerry Epperson, Mann, Armistead & Epperson
Using the latest statistics, furniture research specialist Jerry Epperson will present insights into the furniture industry's prospects for 2009-2010. www.maeltd.com
10-11 a.m.
Can You Grow Your Business Through Effective Outreach to Hispanic Consumers?
Jane Martin, Makin' It Work Pronto
Hispanics are the largest minority in the U.S. at more than 47 million strong with the average Hispanic household earning about $52,000. Makin' It Work Pronto, a Hispanic marketing and communications company, will assist you in learning how to effectively communicate with this growing population segment. Topics include Hispanic buying power growth trends; Hispanic culture and communications; what Hispanics are buying when it comes to homes, furniture and accessories; how to effectively market to Hispanics; and working with Hispanic media. Sponsored by Home Furnishings Retailer. www.miwpronto.com
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
What a Difference Display Makes
Martin Roberts, GRID2
Design industry expert Martin Roberts will share his vision for what makes for truly effective retail environments in 2009. He'll cover the furniture category from both the retailer and customer point of view, providing a framework from which attendees can learn how to transform browsers into brand-loyal buyers. Topics include seasonal display techniques, the critical importance of lighting, the store as brand ambassador and key strike zones within the store. www.grid2.com
12-1:30 p.m.
Design Inspirations: The Challenging & Changing world of Interior Design
Lillian August and Dan Weiss
Design icon Lillian August and her sons have created a virtual design empire through their family-owned, multi-location retail operation as well as extensive licensed home furnishings lines. Learn firsthand the key to marrying design inspiration into today's opportunistic retail environment. $20 fee paid in advance includes seminar and lunch. Make reservation at cpayne@ihfc.com. Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA-Carolinas Chapter. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom B
1-2 p.m.
Growing Green: 10 Things Everyone Needs to Do
Jeffrey Hiller
If you are ready to get started on greening your business, this is the how-to manual. From sourcing to operations, this seminar provides a panoramic perspective on practical steps that virtually any business can begin doing tomorrow to increase green offerings while reducing expense and your carbon footprint. Certified wood, rapid renewables, low VOC finishes, natural leathers, organic textiles, flooring, and lighting are just some of the topics covered, focusing on practical solutions you can implement immediately. Sponsored by Sustainable Furnishings Council and BiOH. www.sustainablefurnishings.org
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Developing a High-Performance Sales Force
Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management
During this seminar, you will learn how to dramatically improve your company's sales performance by capitalizing on your company's current assets and without wasting more money on additional advertising. Topics covered include how to hire top salespeople, how to use measurements to coach improved salesperson performance, how to hold salespeople accountable for performance, how to create a positive and fun selling environment, and how to keep top performers. www.jrmsales-mgmt.com
4-5 p.m.
The Modern World of Customer Relations with the Power of e-Marketing
Chris Millet, PROFITsystems
Wouldn't it be great to be able to market directly to prospects and clients with campaigns that match their specific needs? Learn how to use e-marketing/e-commerce techniques that are rooted in permission-based marketing. You will focus on building customer relationships that lead to brand loyalty, and the use of measurable metrics to help you improve over time. www.profitsystems.net

Monday, April 27

7:15 a.m.
Jewish Orthodox Prayer Service
To attend the Minyan (prayer service), call Avi Schoenbrun at (718) 986-7857. Lee Furniture showroom, 142 S. Main St.
8-9 a.m.
15 Ways to Increase Profits
John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group
This seminar will feature specific items that any furniture retailer can do to quickly reduce costs in their store. New technologies will also be presented, which can not only decrease costs, but also increase customer satisfaction. www.profitabilityconsulting.com
9-10 a.m.
Learn How YourFurnitureLink.com is Positioning Local Retailers for Survival and Success
Vicki Semke of Mig and Tig and Jerod Lazan of Mortise Tenon
In this seminar, you will learn how two successful boutique home furnishings retailers are using the Internet to drive sales through brick-and-mortar retail stores. Semke and Lazan created Yourfurniturelink.com to provide manufacturer information for consumers researching home furnishings products. There is no pricing or e-commerce on the site, instead consumers are referred to retailers in their local market to make their purchase. As budgets become tighter, American home furnishings retailers, manufacturers, distributors and reps are forced to re-think how to maximize marketing budgets to increase customer traffic. Discover how the Internet can be a very cost-effective tool for building customer relationships and driving foot traffic into your store. Market Square, Room 272
9:30-11 a.m.
The Sky Has Fallen, Now What? 10 Affordable Solutions to Get Customers to Your Store
Connie Post, The Connie Post Cos.
A powerful 90-minute presentation that focuses on the latest 2009 trends and how to harness them for your bottom line. Fast-paced, energetic and idea-driven, Connie Post will discuss retail ideas designed to change your business. www.conniepost.com
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Your Customer is Still Out There, Find Out Where and What They Want
Angelo Surmelis, designer/host from HGTV and TLC
Angelo Surmelis is the host of “Rate My Space with Angelo Surmelis,” the big-budget HGTV makeover series. Discover what Surmelis has learned through his daily interactions with consumers through his TV shows over the past six years and as a designer for the last 15. Surmelis believes the customer is still there and her needs haven't really changed that much, but who the customer is and their knowledge has. Walk away with the insight and excitement that he has for this industry, which has led to the launch of his own furniture line debuting this summer. Market Square, Room 272
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The 80% Phenomenon: How Women Can Make or Break Your Business
Kimberlie Hiltachk & Kathryn Baird, Torus Marketing
A comprehensive analysis of the female consumer and how retailers can connect best with this lucrative target, who is now making more than 80% of purchasing decisions on everything from diapers to drywall. In this discussion, you will learn why women are the most powerful economic force on the planet and how to create an experience that increases sales and market share. You'll also leave the session with specific, tactical steps you can take to transform your business. www.torusmarketing.com
12-1:30 p.m.
The Reality of New Design
Michael Payne
Interior designer Michael Payne will explore the cyclical nature of interior design. The discussion will center on: “What's new in design … and is it really new? Why is it that what's old seems to be new again?” Payne also will address what makes some designs become classics and timeless whereas others become dated and obsolete. Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA-Carolinas Chapter. $20 fee paid in advance includes seminar and lunch. Make reservation at cpayne@ihfc.com. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom B
1-2 p.m.
Showing Green: 10 Questions Every Salesperson Needs to Answer
Jeffrey Hiller
The most eco-friendly showroom means nothing if you can't sell what's in it. This seminar is a cheat sheet for managers, designers, and sales staff in the form of compelling answers to the most FAQ. What's the difference between green and sustainable? Who's going to be most interested? How important is green vs. style or price? What does it say about the rest of my products? Developed by a long-time retailer and high-growth importer, this comes from the real-world perspective of working a showroom floor to make sure there will be no deer in the headlights. Sponsored by Sustainable Furnishings Council and BiOH. www.sustainablefurnishings.org
2:30-4 p.m.
Capturing Customers in a Down Economy Using Google
Tim Freeth, Google
Learn how to use Google and the Internet to capture customers and increase your business' profitability. Tim Freeth of Google will cover a variety of topics including how to use the Internet and search engines in your marketing mix and how to leverage the tracking capabilities of the Internet to grow your customer base and business. www.google.com
6 p.m.
Sustainability and Social Network Media Marketing in Home Furnishings
Moderator: Leslie Carothers, The Kaleidoscope Partnership
Panelists: Jeff Hiller, SFC president; Jessica Koster, marketing manager, Cargill's BiOH Polyols business unit; Jacob Harlow, general manager of retailer Century House in Madison, Wis.; and Julia Rosien, Natura communications director
Cargill's BiOH Polyols business unit is teaming with the Sustainable Furnishings Council to host a panel discussion on the use of sustainable elements in furniture and mattress foams. A pre-panel event begins at 5 p.m. with wine and hors d'oeuvres. IHFC C709, Natura showroom

Tuesday, April 28

7:15 a.m.
Jewish Orthodox Prayer Service
To attend the Minyan (prayer service), call Avi Schoenbrun at (718) 986-7857. Lee Furniture showroom, 142 S. Main St.
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Increase Profits with this Proven 10 Step Plan to Create Successful Promotions
Denise Scattergood, Sale-in-a-Box
Denise Scattergood will teach you 10 steps to create a successful promotion or event that motivates customers to stay and buy today. From targeting the right audience to choosing the right message to creating the right atmosphere, this presentation will give you the tools you need to make the right decisions. www.saleinabox.com
10-11 a.m.
Making Social Media Work for You
Angela Connor, Capitol Broadcasting/WRAL.com
The pressure to get involved with social media is on! But the path to social media success is not one-size-fits-all. Do you microblog on sites such as Twitter or create niche groups in larger online communities like Facebook or MySpace? This seminar will help you focus on your business goals and make decisions about your social media strategy that will serve you in the long run. www.golo.com
10-11:30 a.m.
Distinguishing between Truly Green and Green-washed Products
Deborah Dunning, The Green Standard
With increasing numbers of consumers asking for green products, and more companies offering (or claiming to offer) eco-friendly wares, interior designers and procurement professionals must respond with judiciousness. This session will review a range of certification programs, noting what they do and do not cover and what metrics they use to describe a product's environmental attributes. Additionally, it will provide an understanding of environmental product declarations and how they can be used potentially in combination with single and multiple attribute eco-labels as well as sustainable product standards. You will learn how to use these tools in specifying and purchasing products, thus integrating best practices globally in green purchasing. A light continental breakfast will be served. IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, High Point Room
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
2009 Survival Skills: 12 Ways to Get Your Team to Create Their Own Sales
Jeffrey Hiller, PROaction Marketing Group
Consultant Jeffrey Hiller will share ways to double qualified traffic through systematic outreach and improved data capture. proactionnow@gmail.com
12-1:30 p.m.
Welcome to the New Age of Design…It's a Virtual World…Are You in It?
Susan Aldridge, Smart Home Studio
Susan Aldridge will speak on new time-saving tools, including 3D software that enables you to render photorealistic visualization in 3D in less than an hour — the perfect way to communicate with local and long-distance clients effectively via your Web site. Decrease your work time while increasing your bottom line. Complimentary box lunch provided. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom B
1-2 p.m.
Reclaiming Wood for Furniture: A Recycling Story
Amy Miller, Turning House
If vintage wood could talk, it would have quite a story to tell. Turning House Millworks provides extinct and rare Appalachian hardwoods for Turning House Furniture by painstakingly deconstructing old abandoned buildings. Learn from an environmental deconstructionist and wood expert about the reclamation processes that give new life to old growth hardwoods, saving thousands of trees as well as our landfills. Sponsored by Sustainable Furnishings Council and BiOH. www.sustainablefurnishings.org
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Implement Sustainable Lighting for Savings
Monte Lee, Service Lamp Corp.
This presentation shows how to implement sustainable lighting in furniture stores. Learn how to move toward sustainable lighting without additional investment and sacrificing the appearance of the sales floor. We will also discuss when to make an investment in sustainable lighting for real cost reduction. www.servicelamp.com
4-5 p.m.
How to Conduct a Consumer Seminar
Sally Morse, HunterDouglas
This in-depth session will explain the benefits of holding a consumer seminar in your store or at outside events. Learn how to become a fashion leader in your community and see the results for a very long time. www.hunterdouglas.com
6 p.m.
American Society of Furniture Designers Spring Market Social
Jerry Epperson, Mann, Armistead & Epperson, Ltd.
Industry expert Jerry Epperson will discuss the state of the furniture industry and what's on the horizon. Winners of the ASFD's David Kline Memorial Scholarship also will be announced. Tickets are $35, which includes a cocktail reception, carving board and hors d'oeuvres. E-mail info@asfd.com for more information.

Wednesday, April 29

9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Green Leaders: Certified Sustainability Training Program Sustainable Furnishings Council
The Sustainable Furnishings Council is launching this first of its kind “Train the Trainers” program, a six-course examination series resulting in your accreditation as an SFC Certified Trainer with expertise in green home furnishings. Course segments include environmental issues, consumer understanding, materials, operations, marketing and sales, and interior design. Intended for manufacturers, retailers and designers, this fast-paced series provides an understanding of the essentials of sustainability as it relates to the home furnishings industry and the tools for communicating it effectively to others. Content is approved by ranking staff of the Rainforest Alliance and World Wildlife Fund and CEU credits are available. This is a fee-based course. Contact Susan Inglis at (919) 621-2202 or susan@sustainablefurnishings.org.
12-1:30 p.m.
How to Market Your Store to Get More Press, More Customers and More Success
Jenny Heinzen York, Home Accents Today
Join Jenny Heinzen York, editor in chief of Home Accents Today, and a panel of PR-savvy retailers as they reveal their secrets for getting maximum coverage in the press by using simple, inexpensive strategies to get your store noticed. Complimentary box lunch provided. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Ballroom B

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