HIGH POINT — This April's International Home Furnishings Market again will feature a wide variety of educational programs. Unless noted, reservations are not required and there is no charge to attend.
All seminars without a specific location listed are held in the National Home Furnishings Assn.'s Retailer Resource Center, International Home Furnishings Center, Main Wing, 12th floor.
Thursday, April 22
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Actions for Transactions: When They Just Aren't Buying
Philip Gutsell, Gutsell & Associates
What can you do to get more business? Let's assume that you have a dynamic and well-planned merchandising program. Let's also assume that your advertising is bringing traffic through the doors, but that your sales staff is complaining, "They just aren't buying." In this seminar, you will learn procedures and steps your sales staff needs to check off every day, much like an airline pilot.
10 – 11 a.m.
10 Steps to the Perfect Room
Sally Morse, Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Morse will lead participants through a 10-step process to create a lovely, well-coordinated room. Learning and practicing the process produces more sales and boosts profits because a retailer's customers will achieve the rooms of their dreams.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Maximizing the Value of Your Credit Program
Katie Robinson, Alliance Data Systems
Do you provide your customers with financing? If so, are you maximizing the value of your credit program? Robinson will discuss credit-marketing case studies, proven best practices and new technologies to help you turn your credit program into a sales-driving marketing program.
1 – 2 p.m.
Revenue to Profits: How to Double Your Profitability
John Egger, Profitability Consulting Group
The only function of a sale is to create revenue. Everything you do after the sale is what determines your profitability. You will learn the keys to greater profitability as Egger explains the processes and systems he has developed to help hundreds of furniture stores enjoy double-digit profitability.
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
The 39 Common Advertising Mistakes Furniture Retailers Make
Leo Levinson, Prescott/Levinson Advertising
Over the course of 30 years, Levinson has collected some of the most common mistakes that home furnishings retailers make in their advertising programs. These mistakes often significantly reduce retailers' potential for advertising success. He has assembled the 39 most common mistakes into a highly informative seminar that will cover such topics as marketing strategy, creative messages, media buying and more.
4 – 5 p.m.
The WOW Factor
Stan Bossler, Bossler Design Services
When entering your showroom, do your clients say, "WOW!"? If not, this seminar will provide the necessary tools to generate such a reaction. Proven yet cost-effective trends in accessorization, visual merchandising and showroom planning will be examined in this participatory program, accompanied by a slide presentation and handouts.
Friday, April 23
7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
WithIt Breakfast: Realistically Ever After
Christina Ferrare, talk-show host, author, model, actress and furniture licensee
Ferrare will speak about her journey through a "fairy tale life interrupted." Professional women will see themselves, their families, co-workers and neighbors in her stories, and in her conclusion that we've already got what it takes to be happy in spite of life's challenges. Sponsored by IHFC and WithIt. The seminar and breakfast are free, but reservations are required. Contact Gaye Outlaw at IHFC at (336) 888-3754, by fax at (336) 888-3744 or by e-mail at goutlaw@ihfc.com. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club Level, Ballroom A.
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Multiple Showrooms: A Plan for Success
John Lawhon, Selling Retail Intl.
If you plan to have more than one location, this is a seminar you won't want to miss. Most dealers who open multiple stores discover that some do better than others. Based on his retail experience, research, writings and consultations with retailers around the globe, Lawhon will explain what works for multiple-store businesses and why.
10 – 11 a.m.
eBusiness in the Furniture Industry: Real Opportunity for Efficiency
Bryan Atkins & Manoj Nigam, MicroD
Atkins and Nigam will present cost-effective eBusiness strategies for the home furnishings industry. They will discuss electronic product catalogs and how accurate order entry, Internet-based delivery, acknowledgements and invoices lead to extensive cost savings, reduction in errors, faster delivery and better customer service.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Road to Better Home Delivery: 10 Things You Can Do Now to Improve
Patrick Cory, Cory 1st Choice Delivery
Have you analyzed your delivery procedures lately? Is your delivery operation efficient and cost effective? Cory will present 10 power methods of improving your existing home delivery operation so that you can boost your bottom line and create improved customer service.
Noon
The First 30 Years
Raymond Waites, designer
Waites will discuss the first 30 years of his career in home furnishings. He helped originate several of the industry's leading movements, including the American country movement in the late '70s and the vintage movement of the early '90s. In October 2003, he introduced his New American collection, inspired by his travels to Williamsburg, Monticello and the old homes of America. Sponsored by IHFC and the International Furnishings and Design Assn.-Carolinas Chapter. $15 fee includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Mail check to IHFC, Gaye Outlaw, P.O. Box 828, High Point, N.C. 27261. Tickets will be held at the door and must be picked up by 12:10 p.m. on the day of the seminar. Call (336) 888-3754 for more information. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club Level, International Ballroom.
1 – 2 p.m.
Be the Brand That Women Call Home: Five New Pathways to Her Discretionary Dollar
Karen Wade, Karen Wade Associates
We know the statistics: More than 80% of all retail purchases in home furnishings are generated by women. A question persists in the industry: How can we effectively capture more of the consumer's discretionary dollar? To do so, we must adjust our marketing and sales approaches. This seminar will outline five new paths leading to increased sales based on the proven psychology of "what women want" and "why women buy."
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Branding and Traffic Building: Are They At Odds?
Douglas Knorr, Knorr Marketing
When do "Sale" and "Free Financing" run out of steam? Will shouting sale actually undermine long-term results? What is the value of branding your store? Knorr will define branding and when, where and how it can enhance retail market share. Using case studies, he will reveal how selling and branding must combine to successfully retain customers and build market share.
4 – 5 p.m.
Quality of Life: Does Your Business Provide It for You?
Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management
Until now, decision-makers and business owners had to rely on gut feelings or loosely related data to try to determine how much a program benefited their employees, improved work life, or benefited a customer. Milevsky will explore the balancing of profitability and quality-of-life issues. When decisions are based on valid quality-of-life measurements, organizations realize more than short-term goals and improve their long-term success.
Saturday, April 24
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
The Worst Has Passed: Opportunities Abound
Jerry Epperson, Mann, Armistead and Epperson
As the economy gains momentum, we are left with fewer excuses to explain bad business. Epperson will lead an interactive hour of discussing who our customers are, how they are changing, and what we can do to attract them to our merchandise.
10 – 11 a.m.
Money In Your Mattresses
Connie Post, Connie Post Companies
Got profits? The bedding category is the only true cash cow in the furniture business, but rather than milking it for all its worth, many home furnishings retailers have chosen to walk away. Post will offer strategies for reinvigorating and reinventing the bedding department.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
The Great Chase: The Pursuit of Authentic Antique Furnishings
Elizabeth Lindquist, antiques authority
Learn to use your senses to examine antique furniture like the experts. Discern what is original and authentic, responsibly repaired, overly restored, altered or a downright fake. Examining furniture, whether it is your own or a client's, at an antiques show, auction or even a museum, will be forever more enjoyable and knowledgeable after this seminar. Sponsored by the Interior Design Society. $15 per person. Advance reservations may be made by mailing a check or credit card information to IDS, 3910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C. 27265. All tickets will be held at the door and must be picked up no later than 10 minutes after the seminar has begun. Call (800) 888-9590, extension 6169, or (336) 801-6169 for reservations. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Rooms A, B & C.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The How To's of Delivering Furniture to Your Customers, Complaint-Free and at Minimal Cost
David Duff, David Duff Warehousing Consulting
Duff will cover the basics, including loading defective-free goods; being on time; the importance of delivery crews appearing and sounding like the pros your customer expects, and making efficient and professional deliveries.
Noon
Follow Your Heart Home: A New Yearning for Intimacy
Nancy Lindemeyer, president and COO of Lindemeyer Productions
Lindemeyer will discuss her theme of the "accumulated home" — that we gather about us the things that bring us comfort, whether they be new purchases or cherished inherited pieces. For many, our homes are the most personal expressions we have, and don't just announce to the world whether we are traditional or modern or whatever. Our homes reflect the choices that give us the grace and eloquence for everyday living. Lindemeyer, a consultant to furniture and design companies, currently is working with Hooker Furniture and the Lam Lee Group on a whole home collection called The Intimate Home. Book signing will follow. Sponsored by IHFC and the International Furnishings and Design Assn.-Carolinas Chapter. $15 fee includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. For reservations, mail check to IHFC, Gaye Outlaw, P.O. Box 828, High Point, N.C. 27261. Tickets will be held at the door and must be picked up by 12:10 p.m. on the day of the seminar. Call (336) 888-3754 for more information. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club Level, International Ballroom.
1 – 2 p.m.
eCommerce Revisited: Real Opportunities to Expand Your Business on the Internet
John McDonald, eBay
Sales of furniture and home décor are growing at an incredible pace online. Learn from home category specialists at eBay how you can leverage this powerful new channel to accelerate growth. Discover different tactics innovative companies are using to move in-season and clearance items to maximize volume and margin.
2 – 4 p.m.
Passport to International Ideas and Styles for 2004
Sally Morse, designer
If you have ever wished you could go to Europe and other countries to see the latest in home furnishings fashions, this is your opportunity to visit the famous international markets, with Morse as your tour guide — Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Germany; Maison & Objet in Paris; and Decosit in Brussels, Belgium. You'll see the latest colors, fabrics, furniture, lighting, accessories and window coverings in a slide show. Sponsored by The Interior Design Society, $15 per person. Advance reservations may be made by mailing a check or credit card information to IDS, 3910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C. 27265. Call (800) 888-9590, extension 6169, or (336) 801-6169 for reservations. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Rooms A, B & C.
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
The One-Minute Communicator
Samantha Kurtz, Kurtz & Associates
The ultimate key to effective communication lies more in the art of listening than in the art of speaking. Surprisingly, most communications training concentrates more on what and how we say things, than instructing us in methods of listening more actively and productively. This seminar will teach simple methods of communication that will allow you to learn — and even teach others — how to quickly and effectively improve your conversations with associates and customers alike.
4 – 5 p.m.
Influencing Consumer Behavior and Increasing ROI
Tom Gaillard and Scott Marden, Vertis
Learn how to leverage the latest in database marketing and print technologies to produce highly targeted communications, build response and increase return on investment. During this seminar, you will learn the results of Vertis' 2004 Customer Focus consumer research, providing insights into furniture purchasing habits, behavior for key demographics segments and the latest RISC data on the design style, and advertising headline, most likely to appeal to your customers.
Sunday, April 25
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Discover the Magic of Mail: Exposing the Secrets of a Successful Direct Mail Program
Lee Gilmore, Banker & Brisebois
This seminar will provide an array of powerful tools and proven ideas to help dealers create successful direct marketing campaigns that avoid costly mistakes and increase store traffic. Some of the topics include the pros and cons of direct mail; planning tips on how to have a successful direct-mail campaign; growing and fine-tuning your direct-mail customer lists; examples of proven promotions; postal regulations; design elements; timing and how to save money.
9 a.m.
Future View: Consumer Trends Influencing Tomorrow's Marketplace
Reggie Pasterczyk, founder and president, Intrepid Marketing Services
This seminar will provide an overview of key consumer trends that will profoundly affect the American marketplace in the near- and long-term. Population trends, household trends and home ownership trends will be explored along with their potential impacts on home building, home design and home furnishings. Intrepid Marketing Services' major clients include Wachovia, Lowe's, R.J. Reynolds and Replacements. Prior to starting her own company, Pasterczyk was senior marketing research manager at R.J. Reynolds, where she spent 16 years and was responsible for planning, designing, executing and reporting consumer research for key brands. Complimentary continental breakfast. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Room.
10 – 11 a.m.
Personality to the Second Power: A Different Slant on Coaching
Ron Wolff, Caliper Corp.
Most coaching programs fall short of the mark because the focus is on process and techniques in a sterile or generic setting. This program focuses on understanding the personality of both the manager and salesperson and how that determines what strategy the manager should use. You will learn strategies for handling the most difficult and sensitive situations and come away with workable business solutions.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Five Critical Things Your Sales Manager Should Be Doing But Probably Isn't
Joe Capillo, ProfitSystems
Sales managers need to focus on the right things to really make things happen for your company. Capillo will talk about what that focus has to be.
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Color Trends: Are They Still Relevant?
Leatrice Eiseman, color consultant and director of the Pantone Color Institute
Eiseman will review the latest trends and buying habits so that you can be right on target when consulting your color-savvy clients. She will identify the newest color directions and how they fit into consumer comfort levels. A signing for Eiseman's new book, "The Color Answer Book," will follow. $25 per person, includes seminar and lunch. Reservations may be made by contacting the Interior Design Society, 2910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C. 27265. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B.
Noon
In-Home Team Selling
Jean Shurtliff will guide you through the steps necessary to implement team in-home selling, discussing why it works and the foundation behind the concept. Consumers are changing the way they purchase home furnishings today, and the most important question is: How will we change our approach? IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Room.
1 – 2 p.m.
Use It or Lose It!
Joe Lapekas, TruckSkin
Lapekas will discuss how retailers can use the asset value of their truck-side billboards. He will demonstrate the value of outdoor advertising and how retailers can capitalize on their underutilized billboards. He also will outline both custom and template design styles to illustrate the simplicity and ease of using this means of advertising.
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Lighting Your Way to Sales and Savings
Earl Miles, Service Lamp Corp.
You will learn how to select the right lighting fixtures and the right light bulbs to increase sales and save energy. Miles also will discuss the importance of choosing the right "color" light bulbs and how to light your warehouse.
4 – 5 p.m.
Take Control of Your Import Supply Chain and Reduce Your Landed Costs
Bill Smith, Globe Express Services
You will learn import best practices from Smith. His presentation will cover how retailers can take control of their supply chain and reduce overall landed costs by switching buying terms from CIF to FOB origin, increasing in-transit visibility via Web-based tracking and reporting, and developing direct contacts for global sourcing.
Monday, April 26
9 a.m.
Accessories: The Indispensable Design Component
Carol Bousquet Chop, widely acclaimed on the trade seminar circuit, will outline her methods for interior design and decorating professionals. Whether for function, aesthetics or both, everyone agrees accessories are essential to designing a successful room. However, skillful accessorizing is not necessarily innate. In this seminar, elevate your talent and enjoy a fast-paced hour of accessory arrangement techniques, creative ideas, sales presentation systems, profit resources plus innovative formulas and guidelines — all for immediate use. Complimentary continental breakfast. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B.
Noon
Color Now: Sour Apple, Slate, Sno Cone and More
For Jill Rosenwald, color is completely intuitive. She sees the world as a multitude of mind-blowing color combinations. This original colorist and home products designer will outline how unusual and fantastic palettes, combinations and assortments will work in interior spaces and why. Complimentary lunch. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B.
Tuesday, April 27
Noon
Style Preview in Home Accents
Tracy Bulla, product editor, Home Accents Today
Join the editors of Home Accents Today for an exclusive overview of styles seen among the hundreds of products introduced at this market, and learn about emerging trends in home accents. Complimentary lunch. IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B.
