Educational seminars set for market

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 13, 2004

All seminars are in the NHFA Retailer Resource Center in the IHFC, unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, Oct. 14

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Seven Deadly Sins of Selling

Phillip Gutsell, Gutsell & Associates

This seminar identifies the seven sins of the typical retail sales staff and provides a plan to lead salespeople away from the pitfalls that prevent consistent peak performance.

10–11 a.m.

How a Global Supply Chain Logistics Program Can Improve Your Bottom Line

Wayne Chan and Marcus Cary, Wiseway Transportation Services

While imported products continuously have improved in quality, design and price, the basic model to distribute these products from overseas to domestic retailers has changed very little over the years. This presentation will show how streamlining supply chain logistics is the last area that make an immediate and substantial difference in retailers' and suppliers' bottom lines.

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Homing In on Women Consumers: What They Want and Why They Buy

Jennifer Granshirt, Frank About Women

Granshirt will offer insights into how women's buying habits have changed recently when it comes to shopping for the home. She will discuss findings from Frank About Women's latest survey. The information will help retailers understand the best ways to reach women consumers without alienating their male counterparts.

1–2 p.m.

10 Ways to Increase Your Profits Immediately

John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group

Is your bottom line all it can be? McCloskey will explain how to add dollars to your bottom line with or without increasing sales.

2:30–3:30 p.m.

Power TV: Successful TV Advertising Strategies and Production Techniques

Leo Levinson, Prescott/Levinson Advertising

This program packs a wealth of information about TV advertising that home furnishings retailers, whether veterans or newcomers to the media, can use right now. Levinson will outline production techniques designed to squeeze more out of production budgets, and discuss media-buying strategies that provide more exposure for the dollar.

4–5 p.m.

Understanding the True Cost of Home Delivery

Patrick Cory, Cory Home Delivery Service

Cory will review ways retailers can measure the true cost of home delivery, and will offer strategies for saving money while improving service.

Friday, Oct. 15

7:30–9 a.m.

WithIt Breakfast — Reading Your Own Crystal Ball: Visualizing and Achieving Success

Cristina Saralegui, Latin American media mogul, author and licensee of the Casa de Cristina by Pulaski Furniture line

With humor, honesty and intelligence, Saralegui tells how she overcame obstacles in her personal and professional life to become one of today's most influential businesswomen. Her life lessons will teach professional women how to visualize and achieve success in every area of their lives.

Sponsored by the International Home Furnishings Center and WithIt, or Women in the Home Industries Today. Seminar and breakfast are free but reservations are required. RSVP to Gaye Outlaw at IHFC, (336) 888-3754, fax (336) 882-1873 or by email at goutlaw@ihfc.com.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club level, Ballroom

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Maximizing Profits by Learning Best Practices

Bill Dugan, ProfitGroups

This seminar will show retailers how they can improve profitability by sharing best practices, entering into problem-solving discussions, and benchmarking financials.

10–11 a.m.

Turning Sofas into Living Rooms: Proven Methods to Increase Your Sales by 15% or More

Leslie Carothers, The Kaleidoscope Partnership

Carothers will discuss how retailers can inspire and coach their sales teams into closing significantly more sales through her proven methods of creative concept design selling and deep listening.

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Does Your Store Need an Extreme Makeover?

Neil Forney and Carmine Caruso, Bryant-Forney Associates

Are your sales sagging? Is your exterior out of date? Does your store look like a flea market? Does your store need a fresh look? Whether you are building, moving, renovating or just cleaning up, store planning is a continuous process that should be addressed every day. This nuts-and-bolts workshop will show how to give your business the attention it deserves.

Noon

Fashion and Furniture: Fusion for Chic Living

Celerie Kemble, designer of a new collection for LaneVenture

Kemble will reveal the inspirations for her "sentimental" modern furniture at LaneVenture, and the impact of fashion on her interior design work — how and when the runway translates to the sofa, rug and curtains. She's inspired by the ever-changing world of fashion, although she believes design ultimately is an expression of individuality, whim and imagination, not a product of trends or rules.

Sponsored by IHFC and the International Furniture and Design Assn.-Carolinas Chapter. $15 fee includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Contact Gaye Outlaw, IHFC, (336) 888-3754 for more information.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club level, International Ballroom.

1–2 p.m.

25 Ways to Maximize Sales

Brad Huisken, IAS Training

In today's retail environment, shoppers aren't necessarily looking for products, according to Huisken, who believes the customer is more likely looking for a place and a person from whom to buy the products. With the competition increasing from mass merchandisers, other retailers, the internet, catalogs and other areas where customers can spend their disposable income, furniture retailers today have to learn how to sell themselves and their store. He will discuss how salespeople can help brand the store, and cover such other topics as telephone campaigns, the responsibilities of salespeople, handling objections, customer follow-up and analyzing lost sales.

2:30–3:30 p.m.

Warehouse and Delivery Improvements

Dan Bolger, The Bolger Group

Bolger will guide participants through an evaluation method that allows them to compare their warehouse and delivery operations to top performers in the industry, thus revealing strengths and areas that need improvement.

4–5 p.m.

A "Brand" New World for Retailers

Doug Knorr, Knorr Marketing

Knorr will walk retailers through 10 steps required to make your store a stronger brand and capture a greater share of the market. With a changing consumer, increasing media clutter and the rising cost of advertising, he believes stores must become the brand.

Saturday, Oct. 16

8:30–9:30 a.m.

War, Tariffs, Elections, Now What? An Overview

Jerry Epperson, Mann, Armistead and Epperson

The industry analyst will discuss major issues of 2004 along with prospects and expectations for 2005, as they relate to the furniture industry. New retailing competition, along with new consumers and a global supply chain, all offer challenges and opportunities.

10–11 a.m.

Supercharge Your Sales! Advanced Selling Strategies for Design Professionals

Fred Berns, Power Promotions

Challenging times require innovative selling strategies. This seminar will cover sales techniques used by America's most successful design professionals and provide new ideas on how to double your closing ratio, qualify prospects, and overcome price and other objections.

10–11:30 a.m.

Marketing Tips to Dazzle Your Clients

Margi Kyle

Kyle will discuss ways to help close sales using innovative graphics, business forms and stunning illustrations. Learn the latest tools of the trade.

Sponsored by Evan Marsh Designs; $15 per person

Advance reservations may be made by mailing a check or credit card information to the Interior Design Society, 3910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Rooms A, B and C.

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

The Latest and Greatest Retail Strategies for Improving Business

Connie Post, The Connie Post Companies

Post will offer insights into the latest strategies for growing a retail home furnishings business. She will provide ideas on improving image in the marketplace, quick fixes for problem areas, creating destination departments, and uncovering potential business opportunities.

Noon

10 Top Trends for the Home

Michelle Lamb, senior editor of The Trend Curve

Lamb will give her color forecast for 2006 and discuss the 10 top trends that will affect home furnishings in the upcoming three years. A question and answer session will follow.

Sponsored by IHFC and IDS-Carolinas Chapter.

$15 fee includes lunch; advance reservation recommended. Contact Gaye Outlaw, IHFC, (336) 888-3754 for more information.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, Club level, International Ballroom

1–2 p.m.

It's on TV! Successful Broadcast Television and Cable Advertising

Charles Horich, Jon Parks, Brad Lebow and Chip Hector, Horich Parks Lebow Advertising

Whether you have one store or 20, you'll want to learn how to maximize this powerful advertising vehicle and make your commercials stand out from the competition. Your schedules are only as good as the commercials you run. Learn about tested strategies to maximize media buying and the pitfalls that must be avoided.

2–3 p.m.

Window Treatment Extravaganza

Cheryl Strickland, speaker and author specializing in the window fashions industry

Strickland will present a unique fashion show of window treatments and how they are made. Be sure to bring your camera.

Advance reservations may be made by mailing a check or credit card information to IDS, 3910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Rooms A, B and C.

2:30–3:30 p.m.

Capture a Whole New Market: Tips and Tricks for Selling on the Internet

John McDonald, eBay

How do you effectively start an Internet business and drive traffic to your store? McDonald will zero in on how to quickly leverage the Internet to grow your business. Learn the types of products that sell successfully and what really matters to Internet shoppers for home furnishings.

4–5 p.m.

Scam Artists: Is Your Business Safe?

James Goulakos, Furnserve II

Scamming of businesses in America has reached epidemic proportions in the last decade, posing one of the greatest threats to the economy in years. This seminar will focus on the many ways scammers perpetrate their crimes on businesses. It also will cover preventative measures you can take to help protect your business and customers.

Sunday, Oct. 17

8:30–9:30 a.m.

How to Succeed in Business

David Fass, JRM Sales & Management

Gain insight into how to develop and achieve your personal plan for success, balance life with the responsibilities of running your business, and improve your skills for working with employees to maximize their effectiveness and satisfaction.

9–10 a.m.

Making the Most of Accessories

Sally Morse, director of creative services, Hunter Douglas Window Fashions

Morse will show why you need to accessorize to make the most of your sales potential, as accessories can turn "just a furniture store" into a showplace. Discover the psychology behind accessorizing, and why people will or won't personalize their rooms. Learn the rules of thumb for defining and displaying accessories.

Complimentary continental breakfast.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point room.

10–11 a.m.

The How To's of Managing a Furniture Warehouse on a Daily Basis

David Duff, David Duff Warehouse/Home Delivery

The key to productivity is planning, and Duff will outline a step-by-step routine for managers to follow to control overtime and keep customer complaints to a minimum.

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Results-Driven Advertising and Direct Marketing

Don Schoenleber and Scott Marden, Vertis

This session will take you on a tour of creative formats and production and personalization technology that affects how you deliver your brand message. Find out how combining savvy design with clever production can turn an ordinary package into a real clutter-buster. Vertis' Customer Focus research will showcase the effectiveness of direct mail and advertising inserts.

11:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Consumer Trends in Design and Color for Spring 2005

Susan Iverson, design and color forecaster

Iverson will forecast the most important trends that will hit retail in spring 2005. Each trend will include key color stories and examples of products that have been developed to address the trend.

$25 per person, includes seminar and lunch; advance reservations may be made by mailing a check or credit card information to IDS, 3910 Tinsley Drive, Suite 101, High Point, N.C.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B

Noon

The Future of Successful Selling

Samantha Kurtz, president of Kurtz & Associates

Kurtz discusses what other industries have discovered about amending their approach to the sales process, and how it has resulted in doubled average tickets. What present business factors indicate the need for a change in your company's approach to sales? How applicable is your current sales training? What would you have to do to make it far more effective? What is the definition of product knowledge? These questions, and more, will be answered in this seminar, which will outline the newest selling methodology, consultative sales. Many retail and service industries have evolved from relationship to consultative selling due to the changes in today's consumer, their buying habits, and sales situation preferences.

Complimentary lunch.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, High Point Room.

1–2 p.m.

Retro Modernism

Stan Bossler, Bossler Design Services

This seminar will enlighten home furnishing retailers on "The Nostalgia Boom" marketing trend. Why "old is new again" and "why we look back" will be discussed in relation to how Retro Modernism will influence showroom planning, architecture, consumer goods and industrial design.

2:30–3:30 p.m.

The Role of the Internet in Your Advertising Mix

Sev Ritchie, FurnitureFan.com

This seminar will provide a cost/benefit analysis of Internet-based advertising versus other media. In addition, cost-saving tips will be provided to maximize your Internet strategy.

4–5 p.m.

Fishing for Customers

Joseph Connolly, Daniel Lynch Sales Co.

Obtaining customers is a little bit like fishing: First, you need to find the right fishing spot. Then, make sure you bait your hook properly, set it in, catch a bite, snag the fish and reel it in.

Monday, Oct. 18

9 a.m.

Color Forecasting: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?

Lisa Jenkins, Sherwin Williams

Learn how to forecast color trends like the experts. This seminar will teach you how to interpret long- and short-term influences that are directing color trends and apply them to your own markets and customers. Free color fan-deck for attendees.

Complimentary continental breakfast.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B

Noon

Designing for Retail Success: Transforming Your Store to Give the Customer More!

Deborah Burnett, ASID

For home fashion, furniture and specialty shop retailers, creating a trendy and attractive environment in which your customers will spend money is a daunting challenge, unless you understand the dollar-generating principal of Retail Comfort. With the right mix of no-cost employee training and affordable store spruce-ups, you can transform your ho-hum store into the best shop in town.

Sponsored by Visa Window Films. Complimentary lunch.

IHFC Green Wing, 11th floor, International Ballroom B

Tuesday, Oct. 19

Noon

Styles and Trends in Home Accents

Becky Boswell Smith, editor in chief, Home Accents Today

An exclusive look at styles, trends and new products introduced this market.

Complimentary lunch.