Market Seminars Are a Great Way to Learn How to Improve Your Business - Both for Retailers and For Reps

With market coming up this week hopefully you have your appointments organized and your IHFRA rep pin* packed for easy access at all market buildings. I know there are always down times during market because many dealers do not come in according to plan. So I have a suggestion for this market...Take a look at the market seminar schedule published in Furniture Today

(http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/544094-Educational_seminars_set_for_market.php)

Make an effort to attend one or two of the seminars that fit into your schedule and that look interesting. We have to keep upgrading our skills or face being left behind and attending free seminars during market is a great way to do it.

If you don't know where to start or have never been to a seminar before then check out the NHFA seminar I am presenting entitled "Hidden Ways to Get Traffic to Your Furniture Store Using Social Media". This seminar will be free for market participants on Sunday October 23 from 2:30 - 3:30 in the NHFA Retailer Resource Center on the first floor of the Plaza Suites.

As a special addition to this seminar, social media and internet expert Sev Ritchie from Web4Retail will join me as we discuss ways members of the home furnishings industry can use social media to enhance their business. We will present actual client success stories of furniture stores who are making money using social media solutions to promote their businesses. We will address the challenges retailers face to capture customer's attention and then will provide some real world solutions that are working for astute retailers across the country. (If you cannot attend this seminar but would like to get more information see www.FurnitureSecret.com).

For reps there are several seminars that would be good. A couple of recommendations would be Jerry Epperson who is talking about the furniture industry outlook, Andy Bernstein who is talking about building websites, Mike Egan / Ron Cooper / Hector Mustafa who are talking about promotions. Any of these would provide good information to have to share with retailers back home after market.

And one final seminar that my dad and I have already signed up for and is spot on for reps. It is not listed in the official market series since it is being given for IHFRA* members by Sev Ritchie, Web4Retail. It is entitled "I-Pad Tricks and Other Technology Fun! Learn New & Innovative Techniques For Use On the Apple I-Pad". It is specific for reps on how to use the I-pad to make sales presentations, upload products and images, tips and tricks of using new technology. It will be held on Monday October 24 at 6 PM in the IHFRA offices. Contact Jennifer Sova jsova@ihfra.org to register or for more information.

* If you don't have an IHFRA pin or are not yet a member of IHFRA, you are missing out on many benefits like a fast pass through market building security, special seminars and training, and discounts on everything from hotels and cars to office supplies and shipping. To get more information including a market special to join IHFRA contact Jennifer Sova at jsova@ihfra.org. Tell her Mike sent you.