Complimentary Educational Seminars During 2000 San Francisco Summer Market

Furniture World News

All retailers attending the San Francisco Summer Market, July 21-25, 2000 are invited to attend complimentary educational seminars sponsored by the Western Home Furnishings Association. The seminars cover a wide variety of industry related topics and are presented by experts in each subject area. Seminars are offered each day, throughout the day, to accommodate busy Market schedules and last no longer than 1-1/2 hours each. (See attached schedule for topics, speakers and times.) The seminars are held in the WHFA Retail Resource Center Seminar Room, Mart 2, Space 705. No advance registration is required; seating is on a first come, first served basis. During Market, valuable products and services are on display in the WHFA Retail Resource Center, also in Space 705, Mart 2. Retailers are invited to drop in, browse and learn how to save thousands of dollars by consulting the many resource company representatives available there. WHFA, an affiliate of the National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA), provides programs, services and networking opportunities, which improve business opportunities and management practices of Western home furnishings retailers. 2000 Summer Market Seminar Schedule Friday, July 21, 2000 9:30 – 10:30 Part I - 11:00 – 12:00 Part II Joseph F. Connolly – Daniel Lynch Sales Company, Marina del Rey, CA "ART OF THE SALE" Running a sale is an art and requires the utmost integrity. This two-part presentation revolves around the question, as we enter the 21st century, have you asked yourself."Are we constantly looking for ways to cut back? Is our volume steadily declining? Have we improved the physical appearance of our store recently? Do our salespeople express discontent or display negative attitudes? Where is our market share?" 'Sale' is not a dirty word, and change is necessary to keep pace with a changing society. Let us heed the mandate of today's customer: You must earn my discretionary dollar! How? The Art of the Sale. 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Maury Mussa – Service Delivery, Green Bay, WI "THE CHANGING WORLD OF HOME DELIVERY" With the changing retail channels there is an ever-increasing need to change how furniture is delivered. Catalogers, retailers and e-commerce retailers can utilize some of these changes. This seminar will discuss what is happening in the home delivery area and how the furniture industry can benefit! 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Neil P. Forney, ASID, CID – Bryant Forney Associates, San Francisco, CA "INSIDE MARKETING: A MANAGEMENT SURVIVAL KIT!" Mr. Neil Forney, CEO of Bryant Forney Associates, has been designing home furnishings, appliance and electronics stores and manufacturers showrooms for over thirty years. He has created this "hands-on" workshop for the decision-maker in your organization, which will provide the tools needed to identify and increase your market share. He will walk you through the important step-by-step process of developing an inside marketing strategy for your store that will: Identify your potential market share. Develop a plan to achieve that share. Activate your plan in a timely manner. You will come away from this seminar prepared to increase your profitability.. NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT BY PLAN! Saturday, July 22, 2000 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.Stan Bossler, Bossler Design Services Inc., Dallas, TX "DISTINGUISHING YOUR SHOWROOM FROM YOUR COMPETITOR'S" Stan will illustrate an easy to follow, yet comprehensive survey of the showroom planning process. Methods for ensuring a fresh, individualized showroom design will be examined. Special focus will be provided towards the owner/design firm relationship. Each topic will be graphically represented with both a slide show and handouts. Attendees will be encouraged to participate and a question and answer segment will address individual goals from seminar attendees. 9:45 – 10:45 a..m. Philip M. Gutsell – Gutsell & Associates, Chicago, IL "CLOSING RETAIL SALES IN AN E-COMMERCE ENVIRONMENT" You can run, but you can't hide from the e-commerce customer. Find out how to get e-commerce customers into your "sticks and bricks" store and close them. This seminar will give you the tools and techniques to level the playing field and frankly, give your store the advantage by teaching your salespeople how to respond when the e-customer says, "I saw it on the Internet." Attend this seminar to give you the ammunition to compete in this ever-changing environment. 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Daryl Oldenkamp - Color Ad, Los Angeles, CA "HOW TO GET NEW CUSTOMERS IN YOUR STORE EVERY DAY" You will be surprised and delighted to discover how easy it is to attract eager new customers into your store everyday of the month. Don't limit your store's true earning potential another day! Spend the most important hour of your market visit and hear first hand how hundreds of furniture and bedding retailers have permanently increased sales and profits using proven advertising and "Smart Marketing" strategies. Whether you own 1 or 21 stores, learn how to produce the highest return on your advertising investment. 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. John P. Egger – Shepherd Management Group, Marietta, GA "MANAGING YOUR SALES" Driven by the need to concentrate on other areas of their businesses, many storeowners hire a Sales Manager. Unfortunately, theses Sales Managers often fail and become an overhead expense. This seminar will show you how to measure, manage, and motivate your Sales Manager and ensure that he/she increases sales performance Do not miss this opportunity to learn the importance of Sales Management and measuring your sales team with proper feedback and accountability. 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Richard G. Harmatiuk – GERS Retail Systems, San Diego, CA "B2B E-COMMERCE: OPTIMIZING THE HOME FURNISHINGS SUPPLY CHAIN" Online, business-to-business trading communities hold a lot of promise for the Home Furnishings industry. But how do you tell the winners from the losers and how should you position your company to take advantage of this unique opportunity? This lively presentation will help you develop a strategy for this new wave of Internet e-commerce that promises improved retailer/vendor relationships, increased market efficiencies and a dramatically enhanced consumer experience. Sunday, July 23, 2000 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Rajiv Paliwal – American Express Financial Advisors "BUSINESS CONTINUATION PLANNING-WHAT IS IT?" One of the important decisions a business owner must face is when and how to step out of the business-in other words, business succession planning. Do you expect to retire from your business? Do you have a plan in place? What would happen to your business if something were to happen to you? Do you have children you hope to bring into the business? These are questions only you can answer, and your answers will lead you and your financial and legal advisors to a course of action. Make sure to attend this seminar to understand all of your options. 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. John P. Egger – Shepherd Management Group, Marietta, GA "MANAGING YOUR SALES" Driven by the need to concentrate on other areas of their businesses, many store owners hire a Sales Manager. Unfortunately, theses Sales Managers often fail and become an overhead expense. This seminar will show you how to measure, manage, and motivate your Sales Manager and ensure that he/she increases sales performance Do not miss this opportunity to learn the importance of Sales Management and measuring your sales team with proper feedback and accountability. 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Daryl Oldenkamp - Color Ad, Los Angeles, CA "HOW TO GET NEW CUSTOMERS IN YOUR STORE EVERY DAY" You will be surprised and delighted to discover how easy it is to attract eager new customers into your store everyday of the month. Don't limit your store's true earning potential another day! Spend the most important hour of your market visit and hear first hand how hundreds of furniture and bedding retailers have permanently increased sales and profits using proven advertising and "Smart Marketing" strategies. Whether you own 1 or 21 stores, learn how to produce the highest return on your advertising investment. 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Philip M. Gutsell – Gutsell & Associates, Chicago, IL "CLOSING RETAIL SALES IN AN E-COMMERCE ENVIRONMENT" You can run, but you can't hide from the e-commerce customer. Find out how to get e-commerce customers into your "sticks and bricks" store and close them. This seminar will give you the tools and techniques to level the playing field and frankly, give your store the advantage by teaching your salespeople how to respond when the e-customer says, "I saw it on the Internet." Attend this seminar to give you the ammunition to compete in this ever-changing environment. 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Maury Mussa – Service Delivery, Green Bay, WI "THE CHANGING WORLD OF HOME DELIVERY" With the changing retail channels there is an ever-increasing need to change how furniture is delivered. Catalogers, retailers and e-commerce retailers can utilize some of these changes. This seminar will discuss what is happening in the home delivery area and how the furniture industry can benefit! Monday, July 24, 2000 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Rajiv Paliwal – American Express Financial Advisors "BUSINESS CONTINUATION PLANNING-WHAT IS IT?": One of the important decisions a business owner must face is when and how to step out of the business-in other words, business succession planning. Do you expect to retire from your business? Do you have a plan in place? What would happen to your business if something were to happen to you? Do you have children you hope to bring into the business? These are questions only you can answer, and your answers will lead you and your financial and legal advisors to a course of action. Make sure to attend this seminar to understand all of your options. 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. Brian McCarthy – PROFITSystems Inc., Colorado Springs, CO "THE 5 SMART STEPS TO DOUBLE YOUR PROFIT": Many retailers think they would have to increase sales by 50% or more to double their bottom line profit. This seminar will show you how to utilize superior inventory management techniques to double your profit on just a small sales increase. 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Part I 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Part II Joseph F. Connolly – Daniel Lynch Sales Company, Marina del Rey, CA "ART OF THE SALE": Running a sale is an art and requires the utmost integrity. This two-part presentation revolves around the question, as we enter the 21st century, have you asked yourself."Are we constantly looking for ways to cut back? Is our volume steadily declining? Have we improved the physical appearance of our store recently? Do our salespeople express discontent or display negative attitudes? Where is our market share?" 'Sale' is not a dirty word, and change is necessary to keep pace with a changing society. Let us heed the mandate of today's customer: You must earn my discretionary dollar! How? The Art of the Sale. 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Neil P. Forney, ASID, CID – Bryant Forney Associates, San Francisco, CA "INSIDE MARKETING: A MANAGEMENT SURVIVAL KIT!": Mr. Neil Forney, CEO of Bryant Forney Associates, has been designing home furnishings, appliance and electronics stores and manufacturers showrooms for over thirty years. He has created this "hands-on" workshop for the decision-maker in your organization, which will provide the tools needed to identify and increase your market share. He will walk you through the important step-by-step process of developing an inside marketing strategy for your store that will: Identify your potential market share. Develop a plan to achieve that share. Activate your plan in a timely manner. You will come away from this seminar prepared to increase your profitability..NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT BY PLAN!