or call (800) 422-3778.
A complete listing of the dates and times of WHFA & NHFA seminars follows:
All seminars are in the WHFA/NHFA Retailer Resource Center, B-1630 unless otherwise noted.
Monday, August 2
9:00
The 12 R
Philip Gutsell, GutSELL & Associates
The three R
10:30
Free Advertising for Less Than 2 Cents
Mark Lacy, The Furniture Training Company
Business cards costing less than 2 cents are the most powerful and scientifically proven advertising method ever found. So, why are your salespeople leaving them in their pockets or desk drawers? Mark Lacy, will show you how to train your salespeople to fill your store with traffic
12:00
Turning Your Delivery Department into a PROFIT Center!
John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group
Come learn how to transform one of your biggest expenses into a source of revenue. In the midst of higher fuel, insurance and labor prices, you can still make money delivering furniture to your customers. This seminar teaches you the tips and tricks to build better systems in order to hold on to more of your hard earned dollars.
1:30
Create A Compelling Culture
Gerry Morris, Gerry Morris Training & Consulting
What is it about the companies that lead their categories? The common element is that they have created such a compelling culture from within that consumers want to step into their world, take a piece of it home, tell others and come back for more. Come hear this exciting new seminar from Gerry Morris and learn how your company can find a niche and rise to the top in your market.
3:00
The Science of Sleep
Ron Wolinski, Profitability Consulting Group
We, as home furnishings retailers, have the power to improve the
4:00
Business Survival/WHFA Academy Series sponsored by World Market Center
Retail Revolution: New World, New Way
Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender, KIZER & BENDER Speaking!
Today
Join Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender as they share what it takes to be successful in today
Tuesday, August 3
9:00
Salvaging the Good Ship Retail
Jim Grandillo, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.
How do you stay afloat while others around you are sinking? This seminar will cover the 10 warning signs that might be indicators of a slow leak and how to plug it. You will learn what you can do in the next 60 days to
10:30
Signs, Signs, Everywhere
Joe Lapekas, Truckskin, LLC
Is your message getting out, and what message might that be? Are you taking advantage of all the ways your store can brand itself inside and outside? Visuals are stimulating, create an emotional connection and can say so much about you and your brand. What do your visuals say, or what are they not saying? Join the discussion on the exciting visual graphics that can make you stand apart from the rest of the crowd. See what other retailers are doing to engage an over-stimulated, bored consumer.
12:00
Shopping Reinvented: How Emerging Technologies Will Shape Next-Generation Big Ticket Retailing
Dave Bruno, Escalate Retail
Rapidly evolving market conditions, technology and connectivity are changing the way that consumers search for, evaluate and purchase home furnishings. In the session, Dave Bruno, will explore how mobility, social networks, augmented reality, advancements in multi-touch technology and visual search tools can help you reinvent shopping and meet the escalating expectations of today
1:30
Four Things You Can Still do to Make 2010 Successful!
Doug Knorr, Knorr Marketing
If you are not meeting sales or gross profit expectations, then this seminar will be important to you! In this fast-paced seminar with Doug Knorr, you will learn how to integrate four strategic practices that will hold the vital areas of your business accountable.
Keeping a measuring device on everything from inventory to sales and advertising effectiveness will allow you to turn even the most difficult year around.
3:00
It Ain
Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.
Ultimately we are in business to make a profit and to use this profit to improve the quality of our lives. If we improve our businesses in just one area (say sales), without holistically understanding the implications on all other areas of our businesses, we set ourselves up for ultimate disappointment and failure. During this seminar you will be given insight into maximizing the potential of all aspects of your business. This will position you for sustainable increases in sales and profits while building an environment that is enjoyable and minimizes stress. Isn
4:00
Business Survival/WHFA Academy Series sponsored by World Market Center
Building a Brand with Personality
Mary Liz Curtin, Leon & Lulu
A brand is more than a logo and a snappy color palette: A brand is the image a shopper has of a business and encompasses everything from customer service to merchandising, from product assortment to price points, charitable giving to advertising. Your store
Every store has a character of its own and building a brand that showcases that individuality will distinguish your store from the competition, strengthen the connection with your customers and increase sales. Mary Liz Curtin, co-owner of Leon & Lulu and author of A Shopkeeper
She will discuss what works and what does not and give you ideas to help you build a brand that is yours alone... without breaking the bank.
Wednesday, August 4
9:00
There is No Such Thing as a Browser
Cathey Manley, Cathey Manley & Associates, Ltd.
This is an upbeat seminar that helps you to understand
9:00 am
Business Survival/WHFA Academy Series sponsored by World Market Center
Intensive Management Training: Morale, Motivation and Measurement
Jeff Hiller, PROaction Marketing Group
Most managers believe they should be getting more from their staff, but few know where to begin. This is a hands-on presentation where retailers can learn how to foster a proprietary sense for the business, set mutual expectations and encourage performance. Recommendations are specific, well-supported and proven in the market.
10:30
Turning your Website into an ROI Powerhouse
Mark Van Winkle, STORIS, Inc.
Do you currently have an eCommerce presence, however you
12:00
The Marketing Trifecta
Ken Mahar, Email Broadcast
This all-new seminar will focus on the three best ways to get people in the door and keep them coming back once they are customers. No other marketing tools offer the same power/cost ratio than expertly implementing email, Google and video marketing. This dynamic presentation by Ken Mahar is sure to be well attended so get there early. Bring a business card for a door prize!
1:30
True Cost of Home Delivery
Kevin Truett, Speedy Delivery LLC.
One of the most common complaints we hear from furniture dealers today is the headache they receive when dealing with home deliveries. This workshop is designed to identify the true cost of home delivery and how to eliminate the headaches. We
3:00
Thriving in the New Retail Climate
Brad Huisken, IAS Training
Brad Huisken will detail in a fun and motivational seminar how to thrive in today
Thursday, August 5
9:00
The Myths & Realities about Professional Sales Promotion & Liquidation Companies
Mike Egan, Ron Cooper, Hector Mustafa, Profit Management Promotions
You
10:30
Granting Credit
Pat Nanda, Creative Business Decisions
In this day of credit changes, credit approvals from primary lenders have become much tighter. Retailers cannot afford to lose customers at the point-of-sale if the customer does not qualify through their credit sources. Hence, there is a greater need to extend credit to your customers. Although granting credit may be highly profitable, there are potential risks involved in lending. The answer is to properly manage the risk in lending. Managed risk can improve the bottom line by intelligently approving more customers, reducing charge-offs, increasing sales, negotiating favorable discount rates, making consistent decisions and cross selling.
12:00
The Art of Merchandising
Bob Moorman, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.
Proper merchandising and buying takes time and skill. This seminar is designed to show you how to acquire the skills and methodology for maximizing your investment dollars in your inventory. You will gain invaluable insight into how to best determine the breadth of your assortments to ensure your store reflects your vision. Learn how to determine your open-to-buy dollars in just a few steps monthly. You will learn how to measure your effectiveness as a merchandiser.
1:30
The Psychology of Sales!
Brad Huisken, IAS Training
Brad Huisken will lead participants through a fun and motivational seminar on the psychology of sales. Brad will discuss what customers are thinking when they enter a furniture store for the first time along with their subconscious thoughts. In addition, this session will detail the real goal of a sales presentation and the three types of customers that come into a furniture store and how to maximize each potential customer type. Most salespeople believe that the goal of a sales presentation is to make a sale. When in reality, making a sale is only half of the job. The real goal is to get them to come back repeatedly. When a customer comes into a furniture store today, they are not looking for furniture; they are looking for a place and a person from whom to buy furniture. This session will detail how to sell the store during the selling process.