Retailers gain insight from conferencecontinued from page 1 Where did retailers recently hear the following statements, and how was the information actually useful? “Exploded spaghettios inside the break-room microwave—not a good sign.” “You’re not writing the U.S. Constitution here.” “What else could this be? How else could I use it?” No, they weren’t overheard from customers chatting in the register
lines. They came from speakers at “Beat the Odds: Education to Mitzi Taylor, of Not So Basic Training, brought up the microwaved spaghettios to describe the signs of poor customer service. If employees don’t care about their workplace or their fellow employees, she explained, they probably don’t show customers great service either. Speaking about reducing security risks, Dan DiBardino, of Recon Management Group, told his audience that policies for dealing with security issues must be written, although the policy doesn’t have to sound formal or stuffy like the Constitution—keep it simple and clear. Visual merchandising experts Mike Crosson, of M. Crosson Associates Inc., and Denise Schroeder, of Image Accomplice, showed slides of unusual, visually stimulating displays, sometimes completely unrelated to retail, and emphasized that a creative retailer will look at these with an eye toward “how else could I use this?” to make store displays equally eye-catching. The conference drew 50 retailers from around the state for a full day of seminars offered by six energetic, experienced speakers who shared a wealth of knowledge about the industry. The one-day conference was a break from the past for the Association’s Michigan Retailers Academy. Instead of offering various regional seminars, this year the Academy opted for a conference with multiple seminars in a central location that provides opportunities for recreation and entertainment. “The educational content was spectacular and exceeded our expectations,” said MRA president Jim Hallan. “This one-day format provides an excellent opportunity for the members to come together once a year for a major educational event. We expect that next year will be even bigger and better.” Retailers who attended said they liked the new approach. Linda Bell and her son Ray, who came from Sault Ste. Marie, said they were pleased to drive “only” three hours. “Especially because we could attend four different seminars in one day, it was well worth the time,” said Linda, owner of several gift stores, including Das Gift Haus in Sault Ste. Marie, Munising and St. Ignace. “We’ll definitely come again next year and probably bring other
employees, now that we know what to expect” added Ray. Retailers also came from Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and the metro-Detroit area. They varied greatly in terms of size and experience as well, from well-established gift, apparel or furniture retailers to new specialty retailers such as Diane McNulty, who is opening a saddlery on her horse farm in Holland. In addition to the topics mentioned above, seminars covered such issues as inventory management, presented by retail consultant Turk Lewis; direct mail marketing, presented by successful retailer Larry Bird; and “How to Compete with Goliath,” presented by consultant Jeff Greene. Informative and often humorous slides accompanied Greene’s well-attended seminar, allowing him to demonstrate his points about what works and what doesn’t. Greene’s strategy is to ask successful retailers what they’re doing, then share what he has learned. “Find out what the big guys aren’t doing well, and do that,” such as selling single items instead of the megapacks offered at the “big boxes,” Greene suggested. “Find your niche and be great at it. Drop product lines where you really cannot compete.” He also shared insights about retailers’ perspectives and attitudes. “Failing businesses might say ‘Wal-Mart forced me out of business.’ Successful businesses say ‘Wal-Mart forced me to do business very differently.’” Larry Bird fielded dozens of questions about how his direct-mail program is designed and what kind of results to expect. He brought many examples of his direct-mail pieces and encouraged participants to take copies to get ideas. “This is great,” said Lauren Thomas, who manages a Hallmark store in Bloomfield Hills. “It’s fun to see something different. It gets you energized to go back to your store and try new things.” In his seminar about retail security, Dan DiBardino’s down-to-earth style and Boston accent had participants relaxing and smiling as he assured them, “This isn’t the cops and robbers show—it’s a business problem.” He explained that getting employees on board with your security program is crucial. “Do what you do best all day long: sell it! Sell your employees on the idea of protecting their jobs and benefits by following policies that protect your store.” The conference was more than just seminars. A luncheon and a late afternoon reception allowed retailers to swap stories with colleagues and chat with speakers. Lorraine Schrink, of ABC Bees, Wasps and Spiders, an extermination service in Algonac, came away from lunch with a good idea about dealing with advertisers who refuse to follow instructions about ad layout. Jeff Greene suggested that her business should stop wasting time addressing this repeatedly and “just sit down with this guy over lunch and get the problem on the table—show him you’re serious.” In keeping with the casino theme, some participants even won cash as a part of a promotion for MRA’s gift card program. All attendees received a sample gift card, and those who swiped their gift cards at an MRA terminal discovered whether they won $50. Randy Palmer, of Pro Med Uniform in Adrian, and Debby Cassady, of Beebe Furniture in Ithaca, were the lucky winners. Based on participants’ responses to the new format, the Academy plans to hold another day-long conference next spring. Members can suggest topics and speakers by contacting MRA’s Amy Jolley at 800-366-3699 or ajolley@retailers.com. |