January Market
See the great events we hosted in January 2010!
Keynote Address
It All Begins With The Merchandise
Gordon Segal, Chairman and Co-Founder of Crate and Barrel
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Keynote speaker Gordon Segal presents an inspiring story for today’s retailer on how he and his wife Carole conceived Crate and Barrel out of a desire to provide tasteful, well-designed products to the consumer at a good value. The presentation will drill down to specific methods and strategies on how to find unique products that will help differentiate your store; how to use your products to establish a point of view or brand position and how to educate your staff to get your customers excited about your products. From Big Box to independent retailer, Gordon explores the basic strategies that are time tested to achieve success.
Monday, January 25 | 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Merchandise Mart Conference Center
Located on Floor 2, Across the pedestrian bridge
Join us for a reception immediately following the presentation.
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Join us for a Power Breakfast N’ Learn Seminar
Elizabeth Gardner, Director, Women’s Business Development Center
Think and Grow Big: Strategies for Business Growth
The new year brings new business challenges. Capitalize on useful strategies for any small business to develop new revenue sources and implement alternative marketing strategies. This interactive seminar will give you the tools and strategies you need for sustained business growth. You will learn cutting-edge marketing strategies to better target your market and tools to identify new revenue sources.
This session is facilitated by The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). The WBDC is the oldest, largest, most comprehensive, and successful women’s business assistance center in the United States. Nationally and internationally recognized for responsive, innovative, and effective programs and advocacy efforts, they deliver business services and financial assistance to empower women towards entrepreneurship and economic self-sufficiency.
Elizabeth Gardner is the Director of the WBDC’s Retail and Franchise Initiative. She has made a number of personal appearances on local radio and television and lectures throughout the Midwest on issues concerning small business.
Saturday, January 23 | 8:00 – 9:00 am
Floor 8, Room 8A
Seats are limited. Please include the event title in the subject line when you RSVP.
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Join us for a Power Lunch N’ Learn Seminar
Carmen K. Iezzi, Executive Director, Fair Trade Federation
Great Products, Tremendous Impact: Introduction to Fair Trade and the
Fair Trade Federation for Buyers and Retailers
For more than sixty years, Fair Trade Organizations have offered high quality products that create tremendous, sustainable, and positive change among the poorest of the poor countries. The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to that process. During this presentation, Carmen K. Iezzi, FTF's Executive Director, will introduce the Principles of What Fair Trade is and ways to identify Fair Trade Organizations and outline how to easily source these great products that can create a tremendous impact on your business.
Carmen will explore how Fair Trade products have made an impact in the Midwest for both buyers and retailers who have sourced these high quality unique and one-of-a-kind products to help differentiate them from the competition. Products represent a broad spectrum and are created by artisans who know how to service buyer’s needs with price points, styles, and suburb customer service.
Carmen Iezzi currently serves as the FTF Executive Director. She previously oversaw the education and outreach programs for the Atlantic Council of the United States and directed the Alumni Relations program for the School of International Service (SIS) at American University (AU). During her graduate studies, she provided analyses for NATO’S Partnership for Peace in Mons, Belgium and worked in the United Nations Development Program, Washington office.
Saturday, January 23 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Floor 8, Room 8A
Seats are limited. Please include the event title in the subject line when you RSVP.
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Join us for a Power Lunch N’ Learn Seminar
Speed Networking with New To Market Products to Capture the Latest in Trend Setting Products for the Market
Our popular Lunch N’ Learn seminar pairs new-to-market exhibitors with buyers for an extraordinary experience in 60 minutes. Patterned after the “speed dating” format, exhibitors pitch their unique products and their benefits to retailers within a few minutes per session rotating from table to table in the course of an hour. It’s a buyer’s opportunity to learn more about new trendy product launches in a unique fast paced setting. Time is money and this seminar helps serve up what’s new ... quick and easy.
Sunday, January 24 |12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Temporary Suites, FL 8th Room 8A
Please include the event title in the subject line when you RSVP
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Join us for a Power Lunch N’ Learn Seminar
Jo Anne Stone-Geier, Marketing / Branding Expert & Author
The Subtle Art of Managing Your Customers with New Marketing Strategies
It’s a given, shoppers and shopping habits have changed. This seminar explores new ways in which you can excite and motive customers from different generations and lifestyles to open up their wallets and buy from your store. It explores new marketing strategies on how to find new customers and connect with them; and how to build loyal repeat customers with merchandising programs that work.
JoAnne Stone-Geier is a marketing and branding expert as well as a public speaker, writer and consultant for the gift, home furnishing and food industries, and a corporate gift retail pioneer. An Interior Designer by trade, she used those skills to create the corporate gift divisions for Neiman Marcus/Chicago and Carson Pirie Scott/Corporate Level. Thereafter, she served as the National Sales & Marketing Director for Jaffa Crystal, one of the largest suppliers to the corporate gift market. As an Internet marketer she continues to teach retailers and manufacturers how to best use the internet for their own niche marketing. Jo Anne spends time writing, and lecturing around the country. She is the co-author of a book called, LAUNCH IT! How to Turn Good Ideas Into Great Products That Sell, published by HarperCollins (September 2005).
Monday, January 25 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Floor 8, Room 8A
Seats are limited. Please include the event title in the subject line when you RSVP.
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Join us for a Tuesday Seminar
Courtney Hill: Cheif Executive Officer Market M, LLC
Fundamentals of launching and Managing an online Retail business
Welcome to the world of online retailing and marketing. Start the year off right with the tools to start or enhance your online marketing program. This informational and interactive seminar will expose you to vital information and resources to expand in the virtual world or retail marketing and merchandising. Don’t miss this exciting event.
Courtney Hill is the chief executive officer of Market M, LLC; a marketing and management consulting firm working with small to mid-sized businesses. Over the course of his career, Courtney has provided strategic marketing and communications counsel to hundreds of businesses and nonprofit organizations operating in a wide variety of industries on matters of branding, web development, social media, collateral, advertising, public relations, events and sales. Prior to launching Market M, he served as U.S. Manager of Hill & Knowlton Small Business, the small business service division of global public relations firm Hill & Knowlton. He has also been recognized by numerous industry associations for his accomplishments in advancing marketing services for small and developing companies, including being recognized by leading trade publication PR Week as the National Young Professional of the Year.
Presentation: Tuesday, January 26 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Floor 14, Room 14-109
Lunch Reception: 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Saro Trading, Showroom 14-105
RSVP REQUIRED TO: events@shopchicagomarket.com
Seats are limited. Please include the event title in the subject line when you RSVP.
