Profitgroups Sets Colossal Meeting Agenda

January 26, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on January 27, 2010

Profitgroups, a division of Colorado Springs-based retail systems vendor Profitsystems, has released the agenda for its 2010 Colossal performance group meeting, themed "Thinking about Tomorrow Today-Prospering in the New Economy" and set for March 10-11 in Colorado Springs.

The event will cover topics in all key areas for retail home goods businesses: financials, marketing (including customer relationship management, e-marketing, and Web strategies), buying, inventory management, merchandising, selling, back-end operations (including office, warehouse, delivery and customer service), and the newest systems technology.

Featured speakers are Melissa Galt, a design business systems specialist with Prosper by Design; and Rick Stark, former CEO of Profitsystems.

Galt's session, titled "The 5 Keys to Unlocking a Lifetime of Demand with the Design," is designed to show retailers the essential steps to working effectively with designers to boost their sales and develop lifelong loyalty. Working with the design trade is a unique opportunity to access clients and customers that a retailer may never ordinarily see or benefit from.

"In the changed economy it isn't enough to provide beautiful furniture at a reasonable price," said Phyllis Zaepfel, vice president of Profitgroups, of the need to incorporate designers into retail stores, even if they don€™t have their own in-house designers. "People want to create beautiful rooms and have expert help in doing so. Plus, it is a great way for the store to build a larger revenue stream."

Stark's presentation will examine search engine optimization and will include discussions on what SEO really is, should a business include pay-per-click as part of its plan, and how individual businesses of any size can make an Internet strategy work. Attendees will learn what other furniture retailers are doing that has been successful, as well as the critical factors for success with their internet presence. 

David Lively of The Lively Merchant will present "Generational Transfer," in which he will cover the transfer of authority, power, and responsibility while holding onto a business' reputation and relationships.

"As a third-generation furniture retailer I had personal experience with the different, and sometimes difficult, discussions that need to be addressed," said Profitsystems COO Shelley Parlin. "Many of our clients at Profitsystems are second, third, and even fourth generation in their store. The ability to transfer the business from one generation to the next smoothly can be difficult, and I am thrilled that we can offer insight to the process for them."

Other topics include team building through leadership, sales management techniques, marketing round-table discussions, financial benchmarking and analysis, and "The Road to Recovery."

"I have learned more about operating profitable retail furniture company through Colossal Meetings--and prior to that, "Profit University"--than any other meetings or organizational events I have attended," said Mark Krueger, president of Kelly Furniture in Kirksville, Mo., and is a long-time Profitgroups member. "In addition to the educational aspect of these meetings, the contacts you make, with like-minded business professionals, have become invaluable. If you can only attend one business event this year, this is the one."

For more information, contact Phyllis Zaepfel by e-mail; or call 800.325.2018.