Retail Observer

July 2021

The Retail Observer is an industry leading magazine for INDEPENDENT RETAILERS in Major Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Home Furnishings

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RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2021 30 BRANDSOURCE TUNING UP FOR NASHVILLE CONVENTION A VB/BrandSource's 2021 Convention in Nashville – its first national on-site event since the advent of COVID – is on track for next month, and one could already taste the barbeque and hear the strains of a slide guitar. Making the buying group's August 21-24 stay at the Gaylord Opryland all the more real after a year of travel quarantines is a packed agenda with a solid slate of educational sessions. Among the latter, Fox News and MSNBC regular Gene Marks will discuss "Actions, Tactics & Strategies to Grow Your Business in a Growing Economy," while those nearing the tail-end of their retail journey will benefit from "Are You and Your Company Ready to Sell?" hosted by longtime BrandSource member Rich Lindblom. In addition, furniture dealers will have plenty to chew on with a series of Furniture Track sessions and Mattress University and Furniture Town Hall breakfasts, while servicing members will have a Town Hall breakfast of their own, along with a special Fred's Appliance Academy seminar, "Averaging 10 Service Calls Per Day Per Tech." Meanwhile, returning Convention mainstays will include: • AVB CEO Jim Ristow's State of the Union Address • Marketing news from CMO John White • Merchandising VP Chad Evans's industry update and show-special Stampede deals • Regional meetings • Award ceremonies • Women in Business Breakfast • And, of course, the product Expo show floor, all held under this year's theme of "Double Down" In addition, AVB's new "Book with Confidence" policy allows attendees to cancel their registration up to 30 days before the show and still have their deposits fully refunded. As Kevin Werner, BrandSource's general manager of member relations, noted, "It's all about our members. We provide them with the communication, programs, services and benefits to make their business grow and prosper. We look forward to seeing you at The Convention!" Also on the BrandSource docket: An exclusive new source of peer support, news and business tools for home furnishings members dubbed Furniture Technology Source (FTS). The new program brings BrandSource's home furnishings dealers together physically and fraternally to unleash the power of members helping fellow members. As AVB's COO Dave Meekings explained, the group is developing even deeper communities within the overarching BrandSource family, "where members can learn from each other and get the exact information they need, when they need it, to help their businesses." BrandSource already has the best furniture programs, marketing technology platform and home furnishings dealers in the industry, Meekings said, and will now connect members with the peer advice and tools they need to help everyone's businesses grow. The components of Furniture Technology Source include: • Furniture breakouts during the group's regular Region Meetings, focusing on topics specific to home furnishings members • A new series of Town Hall video conferences for small groups of furniture dealers, to serve as a forum where similar businesses can gather, talk and help each other grow • A recently launched monthly home furnishings newsletter • The Furniture Channel, an extensive program of furniture-focused, on-demand interviews and presentations that first aired during the 2021 Spring Summit show "We're on the cusp of developing a great community here," Meekings said. "It's powerful when members meet and talk. T R A D E S H O W N E W S Alan Wolf is Senior Communications Specialist for AVB/BrandSource, the nation's leading merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, home furnishings and consumer tech dealers. BrandSource will return to the Gaylord Opryland for the first time since 2019. Seen here: AVB CEO Jim Ristow takes the stage. RO

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