Based on the success of their 2011 Regional Meetings, Furniture First reported that it will continue the format in 2012. These meetings allowed sponsoring furniture manufacturers and industry service partners to present their products and services to Furniture First members while getting to know them during social activities and the famous “Live Bulletin Board.” Members’ favorite program topics include Promotional Advertising, Consumer Financing Trends, Mattress Sale Successes, Do’s and Don’ts of Consumer Websites, Exclusive Products and Power Buys for Holiday Sales Events.
Each two-day meeting emphasizes the importance of networking and idea exchange. Two of the highlight events are the Best Seller and Best Idea sessions, during which members share their greatest successes of the year in round table discussions. At the Best Seller session, members discuss products which carried a positive track record in their stores and sell well in their particular region. During the Best Idea session, participants exchange ideas which they discovered or created to enhance their business in any area, including financial improvement, employee morale, customer satisfaction and more.
For 2012, Furniture First has planned to hold four meetings, based on the success of the previous series. The schedule is as follows:
- West, Northwest and Southwest: March 6-7, 2012 in Phoenix, AZ - To be followed by an in-person Board of Directors meeting March 8-9
- Northeast: April 3-4, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA
- Midwest: May 15-16, 2012 in St. Louis, MO
- Southeast: July 11-12, 2012 in Atlanta, GA
Every member of Furniture First brings a unique business expertise to the buying group, and can benefit most by sharing their perspectives in a common forum. Furniture First’s Regional Meetings serve as an opportunity for members in the same geographical area to join in educational and networking seminars. Due to Furniture First’s geographically exclusive membership, its dealers are not in market competition with each other and can benefit as individual retailers and as members of the cooperative. Retailers attending the meetings participate in discussions and seminars about industry developments, best sellers, best ideas, and enjoy the camaraderie of interacting with local peers.
About Furniture First: Furniture First is a national buying group serving the retail home furnishings and mattress industry. Furniture First has 182 company members representing 395 store fronts and over one billion in retail sales. For more information on Furniture First, call Bill Hartman at 800-411-3477 ext 123 or email BHartman@FurnitureFirst.com.