SF Mart Offers Market Seminar “Competing with Big Box Retailers”

Furniture World Magazine

Retail buyers and design professionals have a variety of opportunities to learn competitive business practices during the San Francisco Mart’s Summer Market 2005, August 3-6. Respected business consultant Kent Burnes will present two seminars. The first, Outrageous Customer Service, will be held from 2–3:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 4. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to build a customer service program that extends beyond the basics. They’ll find out what types of services are most important to their customers and how to implement them in their businesses. In his second seminar, Kent Burnes discusses a topic that is concern for most independent retailers: Competing with the Big Box Retailers. Kent Burnes has been researching the effects national discounters have on small businesses and communities for more than 20 years and has developed some very effective techniques for small businesses to use when national discounters like Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowes hit town or expand in their markets. Retailers won’t want to miss this seminar, which will be held from 9:30–11 a.m. on Friday, August 5. Over the last 25 years, Kent Burnes has worked in more than 750 communities and with over 300,000 small business owners to help them find their competitive edge. Because Kent is a small business owner himself, audiences relate to his common sense approach and realistic strategies for business improvement. He is president of Burnes Consulting located in Orangevale, California and is the author of five books, including Competing With National Discounters, Facing the Warehouse Home Center Challenge and 7 Secrets to Small Business Success. Admission to each Kent Burnes seminar is $10 for Mart members and $15 for non-members. Reservations are required; your check or credit card guarantees your spot. Complimentary refreshments will follow the seminars, which will be held in space 250. To RSVP, call 415-437-7100 or e-mail seminars@sfmart.com. Additional seminars are being hosted by American Leather, Josephine Homes, the Western Home Furnishings Association (WHFA) and the SF International Gift Fair (SFIGF). Noted business consultant Phyllis Macay will present three seminars for WHFA on customer service, in-home visits and sales presentations. The WHFA seminars will be held from 1–4 p.m. on Friday, August 5 in space 407. Other Market seminar topics include leather care, antique reproductions, profit margins and retail trends. With a history spanning 90 years, the Mart has a long legacy of providing retail buyers and design professionals with stylish furnishings, great values and meaningful educational opportunities. Summer Market 2005, August 3-6, is being held in cooperation with the SF International Gift Fair. The Mart, located at 1355 Market Street between Ninth and Tenth Streets, is open to the trade only. Parking is available in the Mart’s underground garage and surrounding lots. For more information, visit www.sfmart.com or call 415-552-2311.