May 20-21, 2008 Frederick, MD (just 50 miles west of Baltimore)
Selling, Marketing, & Branding Natural Stone
Marketing & Selling Natural Stone
(classroom instruction)
This seminar provides an in-depth look at the difference between successful and unsuccessful customer relations. The instructors will guide you through the impressions you make with your showroom, product knowledge, marketing, and advertising materials.
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Seminar highlights (what you will learn)...
- Sales & Showroom Basics - Learn more about showroom layout, selling tips,and a host of other topics critical to successful customer relationships.
- Marketing Tips - Learn how your marketing message can be impacted by a single word and how to position natural stone against man-made quartz surfaces.
- Advertising Tips - Learn how to save thousands of dollars by understanding advertising you need versus want; how to identify an advertiser's best prospects; how to tap into low-cost advertising venues; and much much more.
- Networking Cap off day 1 with industry colleagues at a networking reception.
- Day 1 - Attendees will focus on sales & showroom aspects of the industry. A field trip to a natural stone showroom is included!
- Day 2 - Learn how to effectively promote your business from instructors with combined 65 years of experience to effectively promote your business!
Who Should Attend...
Sales and marketing associates, fabricators, showroom managers, and owners.
Seminar Agenda...
| Tuesday, May 20, 2008 (Classroom & showroom fieldtrip) |
| 7:30am |
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Registration/Coffee |
| 8:00am |
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Welcome / About the MIA / Class Objectives |
| 8:15am |
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Showroom elements: location, size, lighting, color, and much more
Showroom purpose and what displays are needed
Work areas for your sales representatives
Stone Selection areas
Visuals, handouts, play areas, and more |
| 10:00am |
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Break |
| 10:15am |
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Showroom elements continued |
| 11:00am |
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Depart for Showroom Tour (hosted by Avanti Marble & Granite) |
| 12noon |
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Lunch Break (hosted by Avanti Marble & Granite) |
| 1:00pm |
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Product Knowledge Review
Case study: selling granite in the natural stone industry |
| 2:30pm |
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Break |
| 2:45pm |
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Slab area is an extension of your showroom
Customer/sales documentation needed.
Pricing consistently
What every sales association should know |
| 4:45pm |
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Closing Remarks / Q&A |
| 5:00pm |
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Networking Reception
MIA Bookstore Open |
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| Wednesday, May 21, 2008 (Marketing & Advertising) |
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7:30am |
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Registration/Coffee |
| 8:00am |
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Welcome
Branding worksheets
Natural Stone Gallery Video |
| 8:30am |
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Brand Identify - What differentiates you from your competitors!
What do you Want your company to be famous for?
What is your customer expecting?
Perception vs. Reality: How to use it to your advantage
Case studies: Zingerman's Deli, Starbucks, Whole Foods - How these case studies apply to the stone industry
Analyzing your business (just like we did for Starbucks and others)
How consumers make buying decisions and how it affects your business
Top of mind awareness
Owning a word (what words does your business own?) |
| 10am |
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Break |
| 10:15am |
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Focalizing Your Business - What words best describe your business
Internal Focalizing - Getting your team to believe in your brand & the "one word" statements that best describe your business
Six Focalizing Questions Workshop |
| 12 noon |
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Lunch |
| 1:00 pm |
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Recap of morning segment
Media alternatives (newspaper, radio, television, cable, local and regional magazines, trade magazines, internet, direct mail, guerrilla marketing, and yellow pages) |
| 1:45pm |
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How do you buy space/time?
Getting your ad produced.
When do you need to turn to a marketing or graphics professional? |
| 2:15pm |
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Break |
| 2:30pm |
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Award winning advertisements: what works vs. what doesn't
Stone advertising awards video |
| 3:15pm |
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5 elements that appear in successful ads
Killer clichés (words and phrases to avoid)
Advertising on a minimal budget
Take-A-Ways: Who is your target audience? What is your point of differentiation? One word descriptions. Quantifying expectations. Choosing the right media alternative for you. |
| 4:30pm |
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Depart for Home |
About the Speakers...
 Fred Jackson, CTC, CSI has 20+ years of tile and stone experience in the industry. He is president/founder of Estudio Group LLC specializing in sales and consulting services for the stone industry. Past experience includes serving as the stone business development manager for Aqua Mix Inc., national sales manager for LATCO Ceramics, team leader for MS International, national distribution manager, Del Piso Brick and Tile, with 12 years of experience in natural stone, ceramic tile and hardwood installation and restoration. Mr. Jackson is a CTC graduate and a member of CSI, MIA, NTCA, NWFA, WFCA, NTMA, and the CTIOA Technical Committee
 Marty Gould has been focalizing businesses and organizations for more than 20 years. His unique approach to solving marketing and communications problems is based on practical, clear-cut, no-nonsense facilitation and evaluation of each individual situation. As President of Paradigm Communications & Marketing, Inc., Marty works with a wide range of companies and organizations, helping them focus their business, marketing and communications strategies so they can achieve their goals. Marty's client list over the years includes some of America's most well-known brands, including AC Delco, Pepsi-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Lennox Industries and the Professional Bowlers Tour.
Registration...
MIA Member:
1st Person - $329
Additional People - $164.50 (Savings of $164.50)
Non-Member:
1st Person - $429
Additional People - $214.50 (Savings of 214.50)
- Morning coffee/refreshments
- Lunch
- Reception following Day 1 (May 20th)
- Speaker handouts/resources (a $100 value)
- $25 Coupon for the MIA Bookstore
2 Easy ways register:
- Fill out & fax the attached registration form - click here.
- Call 1-440-250-9222
Attendees are encouraged to submit some of their company's advertising material (e.g. newspaper ads, CD with their website and/or radio spots, showroom flyers, etc.) along with their registration. Some of these materials may be used by the instructors to showcase quality advertising material.
Hotel & Event Site...
Holiday Inn Ft. Detrick
999 W. Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21702
(301) 662-5141 – Ask for the Marble Institute Room Block ($84.00 room rate)
map it
Refunds...
MIA reserves the right to amend the program should circumstances warrant such action. In the event of course cancellation, MIA will notify you within 7 business days to the program date, and will refund seminar fees. Liability for course cancellation is specifically limited to the amount of registration fees and excludes any incidential or consequential damages. If you plan to register on-site, please check MIA's website www.marbleinstitute.com (click on MIA Education) the date prior to the seminar for any updates on this event. Individual seminar cancellations must be made in writing. Registration fees are non-refundable for cancellations received less than 7 business days prior to the seminar. Substitutions are welcome.
| Strategic Partners 2008: |
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Schechner Lifson Corporation
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| Local Event Partners |
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Copyright © 2008 Marble Institute of America
28901 Clemens Rd, Ste 100, Cleveland, OH 44145 · T: 440-250-9222 · F: 440-250-9223
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