Marble Institute of America: Education: Advanced Countertop Sales, Production, & Fabrication Shop Tours July 16-17, 2008 Oakland, NJ

July 16-17, 2008
Oakland, NJ

(Seminar Hosted by the Alpha Professional Tools)

Advanced Countertop Sales, Production, & Fabrication Shop Tours
(classroom instruction and shop tours)

This seminar is the best combination in the marketplace today of classroom instruction on countertops coupled with fabrication facility tours. The perfect seminar for owners and fabrication professionals.

Seminar highlights (what you will learn)...

Shop Tour - Visit local fabrication facilities and gain alternative perspectives to shop layout and processes.
Demonstrations - Catch a glimpse of fabrication equipment in use with insight offered by the instructor.
Classroom Instruction - Sharpen your skills with a focus on identifying your market, sales target, equipment, and procedures you must have in place.
Networking - Cap off day 1 with industry colleagues at a networking reception.
Day 1 - Classroom instruction to help you learn more about sales, marketing, and taking your fabrication and installation business to the next level.
Day 2 - Fabrication shop tours and leading-edge equipment demonstrations complement what you learned in the classroom.
Instructor - Gain from the 33 years of experience and insight the instructor will bring to this advanced seminar.

Instructor GK Naquin
Stone World Magazine's
2005 "Fabricator of the Year"

Advanced Counter Top

Who Should Attend...
Owners and key operations managers.

Seminar Agenda...

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 (Classroom Presentation)

7:30am Registration/Coffee

8:00am Welcome / About the MIA / Class Objective

8:15am Attendee Introductions / Expectations
8:45am Developing and Maintaining Your Market: establishing your market; entry into niche markets; and boilerplate guidelines. Elevating your company to be in the top 5% of the industry.
10:00am Break
10:15am Maintaining a Quality Customer Network: consistency (pricing & policy); communication (pull through, promotion, associations); and commitment (problem solving, bridge to the future).

12:00pm Lunch

12:45pm Commitment to Education: market education, product education, and employee/dealer education.

2:30pm Break

2:45pm Detailed Sales Contracts: proposals, qualifications, and change orders.

4:30pm Recap / Q&A

Thursday, July 17, 2008 (Classroom Presentation & Shop Tours)

8:00am Bus Departs Hotel

NOTE: the schedule of fabrication shop tours will be announced at a later date.

4:30pm Bus Departs – back to Hotel

About the Speakers...
Gasper (GK) Naquin and his partners own Stone Interiors LLC with facilities in Loxley, Alabama, and Columbia, South Carolina. Naquin was the recipient of the 2005 Stone World Magazine "Fabricator of the Year" Award. He has over 33 years of experience in the natural stone industry. A frequent speaker, in 2006 he was elected to serve on the Marble Institute of America's Board of Directors.

Registration...
MIA Member:
1st Person - $329
Additional People - $299

Non-Member:
1st Person - $429
Additional People - $399

Registration includes:

Morning coffee/refreshments
Lunch
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

Event Site (Day 1 only)...
Alpha Professional Tools
103 Bauer Drive
Oakland, NJ 07436
919-821-7100 27603
map it

Host Hotel...
Holiday Inn Express Ramsey
946 Route 17 North
Ramsey, NJ 07446
201-934-9250 (ask for Marble Institute Room Block)
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.marble-institute.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:

Schechner Lifson Corporation

Local Event Partners