Nationwide Learning Academy’s Record Attendance Supports a Strong Finish for 2018
Furniture World News Desk on
9/5/2018
Nationwide Marketing Group, the buying and marketing organization for Independent Appliance, Furniture, Bedding and CE Dealers, recently announced the results of the group’s ongoing educational efforts at the two PrimeTime events this year, held in Orlando and Las Vegas.
Nationwide’s commitment to learning dates back over two decades and has long been the industry’s most used and longest running educational platform. Steve Bryant, who led the group’s commitment to learning from the late 90’s and remains involved today, reflected, “Over the years other organizations have supported education sporadically with short term initiatives that invariably came and went. On the other hand, Nationwide has maintained constant focus and commitment every day of every year since early 1998. Throughout some 40 PrimeTime events I’ve spent working with Nationwide, their investment in education has constantly grown, reaching a tipping point over the past few years. As the group approaches 10,000 live attendees and 300,000 online certifications this year alone, it’s hard to believe that it all began with VHS tapes, flip charts and markers some 20 years ago.”
Nationwide has offered over 100 educational sessions at each of their bi-annual PrimeTime events since 2016, and the program continues to grow. Mike Whitaker, who leads the Nationwide Learning Academy, explained, “We know that the appetite from our members to learn has never been higher. They asked for more educational opportunities, and we’ve never stopped listening. We also know that PrimeTime is a busy event, with no shortage of things each member wants to accomplish, and with over 200 vendors on the show floor, we knew that offering education only on show days was no longer an option. In March, we expanded the Academy with an additional day before the show opens, and it was a massive success. In August, we went a step further and offered two class days prior to the show opening, and the reception was fantastic. Our roster of presenters was very strong, with industry authorities on a wide array of topics. Especially popular were the Member-2-Member sessions, led by some of our most knowledgeable and successful dealers, who graciously shared their insights with their fellow members bringing a new level of value to the Academy.”
Nationwide President and Chief Member Advocate Tom Hickman weighed in, saying, “One of our core commitments to our membership is to provide best-in-class people, leadership and development programs, and the Nationwide Learning Academy is a key part of our delivery on that promise. We know that to be successful as an independent retailer today a dealer needs access to the very latest information, best practices, consumer trends, marketing insights, and much more. The Academy provides us a venue to connect our members with the most knowledgeable authorities on the topics that matter most to their businesses.”
The Academy in Las Vegas capped off a very successful year for learning at PrimeTime. The two events in 2018 combined to see over 9,000 session attendees. However, according to Whitaker, numbers aren’t everything, as he shared, “We’re thrilled with the level of engagement in the Nationwide Learning Academy, but the numbers alone don’t tell the full story. We also ask members to evaluate each session they attend, which they’re able to do very easily thanks to the PrimeTime app. Those evaluations help us continue to hone and develop the Academy and give us a good indication where we’re succeeding and where we can improve. However, the most meaningful feedback often comes in conversations with Members. We’re in the business of solving retail problems, and when we can give our dealers back time or money, they win, and that’s how we define our success.”
Live education at PrimeTime is far from the only educational support provided to Nationwide Members. In addition, the group maintains the largest online learning center in the industry and hosts regional events in support of Members across the country. Plans are already underway for PrimeTime in 2019, where the impressive bar set this year will keep the Nationwide team energized, as they look to expand the success of the Nationwide Learning Academy even more in the coming year. PrimeTime will return to the Venetian | Palazzo and Sands Expo in Las Vegas February 10-14, 2019. For more information, visit
www.nationwideprimetime.com.
More about Nationwide: Nationwide Marketing Group works on behalf of thousands of appliance, furniture, bedding, electronics, specialty electronics, custom installation and rent-to-own dealers, helping them grow their businesses and their bottom lines. With over 5,500 members operating more than 14,000 store fronts, Nationwide members represent tens of billions in combined annual sales. Nationwide is North America’s largest buying and marketing organization of its type. Industry veterans, heading Nationwide’s seven regional divisions, work to provide independent dealers with personalized service and local programming in every market they serve. For more information, visit www.nationwidegroup.org.