Seminar Teaches Retailers How to “Drive Metrics” At Two Day Chicago Event

Furniture World Magazine

Let’s face it: it’s all about sales. The question we’d like to ask is: What are you going to do differently in 2007 to drive them? This is the compelling question posed for retailers in a brochure just released by Courage Crafters, Inc. (formerly Fenton Waltz Retail Training) on their two day seminar scheduled in Chicago, April 18-19, that promises to be packed with sales building strategies for retailers. There will be four programs over the two day event including Courageous Retail Selling, Driving Sales Performance, The Art of the Store Visit and followed up with Direct Recruiting for Retailers. The seminar is designed for Store Operations Executives, Human Resources Managers, Training Directors, as well as Regional or District level managers. According to retail expert and President of Courage Crafters, Inc., Richard Fenton, “this event is designed to drive every key metric you measure; gross sales, conversion, items per transaction, average $ sale, loyalty and credit card sign ups, and warranty products to their maximum level.” In fact it will be Richard Fenton himself conducting all four seminars which is great news for retailers as Fenton is a nationally recognized speaker whose client list reads like the “who’s who” of the retail industry. Rich has spoken to such companies as Furniture Row, Jennifer Convertibles, and Mattress Firm. In May, Rich will be a keynote speaker at the Western Home Furnishings Association meeting. Over the two days numerous high impact sales and management strategies will be shared. In the “selling” program, the main theme will around what Fenton and Waltz call, “go for no” behaviors. Go for No refers to the idea that the number of times a salesperson hears the customer say “no” ultimately the more successful they will be. However, don’t think that this means badgering customers with a “shark-like” approach. Fenton and Waltz will reveal four specific selling styles (one is called “shark”) and explain how these styles each sell and serve customers. It is the style known as a “Lion” however, that is able to use the go for no strategy while simultaneously doing it in a customer focused way through the asking of questions to gather lots of information from the customer to then make appropriate recommendations. Once the selling program is finished, they will move on to the management topics. According to Fenton and Waltz, great performance management is about staying behavior focused. For example, they will be sharing how to coach and communicate to staff based on is directly observed on the sales floor when associates are nose to nose with customers. The only bad news is that because of the number of in-house programs they conduct throughout the year, this “public seminar” format will only be offered one time in 2007. Co-owner Andrea Waltz says, “This will be an amazing two day experience, with so many great ideas that no retail can afford to not attend.” For more information on the Driving Retail Metrics seminar in Chicago, April 18-19, 2007 or to interview Richard Fenton, call Andrea Waltz at 800-290-5028 or visit www.couragecrafters.com.