Message From the NARMS Board Chair

Important Issues on the Horizon I’ve just begun my year as chair and it’s exciting to report on a series of recent activities that keep NARMS as a vibrant trade association that well represents our diversified retail support businesses, is sensitive to our collective needs and is investing in the appropriate data collection and information research that can contribute to our future. As we build the NARMS BRAND, it is crucial that our members follow ethical business practices.

Throughout this issue you’ll see evidence of the success of NARMS efforts at GlobalShop, our annual Spring Conference and most recently, the IFBA Top to Top Executive Conference. These are incredible face-to-face opportunities for our members and we can expect these events to again anchor our NARMS calendar in 2007.
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Have You Heard the One About the NARMS PodCast?

When, how and where we get information continues to change. We hope our NARMS members have discovered and are making use of the new tools available at the Podcast Media site at www.narms.com to source additional retail service information from industry leaders. We now have nearly two dozen podcasts posted as a result of the efforts of Mark Hunter, our NARMS audio podcast host.

You will note that many of the NARMS Spring Conference speakers were captured by podcast with their relevant information shared at the site. As you listen in to what is currently posted, think about what other topics/issues/sources you would like Mark Hunter to explore to maximize the use and effectiveness of this news medium. Your ideas for future podcasts are welcome and may be forwarded to Mark directly from a link there to www.thesaleshunter.com.
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Notes from the President/CEO

It’s not easy to stop using farm-based anecdotes when most of your professional career has been spent managing agricultural or commodity products associations but in many ways NARMS shadows my life experiences because our very active and successful spring has resulted in quite a year to remember.
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NARMS News

NARMS Provides Sample IC Agreement NARMS is pleased to provide its members with a sample agreement for contracting with self-employed event marketers, fixture installers, product demonstrators and/or product merchandisers. The sample agreement is no substitute for competent legal advice and NARMS offers no warranty or representation that an individual engaged under the sample agreement would be recognized as an independent contractor for purposes of any federal, state or local law.
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Terms to Live By

Mary Jo Bastuba, Manufacturers Division Terms to Live By Nintendo became a member of the NARMS organization to represent manufacturers who utilize a retail rep field force, be it their own internal group or a Merchandising Service Organization. The initial goal was to better understand processes utilized by other companies in an effort to identify best practices and incorporate those which made sense for our business into an already successful retail representative program. While these discussions did take place and several interesting approaches were gleaned, the most valuable conversations have involved a manufacturers expectations of any outside merchandising organization for both on-going and project based coverage.
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Dual Leaders’ View

The 2006 Merchandising Service Organizations (MSO) Committee will take on a slightly different look from the original. For the first time since the committee has been formed, Co-Chairpersons have been named to serve the expanding number of MSO firms and to ensure that we continue to bring fresh ideas to our fellow members. Tom Caddell gracefully passed the torch to Kim Kiner, Senior Vice President of Field Services at National Retail Services (NRS) and Steve Donzelli, Executive Vice President at Storecast Merchandising at the 2006 Spring Conference.
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Focus on Success

Focus On Success Well, another industry conference has come and gone. We hope that you all enjoyed your stay at the Amelia Island Plantation and felt the conference was a worthwhile endeavor for you and your company. Straight up, I found that the pace of change and profitability (or lack thereof) of this industry is weighing on the minds of many, and as a result, has produced a pretty somber tone from most event marketing and demonstration agencies. We all recognize the incredible potential in experiential marketing, and we know that we can add value, but we are still trying to sort out our place in the future. Even so, most are tired, and many are frustrated. I left the conference continuing to think about a question that I have been debating for quite a bit of time at my own company. How do I develop and execute a strategy for success during a time of such uncertainty? I do not know the answer, but I do know that it involves “focus.”
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Brokers Rally at ‘Top to Top’

We just finished the 3rd Annual Top to Top and it was the best yet! Judging from the attendance, the event appears to be on firm footing, as over 300 people participated from 62 manufacturers and 51 brokers. The Wyndham was a perfect location for the many individual and group meetings which took place.

Hats off to Tad Mancini, the IFBA Division Committee and to the NARMS staff for this year’s effort in running such a successful conference.
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One Stop Shopping

Retailers across all channels seem to have embraced the value in providing new offerings and better services for their customers. Many of us remember when the only place to purchase gas was at a gas station and if you wanted to buy food it was coming out of a vending machine. Now gas stations seem to have become convenient stores or delis or specialty coffee shops that happen to sell gas and may even offer banking (through an ATM) and DVD Rental (through a kiosk). These offerings have to be first rate because customers now have many choices - they can buy gas at supermarkets, warehouse clubs, other convenience stores, and soon at home centers.
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Building the Brand at GlobalShop

Participation at the GlobalShop trade show by NARMS and its member companies took on various forms at the very successful 2006 effort held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL on March 26-28. Nearly 20 of NARMS members joined to anchor a Retail Marketing Services’ effort as one of the six GlobalShop Pavilions sprawled across 300,000 square feet of show space.

The show hosted almost 900 exhibitors with show attendance exceeding 10,000 interested in all facets of store design and in-store marketing ideas. NARMS additionally sponsored two educational sessions: “Who’s Minding the Store?” that explored the design and execution of effective merchandising and marketing programs in all marketing channels along with a presentation involving natural and organic focus in “Growing Your Business Naturally!”
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