UW and Students Enhance Conference Learning

Last year, NARMS established a formal relationship with the University of Wisconsin School of Business and the Kohl Center for Retail Excellence. That relationship has blossomed and will be on full display at the 2010 NARMS Spring Conference on April 17-20 at the Saddlebrook Resort near Tampa, Florida. UW staff and students will contribute to five unique sessions during five time blocks throughout the event. These sessions are being featured under the NARMS U banner which entails all of NARMS educational programs.

Jerry O’Brien, head of the program at UW, is planning on bringing 12-16 of his students to our event. This will provide valuable experience for these future retail leaders, as well as an opportunity to interview these students for future internships and employment.

UW sessions will take place during NARMS U Session 1 on Sunday, April 18th at 4:00 PM with O’Brien leading, “Partnering with Your Customers to Create Superior Value.” Also during that time, Deborah Mitchell of UW will present, “Neuromarketing and the Future of Retail.”

Session 2 takes place on Tuesday, April 20 at 9:00 AM. UW’s Nancy Wong will instruct us on, “Three Principles for Marketing Today.” The block will also see Mitchell leading, “Branding Up and Down the Value Chain,” and O’Brien presenting, “The Values-Based Retailer.” After a quick break, Session 3 starts at 10:30 AM and features O’Brien and Mitchell repeating their Session 1 topics. Wong will also introduce, “The Psychology of Choice,” during this time block.

To ensure that all attendees get a chance to experience as many sessions as possible, Session 4 will start at 11:45 AM and will include, “The Values-Based Retailer”, “Three Principles for Marketing Today”, and “Branding Up & Down the Value Chain.” After lunch, Session 5 will wrap up the day of learning with a repeat performance of, “The Psychology of Choice.”

In addition to this exciting relationship with UW, there are many other contributing presenters scheduled for the NARMS U Sessions. You can see the entire agenda and register for conference by clicking here. You can also follow conference development by becoming a member of our official NARMS Social Media groups.

NARMSCertify U Now Live!

Mark down March 2, 2010 as an important date in the history of NARMS. Yesterday, our NARMSCertify U field representative training tool went live. Training and education are critical to our members who operate a largely decentralized workforce to deliver expert at-retail merchandising and marketing services. Now, eight career building courses are available to provide marketing representatives with a simple, straightforward online learning experience. In addition, there will be a special workshop entitled, “NARMSCertify U and You,” at the NARMS Spring Conference on Sunday April 18th at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa.

NARMSCertify U is an online learning center offering certified career-building courses developed by industry experts for marketing service representatives. The online courses can be accessed by field representative anywhere and anytime, so they can learn at their own pace. Each course topic consists of a learning module with interactive screens, followed by a quiz to confirm knowledge transfer. Upon quiz completion, the representative will be awarded a certification of completion that will be posted on the representative’s NARMS.com profile. Course certificates provide representatives with higher visibility to job postings within NARMS.com.

Current courses include Train the Trainer, Merchandising Standards, Retail Visit Excellence, Team Lead Skills, Fixture Installation, Event Marketing, Demonstrations and Mystery Shopping with more to follow. Individual field reps can seek this knowledge on their own or member companies can utilize NARMSCertify U as their official, industry approved training tool to enhance their workforce quality and productivity.

NARMS member companies will benefit through workforce training that builds on industry standards to improve the quality of the workforce at the retail level. NARMSCertify U learning program is based on a Learning Management System, offering courses and testing using Adult Learning Principles, with administrative management and measurement features.

NARMSCertify U was developed in partnership with NARMS International and BDS Marketing, Inc. to benefit the at-retail services industry. As the parent sponsor, NARMS considers the NARMSCertify U program as the official learning center for member companies and their field representatives while BDS Marketing, Inc. will be responsible to design, develop, manage and promote the online learning system. To learn more about NARMS visit www.narms.com. To learn more about BDS Marketing, Inc. visit www.bdsmktg.com.

IRI Report Takes Last Look at Last Year

The recession hit hard and hit fast. This caused consumers to react quickly with devastating results on many brand marketers. As the economy slowly recovers and as energy costs now afford consumers a little more latitude in their shopping habits, the new retail reality is starting to take shape. In its February Times & Trends Report, Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) differentiates between behaviors that were a knee-jerk reaction and those that resulted in new, medium to long-term trends. As suppliers of world-class at-retail merchandising and marketing services, we can’t help but pay attention to these observations.

The IRI report tells us that 40 of the top 100 CPG categories have experienced price increases since 2009. It seems as if the battle for manufacturers and retailers will be to bring the definition of value beyond that of price. Value extends to a lot of factors, but one of the most basic is the ability to be in-stock and for new items to reach the market quickly. In fact, the NARMS Spring Conference on April 17-20 in Tampa will be a great opportunity to hear the challenges directly from the mouths of trading partners during the Manufacturer/Retailer Connection Forum.

Another IRI observation is that consumers turned to doing more things like meals, health and beauty treatments by themselves in their homes last year. This caused a rush of new product trials and the eventual discovery that consumers could achieve, “90 percent of the quality for 20 percent of the cost.” This happening could open up many new opportunities for brands, retailers and service companies alike.

Finally, it has been reported often that private label has made great gains and that the rise of quality will help store brands maintain and gain market share. This causes need on both sides. Through their popularity, store brands become household names and grow into the same challenges as their nationally marketed counter parts. Name brands must defend their turf by executing to near perfection in all marketing disciplines of which at-retail merchandising and marketing is far from the least. After all, if it’s not on the shelf, it’s not for sale.

If you have not already done so, you can download the February issue of Times & Trends here. We thank IRI for continuing to share their insights with us.

NARMS Spring Conference Engaging Social Media

It’s without question that social media networks are in the mainstream. For almost two years, NARMS has been engaging with field personnel seeking employment. The NARMS Facebook group has 3,631 members as of this morning and over 4,000 following on Twitter. The next step in the evolution is to engage a professional audience such as customers, members, potential members, other trade groups and trade media. NARMS Spring Conference is doing just that by employing social media to communicate and network before, during and after the event.

Let’s start with Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com and become a fan of the NARMS – International Association of Retail Marketing Services fan page. You will immediately receive notices about Spring Conference features, thought leadership, upcoming events, webinars, research and all of the other value added services offered by NARMS. Perhaps just as important, network with your friends and associates and encourage them to join the group.

LinkedIn is also fast becoming a must for professionals. Because of the business focus, there are a few more barriers to gain access to your contacts. However, you’ll find an extensive list of people and organizations that you already know. From your profile on www.linkedin.com, find NARMS International Conference Updates and join the group . In short order, you will be approved and will get all the latest news, updates and speaker insights for our showcase event being held this year at the Saddelbrook Resort in the Tampa area.

No social media conversation is complete without Twitter. It’s perhaps the hottest social medium on the planet and is especially useful for mobile users. Go to http://twitter.com/narms2010 and follow the stream. You will get tweets featuring updates and news for Spring Conference. You can help spread the word by retweeting to your contacts and encouraging them to follow the stream. At conference, we will tweet notices just prior to workshops, sessions and speakers so you won’t miss a thing. You can also tweet your thoughts, impressions and feedback live during conference session by using the Twitter hash tags located in the agenda on the www.narms.com conference page.

Consider this article as your NARMS social media boot camp. Follow these steps, and you are sure to get maximum value out of your membership, broaden your contact network, add valuable insight and further the value proposition of the at-retail movement. Help us build the network today.

TOP SHELF- Brogan Brings Social Media Message to Retail

Last week I made the four hour trip to Minneapolis and the Minnesota Business Reputations Event at Best Buy Headquarters. This was a great opportunity to hear from Chris Brogan, one of the premier voices and experts on social media today. From NARMS standpoint, the social media movement is important on several levels. First, the application has a far reaching effect on how we can even more effectively operate our trade association. Second, how it augments how our members can interact with their trading partners. And third, as experts in at-retail merchandising and marketing service execution, it is vital that our member companies understand how customers are using this medium and how it can be made operational. In fact, our members can be the instrument to bring social media programs to store level. Not to mention that this was also an opportunity to get in the front door of retailing superpower Best Buy.

Chris Brogan is an eleven year veteran of using social media and both web and mobile technologies to build digital relationships for businesses, organizations, and individuals. Brogan speaks, blogs, writes articles, and makes media of all kinds at chrisbrogan.com, a blog in the top 5 of the Advertising Age Power150, and in the top 100 on Technorati. He is co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Trust Agents.

Brogan’s keynote address was built on the theme of, “Listen, Connect and Publish.” Listening to your publics and determining what they need will help you craft the message. Brogan suggested that you take the next step and really “See” the people you are trying to connect with. To really connect, you have to go where they are and be a participant in the discussion, not just merely try to manage the discussion. Brogan really stressed that the basis of social media is humanity. In other words, just learning to be human and interact with others before trying to figure out how to market via the medium. Without the foundation of humanity, you could fail. However, really listening to and connecting with your publics on a human level opens the doorway to powerful publishing.

Your manufacturer and retailer customers are spending increasingly more time and money on social media. It is always our challenge to listen to their needs and help them find ways to extend the reach of this communication channel all the way to the store shelves. While trading partners are using social media to attract consumers to the product, NARMS members could act as an important link in the chain by making sure expectations are met when customers reach the store. Our members can also close the loop by using social media to bring the customer feedback around.

Speaking as someone who is just scratching the surface of social media, Brogan’s address, and the subsequent panel discussion were very thought provoking and valuable. I would encourage you to visit www.chrisbrogan.com and see for yourself. If you are interested in how to integrate social media with your NARMS.com presence, you can attend the Social Media workshop at NARMS Spring Conference on Sunday, April 18 from 1:00-2:00 P.M.

RORI Taking Shape

Last April in Colorado Springs, we introduced the RORI project. RORI stands for Return on Retail Investment. The announcement had the gathering buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Today, we take a quick look at the status of the project and what we can expect to see and hear at the upcoming NARMS Spring Conference at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa. On Monday, April 19, a General Session featuring Bart Flaherty of GroupM, Phil Lauria of Pelco Advisors, Jerry O’Brien of the Kohl Center for Retail Excellence at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and Mary Jo Bastuba of Nintendo will bring us up to speed on this industry changing movement.

RORI is a consortium of companies who are coming together to use data and analysis to develop a fact based understanding about how in-store activities drive return on investment. The movement has already created a common language between retailers, manufacturers and suppliers. It requires agreement from manufacturers and/or retailers to analyze actual retail programs being executed in-market. These real examples and case studies will be used to develop white papers, presentations and databases that contribute to true understanding. This knowledge will be used in PR initiatives and by NARMS members to chart a new strategic direction for their companies. And will provide the knowledge assets to sell in their programs at higher success rates.

RORI is not a static 200 page power point presentation. It is data in a live dashboard that can be queried by any NARMS member to build custom presentations, selling templates, reports and analysis on how specific retail program deliver lift and ROI.

Sponsorship of RORI will give NARMS high visibility when case studies and results become available. It will position NARMS as the thought leader in retail. It is also designed to further expand membership to include manufacturers and suppliers not currently involved in the industry, invigorating the Association with new ideas and fresh perspectives.

To date, the study has been designed and launched, gained an objective educational engagement through the University of Wisconsin, and achieved its first four foundational members. In addition to Spring Conference, RORI will be participating in GlobalShop in March and The ARF Conference in June.

There is still plenty of room for NARMS members to get involved. Foundational membership will remain open through March. Any clients can be invited to join and Bart Flaherty will be happy to help pitch RORI. He can be contacted at: bart.flaherty@groupm.com.

SN’s Top 75 Reveals Changed Landscape

A few days ago, Supermarket News revealed a list of the top 75 food retailers and wholesalers in North America. What have not changed from the prior year are the players at the top of the list with all ten remaining the same. That is about the only thing that has remained static as the list quantifies and calls out the challenges that are being faced by food retailers in 2010 and beyond.

SN’s Editor-in-Chief, David Orgel, points out that such a list not only acts as a measuring stick for the individual companies, but also a scorecard that paints a clear picture of the industry. For 2009, the overall revenue for the companies on this list fell slightly from the year before. Specifically for the top 10 it fell 1.2%. Compare that to the year prior when sales of the top 75 increased 7.6%.

The huge increases from 2007 to 2008 are attributed to food inflation and an increase in traffic. The downturn from 2008 to 2009 stems from deflation and the backlash from a weak economy. Trends to identify going forward include continued deflation that may swing to a mild inflation mid-year and continued price investment by Wal-Mart which will force conventional food retailers to do likewise.

What does this all mean to the members of NARMS? Food retailers will be looking for ways to increase traffic and, maybe more importantly, hang on to the customers they already have. We know from our own Survey of At-Retail Marketing Practices that trading partners direct a good amount of their at-retail investment toward the food channel and an ever increasing part toward the mass channel to support the amount of food now being sold. Our call to action is to embrace the challenges of retail as our own and align our diverse set of merchandising and marketing skills to address those needs.

With marketing dollars being shifted to social media and at-retail, the margin for error has shrunk yet again. The need to be in-stock and on the shelf has never been greater. Getting new items to market and aligning categories to maximize success is vital. Providing high quality and expertly executed product demonstrations and samplings stimulate additional sales and gain new customers. Opening new stores and executing remodels on time and on budget is no longer an option, it is a necessity.

NARMS members feature companies who are experts in all these disciplines. The onus is on us to make sure our manufacturer and retailer partners are well versed in the value we bring as important cogs in the go-to-market process. Now more than ever, our skills directly apply toward the challenges they face.

Bishop’s Competitive Edge Weighs In

Last week we shared some predictions from our friends at IRI on retailing trends that will shape 2010. This week, we take a look at Willard Bishop’s Competitive Edge and Author Craig Rosenbloom’s predictions or rather “Four Commandments” for retailing in the coming year. Beyond increasing our knowledge base, a noble; worthy and valuable activity in its own right, it is always important to look for opportunities for the at-retail merchandising and marketing support industry.

Positive economic signs are appearing, but the recession has had a lasting effect. Investment in pricing promotion, increased penetration of private label and shopper movement toward extreme value outlets are just a few of the game changers.

Competitive Edge predicts the return of food inflation, but the effects could be counter-productive. The consumers changing attitude toward value could further drive consumers to “trade down.”

And speaking of value, what exactly is it? Rosenbloom describes it as a balancing act of pricing and promotional activity. He says that, “Winning retailers will seek to maximize the return of every markdown dollar they invest, and clearly understand which promotions drive incremental sales.” No doubt expertly built displays, signage and POP can play a huge role here.

Another trend to look forward to is an increased attempt to get assortment correct. The benefits include increased shopper satisfaction and profit lift from return-on-inventory-investment and in-store labor costs. Look for “assortment optimization” to take on more importance as the year goes on. NARMS members can be a tremendous resource both on the information gathering and tactical, execution side of this equation.

There have been several reports on the trade media about chains taking advantage of the misfortune of others by acquiring new, prime locations from defunct retailers. If the location is good and the price is right, look for savvy companies to expand. Acquisition conversion is right up the alley of many NARMS members including those in the PIC division.

Once again, we thank Willard Bishop consulting for this information. You can find your copy of the latest Competitive Edge by clicking here. Keeping an “ear to the ground” for industry trends, studies and research is fundamental to what NARMS offers our members. We will continue to pass the findings along to you.

IRI Execs Share Predictions

We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. NARMS is very fortunate to have forged relationships with some of the top industry experts and retail consultants on the planet. These contacts put us, the members of the at-retail merchandising and marketing industry, directly in the loop to receive new information, data and thought leadership on a regular basis. Today we will focus on the latest, the 14th annual predictions issue of Research Business Report. In the report, three executives from IRI share some of their predictions for trends in 2010 and beyond.

Bob Tomei, president of IRI Consumer & Shopper Insights, expects CPG retailers and manufacturers to significantly increase their advertising spend to connect with their shoppers. On-line marketing programs, forums and social media are the tools of choice and the only advertising medium that has seen a growth in spending share. He expects trading partners to gain a better grasp and employ strategy and tactics to tie into the success of this effective and cost efficient means of establishing a relationship with customers.

KK Davey, executive vice president of IRI Consulting & Innovation, calls pricing and promotional optimization strategies the new “magic bullet” in the New Year. He predicts that trading partners will invest in new pricing models that will determine what the consumer values in an improving economy.

Doug Brooks, senior vice president of IRI Modeling & Analytics, extols the virtues of striking a balance between brand-building and pricing strategy. In order to do this, he predicts that trading partners will invest in and integrate improved analytics that will yield real-time insights. Faster information will allow retailers and manufacturers to stay ahead of the now more rapidly changing environment at retail.

The issue of Research Business Report is available to you now by clicking here. The real challenge is always to take these insights, use them to gain a further understanding of the marketplace, and apply them to your business situation. To that end, we will continue to pass them along when they become available.

Top to Top Registration Now Live!

Registration is now open for the 2010 IFBA Top to Top Executive Conference on www.narms.com. The three day event will run from Tuesday, May 18 through Thursday, May 20. The conference annually brings together members of our independent food broker division with suppliers and manufacturers from around the world. Here are some things to keep in mind as you make your plans for Chicago.

The 2010 Top to Top will be held at The Renaissance Chicago Hotel. Be sure to book your hotel room as soon as possible to get group room block pricing. After the IFBA room block is filled, reservations will be accepted on “space available” basis at prevailing hotel room rates. Absolute hotel cut-off date for Top to Top-available group block pricing is April 26, 2010. Standard rooms run $259/night; concierge rooms at $299/night; Executive Suites at $349/night and Riviera Suites at $399/night.

The agenda hits the ground running on Tuesday afternoon with a Manufacturer/Supplier Share Group session at 1:00 P.M. That group will then come together with IFBA members for a joint Idea Share session and a state of the IFBA address by Chair Jim Hall. The night will be capped off with an opening night reception at 5:15.

Wednesday brings an opportunity to hear from Keynote Speaker, Dr. Brian Harris. The “Father of Category Management” will discuss trends in the industry, the ‘next generation’ of category management, shopper marketing segmentation and recommendations on how to add value as a broker / manufacturer. The balance of the day will feature opportunities for trading partners to fill their day with business-to-business meetings designed to bring market needs together with business opportunities. Lunch and a day closing reception will provide additional networking venues.

Thursday will continue the theme of bringing businesses together with more B2B meeting scheduling opportunities. The meetings will be framed with a continental breakfast, a lunch buffet and a closing reception designed to provide maximum exposure to manufacturer/suppliers and the best independent food brokers on the world.

If you fall into one of those two groups, you won’t want to miss this year’s event. Click here to access the conference center that will give you everything you need to plan for three days in Chicago that can profoundly change your business.