Following his presentation, Call of the Mall: the Geography of Shopping, at the 2009 NARMS Conference today, Paco Underhill stopped to chat for a few minutes with Mark Hunter of NARMS Radio to do a podcast on his book, the workshop and his store tour scheduled for later today.

The full podcast will be posted at NARMS.com as it becomes available later this week.

Independent Food Brokers of America Division consists of companies that provide outsourced and synergistic Head Quarter marketing and sales services to customers who sell food and non-food products. Most Food Brokers (but not all) provide retail merchandising services in support of the HQ efforts. IFBA divisional meeting is planed to take place at this year’s conference. Stay tuned for more information regarding Independent Food Brokers sessions at the 2009 Conference!

Professional Installation Companies division provide or specialize in implementation of displays, showcases, graphics, racking, cash wraps, fitting rooms, kiosks, millwork and other fixtures designed to hold and present merchandise or to serve consumers in retail and commercial channels. This year’s conference will hold a PIC divisional meeting. In addition, PIC members will get to partake in an Open Forum focusing on issues member companies are facing. Seminars include The Missing Piece – motivating and galvanizing a remote workforce and Early Warning System – avoiding losses from contractual pitfalls. Stay tuned for more information regarding Professional Installation Companies sessions at the 2009 Conference!

Event Marketing and Mystery Shop/Demonstration division consists of companies that create, staff, manage, execute and evaluate consumer product promotions and events. This includes demonstrations, in-store events, mystery shopping, market research, local & national events & trade shows. At this year’s conference, Event Marketers will hold it’s divisional meeting. Three division specific seminars are also scheduled throughout the three day conference. Stay tuned for more information regarding Event Marketers sessions at the 2009 Conference!

Merchandising Service Organizations
Companies that provide labor and resources to execute retail merchandising & marketing activities such as in-store merchandising, resets, new store sets, remodels, reducing OOS, speed-to-shelf initiatives, new item cut-ins and point of purchase displays. The MSO division welcomes speakers Bryan Gildenberg, MVI and Jamie Tensor who will be presenting on In Store Merchandising. In addition, MSO will have its committee meeting, Indispensible MSO and Internet Marketing presentations at the 2009 conference. Stay tuned for up to date information regarding Merchandising Service Organization sessions at the 2009 Conference!

Warm greetings to all NARMS International members! As NARMS annual spring conference 2009 rapidly approaches, I want to encourage you to review the enclosed information that spells out the extensive list of learning and networking opportunities that will take place at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO April 4-7.

I encourage members to register early for this event, as we have already established amazing speakers and guests to provide you wealthy information to bring back to your company. Regardless of your industry, the 14th Annual Spring Conference will be a stepping stone to bringing out the best in our member’s companies for 2009.

I hope to see many of you at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for the 14th Annual Meeting!