Published: July 26, 2007

Sales Expert Jim Pancero gives new insights into sales negotiations from both the buyer and seller's sides.

Jim Pancero explains negotiating from the buyer's side versus the seller's side and their different definitions of success. He shares that the goal of negotiating should be to improve the profitablity or the terms to benefit you and what you're proposing to the other side. He gives many ways to be a more successful negotiator, including becoming a risk-taker, increasing the amount of power you have, and being an effective user of your time.
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Published: July 23, 2007

Susan Friedman, author of Riches in Niches, shares about her new book.

Author of Riches in Niches, Susan Friedman, shares about the strategies included in her book that help people become an expert in their own area of the marketplace. She explains how to stand out from the competition, including getting narrow and going deep. Susan offers listeners an extra bonus for purchasing her book by visiting her website.
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Published: July 23, 2007

Principal of Saint Peter and Paul School, Frank Glowaty, discusses the important topic of ethics in the marketplace.

Principal Frank Glowaty shares how instilling a strong sense of ethics in the future workforce is vital to avoiding a disaster for our country. Frank believes in the importance of teaching youth to understand right and wrong and touches on the impact that having a moral compass can have on the bottom line in business. He shares about how beliefs have changed over the past 30 years. Frank gives his opinion on how managers should display moral values in today's marketplace and he discusses how ethics (or lack of them) is at the forefront of the headlines of the news. Finally, he gives a parenting tip to begin the process of teaching ethics in the home.

Published: July 16, 2007

Author of the best-selling book, Selling to Big Companies, Jill Konrath, gives her insight into overcoming the barriers that prevent salespeople from getting in to big companies.

Author and expert on selling to big companies, Jill Konrath, shares some of the barriers that exist in making sales contacts with large clients. She then offers ideas and techniques to help overcome these obstacles. She emphasizes the importance of investing time to research the companies as a means of "paying the price of admission." Jill believes bringing them ideas that can help them achieve a business objective is crucial in standing out from your competition.
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Published: June 27, 2007

President and Founder of iGotcha Media. Greg Adelstein, discusses digital signage.

Greg Adelstein, President and Founder of iGotcha Media, explains all that digital signage encompasses. He shares how targeting messages through digital signage is revoltionizing the advertising industry. Greg explains that it is not simply blasting consumers with images, but that it is actually a value proposition, asking people to find out more information about products and services. He gives insight into how retailers can gain the acceptance of the consumer with such things as interactivity and valuable content.
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Published: June 27, 2007

Founder, Owner, and President of Espanol Marketing and Communications, Eva May, gives insight into how retailers can target Hispanic consumers.

Eva May, Founder, Owner, and President of Espanol Marketing and Communications, explains what retailers and manufacturers should do to delve into Hispanic marketing by outlining some of the key differences. Eva discusses the current size of the Hispanic market, its sub-segments, and the impact of television and radio campaigns on these consumers. She also touches on what retailers are currently doing in the stores to reach Hispanics, including hiring Spanish-speaking employees. In addition, she predicts the growth trend of this segment of the population over the next five years based on the immigration laws. Finally, she shares why implementing a successful marketing campaign to Hispanics is not that intimidating or difficult, and is actually a very smart idea.
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Published: June 18, 2007

Founder and President of e*media division, Anna Murray, discusses how retailers can be doing a better job of using the internet.

Anna Murray discusses some important things she believes brick and mortar retailers can be doing to more effectively use the web. She shares how consumers are looking online for more local information so it is critical for stores to use that to their advantage by doing such things as email marketing, updating their website to look clean and professional, and optimizing search engines. She also touches on some common mistakes that should be avoided. Finally, she offers her opinion of what percentage of a company's total advertising budget should be dedicated to the web.
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Published: June 11, 2007

Sales Expert Jim Pancero discusses sales management and the issues around it.

Jim Pancero shares helpful insight regarding working with sales managers. He explains their typical habits and roles, and how having a better understanding of their job description could easily help their sales reps be more successful. He discusses the importance of coaching, leading, and directing to build a team that doesn't have to be "hand-held." Jim believes success in an organization today is not based on what the sales reps do, but on what the leadership does to help the sales reps do better. Finally, he offers a free 20 questions evaluation of your sales skills on his website: www.greatsalesskills.com
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Published: May 31, 2007

Dr. Christine Niero from Professional Testing shares about the accreditation program the NARMS is putting into place.

Dr. Christine Niero of Professional Testing explains what the new accreditation program being established by NARMS is all about, including the design of industry standards and practices. She shares why a company would want to become accredited and outlines what the approval process will entail. Finally, she predicts that the program will be launched this summer and encourages those with questions to visit the NARMS website for more information.
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Published: May 23, 2007

Atul Parvatiyvar shares about a recent study regarding the outsourcing of sales and marketing activities by food brokers.

Atul Parvatiyvar of the Institute for Customer Relationship Management explains a study on the value of outsourcing sales and marketing activities primarily by food brokers and sales and marketing agencies. Its focus was to find out what is the value produced by the sales and marketing agencies for the CPG industry, as well as to find out the various ways in which marketing productivity is created by the actions of sales and marketing agencies. He elaborates on how the information was compiled and identifies its key findings. Finally, he shares about an additional part of the study that should be out by the end of May.
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Published: May 17, 2007

Audrey Fry of Canadian Merchandising and Assembly Services shares about how Canadians can benefit from NARMS membership.

Canadian Audrey Fry explains why membership in NARMS has been beneficial for her company. She discusses how the sharing of ideas and problems has been meaningful to the success of her business, elaborating that many issues are the same in both countries. She encourages other Canadian merchandising companies to join the organization to become better at what they do, to develop relationships, and to learn to share and to work together with competitors.
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Published: May 17, 2007

Gregg Morrison, Chair of the PIC Committee, shares about the role of the committee and the benefits members can receive from being part of NARMS.

VP of Davaco and Chair of the NARMS Professional Installation Companies (PIC) Committee, Gregg Morrison, explains who belongs to the committee and how it can be beneficial to members. He highlights things such as networking, current information, exposure, and the website as valuable resources that NARMS provides to professional installation companies. Finally, he details the results of a recent study his company conducted regarding the value of PIC.
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Published: May 14, 2007

Co-Chair of the MSO Committee for NARMS, Christian Warren, shares why an MSO company should be involved in the organization.

Co-Chair of the MSO Committee for NARMS, Christian Warren, gives insight into how MSO companies can benefit from attending the annual conference, as well as being a part of the organization. He highlights such things as networking, the information NARMS provides, the website, and the Conference Expo. In addition, Christian explains the role of the MSO Committee. Finally, he shares about how easy it is to get involved with NARMS.
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Published: May 7, 2007

2007 NARMS Conference Keynote Speaker Stan Slap shares about how to create customer service relationships that help companies go to the next level.

Stan Slap summarizes his keynote session on customer service. He believes that the culture defines the success of brand and reaching the employee and customer cultures is critical. Stan shares that the best customer service experiences are found in companies who understand that they sell both a product and a process. He explains how the customer experience can be measured. Finally, Stan gives examples of both a company with exceptional customer service as well as one with poor service.
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Published: May 7, 2007

Sales expert Jim Pancero shares his advice for the seasoned salesperson.

Jim Pancero discusses how experienced salespeople can hunt for new sales. He emphasizes the importance on on-going, in-depth training, even for the seasoned veteran. Jim describes the three most important characteristics of a good salesperson as being one who is structured, proactive, and thinks ahead. He believes success in selling today is a science, not an art. Finally, Jim shares what he believes are the most significant things a salesperson can work on right now.
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Published: May 7, 2007

Keynote speaker Michael Bergdahl summarizes his "How to Thrive in a Wal-Mart World" session from the 2007 NARMS Conference.

Michael Bergdahl discusses strategies that Wal-Mart currently uses which may help other companies thrive in the retail industry. He shares about Sam Walton's emphasis on people and pulling the potential out of them. Michael gives insight into how other businesses can glean valuable information regarding human resources from Walton's expertise, including his strategy of "picking them green". Finally, he gives an overview of his three books.
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Published: May 7, 2007

Kevin Coupe of MorningNewsBeat.com discusses lessons the retail industry can learn from the Don Imus controversy.

Kevin Coupe of MorningNewsBeat.com shares his insight regarding the Don Imus controversy and how it can communicate important lessons for the retail industry. He explains a couple of real life examples of where tolerance and intolerance cross purposes and the impact that such disagreements can potentially have. Kevin believes companies need to think through how they will handle diversity issues to prevent from doing it badly.
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Published: April 23, 2007

James Tenser, Principal of VSN Strategies, explains the revolution of "shopper media", the communication of brand messages in the store.

Principal of VSN Strategies, James Tenser, shares what in-store advertising is meaning to brands at retail. He explains that the revolution of "shopper media" is the shift of advertising from conventional media (tv, etc.) to media that reaches the consumer closer to the point of decision at retail. He shares where the money is being spent, including coupon delivery systems and digital media. James predicts what the future holds for this revolution in the next few years. Finally, he previews a study his company conducted last fall with brand marketers that is soon to be published.
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Published: April 14, 2007

Craig Calton, VP of Center Store Advertising and Promotional Programs for Associated Grocers - Seattle, discusses the role of the independent retailer in the whole supply chain.

VP of Associated Grocers - Seattle, Craig Calton, shares about the current role of the independent retailer. He challenges the manufacturing industry to view independent retailers differently, including seeing that they represent a large share of opportunity for them. He explains ways that independent retailers are much more in tune with the consumer and discusses how when a manufacturer and independent retailer work more closely together, they can better meet the needs of the consumer.

Published: April 6, 2007

Mary Jo Bastuba, Senior National Field Manager for Nintendo, discusses the challenges of launching Wii in November, 2006.

Senior National Field Manager for Nintendo, Mary Jo Bastuba, shares about launching Wii last November. She details some of the challenges they had to overcome regarding their desire to have interactive displays at retail. She explains how this game is geared for consumers of all ages. In addition, Mary Jo touches on shrink in conjunction with selling their products. Finally, she gives input as to how retailers should merchandise high-end electronic items.
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Published: April 4, 2007

2007 NARMS Conference Speaker, Abe "Walking Bear" Sanchez, summarizes what participants can expect to hear at the "Largest Asset - Least Understood: Credit as a Profit Center" seminar on Sunday, April 15.

Founder and President of AR Management, Abe "Walking Bear" Sanchez gives an overview of his Sunday session at the 2007 NARMS Conference regarding credit. His goal is to create a paradigm shift so businesses can see credit as a "profit center waiting to happen." He stresses three important reasons why business people should extend credit to their customers. Finally, he summarizes how participants will benefit from what they hear.
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Published: April 2, 2007

Chuck Latham, incoming Chairman of the NARMS Board of Directors, previews this year's NARMS Conference being held in Tucson, Arizona, from April 13-17.

Incoming Chairman of the NARMS Board of Directors, Chuck Latham, previews the 2007 NARMS Annual Conference in Tucson. He explains what a typical member of NARMS is like and gives his personal testimony of how NARMS has been beneficial to him and his company. He elaborates on what an attendee can expect from participating in the upcoming conference, including obtaining ideas on how to get business and run their business more successfully.
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Published: March 28, 2007

Gary Hoover, leading thinker in the retail industry, offers a variety of insight into this segment of the marketplace.

Gary Hoover, founder of Hoovers.com and leading thinker in the retail industry, shares insight into what made retailers successful in history, including the "showmanship" often seen 50-100 years ago. He shares lessons from history, and how understanding the demographics of an area is of great importance. Gary emphasizes that the fundamentals of knowing their customers, loving their merchandise, and sharing that love with their customers are the basics of success for any company. Finally, he elaborates on his prediction that in the future, aging baby boomers will spend more money on experiences rather than possessions.
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Published: March 28, 2007

David Rich, President of ICC Decision Services, shares some ideas for measuring in-store customer service.

Past President of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association and current President of ICC Decision Services, David Rich, discusses how stores need to analyze their customer service to set benchmarks and make improvements. He shares some of the current ways retailers are measuring their customer's experience including surveying their customers and mystery shopping. David explains how long it typically takes to change service at a store or within a chain. He concludes by predicting future trends that point to increased value for service leaders.
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Published: March 28, 2007

Dan Borschke, President and CEO of NARMS International, shares about the Australian retail industry.

Having recently returned from a trip to Australia, Dan Borschke gives insight into their retail industry. He explains some of the differences between the US and Australian marketplaces. In addition, he discusses some of their top retailers, including Woolworth and Harvey Norman. Dan elaborates on what North American NARMS members can learn from their Australian counterparts such as their points of contact and business models. Finally, he predicts what 2008 may hold for the land "Down Under".
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Published: March 28, 2007

Phil Lauria, moderator of a panel of leading retailers and manufacturers at the NARMS Conference in Tucson, shares about the "Super Session" being held on Tuesday, April 17.

Phil Lauria, moderator of the "Super Session" at the 2007 NARMS Conference in Tucson, discusses the leading thinkers that will be participating in the panel. Not only does he give an overview, he also shares insight into the subject for the session entitled "Retail Marketing: Future Needs - Future Solutions."
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Published: March 28, 2007

Trends Analyst and Futurist, Dr. Roger Selbert, shares insight into integrated retailing and consumer shopping behaviors.

Publisher and Editor of Integrated Retailing and Growth Strategies, Dr. Roger Selbert, elaborates on the trend of integrated retailing. He identifies those retailers who are currently doing it well and are profitably growing because of it. Dr. Selbert discusses the importance of catalogs and websites in driving traffic to the retail store. He explains that what determined the holiday shopping behavior of consumers in 2006 was stores who had desired items in stock and had a liberal, easy return policy. Finally, he offers some predictions of what will happen in the retail industry in 2007.
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Published: March 26, 2007

NARMS Vice President and IFBA Executive Director, Ken McKenzie, shares what people can expect at the 2007 IFBA Top to Top Conference this May in Chicago.

Ken McKenzie, NARMS Vice President and IFBA Executive Director, gives an overview of what will be happening at the upcoming IFBA Top to Top Conference in Chicago from May 3-5, 2007. He shares why participaing in the event can be of great value. In addition, he explains how you can become a member of IFBA and learn about the calendar of events for this year.
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Published: March 19, 2007

Senior VP of Dechert-Hampe, Ben Ball, discusses the findings of "The Sales Force of the Future" survey.

Ben Ball, Senior VP of Dechert-Hampe, shares the results of the 2006 survey entitled "The Sales Force of the Future" that was recently conducted by his company. The survey attempts to find out whether or not the priorities of senior executives match up with those of their customers, and focuses on the following attributes: selling skills, analysis, consumer group, demand generation, and creativity (strategic thinking and innovation). Ben gives insight into the conclusions found in 2002 versus 2006, and even predicts what 2010 may hold. He suggests what key account executives should do to prepare themselves, including developing effective channel markets and customer-specific marketing programs.
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Published: March 12, 2007

Cindy Johnson, Founder of Sampling Effectiveness Advisors, shares why brands should choose to do sampling over another type of promotion.

Founder of Sampling Effectiveness Advisors, Cindy Johnson, offers reasons why brands choose to promote themselves through sampling. She explains why she believes this type of promotion is more important today than ever. She also clarifies why brands sample inside the store versus outside of it. Cindy suggests some ways that brands can improve their product sampling results and explains what can drive a better return on investment.
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Published: February 27, 2007

Laura Davis-Taylor, Founder and Principal of Retail Media Consulting, shares insight into Retail Media and the changing marketplace.

Laura Davis-Taylor explains what Retail Media is and why the store as a media channel is becoming a new communications darling. She discusses Retail DIGITAL Media and how it will help transform shopping as we know it. She touches on some of the challenges that exist and how the retail and advertising industries should respond to them.
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Published: February 27, 2007

Author of The Trader Joe's Adventure - Turning a Unique Approach to Business into a Retail and Cultural Phenomenon, Len Lewis, discusses the company Trader Joe's.

Author, speaker, and journalist Len Lewis shares a history of the Trader Joe's company. He describes their marketing mix as "low-priced gourmet", including their famous wine, "Two Buck Chuck". Len forecasts their long-term future by explaining how they may go about opening new stores.
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Published: February 25, 2007

Meeting and Event Planning for Dummies author, Susan Friedman, shares insight into common mistakes exhibitors make when participating in a trade show.

The "Trade Show Coach" and author, Susan Friedman, shares seven errors exhibitors commonly make when participating in trade shows. These include not having a plan-of-action, failing to set quantifiable goals, failing to build brand awareness, not giving visitors an incentive to stop by your booth, failing to have give-aways that work, failing to realize your people are your marketing team, and not having a proper follow-up plan. Susan elaborates on each of these mistakes and gives ideas on how to correct them.
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Published: February 25, 2007

President and Founder of CFS Consulting Group, Charlie Moro shares some insight as to how the small manufacturer can make new items successful in the marketplace.

Charlie Moro, President and Founder of CFS Consulting Group, discusses ways that small manufacturers can successfully introduce new items into the marketplace. He suggests taking credit for something such as considerations for minority businesses, as well as being willing to work on the timeline of the supermarket or chain. Charlie believes that patience is very important and it is wise to have an aggressive promotional plan with demos. Finally, he discusses the importance of developing relationships with both the distributor and the retailer.
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Published: February 14, 2007

Wharton School Marketing Professor, Peter Fader, describes some of the current research in consumer shopping habits.

Marketing Professor Peter Fader explains some of the current findings in consumer shopping habits, including path-tracker technology which helps researchers learn exactly where the shoppers go in a store and what they have with them when they leave. He attributes Sorenson Associates with conducting much of the research. Professor Fader shares observations made directly from the raw data including the efficiency of shoppers, patterns of cross-category shopping, and the speed with which consumers shop. He gives insight into how the layout of the store affects consumer decisions and buying patterns.
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Published: February 14, 2007

Women's Wear Daily columnist, Faye Brookman, discusses some current developments in the chain drug store industry.

Faye Brookman, a columnist for Women's Wear Daily, shares some insight into recent changes with the two major pharmacies in America: CVS and Walgreen's. She discusses the differences in both their management philosophies and their growth plans. Finally, Faye shares her thoughts on the future of having the "mini-clinic" within the stores, as well as other upcoming trends in the industry.
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Published: January 31, 2007

Kit Moss, Chair of the NARMS Board of Directors, shares some of the progress that the organization has experienced this past year.

Kit Moss, President and CEO of Kit Moss Productions and Chair of the NARMS Board of Directors, shares information about the upcoming Spring Conference in April, the introduction of the accreditation program, and the benefits of the website to members. Because of the increased recognition of the organization, she believes that NARMS membership is valuable to any participant in the retail industry and is a useful networking tool. Kit highlights ways that recent changes like technology have impacted the event marketing/merchandising/demonstration business. Finally, she predicts what the future holds for NARMS.
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Published: January 15, 2007

Warren Thayer, the editor of Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Retailer, discusses recent trends in the Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Industry.

Warren Thayer offers insight into recent trends in the Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Industry. He discusses food safety, shelf-life, and quality issues for each sector. Warren mentions niches within the particular industries that are showing great success.
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Published: January 3, 2007

Michelle Nichols, sales columnist and host of the Savvy Selling podcast for BusinessWeek.com, shares insights into ways to sell more.

Sales columnist, Michelle Nichols, shares that her secret to increasing sales is found in taking an interest in people. She believes that connection with the client must be a priority so the ideas you are presenting don't fall on deaf ears. She stresses how doing background research on clients and companies can make the connections more meaningful and effective. Finally, Michelle suggests that salespeople must not only know who their clients are, but also who they are.
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Published: December 20, 2006

Anne Obarski of Merchandise Concepts gives an update regarding Macys goal of implementing service strategies to keep their customers coming back.

Anne Obarski, Executive Director of Merchandise Concepts, shares an update on Macys strategy of aiming to become known as the only department store across the country. She touches on the focused leadership and the steps they are taking to make the stores more customer-friendly. She discusses the impact of tradition on customer loyalty. Finally, Anne predicts that both freshness and fun are going to be seen in 2007 at Macys.
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Published: December 12, 2006

Bill Bittner, of BWH Consulting, discusses the latest trends in technology applications for the retail channel.

Bill Bittner gives insight into the latest trends in the grocery channel in terms of retail applications of technology, including the centralization of IP functions. In particular, he discusses what is happening in convenient stores. Mr. Bittner also shares background into the evolution of technology in retail, and predicts what the future may hold, including the impact of RFID.
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Published: November 28, 2006

Dr. Michael Mercer, America's Hire The Best expert, creator of pre-employment tests, and author, discusses hiring and retaining quality employees.

Dr. Michael Mercer offers insight into how to hire and retain quality employees. He suggests a variety of ways employers can prepare for the interview process to ensure that the person chosen to fill the job is the perfect fit. He also shares the value of asking open and indirect questions in the interview process to help reveal the personality and talents of the potential employee. Finally, he discusses the value of using pre-employment testing on prospective workers.
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Published: November 21, 2006

Matthew Hudson, a retail artist, author, and owner of The Big Feet Store, discusses some of the many issues that independent retailers face in today's competitive business world.

Matthew Hudson shares his insight into the biggest issues an independent retailer faces when going up against big box store in today's business economy. He offers a variety of solutions for smaller retailers to use to combat the heavy competition including loyalty programs, education, and avoiding "sales". Matthew touches on the value of finding a niche and shares his "secret sauce" recipe for success for smaller retailers.
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Published: November 12, 2006

Phil Lempert, expert food expert and supermarket guru discusses the future of the industry.

Phil Lempert discusses the food industry with regards to such important topics including organics, and obesity and how retailers can leverage them to their advantage. Phil also discusses the role probiotics will play in improving our diet.
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Published: November 3, 2006

Warren Thayer, editor of Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Retailer, discusses the impact of private label products in the grocery industry.

Warren Thayer shares his insight into the metamorphosis that is occurring in the private label industry, including its slight decline compared to the national brands. In addition, he explains the overall impact of Wal-Mart's private labele products. Warren concludes the interview by giving his opinions on the future of private labels.
Length: 8:50
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Published: October 3, 2006

RFID Technology is spreading, Bob Amster and Mark Lilien of the Retail Technology Group discuss the role RFID has in the retail industry.

Bob Amster and Mark Lilien discuss the speed with which RFID is catching on and the key issues facing the expansion of RFID. They discuss its current and future uses, including inventory management, product safety, and loss prevention. In addition, they talk about the benefits and challenges of using RFID versus bar codes and why some retailers are not moving towards using RFID.
Length: 18:05
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Published: September 4, 2006

Kevin Coupe of Morning News Beat discusses Tesco and their expansion into the US and how Wal-Mart and others may choose to respond.

Tesco has announced plans to build stores on the west coast. Kevin Coupe of Morning News Beat discusses how Tesco will bring their global expertise to the US and what their convenience stores may look like. Kevin also shares how retailers such as Wal-Mart may choose to respond and the impact it may have on their growth plans due to changes in the retail landscape.
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Published: September 4, 2006

Update on the NARMS ROI study and the latest consumer insights from IRI

Steve Frenda, Vice President at IRI discusses how the consumers’ expectations have changed in the past couple of years and the difficulty retailers and manufacturers are having as a result of this change. Steve shares this as part of his update on the study IRI is conducting for NARMS which is designed to put to rest the discussion around the question of determining what the return on investment is regarding various in-store marketing activities.
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Published: September 4, 2006

Anne Obarski, an ex-buyer for the May Co. shares her views on retail labor and what the future holds for Macy's.

Anne Obarskis is an ex-buyer for the May Company which provides her with insights into the retail industry and why many retailers fail in how they use their employees to grow their sales. As a bonus Anne shares her perspective on the changes going on at Macy's and what we can expect to see from this key retailer.
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Published: September 4, 2006

The NARMS MSO Benchmarking Study is an overview of the key services performed by MSO companies in retail stores. Chris Dammann, the author of the study shares several of the key findings.

Chris Dammann of the Christopher Group recently completed an update to the MSO Benchmarking Study and in this interview he shares some of the key findings and explains how retailers, manufacturers, and merchandising service companies can use the information. Length: 8:49

Published: July 12, 2006

HR expert, Doug Pedersen, shares insight into the role of 1099 versus W2 personnel.

CEO and President of HR Systems, Doug Pedersen, discusses the difference between 1099 labor and W2 personnel. He defines what each type is and gives his opinion on whether or not it is worthwhile to have both within the same company. In addition, he discusses moving personnel from one type to the other and some of the ramifications of doing so. Length 8:50
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Published: July 12, 2006

Observation of customers leads to a variety of conclusions for the Supermarket industry.

Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Mason School of Business, Dr. Kenny Herbst gives his insight into a supermarket shopper traffic study he recently conducted and presented at FMI. He explains specific findings such as spending tendencies over time, gender preferences, the influence of offering samples, and the impact of the customer taking a list. Part 1 of a 2-part audio. Length: 10:46
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Published: July 12, 2006

Observation of customers leads to a variety of conclusions for the Supermarket industry.

Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Mason School of Business, Dr. Kenny Herbst gives his insight into a supermarket shopper traffic study he recently conducted and presented at FMI. He explains specific findings such as spending tendencies over time, gender preferences, the influence of offering samples, and the impact of the customer taking a list. This is part 2 of a 2-part audio program
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Published: July 6, 2006

Being a member of both POPAI and NARMS is beneficial for those in marketing and concerned about the growth of the retail industry.

Recorded at GlobalShop 2006, Dick Blatt, President and CEO of POPAI, discusses its role in the industry and some of the keys issues that its members face at retail. In addition, Kurt Witzel, Senior Manager of Retail Marketing for Anheuser-Busch and the current Treasurer of POPAI, shares some of the benefits of being a member. Together, they give insight into the future of the retail industry and the impact of in-store marketing upon it. Length: 8:05
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Published: July 6, 2006

Author and Sales Pro Strategist, Art Turock, discusses the future trends for the role of suppliers.

Author and Sales Pro Strategist, Art Turock, discusses the future role of suppliers in regards to how they sell and relate to their accounts. He gives insight into successful ways to market their products, in addition to explaining the issue of price vs. advertising in purchasing decisions. Art gives tips on how to draw people into the store and discusses how the reduction of the size of the middle class in the future will impact store design. Finally, he discusses how Safeway’s lifestyle format differentiates itself from Walmart. Length 10:53
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Published: July 6, 2006

According to Tom Ingram, business system processes should be the top priority in the CPG industry if increasing efficiency is the objective.

Process Improvement Consultant, Tom Ingram discusses what he believes are the 4 big “rocks” to implementing a new set of processes and systems or making substantial changes to their existing system. He discusses the key process issues for retail merchandising systems and stresses the importance of basic management and value skills, such as performing on commitments. By using several “horror stories”, he communicates how to prevent an unsuccessful outcome from occurring. Length: 11:58
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Published: June 7, 2006

Lou Maiellano, former National Category Manager for Sonoco, shares some information on consumer tendencies when visiting a c-store and how they can capitalize on their behavior.

A convenience store industry expert, Lou Maiellano discusses many issues that affect their profitability. He explains the differences between the habits of convenience and grocery channel consumers as well as the impact of various categories such as tobacco products on the c-store's bottom line. In addition, he shares ideas that drive in-store traffic and successful pay-at-the-pump campaigns. Finally, he describes how to help get consumers to buy across channels at convenience stores and the impact of higher gas prices upon their bottom line. Length 13:06

Published: June 6, 2006

Hiring of managers is the hardest part of your job and few things will impact your profit more.

The future of any retailer is in creating an "engaged customer" and it starts by creating an "engaged employee." Based off of his work with numerous convenience store chains and others, Dr. Farner shares what it takes to hire the right manager and what a good hire can do for the bottom-line of the store. Length 9:14

Published: June 4, 2006

Manufacturers today are more concerned than ever about being able to measure the effectiveness of their in-store merchandising activities and to understand better how to deploy their resources.

Paul Fowler of CMS Consulting meets on a regular basis with senior sales managers from numerous manufacturers and retailers. Paul shares his insights on what manufacturers are looking for and what retailers expect including retailers such as Wal-Mart. Length 14:40
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Published: June 4, 2006

Kit Moss, 2006-2007 Chair for NARMS shares her plans for this year

Kit Moss, the Chair of the Board of Directors for NARMS, explains how the organization is divided. She elaborates on what the board's goals are for 2006-2007, including enlarging the manufacturer and retailer membership rosters and building the brand image of the organization. Furthermore, she explains the value of belonging to NARMS to a variety of businesses. Kit concludes by describing GlobalShop and NARMS participation in it.
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Published: June 4, 2006

Resetting sections is a key actitivy at retail yet too many times they're not done on time or correctly

Greg Gates, the Director of Image Merchandising Solutions with Gladson Interactive, discusses some of the key items in space management that cross nearly every retail channel for all types of customers. In addition, he gives his thoughts on what merchandisers can do to implement shelving changes more quickly and then maintain the plan for the long-term. Greg also gives insight into reasons for lost sales as they relate to shelving, and the failure to maintain a shelf set.
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Published: June 4, 2006

Russell Hollrah, Attorney at Law discusses the role of the independent contractor

Attorney at Law, Russell Hollrah shares how to draw up a contract when using an independent contractor and discusses how to avoid some of the legal of issues organizations face when using independent contractors. Length: 4:33

Published: May 4, 2006

Peter Tully Discusses the Development of the Australian Chapter of NARMS

Not only is Peter Tully the Director of the Marketing Department, he is responsible for bringing NARMS to Australia and is a key figure responsible in making NARMS an international organization. Recorded at the 2006 NARMS Spring Conference, Peter discusses the Australian marketplace and the impact that the Australian chapter can have on the retail industry. Length: 5:04

Published: May 4, 2006

Allan Tyreman Discusses His Role in Bringing NARMS to Canada

Recorded at the 2006 NARMS Spring Conference in Florida, Allan Tyreman gives insight into his role of heightening the awareness of NARMS in the Canadian marketplace. He discusses his plans for targeting Canadian retailers as well as the values and benefits of the US chapter to current NARMS members that live in Canada. Length: 3:15

Published: May 3, 2006

Senior Editor of DSN Retailing Today, Mike Troy shares his views on Wal-Mart's new prototype store.

Mike Troy, editor of Connecting Northwest Arkansas, a supplement of Retailing Today, shares his insights about his recent visit to the Wal-mart prototype store that now open in Plano, Texas. In this interview conducted at the 2006 NARMS Spring Conference in Florida, he explains why he doesn't believe Wal-mart is going upscale. Length: 4:42
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Published: May 3, 2006

John Grifferty Shares the Findings of a Recent Survey of NARMS Members

John Grifferty, of McKinley Marketing, Inc., discusses a recent survey his firm conducted on how satisfied NARMS members are with the organization. In this interview recorded at the 2006 NARMS Spring Conference, he explains how the assessment was conducted and what NARMS will do with the results of their findings to better serve their membership. Length: 4:25
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Published: April 26, 2006

Consumers have more options than ever... Bryan Gildenberg reveals which retail segments have the best chance of succeeding in today's marketplace.

Management Ventures, Chief Knowledge Officer Bryan Gildenberg discusses which retailers are postitioned the best to succeed and some of the key consumer trends impacting where they spend their money.
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Published: April 25, 2006

Dennis Snow discusses how details do matter if you expect to deliver customer excellence

If you attended the 2006 NARMS Spring Conference you heard Dennis Snow deliver a riveting general session presentation on customer service which resulted in a standing ovation. In this interview Dennis shares even more insights on how to deliver customer excellence by focusing on the details.
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Published: April 25, 2006

Don Soderquist, retired senior vice chairman and COO of Wal-Mart discusses ethics in business.

Recorded live at the 2006 NARMS Conference, Don Soderquist, retired vice chairman and COO of Wal-Mart shares how the issue of ethics has shaped the decision making process and what individuals can do to prevent their own ethics from being compromised

Published: April 25, 2006

Dan Borschke, President of NARMS discusses the global expansion of NARMS

NARMS is quickly becoming a global association. Dan Borschke discusses his travels to Australia and Japan and what global expansion of NARMS means to the membership in North America. Recorded live at GlobalShop 2006, Orlando Florida
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Published: April 24, 2006

Harold Lloyd is known throughout the grocery industry for his keen insights and views on what it takes to be successful.

Harold Lloyd works with leading grocery retailers in the US and globally and in this interview he shares his views on many of the major players in the industry and what he sees happening in the industry.
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Published: March 21, 2006

John Messervey, President of the National Family Business Council discusses key things to watch out for when buying or selling a business.

Buying or selling a business is a very difficult task in even the best of circumstances. John provides an unbiased opinion on what to look for when buying a company and what to do when selling a company. This interview is a must listen for anybody who is either planning on buying or selling a company in the next several years. Length: 9:36

Published: March 21, 2006

Bob Plante of Insurance First discusses the workers comp issue and what companies can do to minimize workers comp

Every company deals with the issue of workers comp, in this interview Bob Plante shares what you can do to reduce your workers comp rates. Bob also shares what he sees happening to workers comp in the coming years and gives specific insights into what is occurring in the state of California. Length: 14:29
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Published: March 21, 2006

Bert Fife discusses the demo industry and her insights from her 20plus years of experience

Bert Fife is well respected in the demo industry for her insights based on more than 20 years of experience. Since selling her demo agency she has been able to view the agency business model with a critical eye to what it takes to succeed. In this interview she shares her views on the industry and what it takes to standout in the marketplace.

Published: March 14, 2006

Promo on NARMS Podcast Series

This is a short bumper that precedes the NARMS interview podcasts.
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Published: March 1, 2006

NARMS Radio features interviews with experts from throughout the retail industry.

NARMS Radio is the voice of the industry and provides you with the opportunity to hear from leading experts on topics designed to provide you with the information you need to succeed.
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Published: March 1, 2006

Bob Cich shares some of the roadblocks we face in dealing with time management and what we can do to overcome them.

Bob Cich is a time management expert and shares the same expertise he provides to numerous companies on how to become more productive and to identify what your key priorities are. Bob is a presenter at the NARMS 2006 Conference.
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Published: March 1, 2006

Ginger Nichols shares insights in how to make meetings more productive and how to avoid common mistakes.

Too many times we find ourselves attending meetings that are not productive. Ginger Nichols shares practical ideas you can use to make your meetings more productive. She also shares ways to avoid having to attend unnecessary meetings. She is a presenter at the 2006 NARMS Conference.
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Published: March 1, 2006

Listen as Dennis Snow shares what it takes to delivery ultimate customer and client service

Dennis Snow served for more than 20 years with the Walt Disney World Company and today he speaks to audiences around the world on the subject of what it take to deliver ultimate customer service. Dennis shares in this interview steps anyone can take to begin delivering ultimate in customer service. Dennis Snow is a keynote speaker at the 2006 NARMS Conference.
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Published: March 1, 2006

Karen Post explains why branding is so critical for companies of all size including service companies

Karen Post is known as the Branding Diva based on her extensive work in helping companies brand themselves. In this program Karen shares why it is essential for even small service companies to brand themselves. Karen explains how to identify a key difference and how you can use it to brand your company.
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Published: March 1, 2006

Learn what retailers can do to help improve their ability to attract women shoppers

Kellyanne Conway shares from her book of the same name key techniques retailers can do to reach women. Kellyanne breaks down the typical stereotypes marketers have used to target women and why they are no longer effective in today's society.
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