Workshops At A Glance

Super Social Media

Judy Connor of StillGoode Consignments will show you how to maximize your social media presence on proven leading platforms including; Facebook, Instagram, Google and Pinterest. This workshop is designed so you will learn how to create ads, edit photos and add branding by using apps. With the touch of a finger, you will learn how to give your social media a facelift and get things sold! Create stories to enhance engagement and to schedule ads to post during optimal viewing times.

Creating a Successful Marketing Calendar

Develop your marketing calendar to keep current customers returning and cultivate new ones. Vena Holden of Selective Seconds will help you develop a plan to schedule events, sales, give-aways and more. Learn when the best time is to have a “sale” vs hand markdowns. Acquire new ideas for events and create a template to make sure each one has the best chance for success. Have a marketing calendar with a list of ideas for events and sales with a checklist form to make sure you have covered everything.   

Train Better Buyers

Regardless of what kind of store you run selecting the right inventory and pricing it to sell is the most important job in the store. Good buying increases profitability, and enhances the reputation of your business while it makes for happy loyal customers. Cynthia Riley, former owner of Closet Revival, will share her tips to teach you how to select, train, educate and empower your buyers. Learn why ongoing buyer training is the key to success. Analyze what sells and why. Minimize markdowns while maximizing margins.

The Power of Positivity

Does your store have signs & handouts with words like no, not, don’t, won’t, can’t and more negativity? Do you hear yourself or employees using the same word or tone? Sylvia Josey of Your Stuff Consignment Boutique will discuss great ideas on how to present a more positive, upbeat vibe in your store. Write signs and handouts without negative words. Create scripted dialogues for employees to use. Post telephone "speeches" for employees to read verbatim. Discover how to carry your store in a more positive direction.

Listening for Success

Being a better listener means providing the best customer experience. Lisa Mills of Sheriffs Ranches Enterprises will share ideas and ways to improve your listening skills. Learning to be a better listener will make you a better communicator with co-workers, customers and more! Listening is one of the soft skills often overlooked. Learn to use it the best way. Analyze your own listening skills and how discover how to improve them. Recognize how improved listening skills will lead to a better customer experience.

Four Faces of Resale Success

Every resale shop owner and manager can attract more customers and boost their resale success by learning four key personality types. Brad Hobbs of The Adorable Child will help us understand and identify each personality style. Applying the “Principles of Personality” will help you to create unique goals for your business’s success. Understand the four personality styles most commonly found in a successful resale business and the four types of work behind the most successful operations and marketing efforts.

Key to Loss & Theft Prevention

You may have experienced a major theft or break-in. Abe Sanchez of Article Consignment Boutique will help you prepare preventative tactics and put a plan in place so your loss will be minimal in value. He will show you how to reduce the impact of organized retail crime. Learn preventative measures to reduce loss and steps to take before something happens. Prepare a plan to eliminate the fear of the unknown. What to do after theft or burglary occurs. There will be bonus materials to help you get started.

I Have a Website...Now What?

You've been thinking and talking about a Website for years, along comes COVID-19 and with it...your shiny new Website. The "If you build it they will come" concept is best left to Hollywood because in the real world, if you build it you have to maintain it, market it, organize it and promote it to get them to come and shop. Whew! Colleen Lloyd-Roberts of Monkeys in Hats will talk about best practices to make your online store successful. Learn the basics you need for shopper experience (how do they find what they're looking for), promotions to drive more traffic to your Website and long term maintenance.

Pricing for Profit

You price tens, to hundreds, maybe even thousands of items every day. Are you pricing them efficiently? Are you pricing them correctly? Most importantly are you pricing them profitably? Yes, PROFIT is not a four letter word. It is why you are ultimately in business. In this eye opening presentation, NARTS President and “Pink Calculator Man,” Neil Abramson from Cutie Patuties Consignment will help you look at pricing in a whole new way…making you both more efficient and more profitable. Remember, the P in Price stands for Profit!

Authentication Authority 

Do you know how to detect if an item is authentic or counterfeit? How do you tell your supplier that you are unable to accept their knock off merchandise? Deanna   Thompson of Marque Luxury, who is nationally known for her expertise in authentication, will teach you how to spot the red flags from every day brands that guide you to verifying “the real thing.” Learn effective ways to communicate with your suppliers and customers about the importance of knowing the difference before they sell or buy.

It's SWOT Time!

Taking stock of your store’s “new normal” has never been more critical. Bonnie Kallenberg of Finders Keepers Consignments, will guide you through a SWOT Analysis to identify your store’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats in YOUR current situation. Brainstorm strategic moves to maximize new opportunities and navigate threats once never considered. Discover how embracing this helpful business practice can change your perspective and give you the courage to work through challenges and pivot as needed.

Start to Finish: Lessons Learned

We all lose sight of running a business and being an effective leader when the day to day tasks take over and we’re just running around putting out the fires. Angie Houloose, currently of AngieKaye and past owner of Absolutely Her, will be walking you through four areas including learning from outside our industry, asking better questions, store processes, and hiring & training. These four topics will assist in helping your business run smoothly, guiding your employees to stay on track as well as keeping you motivated and successful beyond the walls of your store.

Low-Cost High-End Displays

Do your displays pop? Are they economical? Peggy Levin of The Resale Shop will show you how to create any size display for little or no cost. With a combination of craft skills and creativity you can create stunning displays. Discuss where to obtain inexpensive materials and supplies to refresh your current displays. By session’s end learn how to refresh your current displays with new ideas. Discover some new ways to craft items to enhance displays and how to utilize donated or unsold merchandise for displays.

Finding & Engaging Productive Volunteers

How do you find volunteers? Ashley Maurer of Overflow Thrift Store shows practical steps in place to find and engage the best kind of volunteers, streamline the processes, and convince a board to invest in your organization’s volunteer program. By the end of the session, you will ... Evaluate store operations from a volunteer perspective. Learn practical ways to appreciate new and current volunteers. Understand and practice good volunteer on-boarding. Present volunteer program ROI calculations to your supervisors.

If you can't attend August 3rd-5th... all 15 workshops, plus other events, will be available on-demand for you to watch at your convenience!