I often refer to a quote by Helen Keller’s teacher:
“I came to teach, but I stayed to learn.” That describes every class I have ever taught, every fashion show I have done….and more. I have always found frontline decisions and experience to be the most valuable…along with sage advice from our sales reps…that give us insider tips on survival. I always look forward to market to pull me up out of the fray of my everyday retail life to re-focus in a beautiful and caring market atmosphere… reviewing the designer’s current offerings (while searching for some “new” to add to the mix).
But something keeps us going. It’s the smile of a satisfied customer who received rave reviews at last night’s reception for her company…or on her cruise. A “where did you get that gorgeous outfit?” goes a long way!
One of my current favorites from a forever customer while at the airport in LondonEngland….A very gentile English lady came up to me and said “Would it make you mad if I threw you down on the ground and snatched your jacket? I just love it!”
Laura smiled and said “It probably would, so why don’t I just tell you where I got it.” You couldn’t make that one up!
Our survival strategies seminar covered many diverse directions gleaned over the years, including:
· Fashion Show Production, made easy and profitable
· Closet Makeovers
· 3 X 5 Wardrobe Plan
· Packing Checklists for Planning Travel wardrobe (For men and women)
· Conducting Fashion Seminars
· Publicity opportunities you may not have realized were there.
· Question and Answer portion
There is always more from where that came from. Find out here: http://www.petuniapatch.org/
Peggy held a seminar at the Atlanta Apparel Market this past weekend.
Small store. Big Store. Megastore. We all feel the pressure from our competition. How should we compete? The knee-jerk reaction is to lower our prices. When it comes to Oriental rugs, the best way is to take a lesson from a generation ago – make it job #1 to provide great service. That starts by becoming passionate for this art form, and getting educated and comfortable with answering customers’ questions about the rugs you sell.
Interior Designer and popular design blogger Brad Ford, is featured on the cover of Lonny magazine’s holiday issue. Lonny, a new online shelter magazine, chose Brad to design an earth vibe spread for the issue. 
I enjoyed speaking with buyers at the October Atlanta Apparel Market about how social media can help their businesses. Social Media tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube can help store owners engage and build relationships with customers. Good social media success stories include Zappos, Will it Blend and Fabrik Atlanta. Remember the rules you learned in kindergarten… listen first, be polite, be yourself and share. Well, the same apply to using social media tools. 
hit the floors. While many were looking to fill in sparse inventories prior to the holiday rush, a group from VerdeGo – a design and garden center in Bunnell, Fla. – was in Atlanta to buy for a new store as they expand to a second location.
industry experts’ advice about how to grow business in a tough economy. Crafty buyers learned to creatively construct gift baskets that will thrill customers while garnering strong profit margins. And one of the most popular spots of 
the morning was a social media seminar explaining why smart retailers should make the most ofopportunities to speak to customers through Web sites, Facebook, Twitter and every other possible medium. Foodies learned from one of Atlanta’s top chefs, Shaun Doty in the state-of-the-art Gourmet Kitchen in Building 2 WestWing. And in the afternoon, the much anticipated Best of Atlanta winning gourmet products were revealed.
University class; ample opportunities to source exceptional product from both permanent and temporary exhibitors and get ready for a promising holiday buying season.
Jane Fort, editor-in-chief of TeenPROM magazine and Linda Korman, advertising director of TeenPROM and SeventeenPROM, took to the podium on Saturday during Market to a full house with more than 90 attendees at their seminar. Jane and Linda spoke directly to the group of buyers and exhibitors about trends for next Prom season, what they are hearing and seeing about Prom, how to get the girl and her mom in the store and keep them there and much more. Attendees got real insider information and walked away with tools to make the sale and continue growing stronger.
There is no question that the Internet is a place where you can find great prices if you are willing to give up personalized customer service. So why does a Full Service Specialty Boutique need a website?
