AmericasMart University Offers Seminars in Best Business Practices

AmericasMart University Offers Seminars in Best Business Practices

ATLANTA, GA - the January 2009 session of AmericasMart® University (AMU), the retail business education program offered to buyers at the gift, home decor and area rug show in Atlanta, features classes in Retail Business Basics, Buying & Selling and Building Your Brand.

The January 2009 AMU schedule is:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2009

Explode Your Sales - Simple Marketing Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind (Buying & Selling - Beginner): Presenter - Bob Negen. Sponsored by One Coast. Breakfast. Location: Building 2 - West Wing, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Electronic Marketing - Easier, Cheaper, BETTER! (Building Your Brand - Beginner): Presenter - Bob Negen. Sponsored by One Coast. Location: Building 2 - West Wing, 10:30 a.m. to Noon.

Strategies in Developing an Exceptional Souvenir Business (Buying & Selling - Beginner): Presenter - Cathy Fischer. Sponsored by Options. Breakfast. Location: Building 2, West Wing, 6th Floor, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

A Crash Course on Buying (Buying & Selling - Beginner): Presenter - Mercedes Gonzales. Location: Building 3, 3rd Floor Conference Center, 10:30 a.m. to Noon.

Training the Best Sales Team (Retail Basics - Beginner): Presenter - Mercedes Gonzales. Location: Building 3, 3rd Floor Conference Center, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Increasing Sales by Understanding the Value of Designer Rugs (Buying & Selling - Beginner): Presenters - Suzanne Kasler, Jamie Drake and David Easton. Sponsored by Safavieh. Wine reception and ribbon cutting. Location: Building 1, Safavieh Showroom, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009

Doing Business in the New Norm (Retail Basics - Beginner): Presenters: John Haste and Becky Smith. Sponsored by IMAX. Breakfast. Location: Building 2 West Wing, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Where Have All the Customers Gone? (Building Your Brand - Beginner): Presenter - Chris Lemley. Location: Building 3, 3rd Floor Conference Center, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Hiring & Firing Employees (Retail Basics - Beginner): Presenter - Carol Hacker. Location: Building 3, 3rd Floor Conference Center, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Unique & Antique Rug Forum (Retail Basics - Beginner): Sponsored by the Oriental Rug Retailers Association (ORRA). Contact ORRA for details: 804.270.3195; orraarnold@verizon.net. Location: Building 1, 4th Floor, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

Walk the (Area Rug) Market with Phil (Retail Basics - Beginner): Presenter - Phil Menendian. Sponsored by the Oriental Rug Retailers Association (ORRA). Location: Building 1, 2nd Floor, ORRA booth, 11:00 a.m.

Are Your Sending Customers to Your Competition? (Retail Basics - Beginner): Presenters - Steve Boodakian and Sy Mahfuz, MERA Consulting Group. Location: Building 1, 4th Floor, 1:00 p.m.

Dates for the 2009 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market are January 6-14 (permanent showrooms) and January 9-13 (temporary exhibits).

Dates for the 2009 Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring The National Oriental Rug Show are January 7-12 (permanent showrooms) and January 8-12 (temporary exhibits).