Apr 1, 2010

National Stationery Show Offers Most Diverse Seminar Program Addressing Trends in Bridal, Social Media and More

White Plains, NY – The National Stationery Show® (NSS) will present some 11,000 attendees and nearly 900 exhibitors with an educational platform addressing the most relevant and timely issues for social stationery retailers and manufacturers, May 16-19, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The seminar lineup promises to be the most comprehensive and focused educational opportunity of the year for industry professionals.

“This diverse program offers value across the board, whether a rising retailer or one with years of experience,” said Patti Stracher, show manager. “From product design and bridal trends, to social media marketing and visual merchandising in both seminar and intimate round-table formats – along with 12 Daily Demos – the professional development component of this year’s show is a crucial element of the complete market experience.”

Among the most in-demand and essentials topics, industry trends featuring two prominent experts will highlight the educational program. Gifts & Decorative Accessories Editor-in-Chief Caroline Kennedy will provide her expert forecast of emerging lifestyle, color, fashion and stationery trends, while Martha Stewart Weddings Editorial Director Darcy Miller will reveal consumer trends in bridal stationery. Miller will present the findings from an NSS-exclusive, groundbreaking consumer research study of brides and brides-to-be conducted in April 2010. In addition, Stationery Trends Editor Sarah Schwartz will moderate a panel of design leaders – including Bonnie Marcus, Whitney English Kolb, Leigh Stanley, Prentiss Douthit and Jennifer Tatham – to discuss the inspiration behind their designs and their insight on the future of the stationery market.

Social media, the most widely used, but not readily understood of the marketing platforms today, will be addressed by GIFT SHOP magazine Publisher Patricia Norins. Approached from the vendor perspective, this program will include discussion on connecting with retailers and increasing sales through the use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. In two subsequent programs, Norins will be joined by veteran retailer and award-winner author Carolyn Howard-Johnson to discuss creating dynamic social media campaigns to build profit potential in the retail environment. A special emphasis on maximizing Twitter potential will be featured in the third program. Addressing social media for the bridal segment, GetMarried Founder & CEO Stacie Francombe will reveal how retailers can drive business by reaching out to couples through social networking campaigns.

Rounding out the program lineup are seminars addressing wedding invitation social etiquette, visual merchandising, working with sales reps, and offshore sourcing. The Emily Post Institute makes its first NSS appearance this year, with Director Peggy Post addressing wedding invitation social etiquette for today’s modern couples. Visual merchandising expert Linda Cahan returns to discuss 60 dynamic display ideas in 60 minutes as well as cost-efficient holiday displays for year-round sales, in two separate programs. A seminar with special focus on the importance of sales reps, including how to find them and how to successfully work with them, will be presented by Rob Fortier of Paper Words and Meryl Hooker of Meryl Hooker Sales. Finally, Barry Matus of Development Solutions Global will provide insight on best practices for offshore sourcing and purchasing, including production quality controls, price negotiations and freight management. These last two programs are exclusive to NSS exhibitors.

Daily Demos return to the National Stationery Show, offering interactive presentations of tips and tactics that will set a retail store apart from its competition. Presented in partnership with GREETINGS etc. magazine, there will be 12 Daily Demos each focusing on a different approach to support the theme” Creating Ideas to Take Back to your Store”. Demonstrators are experts on the exhibitor and retailing sides, among them, Christian Fulghum from Midori Ribbon, Juanita Lewis of the UCLA Hospital Gift Shop and stationery retailing expert Maureen Barten. The Demos will address holiday wrapping tips and tricks, stationery-themed gift baskets, developing a signature style store gift wrap, making wedding-themed favors and table decorations and others.

Additional details, including seminar descriptions, dates, times and registration, are available online, at www.nationalstationeryshow.com. All seminars are $20 in advance and $30 onsite, with the exception of the complimentary social media programs presented by GIFT SHOP magazine.

The 64th annual National Stationery Show, the nation’s leading marketplace for the social stationery industry, will run Sunday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Show features nearly 900 exhibitors and attracts some 11,000 attendees.

The National Stationery Show is owned and managed by GLM®, LLC. For exhibitor information, contact Kelly P. Bristol, sales manager, at GLM, 1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604. Telephone (914) 421-3228. Fax (914) 948-2918. E-mail kbristol@glmshows.com. Attendee information is available by contacting GLM’s Customer Relations Department, at (800) 272-SHOW or (603) 665-7524, or by email, at customer_relations@glmshows.com. Additional information and registration is available online, at www.nationalstationeryshow.com.