Conveniently Located

• The program is held at the Sheraton Hotel located between the main gates at Hartford Springfield’s Bradley International Airport. No taxi or ground transportation necessary. Walk off your plane and into the hotel lobby.

Suggested Dress Code

• Relaxed, business casual is the suggested dress code.

Breakfast and Lunch are Included

• Complimentary continental breakfast will be served before the program.
• A complimentary network luncheon is included. Meet with other attendees and establish your own network of school marketers.
• Complimentary refreshments are served at morning and afternoon breaks.

Critical Trends in Education

• How enrollments impact your sales potential
• Enrollment trends comparing the last five years to the next.
• Projected market impact of No Child Left Behind.
• School construction projections.
• Recent sales growth statistics for publishers and school supply companies.

School Secretaries Reveal the Secrets of School Buying Habits
Based on a recent survey of elementary and secondary school secretaries.

• When schools begin to make purchasing decisions.
• The best times for schools to receive direct mail promotions.
• When school secretaries receive orders from educators.
• Typical spring and fall mail order intake patterns and what they mean to marketers.
• Types of institutional buying including differences between larger and smaller purchases.
• How much teachers spend out-of-pocket.
• Most profitable mailing windows based on type of sale.

Understanding the Complex World of Mailing Lists

• The relationship of list selection to budget and response rates.
• How to promote customers effectively.
• Generating new customers from buying schools.
• How to maintain a comprehensive customer file and why it's important.
• Using building demographics to select the most productive schools.

How to Test and Track the Results

• How to track individual catalogs.
• How to test and track different offers.
• How to test and track list segments.

Merchandising Products for Maximum Appeal

• The critical differences of selling to committees vs. individuals.
• Creating winning offers including the use of product benefits, special pricing, and/or payment terms.
• Major objectives and important considerations when including premiums.
• Which expiration dates work best and when they should never be used.
• Why guarantees are such a great promotion value.

Increase Revenue With a Media Mix

• Which direct mail formats yield the best results.
• How educators learn about educational products and get information about new products.
• Channels through which educators purchase most of their materials and supplies.
• The advantages of telemarketing and conditions that make it most successful.
• How web sites contribute to sales from SMRI's recent survey of school marketers.
• Do school marketers use search engine marketing? How effective is it?
• Online purchasing activity by educators.
• Tips for successful e-commerce web sites.
• Enhancing results through economical e-mail marketing.