Meeting/Event Information

Hotel Pricing and info: 

Agenda:

Monday - 10/28/24

1:00 – 5:00      Registration Table Open    2^nd Floor Foyer   

2:00 – 2:30      Welcome/Ice Breaker Salon G

Let’s start this meeting off right! We will do a quick icebreaker and say hello to new and old college store industry friends. Don’t forget to grab a yummy cookie!

2:30 – 3:15      Making Sure Your M&Ms Are Delicious: How Merchandising & Marketing Align for Retail Success (Mel Marzan, Director of Communications & Marketing, ICBA)  Salon G

Ensuring your product presentation and assortment strategies align with your marketing and communications strategies is essential to achieve your goals and grow sales. This two-part session will address both topics and will also include short group activities to encourage dialogue and collaboration among attendees!

First, we’ll focus on the importance of proper utilization of your retail floorspace and provide merchandising tips to optimize and grow sales. Sales per square foot will be highlighted as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to help gauge floorspace performance and efficiency. You’ll learn valuable tips on key factors such as optimizing floor layout, maximizing product assortments, merchandising, and increasing average transactions.

Second, the session will identify the challenges stores face when marketing and merchandising are not fully in sync. We’ll identify common issues that often crop up and then highlight key activities to ensure Merchandise and Marketing initiatives are better aligned to support customers in-store, on social media, and/or online. Ultimately, buyers need to think like marketers, and marketers need to think like buyers, to best present your “story.”

3:30 – 4:15    Creative Marketing Strategies on a Shoestring Budget (Jill Ayres, Marketing Communications Manager, NACS) Salon G

Tailored for campus stores operating on a tight budget, this session will focus on out-of-the-box marketing strategies and cost-effective tactics to help your store stand out and engage your student community. Learn how to capture attention and spark conversation through impactful, low-cost guerrilla marketing techniques; collaborate with campus influencers to amplify your reach and credibility; and plan and execute events that can help generate sales. Equip yourself with innovative strategies to elevate your store’s marketing efforts—all while keeping costs in check!

4:30 – 5:15      NACS Legislative Update (Jill Ayres, Marketing Communications Manager - NACS) Salon G

This session will discuss the current landscape of the collegiate retail industry, including key trends, public policy updates, and advocacy efforts. Gain valuable insights and informative data that can drive store impact.

6:00 – 9:00      On-site dinner catered by Beach Cove & 21Fun Casino night    Salon EF

Hospitality/Network room open Rm 205

Tuesday - 10/29/24

8:00 – 9:00      Breakfast catered by Beach Cove – Salon EF

8:30 – 9:45      Vendor Spotlight during breakfast  

10:00 – 12:00 Vendor Tradeshow Salon ABCD

12:15 – 1:30    Lunch catered by Beach Cove – Salon E & F

1:00 – 1:30      SCACS – Business Meeting (during lunch)

1:45 – 2:30      Independent Store Innovators (Mel Marzan, Director of Communication & Marketing, ICBA) Salon G

Hear a series of mini-case studies about how various independent college stores have developed innovative programs to grow sales, increase services, reduce expenses, build new partnerships, and/or improve customer and campus satisfaction. Innovation comes in many forms and does not require big budgets or large spaces—you’ll leave this session inspired with plenty of ideas to “borrow.”

2:45 – 3:30      Beyond Access and Affordability:  The New Role of the Campus Store (Cary Atkins, Marketing Manager, VitalSource) Salon G

This session explores how college bookstores can transcend their current roles to become vital hubs of academic support, significantly impacting students' learning experiences and outcomes.

5:45                 Be in the lobby ready to board the bus!     

6:00 – 10.00    Off-site dinner/Jack Axe Throwing (transportation provided)

• Hospitality/Network room open Rm 205

Wednesday - 10/30/24

8:00 – 9:00      Breakfast ticketed –Tradewinds Café – 1^st Floor Beach Cove

9:15 – 10:00    Everything but the Kitchen Sink (Open Discussion) /Closing Remarks Salon G

Everything you have wanted to know but have been afraid to ask.  An interactive session where attendees share store updates and seek peer advice.  Connect, discuss, and grow together!  

10:00 – 10:15  Farewell Drawing

10:15 – 10:30 New Board member brief meeting