Last Thursday, 76 industry leaders gathered to hear John Stanley, Australian
Entrepreneur of the Year & Retail Guru inspire & challenge at the GCAI’s Spring
Seminar.
John was on his feet for the whole day and never missed an opportunity to challenge
delegates, delivering a high energy, direct & honest assessment of what businesses must
do to prosper in the current climate.
“The energy in the room was electric, John definitely out did himself this time” was the
perspective of one delegate, Eoin Reid of Fernhill Garden Centre
John’s presentation something for everyone including uses for new technology, to
customer service & expectations, cooperation strategies, merchandising, new marketing
methods, running effective promotions, brand building, moments of truth, strategies for
taste, touch, smell & sounds amongst others. He dared businesses to be different, to stand
out from the crowd.
Priority was given to devising an action plan for delegates to take home to their own
businesses and John has agreed to follow up in 4 months time with a free webinar for all
those who attended.
Anne McKenna at the GCAI said “We were thrilled with the feedback we received
during & after the seminar. The cobwebs and lethargy are definitely gone, now there’s no
excuse not to get out there & sell, sell, sell.”
Also on the day, delegates got a sneak preview of the findings of Bord Bia’s most
recently commissioned research on Consumer Attitudes & Behaviour which won’t be
published until the end of this month.
The GCAI are already looking forward to their next training event, a study trip to UK
garden centres in early March. Further details are available from Anne
anne@gio.ie