Cycle Show Business Conference adds breakfast session and new speakers on trade day
In the months and weeks leading up to Cycle Show, the organisers have been adding more speakers to its debut Business Conference, taking place on the trade day tomorrow (12 September).
Aimed at bike retailers and other relevant industry folk, sessions will include global lead and head of brands at Nielsen Sports, Lynsey Douglas, reflecting the rise in popularity in women’s competitive sport after the Women’s World Cup and will discuss how to align retail approaches to appeal to female customers.
The rounded out sessions at the Cycle Show Business Conference now include breakfast sessions:
BREAKFAST SESSION FOR EXHIBITORS
08.45-9.15: Branding: Stand out in a crowded marketplace
Great brands know how to connect with their customers emotionally and how to talk their language. Mike Roberts, chief creative officer of international design and brand agency Green Room, considers what lessons you can learn from those who do it best.
BUSINESS CONFERENCE, MAIN TRADE DAY
Morning session: Optimising store effectiveness
10.15-11.00: Store location – choosing the right store, rents, lease conditions
Adam Lazenbury, partner at global retail agency Cushman & Wakefield, provides detailed analysis of how to select a store location, powerful retail adjacencies, catchment data; plus what to look out for in terms of rent, lease conditions and providing a strong covenant and how to expand beyond your first store.
11.00-11.30: Firing on all channels: Leveraging opportunities across your business
In an omni-channel world, what can the cycle industry learn from how other independent businesses are using all the channels available to them to maximise impact and sales? Fresh from collaboration with Amazon on the roll-out of Clicks and Mortar pop-up shops across the UK, Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, looks at strategies for success.
11.30-12.00: Lifestyle: Understanding cycling and leisure
Halfords European retail director Simon Bentley looks at the role of stores, how to capitalise on the growth in the popularity of cycling and how complementary services can help to match and support the retail offer.
12.00-12.45: Store design – How to maximise impact and sales
International design agency Dalziel + Pow explains how to design the interior of a store for maximum impact and what to do to optimise the merchandising for sales.
LUNCH BREAK: 12.45-14.15
Afternoon session: Staff and customers – How to get them and keep them
14.15-14.45: Marketing: Reaching out to an army of women customers
The interest in women in competitive sport peaked yet again this summer with the Women’s World Cup and yet the sense remains that the female consumer is still under-represented. Nielsen Sports global lead & head of brands (UK), Lynsey Douglas looks at how you can ensure your business and retail approach is aligned to appeal to women.
14.45-15.15: Leadership: Creating the right management team for growth
One of the toughest moves is taking an owner-run single store business and expanding, ensuring you have the right team and skills in place for growth and for modern retailing. Virtue People director Andy Marsh, formerly with Missguided and Bench, talks building the right leadership team.
15.15-15.45: Customers as advocates: How disruption delivers results
Many sports and fitness markets seem impossibly crowded and competitive and yet a number of disruptors have been able to capture market share by turning customers into communities and their strongest sales advocates. Michael Dean, head of franchise sales for the UK & Ireland, F45 Training, explains how the Australian fitness training phenomenon has taken the UK by storm.
Mark Faithful, conference chair and international retail journalist, will host on the day. He said: “We’ve designed the trade day business conference to be highly focused on the challenges and opportunities facing cycling retailers and brands, with leading experts in their fields coming to address topics such as store selection and rent negotiation, how to embrace online and social media, creating leadership teams and making the most of your stores.
“We’ll also be looking at marketing to women, design, pop-ups and creating communities around your store or brand. It’s a phenomenal line-up which offers attendees free access to content and speakers normally only available at paid-for conferences.”
The cycling industry can register for Cycle Show online.
