This week, retailers and designers will descend en masse in Atlanta for the summer edition of Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the Atlanta International Area Rug Market (July 10-16) at AmericasMart. In between the buying, showroom tours and cocktail parties, it's hard to know how to spend your time.
Last summer, AmericasMart Atlanta launched AmericasMart LIVE to great success, but not all AmericasMart LIVE programming centers on celebrity discussions. This market, AmericasMart's seminars focus on important trends we at Lighting & Decor have been following closely and business topics to help retailers and interior designers out there grow their businesses. Although it may be cool to see Martha Stewart and Bethenny Frankel live, these seminars may provide more actionable tips and strategies that will help your business long after the lights go out at AmericasMart Atlanta.
If you're heading to AmericasMart Atlanta this week, plan your visit around these three business-centric seminars happening at the Main Stage as part of AmericasMart LIVE.
6 Steps to a Profitable Social Media Strategy
Last January, social media strategist and mentor Crystal Vilkaitis sat down with us to talk about Facebook's offline tracking features and what they mean for businesses going forward, and she also made an appearance in the Lighting & Decor Lounge at the Atlanta winter markets. Now Vilkaitis is back at AmericasMart once more for another knock-out seminar.
Vilkaitis' seminar, 6 Steps to a Profitable Social Media Strategy, promises actionable tips for using social media to achieve your business goals. Here, Vilkaitis will outline her six-step process for seeing profits from social media efforts. If you're unsure how to use social media effectively for your business, this seminar will help you define what you want your social media to do for you and give you strategies to help you achieve those goals.
Location: Building 3, Floor 2, Main Stage
Date: July 11
Time: 11 a.m. — 12 p.m.
Eye on the Guy: Ultimate Home Decor & Fashion Trends for the Style Savvy Man
Since High Point Market last April, we've been reporting on a new focus on men in the home design industry. Furniture manufacturers such as Fine Furniture Design and Gus* Modern have released new collections designed with men in mind. In our June issue, we looked at how Millennial men may become the new demographic to target, especially for showrooms that like to put on events and demonstrations.
For these reasons, retailers and designers would greatly benefit from checking out the Eye on the Guy: Ultimate Home Décor & Fashion Trends for the Style Savvy Man seminar, part of AmericasMart LIVE's programming. Speakers Jeremiah Brent, Justin Williams, Cam Wolf and Sid Mashburn will join together to discuss the latest trends in men's fashion as well as their decor tastes, shopping styles and gift preferences. This panel discussion will be a great opportunity to hear about what men really want in their homes and closets.
Location: Building 3, Floor 2, Main Stage
Date: July 12
Time: 11 a.m.—12 p.m.
Top Trends 2018: Survival and Success in the Retail Renaissance
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the retail apocalypse/retail renaissance (depending on your level of optimism). It's an important business trend we've been following closely, and while it has affected each sector of the retail industry in different ways, it's important to note that no business model is entirely safe from disruption — whether that's interior design or even ear piercing.
With this in mind, lifetime brands and consumer trend forecaster Tom Mirabile is here to help. His seminar, Top Trends 2018: Survival and Success in the Retail Renaissance, will tackle this tricky subject and look at how businesses are thriving and dying in this retail environment. Mirabile will analyze what consumers want from products and what they're really looking for in a shopping experience. If you're wondering what your business could be doing better to connect with consumers, this seminar should be helpful.
Location: Building 3, Floor 2, Main Stage
Date: July 14
Time: 1—2 p.m.
What's on your agenda for the markets at AmericasMart Atlanta? Share with us in the comments!
