Southeast Association of Rail Shippers (SEARS)’s Post

This time next week we’ll be setting up the stand for the Royal Bath & West Show and it got me thinking about why we do the trade stand! We certainly get asked 'why are you here’ a lot when we go to these shows and exhibitions. I get it, we don’t fit in, we are different and we do stand out amongst lots of stands selling clothes, food, drink or crafts but that’s ok. It's not just about knowing that our services can help everyone and spreading that word far and wide. In my mind, business is about standing out and being different from your competitors and I always said Black Nova would do things differently whether it’s an IT company that actually answers the phone and offers speedy response times, or being at a trade stand. We do all of those, and our customers love it! #itsupport #itbusiness #website #inperson #peoplebuyfrompeople #professionalitsolutions

A few words from our clients. It’s always a pleasure to hear that our efforts are making positive impacts and changes. We aim to provide top service to our clients and make their stocktaking experiences efficient and professional. Want to find out how we can help your venue? Read more: https://lnkd.in/duBFFUw7 #InventoryManagement #BusinessSuccess #StocktakingTips #UKHospitality #HospitalityIndustry

Discover how hosting events like Open Houses or Procrastinator Parties can enhance customer connections, boost sales, and drive foot traffic to your store. Dive into our latest blog for creative ideas that will make your events truly memorable.

Developing An Effective Serve Strategy Understanding the target territory, channel and venue is crucial when developing a serve strategy. Red Bull commissioned our team to create a serve strategy for the launch of their new Red Bull Curuba expression into two major national accounts. We crafted seven signature serves featuring the Curuba expression. The process began with an analysis of macro trends to develop three flavour samples. Our next step was to refine these serves to meet key internal KPIs for this project: aesthetics, simplicity, and margin. To ensure the national accounts could seamlessly adopt the serves, we rigorously tested them for speed of service. A successful serve strategy starts with understanding the planned destination of the serves. In this instance, the drinks were intended for two multi-site national bar brands. The serves needed to be easily integrated into high-volume venues, appeal to their customer demographic, and minimise potential wastage. We established these criteria through channel analysis, informed by discussions with our on-trade network. Approaching serve strategy academically and backing it with real-world insights is essential to ensure the maximum rate of sale.....one size certainly does not fit all. #servestrategy #drinksmarketing #ontrade

1.     Have a strategy 1 year, 3 years 5 years – stick to it. 2.     Build your budget based on £150 per room per night TrevPar £150 x #rooms x 365.   3.     Build an events calendar, have monthly F&B targets and hold your own events when F&B OTB is not as strong as you’d like. 4.     Organise & own your niche, your USP – A real USP. 5.     It must be fresh, it must be local, it must be sustainable. 6.     Green hospitality not green washing 7.     Be nice to your team – not soft but nice. 8.     Be true to yourself. 9.     Don’t be afraid to say what you think – Edit later. 10.  Get involved with the community, join every club, every society, go to every event.

If you have little experience of networking, it can feel quite daunting deciding where to start. So here is a perfect opportunity to dip your toes in the networking pool! The last one was just fabulous, superb location and conversations and really good value. I'm already booked in ;) Coming? #networking #buildconnections #goodconversation

An opportunity to grow your business

Need an event and have a small budget? Here's a great event, just $100....SAFT schedules the vendors, normally 5-10 vendors will be scheduled, offering a variety of goods/services that are family-friendly (jewelry/apparel; home goods; edibles; health/wellness; etc.). Vendors will bring their own tables, table cloths, chair, etc. You just need to provide the space. Space can be the clubroom; office; etc. Needs to be indoors during the winter or if weather is windy/raining, etc. Service includes 4 bottles of wine, plastic glasses, wine opener, table cloth, etc. Background music and photo backdrop, some decorations. A food truck/pop-up food vendor will also be scheduled. If a resident wants to participate, they would need to schedule through us and we do charge a nominal vendor fee. This ensures we do not have vendor duplication, that all vendor protocols are observed, etc. One of our event squad members will greet vendors and help them find a spot, set up the wine station/decorations/photo backdrop/music and stay through the end of the event. Cost is $100. A promo flyer will be sent to you for use in inviting residents to participate.    

Numbers are in for August. Here’s how the market performed in Chicagoland.

Convention expo halls can be more than just a good time—they're a place to experience new things and make meaningful connections. Every convention I've attended has sparked a new friendship or business relationship, often right there in the expo hall. This year at Inman, there was an unconventional vendor that became the talk of the expo hall— Last Crumb Cookies 🍪. I discovered them at Inman Connect Las Vegas in July, and let me tell you, the cookies, the people, and their branding are absolutely top-notch. Plus, they offer some very cool ways to customize packaging for client appreciation gifts. While there are minimums and steps involved, it’s worth it! When these cookies arrive at our house, it's a battle with Rhett for the Birthday Cake cookie—he usually wins, and then the cookie mysteriously disappears! As they say, that's how the cookie crumbles. To my real estate friends: I’ve also heard that a cookie delivery can go a long way the day after a listing presentation as a thank you for the consideration. This holiday season, think beyond the usual pies and wine. Give something unique that leaves a lasting impression. #ClientGifts #LastCrumb #InmanConnect #RealEstateNetworking #Branding #ListingPresentation