7:30 am

8:00 am

 9:00 - 10:30 am

                        Sponsored by: 

Keynote Presentation
Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition

Speaker: Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D (bio)

In the chronicles of extraordinary adventures and against-the-odds survival, nothing compares to the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team of South Pole explorers. Stranded in the frozen sea for nearly two years, they endured extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, dwindling food, complete isolation, and perpetual blackness. Yet, despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the group remained cohesive, congenial, and mercifully alive--a fact that speaks not just to luck but to an unparalleled feat in leadership.

This amazing story reveals the power of effective organizational leadership under conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change. For managers and executives who feel stressed out or stretched thin, these memorable strategies will help bring order to chaos--and success in the face of the most daunting adversity.

10:30 - 11:00 am
Sponsored by: Intel

Keynote Presentation
The Apple-ization of Retail

Speaker: Mike Wittenstein (bio)

Retail consultant and branding expert Mike Wittenstein will explore the profound impact and influence Apple’s retail efforts have had on the retail industry as a whole. Expect some serious note-taking during this session as Mike breaks the Apple experience down into its constituent parts and explains exactly what makes it so memorable.

Retail Tour & Lunch (open to all Summit participants)
It's time to take the show on the road...Chicago's world-famous Michigan Ave. We're taking attendees on a tour of several stores along The Magnificent Mile. This great networking event will be both fun and educational.

All sessions on Tuesday are in a highly interactive, engaging format. Our experts will start the conversation from the stage ... but from there, the audience will shape it. This is not your typical summit experience - this is your opportunity to interface with the brightest minds in retail on a variety of topics, and walk away with real, actionable results!

 8:00 am

 8:30 - 9:15 am

Sponsored by:

Session #1: Customer Service Training
Presenter: Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor (bio)

What’s the difference between an ordinary customer experience and an extraordinary one? Frequently, it’s the quality of the customer’s interaction with your employees. What are you doing to make sure your employees are prepared to offer the best service possible?

9:15 - 9:45 am

 9:45 am - 10:30 am

Session #2: Mobile Technology
Presenter: Paul Flanigan (bio)

Smartphones and tablets, such as Apple’s iPad, are having a huge impact on the way people shop. How is your organization taking advantage of these technologies? What are other retailers doing to reach the mobile consumer?

10: 30 - 11:00 am

 11:00 - 11:45 am

Session #3: Hiring & Retention
Presenter: Chris Paradysz, Paradysz and PM Digital (bio)

High employee turnover can make it very difficult to deliver a consistently great customer experience. How are you finding, hiring and retaining exceptional employees? Discover tactics that have worked for other retailers.

 11:45 am - 1:00 pm

 1:00 - 1:45 pm

Session #4: Loyalty Marketing
Presenter: Zain Raj, Brand Rituals (bio)

Repeat customers are the lifeblood of any business. While loyalty marketing programs can be a great way to keep customers coming back, what works for one retailer -- even your direct competitor -- may not work for you.

1:45 - 2:15 pm

 2:15 - 3:00 pm

Session #5: Pricing Strategy
Presenter: Dale Furtwengler, Furtwengler & Associates, Inc. (bio)

Nothing will have a greater impact on your profitability than the prices you set for your products. Does your pricing strategy maximize revenue? Is it possible to get customers to pay a higher price and have them still feel good about buying from you?

3:00 - 3:30 pm

Session #6: Store Layout & Merchandising
Presenter: Mark Murray, The Store Channel (bio)

The theme of the Summit is “Move People. Move Product.” The layout of your store, the merchandise you sell and how that merchandise is displayed all have a huge impact on whether or not your customers will feel moved to buy.

 8:00 am

9:00 - 10:30 am

Keynote Presentation
Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks)

Speaker: Dave Kerpen (bio)

Dave is the cofounder and CEO of Likeable Media, an award-winning social media and word-of-mouth marketing firm with triple digit revenue growth for 4 consecutive years. Likeable is one of Facebook's Top 65 Preferred Developer Consultants as well as the only three-time WOMMY Award winner for excellence from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA).

Dave has been featured on CNBC's "On the Money," ABC World News Tonight, the CBS Early Show, the New York Times, and countless blogs. Dave is backed by a team of social media thought leaders who collectively have managed over 250 accounts on Facebook and other social networks, for brands such as Verizon FiOS, 1-800 Flowers.com, Neutrogena, Uno Chicago Grill, The Pampered Chef, and Heineken. Dave’s first book, published by McGraw-Hill, is "Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook and other social networks."

10:30 - 11:00 am

Networking Break

11:00 am - 4:00 pm

Social Media Clinics
Our experienced instructors will show you the best social media strategies and tactics for modern marketing. They'll even put your own social media efforts through the paces so you can know what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong.