Press Release:
* REGISTER ONLINE AT: HTTP://WWW.REGONLINE.COM/INDUSTRYBOOTCAMP
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR INDUSTRY BOOT CAMP
CO-PRESENTED BY SIMA & BRA
– Deadline to Register is Monday, October 17, 2011 –
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. & WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. – (October 5, 2011) – Registration is now open for Industry Boot Camp, co-presented by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) and the Board Retailers Association (BRA).
The event will be held on Monday, October 24, 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach, Calif. For the third time in the Boot Camp series, SIMA will be joining forces with BRA to bring bothmanufacturers and retailers together for educational seminars, roundtable discussions and valuable networking time. All levels of employees from any department who would benefit from the panel discussions, seminars and industry networking time are highly encouraged to report for duty!
“In planning Industry Boot Camp this year, SIMA and BRA took direct feedback from members on what they wanted to hear and learn to strengthen their businesses in today’s market,” said Doug Palladini, SIMA President and VP of Marketing for Vans.
“Back by popular demand, round-table discussions will take place during the second half of the day and will create an open forum for retailers and manufacturers to engage in candid conversations about the future of our industry. Also, the speakers and topics that we have chosen this year will foster both education and inspiration. I especially look forward to hearing our keynote address from one of our industry’s top leaders, Kelly Gibson of Rip Curl.”
The day will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a group breakfast followed by a keynote address delivered by Kelly Gibson, President & CEO/ Rip Curl USA. In a conversational format, Gibson will offer his personal insight on the current state of the industry and where he sees it heading, as well as the vision for Rip Curl as a growing company in the U.S. market and why he believes events and athletes remain an integral part of brand success.
Following the conclusion of the keynote address, attendees will have their choice of which three of the six seminars they would like to attend. There will be two separate conference rooms with seminars taking place simultaneously. Boot Camp attendees will have the opportunity to hand pick which seminars would benefit their business the most.
“This year’s Industry Boot Camp focuses on the creative collaboration between brands and retailers,” said Coco Tihanyi, Board Retailers Association Co-Chairperson and President/Owner of Surf Diva Boutique. “We are at a point where a lot of change, renewal and discovery are imminent. Spending one day with your colleagues will yield a myriad of ideas to help you capitalize on these times. We’re looking forward to tackling all the hot-button issues together as an industry, to roundtable discussions and to breakout discussions like our interactive youth consumer panel and a discussion about our industry’s perception in mainstream media.”
SEMINAR TOPICS
Organic Search Strategy
Determining how to approach organic search and how to develop an actionable SEO strategy to grow traffic and drive conversions can be a serious struggle…but it doesn’t have to be. This session will cover everything from SEO basics to advanced content and link generation strategies, with live examples of what works, what doesn’t and a look ahead at the changing search landscape. The goal here is to arm you with the concepts and tools to help drive immediate (and long-term) improvement with your sites.
Speaker: Mark Lavoritano, Account Manager/ SEER Interactive
Generation Why: An Interactive Consumer Panel Discussion
Join action sports trend and consumer expert Alexis Kopikis as he sits down with a group of consumers who have previously evaluated current action sports products through Krush’s Sneak Peak process. Alexis will moderate a candid discussion with the consumers about their purchase influences, decisions, shopping style and opinions on current trends.
Moderated by: Alexis Kopikis, President & COO/ Krush
See page 2 for more seminar topics…
Driving Offline Sales with Location-based Social & Search Tactics
With the recent explosion in GPS & Web-enabled smartphones sales, consumer use of mobile search and social applications is growing rapidly. And even outside of mobile activity, consumer purchasing decisions are increasingly being influenced by brand and product research that they are conducting online. To take advantage of this massive shift in consumer behavior, specialty retailers & manufacturers need toadapt quickly. Red Door Interactive’s John Faris will break down the high-impact tactics that will help mobilize and localize marketers’ existing social and search strategies. The seminar will touch on social check-in and couponing services, as well as local SEO & search marketing techniques that drive offline activity.
Speaker: John Faris, Director of Cross-Channel Marketing/ Red Door Interactive
State of the Industry Panel Discussion
Join industry legend, Michael Tomson as he leads a candid panel discussion on the state of the surf industry with retailers, leaders of up and coming brands and fellow industry veterans.
Moderated by: Michael Tomson, Industry Leader & Gotcha Founder
PR & the Media – Conveying Our Story to the Masses
In light of events such as Quiksilver’s introduction of an ASP event to New York, the A-list hype The Art of Flightbrought to cities nationwide and the success of Bethany Hamilton’s Soul Surfer, stories about action sports are being brought into the mainstream more frequently than ever. PR Professional Lora Bodmer MacDowell and ESPN The Magazine’s General Editor, Rebecca Nordquist, will share how we as an industry can best gain and take advantage of access to mainstream media,better guide the message that is sent out, and best implement a crisis management plan. The conversation will explore new ideas to shine a favorable light on action sports that can increase positive interest, generate more capital and retain new customers.
Tips for Better Online Marketing Campaigns
With 16 years of experience in creative marketing and strategic planning in interactive entertainment and new media, Chris will explore how brands can use online marketing, specifically YouTube, to improve their marketing campaigns. He will present various case studies from companies that have effectively used digital platforms to date. Chris will also show attendees how to implement and apply his key marketing tips into their own brand’s online marketing campaigns.
Speaker: Chris DiCesare, Head of Creative Programming/ Google
Roundtable Topics to include:
-Balancing New and Traditional Media: Creating the Right Mix of Elements for your Brand or Store
-Best Practices in Discounting
-Executing Successful Social Media at a Local Level
-Marketing: What Really Drives Store Traffic?
-Maximizing the Rep-Retailer Relationship
-New Product Trends: Gaining Buzz at Retail with Hanging Footwear, Boardshort Technology, SUP & More
-Nurturing Co-Marketing Initiatives – Investing in your Consumer’s Community
-Telling your Brand or Shop Story to the Masses
-The Role of New and Emerging Brands in Surf: How Does the Industry Support our Next Volcom?
-Utilizing the Full Capabilities of POS Software Technology
-Where has the Surfer Girl Gone?: Strategies to Combat Forever 21 and H&M
The full-day event will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and, in addition to the keynote address and seminars, features a group breakfast and lunch, as well as valuable networking time.
Registration for Industry Boot Camp is now open and the deadline to register is October 17, 2011. Register online by visiting www.regonline.com/industrybootcamp. Pricing is $250 for SIMA members, $150 for BRA members and $400 for non-SIMA and non-BRA members. Space is limited and on a first-come first-served basis, with first priority given to SIMA and BRA members.
There will be no refunds after October 17, 2011. For questions please contact Kelly Keenan, SIMA Events and Communications Coordinator, at Kelly@sima.com or 949.366.1164 x 3, or Vicki Vasil, BRA Events and Communications Manager, at Vicki@boardretailers.org or 910.509.0109 x 1005.
In its fourth year, SIMA Boot Camps are educational and intimate seminars that aim to provide valuable businesstips and tools to help SIMA member companies improve a variety of daily business operations. The Boot Camp seminar topics change from Boot Camp to Boot Camp with the goal of reaching a variety of employees and departments within SIMA member companies. The last Boot Camp in 2011 will be Retail Relations and Marketing Boot Camp on November 15 at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, Calif. Visit www.sima.com for more information and registration materials as they become available.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relations efforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research. In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund.
In the past 22 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5.8 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches and waves. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established in 2006 to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people. For more information on SIMA, please visit www.sima.com. Follow us at Twitter.com/SIMA_SURF.
About BRA
The Board Retailers Association (BRA) is a non-profit trade association representing over 600 action sport retailers across the country. The association serves as the preeminent voice for independent retailers on a grassroots level with manufacturers, trade show representatives, and other associations. BRA also works to provide educational resources and exclusive discounts and savings from vendors on the day-to-day costs of business. For a complete explanation and description of Retail or Associate Member benefits, visit www.boardretailers.org.
