Blogging from ComicsPRO Thursday and Friday
Get the latest from the ComicsPRO annual meeting at Nerdage, as I’ll be posting updates from the show on Thursday and Friday. Dozens of the nation’s top retailers will be in attendance, as well as representatives from most of the nation’s top publishers. Click “more” for the full schedule of events and comments from ComicsPRO officials.
Wednesday March 19
4:00PM, 5:00, 6:30, 8:00, 9:30 Free Airport Shuttle Pickups at Las Vegas McCarran Airport, sponsored by Cartoon Books
7PM— Informal “Meet & Greet” for early arriving attendees.
Thursday March 20
All Day
Hospitality Suite — sponsored by Slave Labor Graphics
POS System Demonstrations from Bitter End Systems (MOBY Point-of-Sale) and Diamond Comic Distributors (Microsoft RMS with ComicSuite)
10:30 – Noon
Opening Session (Full & Associate Members only)
Noon – 2:00
Lunch sponsored by Diamond Comics Distributors & Alliance Games Distribution
2:00 – 3:30
After-Lunch Session (Full & Associate Members only) includes announcement of election results, introduction of new Directors and member discussions
3:30 – 4:30
Position Papers (Full & Associate Members only) — discussion of past position papers and possible future position papers
4:30 – 5:30
Industry discussion with attending publishers and distributors
5:30 – 6:00
Break
6:00 – 7:00
“Streetfighting” with Allan Caplan— The marketing master behind Inkworks Cards shares from his lifetime of experience in retail marketing.
7:00 – 9:00
Dinner sponsored by DC Comics
Friday March 21
All Day
Hospitality Suite — sponsored by Slave Labor Graphics
POS System Demonstrations from Bitter End Systems (MOBY Point-of-Sale) and Diamond Comic Distributors (Microsoft RMS with ComicSuite)
8:00 – 9:30
Breakfast sponsored by Graphitti Designs
9:30 – 10:15
Sponsor Presentations from Graphitti Designs and Cartoon Books (Full and Associate Members only)
10:15 – 11:00
Non-Profit Presentations from Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and The HERO Initiative
11:00 – Noon
Changing Perceptions—Industry Public Relations: How can we change the perception of our industry? Facilitated by Joe Field, Flying Colors Comics (Concord CA)
Store Fixtures—Sources & strategies for outfitting your retail space. Facilitated by Rick Lowell, Casablanca Comics (Portland ME)
Noon – 2:00
Lunch sponsored by Bitter End Systems – MOBY POS
2:00 – 3:00
POS System Discussion — What is your store looking for in a Point-of-Sale system? The designers of two comics industry-specific systems, Mark Richman from Bitter End Systems and Mark Winsor and Cheryl Sleboda from Diamond Comic Distributors will be available to listen to suggestions and answer questions. Facilitated by Gary Dills, Phoenix Comics (Herndon VA)
3:00 – 4:00
“Covering Your Assets” Tips on insuring a small business by Jim Camburn from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
Selling on the Internet— Methods for selling online and concerns about online selling. Facilitated by Amanda Fisher, Muse Comics (Missoula MT)
“Who Are Your Customers?” Studying demographics, methods of data collection, using your data and determining “target” customers. Facilitated by Benjamin Trujillo, Star Clipper (St. Louis MO)
4:00 – 5:00
Managing Your Business Effectively— Tips on Managing Your Business Effectively by Bob Cushman from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
Human Resources –Strategies, Policies and Procedures. Facilitated by Gary Dills
Marketing Programs— Retailers share their marketing successes and failures. Facilitated by Joe Field
5:00 – 5:30
Break
5:30 – 7:00
Working Together More Effectively— an open discussion with attending publishers and distributors. Facilitated by Carr D’Angelo, Earth-2 Comics (Sherman Oaks CA)
7:00 – 9:00
Dinner & Closing Remarks Sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment & Top Cow Productions
Saturday March 22
8:30 AM, 10:00, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Free Airport Shuttle Pickups at Texas Station, sponsored by Cartoon Books
“ComicsPRO is pleased that representatives from other companies will also be attending, including Dark Horse Comics and Marvel Comics, ” said Joe Field, ComicsPRO President. “With the active involvement of dozens of retailers and other comics business professionals, we have all the right ingredients for a very productive meeting.”
ComicsPRO President Pro-Tem Chris Powell, whose duties include strategy and planning for the membership meeting, noted “I’m thrilled with the schedule we have arranged for the meeting. We’re devoting a great deal of time to roundtables and discussions that our members have expressed an interest in, and we’ll also have several informative presentations from our guest speakers. With last year’s first Annual Meeting such a great success and learning experience, I believe attending retailers and our business partners will take even more home from this year’s meeting.”
ComicsPRO’s mission:
* For direct market retailers to speak with a single, strong voice on important industry issues,
* To provide educational and mentoring opportunities to current and future retailers with the goal of growing the comics specialty market
* To offer benefits that will reduce some of the fixed costs that all direct market retailers incur.
Information is available at http://ComicsPRO.org.
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