Education Sessions & Demos

Saturday, January 28

Sexy Balloon Fashion Shows

Presented by Carmen Ballering, 11 - 11:30 am / 3 - 3:30 pm (repeat)

If it can be done, it can be done with balloons. At least that seems to be true for Carmen Ballering, an award-winning event-designer-turned-instructor who creates sculptures and, yes, even haute couture, from uninflated balloons. Ballering’s dresses have been featured in numerous fashion shows. Come see first-hand how many wonderful things you can build with balloons and some creativity!

Carmen Ballering is a multi-award-winning balloon artist and event designer, as well as founder of the Event Decorating Academy. She has been actively involved in the party industry for more than 20 years, and continues to delight and educate others through her balloon sculptures and fashions, as well as her event decorating savvy. Carmen’s passion for art and events has made her one of the industry’s most influential designers and educators.

Sunday, January 29

Driving Traffic and Sales for Halloween 2012…
Digital, Social, and E-Commerce!

Peter Leech, Social Shopping Labs, 9:30 - 10 am / 11 - 11:30 am (repeat)

This action-oriented presentation will offer tons of ideas on how to grow your e-commerce and retail store business. Peter will share some proven “tricks” to increasing traffic and discuss ways to optimize your e-commerce site before the holidays hit to increase conversion.

Peter is a partner in The Partnering Group (TPG), working with leading retailers and consumer products companies across Digital, CRM and E-commerce Consulting practices. He was most recently CMO of Onlineshoes.com, the third largest pure-play online footwear retailer and a pioneer in social media and online video. As a TPG partner, Peter has consulted on collaborative marketing and merchandising with leading retail and CPG companies including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Safeway, Meijer, Ahold, and Wal-Mart. He is the author of several industry publications including the 2011 Social Commerce Study, Advanced Category Management and Integrating Loyalty Marketing and Category Management. Peter has been a member of the Content Committee for Shop.org and a speaker at NRF, FMI, Etail, Shop.org and CRMC events in the US and Europe.

Clever Cash-and-Carry Balloon Designs

Jan Iiams, Betallic, 12 - 12:30 pm

Let Jan lead you through this delightful presentation of fast and furious assembly balloon arrangements. Each is designed to please customers on the run, enhance your artistic reputation, and increase your profits. These fanciful, time-saving cash-and-carry ideas are perfect for every balloon business, whether your specialty is balloon bouquets, quick centerpieces or décor components. You’ll learn the mechanics and design principles of these distinctive arrangements, plus step-by-step production tips that will add big profit to your business.  Jan will demonstrate designs with Betallic Holographic foils, NEW Mighty Bright™ non-conductive message balloons, LINK-O-LOON®, Megaloons® and Designer Balloons that will add creativity to your work.

Jan Iiams, CBA, Creative and Education Director for Betallic LLC, is recipient of the industry’s most prestigious award, the IBAC Crystal. She has been honored for her competition designs and has been an international educator for the balloon industry for over 20 years.  Jan’s work is featured on Betallic's website and many other industry websites, educational videos, and trade magazines. She also appears in classrooms around the world with her entertaining and motivational presentations. 

Dina’s Party - Favorite Tablescapes and More!

Dina Manzo, 1 - 2 pm

Owner of design and event-planning firm, Designer Affair, star of the HGTV party-planning series Dina’s Party, and former member of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Dina Manzo, will share her favorite party-planning tips with Expo-goers and demonstrate how to create a fabulous party tablescape. Afterwards, Dina will be available to sign autographs from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

Manzo started her New Jersey-based event-planning business Designer Affair in 2005 after working for nearly a decade as an interior designer, and now enjoys a fulfilling-yet-busy new experience hosting her own show on HGTV. Dina’s Party (Saturdays, 10 p.m. EST) is Manzo’s newest vehicle for sharing her party-planning and design savvy. The show, which debuted in September 2011, takes viewers into Manzo’s clients’ homes, where she and her team transform living spaces into beautiful, unique party backdrops.

Silly String Presentation with Houston Rockets Mascot

Just for Kicks, 2:30 - 3 pm

Don’t miss this opportunity to see the original, made-in-the-U.S.A. Silly String in action. Prepare for a fun time – learn what it does, how it performs and take away some ideas that will help build your Silly String business while getting your customers involved. And don’t miss the Houston Rockets’ mascot, “Clutch,” who will be using some of the props he utilizes with Silly String.

Foam Stream®, Super String®, Silly String® and now Silly String® Max! Just for Kicks is the only domestic manufacturer of foam spray streamers.

Make Your Customer Service CONTAGIOUS!

Anne Obarski, Merchandise Concepts, 4 - 4:30 pm

How are your customers spreading the good word about your business? There are no “retail borders” anymore. Stores are open 24/7 and the world is at the customers’ fingertips! To be successful, we must think like a “world famous” business and become infectious in a good way. Anne will share strategies on how to be contagious through your people, promotions and passion. It’s time to find out the three reasons your customers infectiously spread the word about businesses they love!

Anne M. Obarski is a professional international retail speaker and author who works closely with retail organizations who want to become CONTAGIOUS….on purpose! In 1984 she founded Merchandise Concepts, a retail speaking and coaching service located in Columbus, Ohio. Roles as a past sportswear buyer for a million dollar department store now under the Macy’s name, college business instructor for 15 years, retail consultant and speaker have all helped Anne to bring real life experiences and advice to the thousands of audience members that have heard her passionately speak for over two decades. She is the author and co-author of five books on customer service and her newest book, “Make Your Customer Service CONTAGIOUS” is to be released in January 2012. Anne’s fun and educational sessions provide strategic, “contagious” ideas that successful companies implement to find their customers coming back and refer them because of their…infectious, enviable, repeatable, remarkable customer service.

Monday, January 30

3 Critical Merchandising Mistakes Retailers Make

Anne Obarski, Merchandise Concepts, 9:30 - 10 am

Merchandising and displays are your silent salesperson, yet many retailers overlook three areas that customers use to evaluate your store. Those evaluations can cause them to go down the street or to the Internet.

Attendees will discover:

• What critical Halloween merchandising and inventory skills to use for 2012.
• Three things your top customers say to do to retain their business.
• How to make a strategic plan for 2012! Successful retailers offer the experience that creates social media excitement.

Don’t get caught up in “we’ve always done it this way.”  Doing business as usual could mean not doing business at all.  Make your Halloween business a contagious, infectious, exciting and spreadable “not to miss” experience!

Live Body Paint Demonstration

Liquid Latex Fashions, 12 - 12:30 pm

Whether it’s for a full body costume or just face paint for a Halloween party, come see the kind of fun Liquid Latex Fashions can provide at a live body paint demonstration. Professional body painting artists will show you how to easily create the best effects step by step. Come test out Liquid Latex Fashions and try it on yourself to see why it is truly superior. Liquid Latex Fashions body paint is durable, flexible, smudge-proof, and hypoallergenic. It is ammonia-free and environmentally safe. We have unlimited colors including, metallics, pearls, neons, and fluorescents, as well as the ability to mix custom colors. Our products are ready as soon as you open the jar, whether you are airbrushing or using basic brush application. Come visit us at booth #1655, and see how fun and easy it really is!

Liquid Latex Fashions is using fashion models to expose wholesalers to its new premium line of paint-on costume kits. The kits are made exclusively from liquid latex paint and fashion tape. The result is a sexy, sassy, original costume sure to turn heads.

Halloween Industry Trend Panel

1 - 1:30 pm

Has the declining economy taken a toll on your business? Industry experts will address ways they have continued to be successful and thrived in this economy. This panel will have speakers from several areas of the Halloween Industry.

Creative Balloon Decorating

Carmen Ballering, Event Decorating Academy, 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Get creative with Carmen and learn how to make some of her quick and inexpensive balloon designs for deliveries or décor. These long lasting designs are adorable and will set your work apart form the competition. Amaze your clients with these unique moneymaking designs.

Social Media - It’s about Relationships

Ken Koo, Imaginuity, 4 - 4:30 pm

With a flood of digital information available to your prospects, the best sales strategy is to develop a relationship with your customers. Relationships develop trust, and trust with your brand can help you endure challenges such as fads, specials and price fluctuations. Attend this session to learn about the power of relationship development with social media.

Ken Koo is the President of Imaginuity Interactive, a Digital Marketing and Interactive Agency from Dallas. With more than 13 years of management consulting and technology consulting experience, Ken brings a unique perspective to Imaginuity. As an experienced professional consultant, Ken instills his business acumen, technology expertise and problem-solving skills across the entire portfolio of Imaginuity clients. Prior to joining Imaginuity, Ken was the Director of Professional Services at Acquity Group, a digital professional services company, where he led sales and service delivery efforts in the Dallas office. As an entrepreneur, Ken has also built and worked for several dotcom start-up companies. Ken’s professional foundation was developed through his work in traditional consulting at Hitachi Consulting and Grant Thornton Management Consulting.

Tuesday, January 31

Social Media - It’s about Relationships

Ken Koo, Imaginuity, 9:30 - 10 am

With a flood of digital information available to your prospects, the best sales strategy is to develop a relationship with your customers. Relationships develop trust, and trust with your brand can help you endure challenges such as fads, specials and price fluctuations. Attend this session to learn about the power of relationship development with social media.

Halloween Styrofoam Props Made Easy

Carmen Ballering, Event Decorating Academy, 12 - 12:30 pm

Attend this session to see an extension of Carmen Ballering's  decorating skills. Learn how you can create faux stones and blocks for a spooky haunted house look. These quick and easy techniques will help you design props that your customers will love.

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