Anneli Spielman, conference manager for Natural Products Expo East, wanted to step up this year’s Retailer Workshop. So she turned to those who know retailers’ needs best—retailers themselves. The team created an advisory board to help develop and hone the all-day workshop’s topics and presentations. The result is an exciting training schedule featuring nine intensive sessions broken up into three tracks—perishables, nonperishables and operations—plus a retailer lunch and engaging keynote and closing sessions.

“We are trying to provide a 360-degree viewpoint on the topics. We wanted real-life examples of retailers in action,” Spielman says. “There is just so much learning and networking.”

To help you make the most of the jam-packed workshop, which will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13, here are a few of the standout sessions:

Call of the Cleanse
When: 1 to 2:15 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 252A
Track: nonperishables
Detox is all the rage, with shoppers shelling out more than $100 million on cleansing products last year with the hope that these products will help them lose weight, increase energy and improve digestion. Now is the time to capitalize on the trend, but you need to make sure customers opt for the safest, most effective options. Featuring health guru Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, author of the hit book Fat Flush for Life (De Capo Lifelong Books, 2009), this session is designed to provide you with everything—science, supplements and merchandising strategies—you want to know about detox.

Motivating Front Line Staff—For Better Customer Service
When: 10:45 a.m. to noon
Where: Level 2, Room 252B
Track: operations
Floor staff is your store’s welcome mat, concierge and ambassador all rolled into one. But it’s not easy keeping these employees passionate and animated day in and day out, and all it takes is one poor employee-customer interaction to lose a shopper for good. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to motivating staff, and even bonuses don’t always do the trick. This session will detail a variety of strategies and approaches proven to help keep your front line upbeat and enthusiastic.

Making Your Deli a Destination
When: 10:45 a.m. to noon
Where: Level 2, Room 251
Track: perishables
These days, the deli section isn’t just about shelling out cold cuts. The most successful retailers have redesigned their delis along the lines of a restaurant, making them in-store destinations where people like to stay and eat. This session will reveal the secrets of the deli makeover, including the best product and seating arrangements, customers’ deli buying habits and examples of grocery delis that have hit it out of the park.