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IATOS 2004 Outfitters Conference
Preliminary Schedule |
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Thursday, February
19 · 8:00am – 5:30pm
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Special thanks to
America
Outdoors &
Austin Lehman Adventures for participating in the IATOS 2004
Outfitters Conference Advisory Board and contributing to the development of the
program. |
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8:00am-8:45am |
Buffet
Breakfast
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8:45am-10:00am |
Welcome & Opening Session –
Developing Strategic Partnerships to Expand Your Business
A panel of
experts discuss how cooperative marketing strategies can build your
market and grow your business.
SPEAKERS: Dave Brown, America Outdoors; Rusty Staff, Asia
Transpacific Journeys; Larry Mogelonsky,
Adventure Collection; Kathy Moyer-Dragon, The Dragon's Path
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10:15am-12:15pm |
Interactive Workshops
The Outfitters
Conference will offer interactive forums that provide expert
guidance coupled with the audience’s individual experiences.
Workshop A:
Redesigning Your 2004
Business and Marketing Plan to Deliver Sales & Profits?
Every company's business plan needs to be refreshed as business
conditions, consumer trends and competitor influences change the
dynamics you operate in. Work with industry peers and learn how to
more effectively collect competitive intelligence, evaluate product
economics and points of leverage and more accurately forecast sales
and profitability as you implement your marketing plans.
SPEAKERS: Annie Ellicott, LeapUp-Marketing Solutions; Anne Loehr,
Eco-Resorts; Richard Weiss, eChrysalis
Workshop B: What’s Up With the Web? Understanding Traffic,
Electronic Media and Search Engine Optimization
Learn from the
experts how to increase eyeballs coming into your website through
reciprocal links, keyword purchases on Overture/Google, and by
constructing a page that optimizes search engine readability. The
pros explain the crazy world of metatags and keywords, and show you
how to keep web work from becoming a full-time job. Participants can
share their own successes and failures in the Internet universe.
SPEAKERS: John Alderman, away.com
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12:30pm-1:45pm
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Luncheon: Outside Magazine Trip of the Year Awards
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2:00pm-3:15pm |
Building
a Winning Workplace
Outfitters and
tour operators know that retaining trained guides and core staff,
let alone keeping them happy, can be extremely challenging in
today’s workplace. This session will detail specific actions you can
take and principles you can enact to create a positive, supportive
and enriching work environment for you and your staff. Learn from
the experts how you can increase guide and employee retention,
motivation, dedication and staff satisfaction without spending a
bundle, and share your own low-cost initiatives that have worked.
SPEAKERS: Paul Lehman, Winning Workplaces; Mary Clark, Winning Workplaces; Kirk Hoessle, Alaska Wildland Adventures
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3:30pm-5:30pm |
Interactive Workshops
Workshop C: Psychology of Sales
If you want to
do a better job of converting sales from calls and inquiries, then
check out this session. Industry peers will share successful closing
techniques and provide role-playing opportunities to practice your
new skills.
SPEAKERS: Dan Austin, Austin Lehman Adventures; Chris Kyle,
Ascendant Consulting; Dave Wiggins, Austin Lehman Adventures
Workshop D:
Creating a Cost Effective PR Strategy
With money tight for additional promotional expenses,
outfitters and operators need to take advantage of less-expensive
options of advertising. It is cheaper and more effective to sell
your product by getting an article published rather than by taking
out an ad, but how exactly do you get noticed by the press, and do
press releases work? Media professionals will work with you on
various public relations strategies, including writing a press
release, learning how to inform and contact the travel media, and
organizing a FAM trip.
SPEAKERS: Nancy Pfieffer, Adventure Travel Media Source; Stephanie
Pearson, Outside Magazine; Randy Curwen, Chicago Tribune
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6:00pm-8:00pm |
Industry
Reception |
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