Life Instyle Melbourne 2022 - Retail Therapy

Retail Therapy 

Presented by Life Instyle

Retail Therapy is set to enhance your sourcing with content to keep you informed on the latest trends and retail education for the savvy business owner. Presented by leading experts in their field, Retail Therapy will equip you with the know how to evolve your strategy and take your customer experience to the next level – from how to recover post-covid, the need to know sales strategies and how to take your business online – you are invited to join and be inspired to make your next move in retail and beyond.

This seminar series is free to attend with your event registration. You must be registered to attend Life Instyle or the Reed Gift Fairs to gain entry. You can register via our website www.lifeinstyle.com.au 

THURSDAY 28 JULY

11:15 - 11:45
Master planning for builders and stylists - how to style and build your next project for sale

The renovate/build to sell market has advanced considerably over the last 5 years, along with every home being styled there have been dramatic shifts in many areas of the process. In this presentation we talk through some of the major advances and how considering them can be the key to unlocking profits in your project.

Alison Lewis, Founder, Alison Lewis Interiors
Rachel Collard, Founding Director, R&Co Design Studio

12:25 - 13:25
Foodie Nation Panel

The panel will cover:

The impact of COVID-19 has drastically impacted the hospitality industry and has changed the way companies operate both internally and externally. Hear from the panel of experts as they discuss a range of present and future topics. 

• Foodie global mega trends- combining different features/produce etc


• The impact of covid on the hospitality industry


• What does the future hold for hospitality?

Sam Guedouard, Partner Engagement Manager, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Olympia Yarger, Founder & CEO, Goterra 
Ben Blackmore, Blackmore Wagyu
Dr. Narelle Hutcheeson, Managing Director, RQ Media (Moderator)

13:30 - 14:00
Pivoting your business towards Sustainability 

If you’ve been working in fashion for a while now, chances are your values may have changed but perhaps your business hasn’t caught up yet. To make any kind of meaningful change, you have to take a microscope to every part of your business. If you don’t know where to start, let me guide you towards pivoting your practices to align with a more ethical and sustainable future.

Belinda Humphrey, Fashion Consultant

14:00 - 14:40
People buy from people: The importance of humanising your business

How much of yourself should you put into your brand, when it comes to marketing it? In this talk you'll learn what "humanising your business" really means. It's said that people buy from people, but for many small business owners putting your own face out there, or talking about things outside of the products / services you offer, can feel daunting. In this session you'll learn how you can add more 'humanity' into your marketing (without 24/7 selfies) and how this can positively impact your audience and sales.

Fiona Killackey, Business & Marketing Consultant, My Daily Business Coach

14:45 - 15:15
Leveraging Your Infrastructure to Unlock Innovative Delivery Solutions

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  Click & collect, endless aisle & the last mile
  
  


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  Winning solutions to overcome technology challenges
  
  


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  Unlock enhanced delivery options using your existing infrastructure
  
  

Greg Leibowitz, Co-Founder, Rendr 

15:15 - 15:45
More than what meets the eye - Styling your store for maximum exposure - Design tips to increase sales

This session will explore interior design components and design tips to increase your stores sales.

• Comparing store layouts and what may work best for your store


• Determining the right amount of product to display


• Incorporating cross merchandising


• Store design - what’s good, what’s not

Tara Solberg, Owner and Director, Few & Far

FRIDAY 29 JULY

11:15 - 11:40
Sales and Marketing Strategies

In an age where there’s always a new social channel and ideas flying around the room, companies more than ever need to have a strong sense of the sales and marketing strategy.

The right strategy will amplify your brand, provide a better ROI on marketing and increase your sales. The wrong one? Kills resources, wastes time and drains your business of money and motivation.

Join Cat, Managing Director from The Empirical Agency as she shares different sales and marketing strategies you could use to grow your business.

• Types of sales & marketing strategies


• Identify when to double down vs pivot


• How sales & marketing can come together

Cat Nguyen, Founder, The Empirical Agency 

11:40 - 12:10
Forecasting trends to influence business and leverage customer purchasing power

Hear from Bree, the Dulux Colour Forecaster and Stylist. She delivers trend forecasting and creative skills to various projects and has produced the last 8 Dulux Colour Forecasts - from 2014 to 2022, and is currently working on 2023. Trend forecasting is an important tool in deciding the upcoming trends which would influence business and leverage the purchasing power of your customers. 

Bree Leech, Dulux Trend Forecaster and Stylist

12:20 - 13:05
Social Media is not a Marketing Strategy

How to plan your marketing with ease for your Retail bricks n mortar or online store.

Melissa Robbins, Founder, The Lotco

13:10 - 13:40
From Side Hustle to Growing Empire - Using publicity skills to level up and maximise your earning potential

Ellen Weigall, a young publicist who invested her savings into an idea which she saw as a missing gap in the industry is now selling 20,000 worth of gin in one month, Ellen will discuss the challenges and effort it took to get her business of the ground and up and running. Predicted to hit a million- dollar turnover within the next three years, Baby Pink Gin continues to grow and is making a statement in the retail industry. Ellen will discuss how she used her skills and experience working as a publicist to inject the right tips and strategies into her social media campaigns to drive growth and demand. Ellen will also touch on entering a very male dominated industry and how she became the first 100% female owned spirits company in Australia.

Ellen Weigall, Founder & Director, Baby Pink Gin

13:40 - 14:30
Social Media Marketing - A retailers guide to social media marketing

Cherie will explore:

• The importance of social media marketing


• Choosing the right channels


• Building a social following


• Measuring performance


• Utilising social media to upscale your business growth in the modern day of rapidly advancing technology

Cherie Clonan, Digital Marketer, The Digital Picnic

14:40 - 15:10
Developing and managing useful & relevant content for your business or brand, and how to tell 'the right story' of your business through your marketing and digital content

Successful communication is the key to building a more effective PR strategy for retailers. The rights ways to communicate can vary depending on your size, location, and goals. Join TLSE Founder, editor and stylist, Heidi Albertiri, who will engage with the audience regarding the crucial tips and tricks for an engaging PR strategy for retail, including. 

• Engaging social media influencers


• Developing useful & relevant content


• Building brand authority online


• Capitalising on social media and community involvement 

Heidi Albertiri, Founder, The Life Style Edit

15:10 - 16:15
E-Commerce Workshop: "The ultimate guide to running a successful business"

Join Cat Nguyen and Liam Johnson from The Empirical Agency in this interactive and engaging workshop.

• Setting yourself up on Shopify


• Managing your store


• Growing your store 

Cat Nguyen, Founder, The Empirical Agency
Liam Johnson, Digital Marketing Specialist, The Empirical Agency

SATURDAY 30 JULY

11:15 - 11:45
Learn how to build a distinctive retail experience both in-store and online

Curating style is an art-form, understanding trends, and what consumers want is crucial to determining what brands will be successful as part your product mix. How can you source unique wares that will set your store apart from competitors? Learn how to build a distinctive retail experience both in-store and online.

Tim Neve, Interior Stylist, Tim Neve

11:50 - 12:20
101 for Hamptons styling - Create the looks in store and in home

Join Natalee- Interior Designer at Indah Island, Stylist, TV presenter and judge, writer, and brand ambassador- a Hamptons expert throughout Australia and internationally with over 20 years in the industry; as she explores the key ingredients needed to design 'your Hampton's style home. Natalee grew up with inspiration around her and design runs in her genes. From a very young age she was collecting bits and pieces of material from her dad's building renovations, and this sparked her passion for design which she has turned into a very successful career.

Natalee Bowen, Director and Head Interior Designer, Indah Island

12:25 - 12:55
Investing in sustainability in retail

Today's consumers are increasingly conscious about the impact of what they buy on the environment- as a result, implementing sustainability is a no longer 'nice to have' but a 'must have' for brands and retailers. Join Niccii, Founder at Nash & Banks as she explores the right strategies which will set retailers on the path to make measurable impacts on the ongoing climate change crisis- empowering you to save valuable resources while also gaining more loyal customers.

Niccii Kugler, Founder, Nash + Banks

12:55 - 13:55
How to build a Brand Chanstores can't compete with

Chain stores, with their seemingly never-ending bucket of marketing money, can feel like a noose around an independent store owner's neck, out to steal every potential customer. Want to know how to beat 'the big guys' at their own game?

In this session, Salena will show you how to leverage your independence and build a brand that chain stores can't compete with.

Salena Knight, Retail Strategist/Consultant, The Retail Strategists

14:00 - 14:30
Forecast 2023 - a look into what's next for the retail industry

Comfort is everything:
There is a greater understanding how important our environments are and how they manipulate not only on our moods, but our overall health and well-being. Therefore, it's understandable why post pandemic, interior design trends have been focused on making us feel emotionally at ease. We want homes to feel like a warm hug and space we can nest in, which is a trend and interior requirement I see being at the for-front of design in coming years.

No more white-on-white-on-white:
All white everything is a thing of the past. We saw boucle fabrics and creamy interiors that oozed minimalism, however, I think people are now focused on having spaces that are more layered, textured and warm.

Vintage Furniture:
By repurposing vintage furniture, we’re reducing our footprint while bringing a unique item filled with soul into a space. With the rise of online vintage furniture shops that are perfectly curated to suit current trends, people are able to access vintage/one off pieces more and I think we will keep seeing this rise in 2023.

Lilacs and Blue:
Green tiles and green wall colours have certainly been at the forefront of design throughout 2022and I see this carrying through to 2023, however, I think we may see lilac and blue tiles making their way into bathrooms shortly.

Mariah Madder, Co-Director, Folk Studio

15:10 - 15:40
Avoiding Renovation Overwhelm

Your guide to managing your renovation design journey and actually enjoying the process...

Has the thought of your upcoming renovation got you feeling like your head is about to explode? You're not alone. We get that heading into a renovation project can lead to a serious case of information overload and stress, but what if we told you it could actually become one of your most enjoyable and memorable experiences?

Renovating often gets a bad wrap, but it doesn't need to if you engage the right help at the right time. Interior Designers have become way more accessible and affordable these days, and a necessity if you want to have some fun along the way. Join norsu co-founder Nat Wheeler and Lauren Bartlett-Bragg from the norsuHOME design team for this interactive session to step you through the process and discuss all things design related during your renovation.

Topics include:

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  How engaging with an Interior Designer can reduce your stress levels and save you time and money in the long run.
  
  


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  How can you be expected to know what you don't know? Short answer... you can't!
  
  


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  The five major steps of the renovation journey, and how best to prepare for them.
  
  

Nat Wheeler, Co-Founder, Norsu Interiors
Lauren Bartlett-Bragg, Senior Interior Designer, norsuHOME