Seminars

My Seminar Presentations 
are on the topics of visual merchandising, store design, and building a brand image.
All are custom-tailored to the audience demographic
[local yarn shops or northwest antique dealers, for example]. 
I include relevant resources and information geared directly to your attendee's needs,
using on-stage displays and handouts filled with material.

I also provide a Q and A session following my presentation,
allowing your attendees to ask questions specific to their own store needs.
This can be done with ad-hoc questions taken from the audience,

or pre-selected queries with photos sent in prior to the event.

My clients include
The San Francisco International Gift show . The Seattle Gift Show
The Portland Gift Show . The Denver Gift & Accessories Show
Yarn Market News Magazine Smart Business Conference
Washington State Bed & Breakfast Association Convention
Launch Your Creativity Women's Business Events
Willows Lodge Girlfriend's Weekend Events

The Vintage Marketplace . The Funky Junk Sisters.

 On-Stage Displays:

Denver Gift & Accessories Show
Presenting home decor with western flair in two distinct styles
helped illustrate that you can tell different stories within the same theme.

Portland Gift Show
 Asked by management to feature two themes: 'Gardening' and 'Travel',
these displays illustrated the display basics covered in my seminar.
I also provided a walking tour of the show for my seminar attendees, 
pointing out successful merchandising in the booths.

 Yarn Market News Magazine Business Conference
 Displays of whimsical and inspiring ideas served to remind owners of yarn stores 
that they provide CREATIVE LICENSE to customers... not 'just' yarn

Seattle Gift Show
Display focuses on how color can create a theme in displays, 
including how to get a seasonal/holiday effect with 'everyday' merchandise.

The Vintage Marketplace Vendor Seminar
 The 'stage' was an actual 10X10 show booth space,
set up to illustrate successful display techniques at shows.
At the end of the seminar, I added a pop of color throughout the booth
to show vendors how easy it is to adapt to seasonal themes.

Creating on-stage displays is my thing!
This practice enables me to move items and show attendees the 'how' and 'why' of retail merchandising.
It gives YOUR attendees the opportunity to come up to the stage to take photos of what resonates with them.
It is also a great opportunity to promote exhibitor/vendor wares at a trade show.

There aren't many speakers who go to the trouble to do this...
I consider it the best way to communicate visually with a room filled with people who want to learn to communicate visually! 

Of course I can also provide a slideshow presentation in combination with, or in lieu of, a stage display.

* 10/2018: no longer providing this service *

Popular Topics:

Styling for Success
Learn tips and tricks of the retail stylist's trade to increase the all-important presentation of products in your store. Learn about new trends in window and interior store display, how to use them effectively for your business, and how to achieve luxe champagne looks on a sparkling apple cider budget.

Tell Your Own Story: Express Your Brand Image in Your Store Environment
The information in this seminar helps shop owners make brand-centric and budget-wise choices for their store fixturing, lighting, decor, and more. Learn to build a rock-solid image for a brand and business, lift it above the competition, and literally envelop your customers in the brand experience that only YOU can offer.

Create Maximum Visual Impact In Your Show Booth
The content of this seminar is geared to meet the needs of those who sell products at shows, rather than in Brick and Mortar stores. This popular seminar is loaded with helpful information for vintage and antique dealers who sell at street markets and vintage shows, wholesalers with temporary booths at shows, gift show vendors, showrooms, and artisans/craftspeople who sell at fairs and street markets.

Principles of use of booth space, layout, fixture & furniture placement, scale, color, and basic display. Utilizing these principles as you select products and props, and then plan and set up your booth, will help you to make a huge visual impact amid close competition on the show floor.

* Find out how to get big effects for little money (and weight and setup time).
* Get the scoop on where to find cheap materials and props.
* Learn how to plan ahead to display your products effectively, and to provide inspiring design ideas along with merchandise to draw in customers.
* See how easy it is to create stories and themes with the merchandise you sell - even if there aren't multiples of any items.
* Discover how easy it is to create 'photo ops' in your booths at shows - because you DO want your booth to show up on social media!
* Hear why it is important to create a 'brand image' and use it at a show.
* Understand why using space wisely & effectively will help you get more people entering and shopping your booth.
* Leave with a slew of ideas, inspiration, information, and a written outline that will help you remember everything you just learned! 

100 Display Ideas Under $100
Since 2002, this seminar has been Deb's most requested seminar topic at gift shows.
You get a stage packed with easily-attainable props, a multi-page resource handout, and 100 innovative ideas for eye-catching and effective displays, all presented in Deb's trademark fast-paced, high-energy style. This seminar has been extremely successful at the Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Denver Gift Shows.

Inspired Seasonal Decorating
Deb inspires and energizes each season with nature-based, inexpensive, and innovative decorating ideas for home and business, and presents them in visually rich displays. This presentation is perfect for 'Girlfriend's Weekend' events, women's church groups, conferences for resorts and B and B's, private groups, and more. See Deb's philosophy of 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' decor highlighted on her DIY decor blog, HomewardFOUNDdecor.

To engage me to speak at your event, please email Debi.WardKennedy@gmail.com

Want to see me in action? Click on my 'VIDEOS' tab!
For more background on me, read why I love presenting seminars!