PATS Sandown has secured a strong line-up of speakers for two days of seminars designed to give pet retailers ahead-of-the-game ideas on new lines, new approaches and new profit potential.
The talks, produced in association with Pedigree Wholesale, will take place in the Seminar Theatre in Esher Hall of Sandown Park on both days of the show – Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19-20.
The free-to-attend series of seminars will cover topics including driving sales in the small animal category, senior cats and their nutritional needs, how pet stores can thrive in the internet age, getting more online visitors, an introduction to responsible reptile retailing, and understanding your shoppers.
There will also be a chance to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points for those people attending a special seminar by animal healthcare specialists Merial. The CPD points will go towards the ongoing development of Suitably Qualified People (SQP) working in the pet industry. Places for this seminar, delivered by Tanya Leslie, technical manager for Merial’s Frontline Spot On product, need to be booked in advance at www.patshow.co.uk/merial/ and are on a first-come-first-served basis, while visitors can simply turn up for all the other talks.
Pictured above, from left to right: Tanya Leslie, David Mackley, Fiona Marjoram and Iain Grant.
On both days of PATS Sandown, the seminar programme will be opened with a talk from Hill’s Pet Nutrition on senior cats and their nutritional needs. Hill’s Education Specialist Fiona Marjoram will start proceedings at 10.05am on day one, while her colleague Iain Grant, Staff Clinician at Hill's, will deliver the talk at the start of the day two seminars.
For those retailers interested in specifically developing their store’s opportunities in reptiles and associated products, there will be an enlightening presentation by Chris Newman of REPTA, who has himself kept more than 250 species of reptiles and amphibians.
With 1.7million rabbits now owned across the UK, the small animal category represents a great opportunity to drive incremental sales across a range of products. Justin Heaton (above), from Burgess Petcare, will reveal retailers can lead the market with their small animal offering.
Understanding your shoppers is becoming increasingly important in today’s complex marketplace, and it’s a subject that will be tackled during the seminar programme on both days by Chris Collier, of Mars Petcare UK.
And for those retailers interested in developing their online presence there will be two talks of interest. Pooch & Mutt’s Guy Blaskey will be debating how pet stores can thrive in the internet age, while David Mackley, of Intelligent Retail, will be discussing ways to get more online visitors by using the latest Google changes to your advantage.
As well as this free programme of seminars there will be so much more to see and talk about at PATS Sandown with over 160 exhibitors packing the Surrey and Esher Halls. Visitors are now being urged to register for free show entry by going online at www.patshow.co.uk. Other benefits include free parking, free catalogue, dog grooming demonstrations and many special offers. The PATS hotline is +44 (0)1892 862848.
PATS Sandown seminar programme
In association with Pedigree Wholesale
Tuesday, March 19
10.05-10.35 Senior cats and their nutritional needs
Speaker: Fiona Marjoram, Education Specialist at Hill's Pet Nutrition
10.40 -11.10 An introduction to responsible reptile retailing
Speaker: Chris Newman, REPTA
11.20-11.50 eCommerce: Get more online visitors. How to use the latest Google changes to your advantage
Speaker: David Mackley, Intelligent Retail
12.00-12.30 Driving sales in the small animal category
Speaker: Justin Heaton, Burgess Petcare
13.00-13.30 How pet stores can thrive in the internet age
Speaker: Guy Blaskey, Pooch & Mutt
13.40-14.10 Understanding your shoppers
Speaker: Chris Collier, Mars Petcare UK
14.20 -15.10 Why understanding fleas and flea control is important to your business
Speaker: Tanya Leslie, Merial
Wednesday, March 20
10.05-10.35 Senior cats and their nutritional needs
Speaker: Iain Grant, Staff Clinician at Hill's Pet Nutrition
10.40 -11.10 Driving sales in the small animal category
Speaker: Justin Heaton, Burgess Petcare
11.20-11.50 Understanding your shoppers
Speaker: Chris Collier, Mars Petcare UK
12.00-12.30 eCommerce: Get more online visitors. How to use the latest Google changes to your advantage
Speaker: David Mackley, Intelligent Retail
13.00-13.30 An introduction to responsible reptile retailing
Speaker: Chris Newman, REPTA
13.40-14.10 How pet stores can thrive in the internet age
Speaker: Guy Blaskey, Pooch & Mutt
14.20 -15.10 Why understanding fleas and flea control is important to your business
Speaker: Tanya Leslie, Merial
