PYMBLE, NSW, 25 Sep 2019 — In 1999, Office Brands was formed by combining three smaller Groups, to enable them to fight against the onslaught of Corporate Express who threatened to wipe out the independent dealers with their massive catalogue and brute force marketing techniques.
Since that time the independent channel has proven to be robust and has seen off the challenges from Corporate Express, Staples and is now entering the challenges with the current market players, Winc, COS and Officeworks.
There is no doubt that the pace of change is accelerating, the last 3 years have been particularly intense with the consolidation of suppliers and retailers, the substantial changes in purchasing and marketing strategies, and the requirements of our customers to service their expanding needs for a total workplace solution. Those businesses who plan to survive not only have to accept these changes but embrace them.
It is therefore appropriate, as we look to celebrate our 20th Anniversary, that Office Brands has embraced the mantra of “Think Differently”; for our forthcoming Expo in Adelaide. Our spotlight for this event will be to highlight our focus on helping members and partners differentiate themselves through “Thinking Differently” to enable growth in their business. We are looking at this through the lens of creativity, innovation, strategy, best practices and other cutting-edge tools. To achieve this, the major focus of the Expo will be on educating, knowledge sharing and providing insightful experiences from member and supplier panels, as well as guest speakers who will also be conducting workshops.
Discover thinking differently at the Office Brands Expo 2019 where it’s the time to create, collaborate and innovate as a group; all this while working to overcome universal challenges in our industry. The Expo brings together an amalgamation of independent business owners, suppliers and service providers that represent this country’s best in providing workplace solutions to small and medium businesses, government and enterprises.
Our 20th Anniversary Expo, showcases the ongoing opportunities for our industry and the ability to evolve with the times and trends. While “Thinking Differently”, Office Brands has, and continues to invest substantially in both digital and traditional tools to provide our members and partners with the capabilities to drive their business. The Expo also represents an opportunity to share your knowledge with fellow industry members, customers and partners face to face and build relationships while learning more about the products, tools and services you can utilise in order to “think differently” about your business with our content-packed presentations and panels.
Our Expo runs from Friday October 11th to Sunday October 12th and is held at the Intercontinental and the Adelaide Convention Centre in Adelaide. The conference runs over three days; last year was considered the best ever and we are looking to top that this year. The program this year includes:
- Keynote Speaker Amanda Stevens, Previous Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s leading consumer futurist – Amanda will give us practical focus on how “Putting your customer at the centre of your business” is the key to future success
- Workshop Kerri Pottharst, 3 time Olympian and Olympic Goal Medalist in Sydney in 2000. Kerri will workshop her theme: “Don’t Think It, Ink It” with members practical Goal setting strategies she used to recover from a massive injury and a potential end to her career, to not only become competitive but go on to win gold – “Goal Setting for Success” will provide members real practical tools that you can use in your own business.
- Other content includes;
- Merchandise and Business Development strategy and growth sessions
- IT and Marketing strategy and growth sessions
- Networking opportunities
- Booth and Stalls showcasing the latest and greatest
- Gala Night
- Awards Night
- Subject Matter Expert Sessions
- Massive Supplier Expo with over 40 prizes to be won valued at over $11,000
The Expo is about bringing everyone together to provide you with critical insights, innovative ideas and the latest technological resources needed to win more business than ever before. We are here to empower members to raise the bar and “think differently” about your business for the better. For more information on our Expo, please contact us at 02 8599 6866 or at corth@officebrands.com.au