Returning to Las Vegas for the first time since 2019, Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) Members gathered at the Venetian Convention & Expo Center, to kick off the buying group’s first day of PrimeTime 2024 in style. NMG’s premier biannual Member conference and tradeshow show, featured more than 85 hours of education sessions for independent retailers, millions in Cash Back for product purchases at the show, and the opportunity to give back, network, and attend roundtables with peers from across the nation.
“It’s been a long time coming, but we are excited to return once again to this incredible convention capital with our members and vendor partners,” said Nationwide CEO Tom Hickman. “There have been a number of major changes made to Las Vegas since we last held a PrimeTime there, and Nationwide has also greatly evolved as an organization during that same time. We’re looking forward to showcasing all of those exciting updates.”
Under a new banner of “Together, We Power Potential”, NMG Members were shown the potential that lives in their businesses, the potential profits that are on the table that they could get some more of, and above all, the potential of finding customers and making them customers for life.
Hickman boldly addressed the trials Members have faced over the past few years – particularly with economic uncertainty centered around recession rumors and the challenges an election year always brings. “The good news is that you are best positioned to thrive and navigate these waters because you always have been,” said Hickman during his opening remarks at the Sunday evening keynote session. “You know better than anyone else how to adapt, adjust, alter, be nimble, and most importantly, how to remain relevant and take advantage of what is possible, even in the toughest times.”
The most exciting update announced during the keynote session was the introduction of OneShop, Nationwide’s unified digital marketing solution that brings the group’s digital strengths under one roof to help members more easily and speedily “win customers in today’s digital environment both online and in stores”.
“Digital is critical to your business, especially for earning, creating, and keeping loyal customers,” said Jennifer Danko, Chief Technology Officer, NMG as she and Nationwide Chief Digital Officer Aaron Bundschuh unveiled OneShop during Sunday night’s session. “We’ve invested in OneShop to make it easier for you to do that. You’ve got a business to run, a million things happening, product to deliver. With all these things going on, we want to make it ridiculously easy to work with us and manage your digital strategy. We’re not trying to be Shopify…we’ve built this specifically for you. OneShop was built by industry experts, people who understand your categories.”
Following the introduction of OneShop, Bundschuh moderated a panel of Member peers who experienced success using the tools provided with the new OneShop suite. The panel members expressed their positive and frustrating experiences navigating the digital marketing space and ultimately shared how once they grasped the concepts behind the OneShop tools – thanks to supportive NMG OneShop advisors – their businesses saw amazing growth and accelerated success with their existing and new customers.
A new take on training also debuted during PrimeTime with Nationwide extending education sessions beyond the traditional classroom-style onto the show floor in the form of vendor-led in-booth training and the brand-new NLA Education Theater.
“Our members’ time is invaluable, and we understand that it can be difficult to choose between a top-notch educational session or exploring the show floor and meeting with vendor partners,” said Shawn Ashby, director of education and training for Nationwide. “So, we’re giving members the opportunity to do both at the same time. We can’t wait to help facilitate those interactions and unique opportunities.”
Some of the other highlights for PrimeTime include:
- A two-day buy fair featuring more than 1,000 can’t-miss Show Specials and CashBack offers from vendor partners
- Targeted merchandising sessions on home appliances, consumer electronics, and furniture and bedding
- Dozens of hours of education, available exclusively through the Nationwide Learning Academy
- The PrimeTime Palooza shopping frenzy, filled with limited-time and limited-quantity offers
- Networking opportunities for specialty groups, including WIN: Women in Nationwide, Service Leaders Network, Nationwide RentDirect and Oasys Residential Technology Group
For more information, visit nationwidegroup.org.
See also: Nationwide Marketing Group CEO Tom Hickman Receives President’s Volunteer Service Award
