Exhibitors and Retailers CLICK HERE to Register Online NOW!

Pre-register now in order to attend the Prairie Showcase. Go to our www.wrla.org and follow the link. Don't assume you are registered - check and make sure to avoid the line-ups at the onsite registration desk!  

EXHIBITORS: Just because you are registered to have a booth at the 2012 Prairie Showcase does NOT MEAN that you are registered for badges. Avoid the line-ups, please ensure that your company has registered all of your booth staff for name badges before you arrive at the show.

If you are an exhibitor at the 2012 Prairie Showcase you must select "WRLA Exhibitor" (see below)

At the end of registering you must click the "Finish" button at the bottom of the page otherwise your registration will not be processed.

Check http://www.wrla.org/prairieshowcase/index.html  for badge pickup times and locations.

* There is no charge for exhibitors or retailers to enter the show,only evening events!.
* VISA or MASTERCARD required at time of registration for event tickets.

Questions? Call 800-661-0253 for all your answers!

 

You're spending a lot of money on so many things for your trade show - from booth space to transportation to airfare to hotels to exhibit construction to promotions - and more. Yet all those things don't bring in leads, it's your booth staffers that do. You can double your lead counts just by offering prizes to the 5 booth staffers that take the highest number of qualified leads. A gift certificate to a nice restaurant will turn some mild mannered employees into enthusiastic go-getters. Then give them company-wide recognition for their achievement. One warning: make sure before the show that your staff understands that you are rewarding them for qualified leads, so they still take the time to question visitors and record their valuable remarks for your field sales people. Otherwise you'll get quantity, without regard to quality.

 

 

Quick Response codes (QR codes) and other two-dimensional codes are expected to achieve widespread use this year – and for good reason. Consumers want immediate access to what’s relevant and QR codes are being used to make that possible.

QR Codes 101

If you’re not yet familiar with QR codes, they’re similar to the barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price products at the point of sale. The key difference between the two is the amount of data they can hold or share. 
 
Bar codes are linear one-dimensional codes and can only hold up to 20 numerical digits, whereas QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. Their ability to hold more information and their ease of use makes them practical for businesses.

When you scan or read a QR code with your iPhone, Android or other camera-enabled Smartphone, you can link to digital content on the web; activate a number of phone functions including email, IM and SMS; and connect the mobile device to a web browser.

Any of these desired functions are easily achieved by properly creating your QR code. It’s simple process of entering the appropriate data into the QR code generator, described below, and it all takes just a few minutes.

The ability of QR codes to connect people with each other and to multimedia digital content is very useful for businesses and consumers alike.

How QR Codes Work

QR code generators – there a number of sites for generating QR codes and they’re all free. An internet search for QR code generator will offer many choices.

Applications for QR Codes

Sharing – there’s no limit to how, or even how much, you can share with QR codes. While a video or landing page is easily shared, you could go further and share an entire eBook and even multiple pieces of content that share a common link.

Community – Sharing is how you build community, and one of the favorite arenas for doing this is Facebook. You can create a QR code that links your mobile device to a fully functioning LIKE button for your Facebook page.

• Make sure your phone can scan a QR code with its camera, either with an application that you download or via software that's already installed on your phone. To find out what application to use for your phone, we recommend doing a Google search for the model of your phone along with "QR reader".
  
• When you see a QR code, use your phone's application to scan it. If you're scanning a QR code on one of the window decals that we've sent to thousands of businesses, you'll quickly be taken to that business' mobile Place Page on Google, where you can:
  
• Read reviews to see what other users think about the business
• Find an offer that the business has posted to their Place Page
• Star the business to remember to check it out later, or to remember to visit again
• Leave a review right after you leave the business. What's a better time to write what you think, than when you've just visited?
  

 

Recent economic data suggest that growth in the United States has been slightly more robust than anticipated, largely as a result of continued vigour in consumer spending and business investment.

Nonetheless, household deleveraging, fiscal consolidation and negative spillover effects from the European crisis are all expected to weigh on U.S. growth. Growth in China and other emerging-market economies continues to be strong, although there are signs that it is moderating to a more sustainable pace in response to weaker external demand and the lagged effects of past policy tightening.

On balance, recent economic indicators in Canada suggest that growth in the second half of this year is slightly stronger than the Bank projected in October. Household expenditures have more momentum than had been expected and business investment remains solid. Going forward, the weaker external outlook is expected to dampen GDP growth in Canada through financial, confidence and trade channels. The economy also continues to face competitiveness challenges, including the persistent strength of the Canadian dollar.

Although total CPI inflation has been slightly higher than projected, the Bank continues to expect the inflation rate to decline as a result of reduced pressures from food and energy prices and ongoing excess supply in the economy. Core inflation has also been slightly firmer than projected and is expected to ease as the output gap persists well into 2013.

Reflecting all of these factors, the Bank has decided to maintain the target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. With the target interest rate near historic lows and the financial system functioning well, there is considerable monetary policy stimulus in Canada. The Bank will continue to monitor carefully economic and financial developments in the Canadian and global economies, together with the evolution of risks, and set monetary policy consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target over the medium term.

Information note:

The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is 17 January 2012. A full update of the Bank’s outlook for the economy and inflation, including risks to the projection, will be published in the MPR on 18 January 2012.

This press release is now available on the Bank of Canada’s website at:

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/2011/12/press-releases/fad-press-release-2011-12-06/

To unsubscribe from a Bank Messenger category, please go to the following address:

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/email-alerts/#unsubscribe

 

MONTRÉAL, December 7, 2011 – OGC is proud to announce that it has integrated a module to communicate with Orgill into its OGC-Plus business management solution.

This new option lets OGC-Plus communicate directly with the Orgill buying group so that the system can receive and transmit stock management data (price changes, new products, etc.) and other information. Merchants can also automatically send purchase orders to the buying group and receive communications from Orgill. This will give Canadian retailers yet another way to effectively manage their business data.

OGC-Plus already communicates with the majority of Canadian purchasing groups in the hardware and building materials industry. With the addition of this module, OGC has made its two management solutions (OGC-Plus and SpruceWare.NET) compatible with Orgill, thereby demonstrating its desire to meet the specific needs of all merchants and help Canadian companies streamline their management practices.

About OGC
OGC is a Canadian IT supplier for the hardware and building materials industries that provides management solutions in the areas of purchasing, inventory, finance, sales, customer service and human resources.

About Orgill
Orgill, Inc. is the largest independently owned hardlines distributor in the United States. From its six domestic distribution centres and two export consolidation facilities, Orgill, Inc. distributes hardware and home improvement products to hardware, home improvement and building material retailers across the United States and in 60 countries throughout the world. (www.orgill.com)

–30 –

For more information:
Caroline Du Paul, Marketing Coordinator, OGC Inc.
1-888-642-7587, ext. 2403
dupc@ogcinc.ca  

 

To view our WRLA Education Calendar CLICK HERE

January 18-20, 2012
2012 Prairie Showcase Buying Show & Convention
Prairieland Park, Saskatoon
ckelly@wrla.org

February 2, 3, & 4, 2012
Orgill 2012 Spring Market
Orlando, FL
www.orgill.com

February 22-24, 2012
ABSDA Show
Moncton, NB
www.absda.ca

March 30-31, 2012
TIM-BR MART National Buying Show
Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, ON

April 14 - 16, 2012
TruServ Canada Spring Market
Winnipeg Convention Center, Winnipeg, MB
www.truserv.ca

 

NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

F.T. Royal Products Group (Head Office)
1173 Matheson Blvd. E.
Mississauga, ON L4W 1B6
Phone: 905-282-9321
Toll Free: 855-215-6858
Fax: 905-282-1492
Main Contact: Jimmy Suriano
jsuriano@ftroyal.com
www.ftroyal.com
(Distributor) plumbing, electrical and paint


Nuform Building Technologies, Inc. (Head Office)
100 Galcat Dr. Unit #
Woodbridge, ON L4L 0B9
Phone: 905-652-0001
Toll Free: 877-747-9255
Fax: 905-652-0002
Main Contact: Grace Gentile
info@nuformdirect.com
www.nuformdirect.com
(Manufacturer) wall and ceiling paneling systems, polymer formwork for concrete walls


SHNIER (Head Office)
50 Kenview Blvd.
Brampton, ON L6T 5S8
Phone: 905-789-3774
Toll Free: 800-970-2000
Fax: 905-789-3760
Main Contact: Tammy Tramble
ttramble@gesco.ca
www.shnier.ca
(Distributor) ceramic and stone tile flooring, laminate, hardwood, cork and vinyl flooring