X marks the spot in Baltimore, where more than 5,000 distributors, pet store owners and grooming professionals will convene for H.H. Backer’s 22nd Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show and Educational Conference. Discover treasures April 23-25, when 300 pet supply manufacturers and distributors display their wares in more than 500 booths at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Among new offering at the spring show are Vicki Lynne Morgan’s free “Ask the Expert” one-on-one management consulting sessions. Held on the show floor, these sessions will give retailers, distributors and manufacturers easy access to expert advice on a variety of business topics. Morgan, a pet industry veteran, owns Animal Brands, a manufacturers’ representative firm in Califon, N.J.

In addition, aquatics experts will share their knowledge in similar sessions on the show floor.

In H.H. Backer’s new $10,000 Treasure Hunt contest, qualified buyers and distributors will have a chance to win $2,500 on Friday and Saturday, and $5,000 on Sunday. Attendees will get a set of questions each day, then search for answers hidden throughout the convention center. A daily winner will be drawn from the correct entries. 

Favorites returning to the show include the All-Natural Area, featuring companies with natural or “green” products, and the New Product Showcase, which opens an hour before the show floor to give attendees a preview of what’s new and exciting in the pet products market.

A variety of free educational seminars are scheduled to help retailers work smarter in today’s competitive world. The lineup includes “Guerilla Marketing for Beginners” by Chris Miller; “Internet/Social Media Marketing” by Rob Cook; “Aquatics Problem-Solver Course” by Patrick Donston; “The Sky’s the Limit: Practical Strategic Marketing Ideas” by Vicki Lynne Morgan; “Pet Care Professionalism in the New Millennium” by Thom Somes; “You Are Who You Hire” by Dave Ratner; and “Buy Better, Earn More with NexPet’s Retailer Co-op” by Barry Berman.
Sue Zecco will demonstrate how to groom mixed-breed dogs; and Jonathan Rudinger will give a two-part presentation on canine massage with a live demo.

In addition, a panel discussion featuring Chris Miller and Vicki Lynne Morgan will cover “Knowledge Share: New Approaches for Retail Success.”

Mary Oquendo and Beth Cristiano, both Certified Canine Specialists and Certified Pet Tech Instructors, will present a $99 comprehensive training seminar on pet first aid and CPR on Friday, April 23.

Fetching Communications (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) will sponsor “Going Green: What You Need to Know About Selling Natural and Organic Products,” a free luncheon and presentation on Saturday, April 24. Participation is limited to the first 100 respondents. To RSVP, e-mail hello@fetchingcommunications.com.

Also, the trade show will feature new hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 23 and 24, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25.

For more information, visit www.hhbacker.com or call 312-578-1818. [February 2010 PET AGE]