Professional Speaker’s Services
An outstanding retail-industry speaker, John Matthews is available as a keynote speaker, moderator or presenter at your upcoming corporate or association event. Committed to making your event a success, Matthews researches your audience and customizes his speech’s content to meet its unique needs. His commanding delivery on the speech platform captures your audience members’ attention as he shares business insights and strategies that they can apply at their own firms with immediate results.

Here are quick overviews of sample presentations:

Building A Social Media Strategy - With the introduction of social media in the last five or so years, networking and expanding your relevancy in your community has never been more productive.  Unlike most advertising and media, social media enables you to create a two-way communication with your network contacts and potential customers. Therefore, the more email addresses, connections, fans, etc. that you can capture in your database, the easier it will be to communicate within your community.  Proactively embracing social media is both an efficient and effective way to expand your overall brand awareness in your trade area and communities.  This presentation tells the audience how to go about approaching a social media strategy as well as tangible ways of implementing the plan.

Building Relevant Brands – In today’s world, marketers are at the crosswords.  While many continue to cling to “brand-centric” marketing casting a large net across a targeted audience, more and more consumers prefer a more “customer-centric” approach – delivering the customized goods at mass merchandising pricing.  This presentation looks at the transition that is taking place and the challenges that marketers are facing when customers expect 24/7 service.   This speech explores not only the changes that are demanded by the customers, but also the internal company structural changes that are required in order to deliver on the new customer promise.

  • Customer expectations are ongoing and technology is accelerating this
  • Companies that cling to “brand-centric” approaches will fall by the wayside (i.e. Oldsmobile)
  • Database Management or CRM is a critical driver.
  • Retailers need to be strong in all entry points by customers – branding, web, retail locations, blogging, etc.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) - Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are a vital resource to managing your business.  Each selected KPI can be your bellwether indicator for all departments and take the guesswork out of your strategy.  Rather than relying on old adages and “I think” statements, KPI’s help quarantine the operational data of your company and focus your go-forward actions to address specific needs. This presentation explains how a disciplined KPI management process shifts the organization – through an annual, quarterly, rolling forecast model process - to a forward thinking, action organization rather than backward reviewing financial company. KPI’s drill into the core of each controllable area of the business and provide tangible, quantifiable data that become the foundation from which action plans are devised.

Local Store Marketing for Retail - Local Store Marketing (LSM) is a must for every retailer large or small who wants to fully capitalize on the sales potential of their all-important 3-mile trade radius. Gray Cat’s Local Store Marketing presentation introduces 22 proven LSM strategies along with the 80-page, Local Store Marketing Manual for Retailers tells you how to tap into the power of local store marketing to help your store achieve sustained and successful sales growth this year–and beyond.   The easy-to-use manual gives you step-by-step instructions on how to implement proven local store marketing strategies at your store for little or no cost, and includes helpful worksheets, checklists and action plans.  Combined with the manual, this 60-minute Local Store Marketing presentation provides practical and actionable marketing ideas for the single-store operator to the multi-unit chain.

Presentation Objectives/Outcomes:

  • From presentation, audience will learn 22 LSM strategies that they can use at their stores
  • Strategies run the gambit from in-store activities to public relations to local store marketing surrounding their store’s 3-mile radius
  • If attendee purchases manual, manual includes all 22 strategies each in a 3-page detailed format:
    • LSM strategy overview
    • LSM strategy planner
    • LSM step-by-step action timeline
  • Practical, proven LSM programs for all in attendance – not theory!
Project Management - Project management follows the logic of a series of key tasks or steps that have to be completed in a systematic process in order to meet the desired outcome.  Ask someone to “map” out the many steps required to achieve a desired result of managing a project and many times you get resistance as in “overkill” or simply a “deer in the headlights” look.  Yet, the dollars at stake as well as the operational disruption to the organization seem secondary to the tedious task of mapping the process in advance.  No one would jump in a car and start driving without a map nor should they start a project without a plan.  Lacking a plan almost assuredly locks in failure as much as putting the wrong project manager in place.  This presentation focuses on the importance of project management and the specific skill set that is required from project managers that enables them to manage to an on-time, on-budget conclusion.  It is critical for the organization to identify those key people to lead projects or as an alternative, outsource to industry experts.

Watch the YouTube Video For Sample Speaking Clip:  Gray Cat Local Store Marketing: Coupon Books

See what people are saying about John Matthews’ speaking engagements.

“John Matthews’ experience as a manager and leader of the marketing efforts at several convenience store and foodservice companies enables him to provide unique insight into the challenges retailers are facing today. In an era of heightened competition, John is able to provide clear, concise marketing solutions for chains of all sizes by drawing on his experiences in the retail trenches. As a result, he has garnered the respect of his peers and those in the retail community. After attending his presentation at Convenience Store Decisions’ Foodservice Conference, convenience store operators were lined up 10 deep to get additional information. That’s the best testimonial for any retail consultant.”  

John Lofstock, Editor, Convenience Store Decisions Magazine

“You have spoken to our group three times over the years and you get better each time. Your current business is giving you an interesting global view of the things happening in the retail marketplace. Combine that with your knowledge of marketing and you have many valuable insights for folks in the media. The information you shared this time about kiosks is a great example of bringing together your retail and marketing expertise & for some great insights related to a new consumer trend. I look forward to the next time we work together because I can always count on you to prepare thoroughly and present professionally.”

John Henley, Senior VP/Director of Training, The Center of Sales Strategy

“The Merchandising Executive Club of Chicago presented John Matthews as its featured speaker. John did an excellent job. The feedback I received from many of the almost 200 guests as well as our M.E.C. Board of Directors was extremely positive and proved to be one of our highest attended events of the year.”  

Stan Parsons, VP-Operations of American Bottling Co.; President, Merchandising Executive Club of Chicago

“John’s speech was delivered with lots of energy – providing terrific content and tangible action items for our operators to understand and implement at their stores. This presentation is a must for any size retailer!”  

Tim Keigher, Executive Director, Nebraska Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association

“John Matthews knows his topics, John comes very well prepared, keeps the audience intrigued and energized. John is passionate about his topics and gives his audience the practical approach to things and not the theoretical approach.”

Ziad S. Dalal, CEO, Nestle Toll House Cafe

“John Matthews delivered an outstanding marketing presentation at our House of Bread franchise convention. As a small franchise company, it is even more important to obtain a return on your marketing investment. I didn’t want another marketing cheerleader but rather someone with real strategies and tools to increase profits. John Matthews delivered and the Franchisees were congratulating me on the best speaker we have had in a long time.”

Sheila McCann, President & CEO, House of Bread Franchise, Inc.

“John speaks the language of the people. The Quiznos franchisees were captivated by the potential for marketing their stores locally with the tools and techniques he recommends. John’s ideas are simple and powerful, a killer combination in becoming the home town hero, all for virtually free.”

Steve DeSutter, Former Chief Operations Officer, Quiznos

“I have had the good fortune to hear John Matthews of Gray Cat Enterprises speak on two occasions in the past year. I find his ideas to drive retail sales to be new, exciting, and innovative. Any retailer that is wise enough to implement even a few of them couldn’t help but increase their sales volume and bottom line.”

Ken Stoner, Convenience Store Project Manager, Martin Bros. Distributing Company

“Your presentation to our organization, the Digital Graphics Group, International, was very well done and very well received by your audience. We had some other very interesting presentations but none that generated as many favorable comments as yours.”

Fred B. Johnson, II, Chairman/CEO, FB Johnston Group

“The North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries remains grateful to you for your outstanding presentation at our regional meeting. Your attention to detail along with your keeping an eye on the big picture, sales success for all involved, was much appreciated.”

Lori S. Montana, Director, Illinois Lottery

“On behalf of the Broadcast Advertising Club of Chicago….many members commented on how they look forward to using your information to reach decision-makers whom have previously been unattainable. The attendance to this presentation neared 90, which makes that session one of our highest in history.”

Grace Winston, President, Broadcast Advertising Club of Chicago


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