Dave Ratner
Learn how to play with the BIG DOGS and win, from a guy who actually does it.
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Fee Range: Contact Speaker Exchange Agency
- Building an independent, critically and commercially acclaimed pet supply business, Dave’s Soda and Pet City
- Earned a seat at the table on the National Retail Federation Board of Directors
- The only small business owner on the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association Board of Directors
- Represented the voice of small business owners before both houses of Congress
*Fee ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact your Speaker Exchange Agency representative.
For more than 4 decades, Dave Ratner has been building an independent, critically and commercially acclaimed pet supply business. With seven Dave’s Soda and Pet City stores, and a nationally marketed line of high-quality pet food for dogs and cats, Dave has earned a seat at the table on the National Retail Federation Board of Directors. He also sits on the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association Board of Directors, the only small business owner representing the independent retailer alongside the VPs of Marketing for Home Depot, Walgreens, and Target. As he puts it, “It’s all these big dogs — and me!”
Dave has represented the voice of small business owners before both houses of Congress and continues to work to elevate the retail industry.
Dave Ratner received the Silver Award from the National Retail Federation and was named to the Massachusetts Retail Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Retail Industry and induction into the Massachusetts Retail Hall of Fame.
Don’t dig a hole with your customers. Creating rich customer experience and cultivating fierce customer loyalty. Based on Dave’s critically acclaimed book, Customer Love: Make Your Customers Love You So Much They’ll Never Go Anyplace Else!
Audience Will Learn:
- cost effective ways to get your message to the folks you want as customers
- how to keep your customers coming back
- tips for getting existing customers not only to come back but tell their friends
- learn how Dave does it and how each practice can be customized to your business
I have built a pretty successful business concentrating on making sure my existing customers not only come back but tell their friends to shop in my stores. You will learn how I do it and how you can adapt my practices to your business.” —Dave
Increasing small business and retail sales through creative marketing. You can’t “out advertise” the big guys but you can “out market” them! This interactive and fun seminar is chock full of creative and cost effective ways to advertise and market your business. Bring your note pad as Dave fires off rounds of ideas customized for your audiences market.
Audience Will Learn:
- how to craft good ads
- where, when, and how often to run those ads
- how to get lots of free publicity
- how to not advertise but “market” your business
“Increasing small business and retail sales through creative marketing is fun and affordable with these proven tips I use for my shop advertising and marketing.” – Dave
Audience members gain business insights they can put into practice tomorrow. Dave shares first-hand tips from lead dogs in business that give attendees a leg up. Dave joins the leaders of the pack as one of the few independent retailers serving on the board of the National Retail Federation. From Terry Lunghren of Macy’s, Mindy Grossman of Home Shopping Network (HSN) or Laura Sen of BJ Wholesale, Dave has slurped up wisdom straight from the big dogs. Bring your pad a pen and start scribbling as Dave fires take aways that will change the way your do your business — and your life. You’ll learn when you wag more and bark less, you’ll make friends for life – with customers, vendors, contacts and employees.
Audience Will Learn:
- the difference between true titans and titan wanna-be’s
- to lead the pack with respect and empowerment
- to create a hot button that will create a buzz
- to wag more and bite less
“I am SO fortunate to be in a position to interact with some of the real titans of the business world. To say that I am humbled in their presence is an understatement. The opportunity to listen to them, get to know them, and ask them questions about how they run their businesses has provided me with an incredible amount of wisdom and knowledge. If I am really lucky, I will put a fraction of what I have learned to use! In this session I will share many inspiring and amusing stories and conversations I have had with these folks. I am certain you will get a few takeaways from this one!”—Dave
This session is filled with easy-to-implement “musts” that all businesses should already be doing. Dave apologizes if this “duh” filled session hits a nerve. It’s time to stop yipping about best practices and get dirty. Audience members will leave with a list of simple things that every business owner/manager must do to compete with national chains and own their local market.
Audience Will Learn:
- how to make customers LOVE your business
- the secrets of building fierce customer loyalty
- how to exploit what the big guys simply can’t do
- how to compete with national chains by owning your local market
Dave manages over 150 employees in his 7 retail stores. In this program you will learn how to tread lightly in the human resources arena. No bones about it, every manager has made a bad hire. Dave comes to the rescue and lays it on the line, advancing retail and small business management to build excellent teams. Dave receives more emails following this session than any speech or workshop he gives. Small business owners and managers thank Dave for giving them the kick they needed to lick their wounds and move on with a more loyal and dependable crew.
Audience Will Learn:
- why it is so important to have a great crew
- what you need to do to how to get a great crew and keep a loyal crew
- what you need to do to foster a fabulous working environment.
- how to hire and yes, how and when to fire people
Want to bring Dave Ratner to your next event? Please tell us a little about your event, and we will get back to you shortly!