Why You Can't Miss the 2020 IGA Global Rally

With less than one month until the start of the IGA Global Rally—and one day from the deadline to book your room for a discounted price in the IGA block at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center—now’s the time to cement your plans to attend the IGA Global Rally in Nashville this March 9–11!

Still on the fence about joining your IGA family at the 2020 IGA Global Rally? Hear why IGA CEO John Ross says this is a Rally you can’t afford to miss, and read on to learn more about the unique programming and events designed to give you ample opportunity to network with vendors, partners, and the world’s most successful independent retailers; celebrate what makes us unique and successful; and most importantly, gather ideas and innovations you can bring back to your store to grow sales.

A Different Rally Experience

Part leadership workshop, part mainstage insights on industry and shopper trends, part interactive best practice sharing with the Innovation Showcase, and part celebration, the 2020 IGA Global Rally is a whole new way to learn what’s working in retail, says Ross.

“We’ve designed a Rally that will keep you engaged and entertained while you’re in Nashville, then allow you to walk away with a whole list of things to generate comp sales quickly, without costing you a lot of money or distracting you from running your business," he says.

The Leadership Journey Workshop | Monday, March 9 | 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

The Rally kicks off with a Leadership Journey Workshop designed by IGA Coca-Cola Institute President Paulo Goelzer to help retailers and managers challenge old assumptions, transform the store to meet new market demands, and develop the next generation of leaders for your store. IGA retailers, bring your rising stars with you to the Leadership Journey Workshop, where they will hone both their management skillsets and their leadership behaviors in this 3-part session: 

• Managing with Efficiency. Leading with Influence. IGA Coca-Cola Institute President Paulo Goelzer sets the stage for the day’s Leadership Journey by exploring the difference between managing and leading—and the role that both play in successful business.
• Lead – Engage – Grow. Leadership expert Kyle Swanson, who spent 10 years designing and deploying learning and development programs to drive employee and customer engagement for Harley-Davidson, will show how to lead a team with a shared vision that inspires, motivates, and empowers each associate.
• Best Practices of Highly Effective Managers. Russ Greenlaw, vice president of operations at Adams Hometown Markets, will share insights from his experience managing multiple stores, and explore management tactics that are working for some of IGA’s most successful store managers during a panel of IGA’s Manager Award winners. 

Insights from the Main Stage | Monday, March 9 & Tuesday, March 10

An overview of what's driving shopper behavior and firsthand accounts of how the world’s best independent retailers are meeting those trends. Updates on the IGA programs helping retailers meet changing shopper needs in the U.S. and globally. A deep dive into hard-hitting issues like ransomware and marketplace analysis. This year’s main stage content brings you all the information you need to win at retail today and in the future.

But that’s just the beginning. This year’s IGA Global Rally will also feature an entirely new concept for best practice-sharing with the IGA Innovation Showcase.

Best Practices from the Innovation Showcase | Monday, March 9 & Tuesday, March 10

IGA’s first-ever Innovation Showcase is an interactive learning experience that brings vendor partners and retailers together with one key goal in mind: giving IGA retailers a list of ideas they can implement immediately to better their business.

Like a trade show, at the Innovation Showcase you'll be able to talk to suppliers, vendors, and partners about innovative offerings and services. Unlike a trade show, you won't be working a deal sheet; you'll instead be gathering insights to help you improve your businesses overall, like simple tactics for marketing and merchandising categories, Red Oval partner opportunities to optimize your operations and increase your bottom line, and proven best practices that are already working to increase sales in IGA stores around the globe. 

Visit the booths of over 20 companies and see their ongoing presentations in the Best Practices Theater to get information on:

• Category Insights: Proven tactics for increasing sales in key categories like pet, baby, beer, center store, and more.
  • Featuring insights from: Anheuser-Busch, Hershey, Kimberly Clark, Purina, Unilever Food Solutions, Idahoan, IGA Exclusive Brands, Post Consumer Brands, Clif Bar, Magnum Coffee, and Mondelez.

• Business Optimization: Ideas for optimizing your business, from analyzing your operations to turnkey co-branding opportunities that increase profits.
  • Featuring insights from: Ace, AdVay, Biggby Coffee, FMS, and Get Upside.

• Marketing & Branding: Best practices for reinforcing your Local Equals Fresh point of difference, from signage and apparel to new store décor and social media content.
  • Featuring insights from: AR Marketing, DG Graphics, Hyperformance Graphics, Inmar–Shopper Rewards, and Innomark.

IGA Awards of Excellence | Wednesday, March 11 | 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

We close out the Rally celebrating our elite 2020 International Awards of Excellence recipients at the anticipated Awards of Excellence Brunch. See who is taking home our top retailer, wholesaler, and Red Oval partner awards in this much-anticipated annual event while touring the scenic Cumberland River aboard the General Jackson, one of the largest showboats ever built.