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ICDevents Launches Pet Connections Expo in Pennsylvania

Pet Age Staff//May 17, 2017//

ICDevents Launches Pet Connections Expo in Pennsylvania

Pet Age Staff //May 17, 2017//

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International Conference Development, LLC (ICDevents) will host the 2017 Pet Connections Expo October 3-4 at the Great Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. This fist-annual event will bring together pet industry buyers and suppliers from around the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, as well as the entire country.

“We are happy to offer a unique B2B event [composed] of two days of buying, trend spotting, treasure hunting and business building inspiration for independent retailers,” Event Director Bill Doherty said. “Our unique educational sessions will focus on healthy pet products and trends that can help independent pet retailers compete with larger brick and mortars. In addition, we will focus on the challenges and opportunities for increased profits in an ever-changing market-place.”

“I am excited about the upcoming Pet Connections Expo taking place in Oaks, PA, in the fall of 2017. Many of our members of American Pet Professionals are looking forward to it,” American Pet Professionals founder and President Nancy E. Hassel said. “A new mid-Atlantic area trade show for pet retailers and pet manufacturers will be a great addition to our industry. Personally, it will be nice to be able to drive to this event for us in the Northeast. We are thrilled to be working with the Pet Connections and look forward to a successful show.”Pet Connections Expo

Pet Connections Expo will also feature an Awards Program and some educational sessions that are designed to help small pet retailers to compete with the large brick and mortars, as well as the online pet stores.

One of those sessions will be led by Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC (pictured above),
best-selling author of eight books on cat behavior and host of the Nat Geo Wild/Animal Planet UK show “Psycho Kitty.” Her talk is titled “Knowledge, Compassion and Trust: The Three Keys to Building Relationships with Cat Owning Customers” and will go over how getting personal to build long-term customer relationships with cat owners is one of the bets advantaged independent retailers have over the other stores.

“I’m very excited to have the chance to speak with independent store owners about how to help cat product customers make educated purchases that best fit their individual cats,” Johnson-Bennett said. “By asking a few key questions about the customer’s cat, pet store owners can offer more personalized and customized guidance because cats aren’t one-size-fits-all when it comes to everything from litter boxes to toys.”