Once Upon A Child Annual Conference Helps Reinforce Brand’s Key Concepts for Local Businessperson

March 5, 2013 - PRLog -- Jacksonville, FL (Grassroots Newswire) February 14, 2013 -- Franchise Owner Christina Keel, from Once Upon A Child of Jacksonville recently attended the franchisor’s Annual Conference and Trade Show, held January 21-24 in Clearwater Beach, FL. Through meetings, workshops and networking, Keel learned strategies and gained insight into making this local business a favorite destination for Jacksonville-area families looking to sell or buy high-quality, gently used kid’s clothing, toys and equipment.

"The idea behind Once Upon A Child is so simple,” said Keel. “Kids continually outgrow their stuff, often before it is worn out. So it makes sense to have a place where families can turn their children’s outgrown items into cash, and buy the next round of clothing, toys or equipment – in next to new or gently used condition – all at the same time. Once Upon A Child of Jacksonville is that place, and our annual conference helps me keep our customers’ selling and shopping experience both fun and worthwhile.”

Another record sales year for 2012 demonstrates that the concept behind Once Upon A Child is resonating with families either looking for ways to stretch budgets or for ways to live a “greener” life, says Keel. And, according to Susan Baustian, director of the Once Upon A Child brand, keeping the focus on providing each customer with a consistent and positive selling and buying experience is the key to the brand’s continued success.

With this goal in mind, conference workshops offered tips, guidance and hands-on experience in topics ranging from improving the customer experience and financial analysis to sorting merchandise for optimum exposure and customer convenience.  Marketing and advertising sessions were designed to give franchisees tools and tips for staying in touch with their current and prospective customers through email, social media and their individual store websites.

“This conference is a priority event for me each year," said Keel, "because it helps keep me focused on the key concept behind Once Upon A Child – providing a fun and convenient way for local families to buy and sell gently used kids’ stuff with an emphasis on quality, safety and value. When I do that, I know that our business will succeed.”

For more information about Once Upon A Child of Jacksonville, please contact Franchise Owner Christina Keel at www.onceuponachildorangepark.com.

Once Upon A Child
Once Upon A Child leads the nation in the buying and selling of name brand, gently used kids stuff.  There are over 265 franchised stores in the United States and Canada.  Once Upon A Child buys and sells quality, gently used children’s apparel, shoes, baby equipment, books, toys, and more.  Once Upon A Child is franchised by Winmark Corporation, which also franchises Play It Again Sports®, Plato’s Closet, and Music Go Round.

Winmark Corporation      
Winmark Corporation, based in Minneapolis, creates, supports and finances business. Specializing in leasing and developing franchises for retail stores that buy, sell, and trade new and used merchandise, it is the parent company of Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closey, Music Go Round, Wirth Business Credit, Winmark Capital and www.WBSOnline.com.  Winmark has more than 950 franchise territories and is publicly traded