Amplifying Key Benefits and Strengthening Connections with Our Members

We call the Summit a “working show” for good reason: the “Your Show, Your Way” theme included peer sharing on important topics, professional development sessions, multiple ways for retailers to connect with brands, a track designed to support new stores in the channel, and the unveiling of our Product Data Collaborative. And of course there were the usual social gatherings to ensure we mixed in some fun. The RIA extends its sincere appreciation to our retail members for taking time away from their stores to join us, as well as the brand and associate members who made it all possible. Thanks to all, and we’re already excited for next year. The ideas and suggestions we’ve received in our exit surveys will ensure that we continue to offer a unique and valuable Summit experience in 2025. 

Now we turn our focus to the remainder of 2024. The first four months indicate that it is shaping up to be another strong year for the run specialty channel, but that certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges. Simply navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of the running industry makes us all wish for simpler days. But this is the world we live in today, and for the RIA to maintain our mission, it's imperative that we remain focused on our commitment to our members. So I’d like to share an overview of our organization's plans for the second half of 2024, centered around two main goals: amplifying key benefits, and fostering stronger connections with our members.  

As we’ve made clear, our primary benefit initiative for the upcoming months revolves around introducing membership to the Product Data Collaborative and ensuring that this becomes a valuable tool to facilitate ease of doing business. Your feedback as you explore the platform will be invaluable as we continue to refine and enhance its features and functionality to better serve your needs.

In addition to the Product Data Collaborative, we're dedicated to gaining a deeper understanding of how our members are utilizing the other benefits we offer. From our freight program to Weekly Benchmarks, RIA Think Tank, and many others, your insights will play a crucial role in guiding our decisions on what to amplify or adjust moving forward. So we’ll be taking a close look at each benefit and listening to your preferences. In that fashion we hope to make sure that our offerings are tailored to meet your evolving needs more effectively.

Additionally, the RIA is committed to strengthening our direct connection with each of our members. We want to assure you that we are here to listen – and to act – in order to build on your confidence in this organization. Whether through personalized outreach, our planned Quarterly Huddles, enhanced communication channels, or targeted support initiatives, our goal is to ensure that you feel valued and supported.  

To sum it up for you, our focus for the second half of 2024 is to amplify key benefits, gather valuable feedback on the Product Data Collaborative, better understand your utilization of our offerings, and strengthen our direct connection with each and every one of you. 

Thank you all for your continued support and participation, and we’re looking forward to doing our part to assist the run specialty channel in having another banner year in 2024.  

Terry 

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