Biography

Sandford Stein from Sandford Stein on Vimeo.

Sanford Stein has been a keynote speaker and presenter to diverse audiences on 3 continents sharing his insights and observations on the ever-changing area of retailing, brand marketing and the development of unique customer experiences.

For the past 28 years, as the president and design director of Minneapolis based Stein LLC Sanford has overseen the creation of hundreds of unique branded environments for leading retailers and manufactures throughout the US. The firms work has spanned virtually every segment of specially retail and retail service. STEIN's client list includes such diverse names as: Andersen Renewal, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Brunswick Billiards, General Growth Properties, Levolor, Life Fitness, Mall of America, Red Wing Shoes, ShopNBC, and Target to name just a few.

Articles Sanford has written or contributed to on the subject of consumer trends, popular culture and brand marketing have appeared in the media, books and periodicals nationally and internationally. Excerpts of Mr. Stein's addresses have appeared in such diverse publications as Metropolis, The Seattle Times, Kansas City Star, Minneapolis Star & Tribune, Women's Wear Daily's and Crain's Chicago Business. 

Sanford has written or contributed to over 60 articles appearing in a variety of publications, including: Interior Design, Interiors, Visual Merchandising and Store Design, Retail Store Image, World's Best Store Designs, and Retail Reporting's Stores of the Year.

In 2007, a case study of STEIN's work for Brunswick Billiards was featured in the best-selling business management guide, 'Big Book of Small Business' written by Minnesota businessman, Tom Gegax, Founder of Tires Plus Store. In 2008 Sanford was named as a consultant to Goldman Sachs prestigious Vantage Marketplace recognizing his expertise in the world of retailing and brand marketing.

For 2009 Sanford Stein will tailor a presentation for your
group or audience on one or more of the following topics.

In Search of the ”New Normal”
The current economic malaise that has affected the U.S. and the broader world economy is having long-term effects on our psyches as well as our consumer appetites. Many behaviorists believe that we may never go back to the post recession spending patterns as has been the case after similar deep recessions in the 80s and 90s. In Search of the New Normal looks at the broad implications for retailing, brand marketing and consumer trending. Sanford analyses anticipated behavioral changes across five key psychographic profiles: the Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Echo Boomers and Millennials.

The Anatomy of a Great
Customer Experience
Both Apple and Costco take a page out of Walt Disney’s “playbook” in creating great customer experiences. When Walt developed Disneyland in 1954 he charted new territoryin delighting visitors who made "pilgrimages" to his theme parks. Everything a visitor sees, feels and experiencesis orchestrated to capture the imagination and exceed expectations, resulting in a transformational experience. When we visit an Apple store we are immersed in an equally well orchestrated brand experience. Every brand touch point, from the spectacular product to the elegant store layout, superb customer service, unique and quirky marketing, and overall “brand intelligence” combine to turn customers into “members of the brand”. This lively and engaging presentation explores the fundamentals behind creating unique customer experiences that diminish price as a primary decision maker, even in tough economic times.

Mall Fall Down
The U.S. is over retailed and massive store closings have become commonplace. Our economic woes, the growth of e-tail, major discounters and other competing formats have conspired to create misery for this country's regional malls. These one-time darlings of shopaholics and developers alike are being severely challenged; some will survive, many won’t.

Sanford explores how these “place holders” may become recycled into a new community form to meet the complex needs of baby boomers as they approach retirement and “rehirement” during times of unprecedented economic and social challenge.

Branding Across the Channels
Today’s successful retail brands have become multi-channel players to ensure continued success with an ever broadening and changing customer mix. The term “Clicks and Bricks,” now a decade old, heralded in the era of multi-channel retailing where great brands must excel at each and every brand touch-point—from advertising, to the web, to the in-store experience, and on to the service that follows the sale.

Branding across the Channels looks at the future of great brands in a time of economic instability, and how prudent investment now will reap huge rewards in the emerging period of The “New Normal."

Empowered To Purchase
With the downsizing of America and the unraveling of  once-trusted American institutions, it seems like no one wants to be sold anything anymore; consumers want to be empowered to purchase. Decisions we used to entrust to “experts” we are making by ourselves—from HIV and pregnancy testing to managing our IRAs, with a little help from the web.

The growth of the internet as a means of researching information on unlimited products and services has fundamentally changed the way people learn and shop. Yet only the most astute retailers and brands and have taken the cue, and transformed the way consumers experience their products and services in the retail environment.

RETAIL SCHMETAILTM
It’s Saturday afternoon, and Sandy Stein, age 14, arrives for his “shift” at the bustling Jewelry and Toy Center on 2nd and Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee, circa 1962. He doesn’t need to punch the time clock like the other sales guys and gals, who are raking in an astonishing $40 per week, because he’s not getting paid. Like many other post World War II families, Sandy’s was in retail, and if he wanted to see Dad (when he wasn’t sleeping) he hopped on a bus and went down to “the store."

Sanford (Sandy) shares his crystal clear recollections of those bygone days and the “Mad Men” that ran Jewelry and Toy, along with the fine points of Retailing 101—fundamentals that are still relevant a half century later.

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