Shopping for business

Buying a home can be a confusing and complicated process with all that is involved.

Keller Williams Realtors Barbie Flannery and Jen Brown and their assistant, Lorrri Lammie, thought that women in the market for a house might be more interested in talking about real estate while shopping for clothes in a casual setting.

As Flannery put it, "Ladies love to shop."

Throw in some hors d'oeuvres, refreshments and a 15 percent discount and it's a party.

At Dress Barn, it is called VIP - very indulgent party.

That's what took place Thursday night at the Sebring store as Flannery, Brown and Lammie hosted "Girls Night Out."There were 43 attendees at the event.

Donna Baccollo, senior marketing manager for Dress Barn, said the New York-based company encourages stores to build relationships with customers and the community. It has more than 830 stores in the United States, and Baccollo said many had been doing something similar to the VIP shopping program before it began.

Bacallo said the VIP program has been "extremely effective."

"It provides additional service and is a way to introduce ourselves to new customers," she said.

The stores have hosted birthday and bridal parties and even family reunions.

"It's great business building," said Amanda Bunker, the store manager. "It's really about relationships with our customers."

Lammie was shopping in Dress Barn a couple of months ago when she met Bunker. Lammie, Flannery and Brown call themselves "The YES Team."

"She said 'what is The YES Team?' so I explained everything to her," Lammie said. "She says 'you guys should have one of our VIP parties.' I said 'what is that?' She told me, and I said 'that sounds like fun.'"

They sent out 200 invitations as well as some e-mails. They invited previous clients, friends of previous clients, mortgage brokers and title company employees

"Just having a good time with ladies and informing them of the different aspects of sales, purchases, credits, tax issues," Lammie said. "There is a lot of stuff out there now a days.

"If there are questions, we can answer them; we're just looking forward to helping people," she added. "All three of us are single; we all have children. We have a heart for single mothers."

Lammie said they plan to hold another VIP event at Dress Barn in December. They would like to schedule a few other "Girls Night Out" activities during the year.

"It's been a blast, an absolute blast," Lammie said about the event. "It really has."