Every retailer knows that without networking with industry peers, businesses may not fulfill their full potential. Establishing relationships and maintaining contact with other merchants is an effective way for retail leaders to stay on top of trends and other issues that are impacting the sector. At this year's Retail Pro Global Conference, Retail Pro Business Partners and Customers will have plenty of opportunities to network with other attendees and build their knowledge of the industry.

The 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference will be held in Barcelona, Spain, with the Business Partner Summit taking place October 18 – 20, and the Customer Summit will be October 20 – 22. Registration can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Registration.php.

So how can retailers ensure they are making the most out of their networking opportunities? In an article for Broomfield Enterprise, Mike Saunders said that networking can lead to business success if professionals follow a few simple steps, including being interested in what peers do and how certain technologies and processes help their operations. Frequently communicating with these connections can help merchants collaborate with each other and learn about new trends and techniques to boost their companies, Saunders notes.