The industry’s premier event dedicated to Internet and technology solutions for franchised dealerships will offer new ways for dealers and managers to customize a learning experience based on their individual needs and interests.
Education for franchised automotive dealerships is the cornerstone of the Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition. For thirteen events, the ultimate automotive digital strategy conference has offered the industry’s largest selection of content for attending dealers and managers to learn how to utilize the Internet and technology to sell and service more vehicles more profitably.
For the 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition this May 7-9, 2013 in Orlando, FL, the educational curriculum will be expanded into a series of nine tracks, each dedicated to a subject that continues to change the way automotive dealerships operate. Peer Networking Roundtables will offer attendees the rare chance to connect directly with like-minded professionals from other markets to discuss ideas and offer solutions to each other’s greatest challenges. Digital Dealer Learning Labs will outline targeted strategies based on the improvement needs of individual dealerships. The return of Digital Dealer Innovation Hours will allow attendees to learn about a specific product category, and what new technology solutions are available and might fit best with their operation. Digital Dealer Case Studies will provide a framework for how actual dealerships successfully implemented new processes and technology solutions. The additional level of session detail, peer networking, one-on-one learning opportunities and practical field examples will allow dealerships of all sizes to target the specific information required to develop a customized action plan to grow their businesses.
“We’ve always been completely focused on helping franchised dealerships learn how to improve” states Michael Roscoe, CEO of Dealer Communications, the host company for the event. “But as the automotive industry continues to evolve and become more complex, we want to make it even easier for dealers and managers to find the information they need most. The expanded format will allow attendees to better select the subject matter that fits their specific department, skill level, along with current issues and opportunities facing their individual dealerships.”
The 14th Digital Dealer will begin with the return of the Fundamentals of Online Automotive Marketing, setting the stage for attendees to learn the basics of how the Internet and technology is influencing consumers and the choices they make to select dealerships, purchase and service vehicles. Once all attendees are up to speed on digital marketing fundamentals, Peer Networking Roundtables will connect attendees from different markets to discuss how to overcome issues and realize opportunities in their own dealerships. This unique idea exchange allows attendees to learn directly from other dealers and managers, how to achieve the best results and identify which topics they need to focus on for the rest of the conference.
The afternoon of Tuesday, May 7th the learning and networking will shift to specific subjects. All educational sessions will be presented by thought leaders illustrating how they succeeded in their own dealerships or what their dealership customers implemented to succeed. In addition to groundbreaking keynotes that will reveal the future of dealership technology and how to capitalize on today’s latest trends, the educational curriculum of the 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition will feature the following new track structure, ten sessions or more completely focused on the dealership perspective in these critical subjects:
- Digital Marketing – exploring best practices in SEO, SEM, website development, conversions, CRM and more.
- Data & Analytics – discussing concepts from the ‘big data’ movement, showing dealerships what to measure, when to measure it, and what to do with the data to gain an advantage. Big data is one of today’s hottest topics. Industry experts will explore how it affects dealerships and how data is changing the competitive landscape of the automotive industry.
- Social Media – covering the latest techniques on how to utilize Social Media to engage, attract and retain more customers.
- Management–focusing on the needs of owners, dealer principals and general managers. Big picture items will be explored that drive the future direction of the dealership, such as how to hire, train, grow leadership and market to a new wave of customers in Gen Y.
- Fixed Operations – targeting the needs of the parts and service department and many ways to increase revenue and boost the bottom line in this critical dealership profit center, including how to bring more of the fixed operations process online.
- New Sales – sharing ideas for attracting more customers to the dealership and proven techniques to sell more units.
- Pre-owned Sales – demonstrating how to maximize used vehicle ROI, best practices for auctions and how to sell more pre-owned vehicles.
- Reputation & Loyalty – showcasing strategies for reputation management and customer loyalty programs that build active supporters.
- CRM & Telephony – considering the development of dealership programs to generate new business.
Within each track, sessions will be designated as Advanced, Intermediate or Fundamental so attendees can choose the material that meets their own experience level.
Digital Dealer Learning Labs will provide attendees feedback on their own business directly from an industry expert. Dedicated to a number of subjects critical to dealership operations such as Facebook and Google strategies, Learning Labs are designed to show attendees how they can improve on their own current practices.
Digital Dealer Innovation Hours will allow attendees to target the right technology solutions for their dealerships. Set up as a series of focused ten – fifteen minute presentations, and delivered in special ‘Innovation Hour theaters’, Digital Dealer Innovation Hours will allow attendees to better understand emerging technologies and what solutions might work best for their dealerships by product category.
Beyond Innovation Hours the Digital Dealer Exhibit Hall will showcase leading technology-focused providers. Each of their offerings will be broken down by category, so attendees can pinpoint exactly the solutions they would like to learn more about – for instance reputation management, auction tools, or CRM, to name just a few.
The event will conclude with Digital Dealer Case studies providing concrete examples on how an actual dealership utilized a new service, technology or application to their advantage, helping attendees return home with ideas on how to outline the steps to implement what they learned about at the event.
“The entire curriculum of the 14th Digital Dealer is designed to help dealerships learn the skills and strategies they need most” continues Roscoe. “Every dealership has unique opportunities and challenges, this May 7-9; attendees will be able to discover the solutions that will work best for their businesses.”
Early bird registration for the 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition will open on January 18, 2013. Take advantage of the lowest possible rates and group discounts by bringing more members of your dealership. And don’t wait to book hotels and flights as now is the time to lock-in on the lowest possible travel rates.
Visit www.DigitalDealerConference.com to learn how the industry’s premier event dedicated to Internet and technology for franchised dealerships can help you develop strategies designed just for the opportunities and challenges facing your dealership.
The 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, Orlando, FL, May 7-9, 2013.
14th Digital Dealer Conference Logo www.DigitalDealerConference.com
ABOUT DEALER COMMUNICATIONS
Dealer Communications is the leading multi-media information source for franchised automotive dealers and managers. Connecting with franchised automotive dealers and managers over ten million times per year, Dealer Communications publishes the monthly print and online editions of Dealer magazine and Digital Dealer magazine. Online weekly newsletters include Dealer; Digital Dealer; Dealer Fixed Operations; Dealer Pre-Owned; Dealer F&I, and Dealer Sales and Marketing. Dealer Communications also offers the Digital Dealer Webinar Series, with online presentations throughout the year. To see all that Dealer Communications offers, visit: www.dealer-communications.com
Dealer Communications also owns and operates the Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition, the premier learning and networking venue for dealer principals, General managers, Internet sales managers, e-Commerce directors, BDC managers, CRM managers, pre-owned managers, F&I managers, fixed operations managers, Marketing directors and Social Media managers. The 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, Orlando, FL, May 7-9, 2013.
For more information, visit: www.DigitalDealerConference.com
