Being able to foster meaningful connections between our dealer attendees and exhibitors on the Expo Hall floor is one of the things I [or we] strive to achieve during our annual Conference and Expo. We plan, develop and implement a show floor to extend the learning opportunities beyond the classroom to the real-world applications that can be used to solve problems and address pain points within dealerships.
It would be easy for us to say that the 2019 Dealer Week Conference and Expo was successful in creating those connections and developing relationships between our dealer attendees and exhibitors, but the real measure of success is to hear the comments and feedback directly from them!
Here are a few statements from our dealer attendees:
“Dealer Week provided us a unique opportunity to meet face to face with the vendors and do a deep dive into their products all under one roof.”
“I was able to speak face to face with some vendors we currently work with, meet who we normally talk to on the phone to build a relationship. Met new vendors that might be relevant to our business and learn about new products, boats and otherwise.”
“The vendor interaction for me was the highlight. It is key to be able to talk to everyone in one place. I liked that they left us a lot of free time to interact with the vendors."
“We met with a lot of new vendors and found some products that we will be implementing into our dealership.”
And feedback from our exhibitor attendees:
“We feel the conference went well, feel it was well attended. Good contacts made and opportunities to build relationships with dealers. I think people were very engaged at the conference and social events.”
“We are very pleased. It was well structured and organized. I thought they made it fun, and made sure we got what we needed.”
“It was excellent. It was well attended so that’s a plus for an exhibitor.”
Hearing these comments and feedback is what made Dealer Week a resounding success in my eyes. Knowing what an impactful event our Conference & Expo is during the three days of in-person time at the actual event is meaningful, but more importantly, to know that the connections and relationships made will extend well beyond the event in the days and months to come is the ultimate reward!
We will continue to improve and enhance the attendee experience, and look forward to delivering a new Expo Hall design and layout at Dealer Week in Austin, Texas December 8-11, 2020, where you can reconnect and make new connections.
-Allison Gruhn
Director of Business Development
The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas