MINNEAPOLIS, February 22, 2017 — Organizers of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo are seeking educational session proposals from potential speakers for the 2017 conference, which will take place Dec. 10-13 in Orlando, Fla.
The information being presented must be applicable to those involved in every facet of marine retailing. The goal is to provide an educational event that gives dealership owners, managers and employees the tools and insight to improve their performance in areas such as sales, leadership, service, marketing, parts, accessories, finance and insurance. The deadline for submissions is March 15.
“The secret to the success of our conference is that we listen to the marine retail community,” says Liz Walz, vice president of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas — which along with Boating Industry magazine co-hosts the annual event. “Our pre-MDCE survey gives us insight into the education that will most impact dealer results in the year ahead, which we use to seek out the leading experts on those topics.”
Conference organizers are looking for presentations and workshops on business topics that are not only timely and informative to the marine sector, but also offer concrete takeaways the audience can bring back and implement into their business.
“To maximize the learning opportunity for attendees, we seek out presenters from a diverse range of backgrounds,” says Jonathan Sweet, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry magazine. “That includes experts from inside and outside the industry whose roles range from consultants, 20 Group moderators and professional speakers to seasoned trainers and marine business owners.”
In total, 640 marine dealers thoughout North America attended MDCE in 2016, which represents an increase of more than 5 percent compared to last year and a new record for the event. The 2016 MDCE featured 36 presenters providing 30-plus educational sessions, including four Educational Tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus, and 11 Pre-Conference Workshops. In addition, it offered a Learning Lab, Dealer-to-Dealer Roundtable Discussions, an Innovation Spotlight, numerous networking opportunities and a large Expo Hall with more than 100 exhibitors.
If you have an idea for an educational seminar that would make a meaningful contribution to MDCE 2017 and the presentation skills to entertain and engage the conference’s audience, please submit a proposal or email Liz Walz for additional information. The 2017 conference takes place at the Orlando County Convention Center and will be hosted by the Rosen Centre Hotel and Rosen Plaza Hotel.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Educational Tracks, Pre-Conference Workshops, multiple keynote presentations, the Learning Lab, and Dealer-to-Dealer Roundtable Discussions. The 2017 event will be held Dec. 10-13 at the Orange County Convention Center, Rosen Centre Hotel, and Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit marinedealerconference.com.
About Boating Industry
Boating Industry is the leading trade magazine serving the marine industry. For more than 85 years, boating professionals have turned to Boating Industry for market intelligence, product updates, best practices and industry news. For more information, visit BoatingIndustry.com.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting marine retail businesses, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com.
