After three powerful days of education and networking at the industry’s premier annual dealer event, attendees of the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla., were treated to an inspiring Closing Keynote address delivered by world-renowned business performance expert Ryan Estis. Estis spoke before a room of marine retailers Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 19, and discussed strategies for dealers to compete for — and win — more business in the market.
“Holding onto the status quo when the world around you is changing is a very dangerous thing,” Estis said during his address. “We are on the cusp of an even bigger transformation than we were in 2009, predicated on the notion that customers are changing the way they make buying decisions.”
During his Closing Keynote address, entitled “Lead Your Business to Breakthrough Performance,” Estis discussed the evolution of customer buying behavior; where to spend the most time to get the biggest impact; how to create a sales culture of accountability and performance; how to coach your team to maximum productivity; ways to use technology to engage customers and shorten the sales cycle; and how to develop a plan to take immediate action.
MDCE 2014 wrapped up its successful three-day run at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Wednesday afternoon, immediately following Estis’ hour-long presentation. This year, MDCE organizers chose to add a formal Closing Keynote address to conclude the event.
“Ryan did an amazing job getting dealers excited about how to boost their sales results in today’s market,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “We knew his energy and enthusiasm would be infectious, and that he’d be just the right speaker to break through the intensity of the preceding days and deliver a message that truly stands out. It’s clear that dealer attendees picked up on his positive message and are energized to return home and implement many of Ryan’s ideas and strategies at their own dealerships.”
Estis is globally recognized for helping companies, leaders and salespeople embrace change, accelerate growth and achieve breakthrough performance in the new economy. A former chief strategy officer at McCann-Erickson Advertising, he is particularly skilled in the areas of sales effectiveness, leadership and the future of work. Today, he serves as the chief experience officer in his own training and development organization, Ryan Estis & Associates, based in Minneapolis.
“Ryan was an incredible addition to the MDCE speakers’ roster this year, and we could not be more pleased to have him usher dealers out on a high note after several days of incredible education and training opportunities,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “A special thanks to the generous support of the dealers who comprise Boating Industry’s Top 100 Hall of Fame, as this group volunteered to sponsor the Closing Keynote. They made bringing Ryan to MDCE 2014 possible.”
The Boating Industry Top 100 Hall of Fame consists of MarineMax, Inc.; Galati Yacht Sales; Prince William Marina; and Legendary Marine. Dealers are awarded a spot in the Hall of Fame after being named the No. 1 Dealer in North America by Boating Industry for two consecutive years.
The 2014 MDCE featured more than 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus.
The MDCE has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the 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. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing Keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and more than 30 sessions. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
