• Annual marine industry event in Tampa, Florida, engages & educates dealerships to help recalibrate their businesses
MINNEAPOLIS, July 19, 2023 — Marine dealerships across North America continue to evaluate the current marketplace, trying to manage growing inventory levels while adapting to continued inflation, higher interest rates and fluctuating consumer confidence. That’s why it’s crucial for dealership leaders to gather market intelligence and adapt their approach in order to transform their businesses for success in 2024 and beyond.
To support dealerships in reshaping their business model, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that dealer registration for the 2023 MRAA Dealer Week Conference & Expo, to be held Dec. 4-7 in Tampa, Florida, is now open.
Under the theme of “RECALIBRATE: Learn. Adapt. Transform.”, Dealer Week 2023 provides dealers with educational programs, up-to-date training from industry experts, as well as exclusive access an expansive expo hall packed with boating’s leading manufacturers, suppliers and service providers. With abundant opportunities to connect, Dealer Week attendees can network with industry peers and share successful best practices.
“We know that the industry has transitioned into one highlighted by surplus inventory levels and economic uncertainty. Consumers have regained the power of negotiation and price objection and a have plethora of choices when purchasing boats,” explains Liz Walz, MRAA’s Vice President of Education. “Every department of the dealership is feeling the added pressure and stress to turn more boats and generate profits even with a growing list of challenges to overcome. It’s imperative for dealers to adapt their business to stay ahead of the curve, to forecast more clearly and evolve to match the marketplace so they can keep their customers boating. The Dealer Week 2023 ‘Recalibrate’ theme reinforces the transformative growth learning provides when you use it to revise yourself and your business.”
Attendees will learn about current business trends, optimal strategies and proven processes from a packed lineup of Dealer Week educational sessions, helping them to prepare for 2024. These critical tools and implementable solutions — provided in three educational pathways covering Leadership, Sales & Marketing, and Service & Parts — deliver substantial value to attendees.
The 2023 Dealer Week educational line-up helps dealerships formulate an effective plan to withstand obstacles through adaptation to revamp their sales processes, strengthen their service departments and enhance customer engagement. They’ll gain more confidence for making leadership-driven decisions in order to adapt to what lies ahead.
Attendees can explore the Dealer Week Expo Hall, which will feature more than 100 exhibitors displaying boats, engines, software solutions, financing and insurance options as well as various other products and services from industry-leading suppliers. The program includes networking events, including cocktail receptions, an awards ceremony, luncheons and the popular MRAA Industry Celebration.
View the list of 2023 Dealer Week Exhibitors here
“The boating industry’s only event focused on dealer success, Dealer Week lets dealers learn, connect and grow at one location for multiple days,” Walz says. “This one-stop program not only helps dealerships ascend to new heights, but Dealer Week’s proven educational design has guided these businesses through economic downturns, severe unpredictability and unprecedented challenges. This premier event is arranged and positioned to help guide dealers to success by building a bridge over the next difficult chasm. Dealer Week 2023 is about transformational change.”
Dealer Week 2023 opens with a networking reception the evening of Monday, Dec. 4, at the Tampa Convention Center, followed by a keynote speaker and a compelling line-up of educational sessions Dec. 5-7.
Dealer Week registration is now open. You can save big if you are an MRAA Member and register during the early-bird period, running July 19 through the end of September. See your options for registration.
About Dealer Week
For more than 50 years, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has delivered world-class educational programming to dealers, retailers and service operations that power the boating industry and serve today’s boaters. Dealer Week exists to engage, energize and empower the dealer community. The MRAA envisions a brighter future for marine retail, and Dealer Week is the preeminent means for bringing that vision to life. Learn more at DealerWeek.com.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.