When it comes to diagnosing the overall health and well being of a dealership, there’s no better doctor than the dealership principal; and there’s no more potent salve to improve a marine retailer’s business operations than continuing education. The 2015 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is being designed to help dealers get fit and stay energized by providing them with the strategies, resources and tools necessary to help them run healthier, more profitable businesses in the coming year and beyond.
The theme of this year’s MDCE, “Profit Rx,” was established to demonstrate that this year’s event will share ways that dealers can drill down into critical areas of their business to help them strengthen and revitalize their respective retail operations. MDCE 2015 will feature experts in leadership, sales, marketing, service, finance and insurance, and parts and accessories whose intent it is to help dealers unpack the secrets to running a healthy business, based on the topics dealers feel are most critical.
MDCE 2015 takes place Nov. 15-18 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla.
“MDCE is an event built by dealers, for dealers, and that’s a tradition we plan to continue in 2015 and beyond,” explains Liz Walz, vice president of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “This year, we’re asking dealers to put forth their own ideas and suggestions regarding the areas they feel they need the most help in their businesses, and we will custom-tailor MDCE 2015 content around their preferences.”
Following conclusion of the Closing Keynote address during the 2014 event, MDCE staff solicited dealers to submit the topics they’d most like to see addressed in the Educational Tracks and Pre-Conference Workshops at the 2015 event. Hundreds of suggestions were collected.
The actual number and content of Educational Tracks and Pre-Conference Workshops is still being determined, but for the first time ever, MDCE 2015 will feature Learning Labs, where attendees can participate in “health screenings” to explore how well various areas of their business are performing and identify strategies for continuous improvement.
“The idea behind ‘Profit Rx’ is to give dealers an opportunity to share with MDCE organizers what they feel are the topics and ideas that will be most beneficial to cover for their businesses, and have us structure the conference around those specific wants and needs,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “We’re asking dealers to help write their own prescriptions for continued success.”
The 2015 MDCE will offer two full days of Educational Tracks, in addition to a half-day of Pre-Conference Workshops and two keynotes. The conference has traditionally included three Educational Tracks, but last year it expanded to four: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also was added in 2014 and will likewise conclude the 2015 event.
The 2015 MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 15-18 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. In 2014, MDCE attracted more than 580 dealers, 40 percent of which attended for the very first time. 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 Educational Tracks, Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, and the all-new Learning Labs. It will be held Nov. 15-18 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
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