In today’s rapidly changing digital marketing environment, it can be a challenge for even the savviest of marine dealerships to stay atop the latest Internet trends. Dealers may question whether their efforts are paying off, if they’re using the available tools to their maximum capacity, or if there’s a better way entirely to market their business through social media, e-mail, etc.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., marketing communications and public relations expert and first-time MDCE presenter Samantha Scott, APR will help attendees unpack today’s best and most effective digital marketing strategies and give dealers a glimpse of the future of social media and e-mail/internet marketing, including trends, lead generation opportunities, and much more.
In her MDCE session, “Digital Marketing: What’s Now, What’s Next?,” Scott will provide dealers with the tools and latest trends for communicating with customers and prospects, enhancing lead generation online and off.
Attendees will walk away from Scott’s session with insight to connect their social media and online marketing efforts with the revenue they generate, as well as helpful templates for social media management. The session takes place Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 1 to 2:15 p.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Marketing Track.
“For dealers, who are typically busy balancing all aspects of running a successful dealership, it can be tough to find the time to step back and evaluate all of their business’ digital marketing efforts,” says Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Samantha’s session will help dealers explore what options are out there and let dealers cross-check their strategies against what’s working for others in the current digital landscape.”
Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. In addition to Scott’s advice on exploring the next wave of digital marketing tools, the Marketing Track includes insight into increasing SEO through social media, filling your online marketing holes, rethinking your target customer, and developing an unbeatable marketing plan, among other topics.
“Samantha has spent the last decade building an impressive client roster that includes marine retailers like West Marine,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “Her knowledge of all things digital is of major benefit to MDCE attendees as they seek to maximize their digital marketing return on investment.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 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. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. 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 30 sessions in all. 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.
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