Video has become one of the most powerful marketing tools available to today’s dealers. By learning to use this tool more effectively, dealerships are likely to see a much bigger payoff, both in terms of increased online traffic and boots through the door.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., participants in Lenny Rudow’s workshop, “Shooting and Editing Boat Walk-Through Videos,” will learn the ins and outs of filming video and how to use it to sell more boats. First, dealers will discover the best ways to shoot a walk-through video on a trailerable boat, including a live camera equipment demonstration. Then, workshop attendees will glean the latest video editing tips and tricks, including how to use YouTube’s built-in editor, to make videos more effective and impactful.
Dealers will walk away from Rudow’s workshop with tip sheets they can take back to their businesses to help them film and edit boat walk-through videos that will attract more consumer attention and win more sales. The workshop takes place Monday, Nov. 17 from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Pre-Conference Workshops.
“Statistics show that website visitors who view video spend more time on the retailer’s website and are far more likely to purchase than other site visitors,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “The more professional the video, the better the results. That’s why we’re convinced this workshop will be so valuable to attendees.”
In 2014, other workshop topics will include leadership, sales, marketing, social media, succession planning, and the service department. Each workshop will feature takeaways (job descriptions, workbooks/guidebooks, report cards, tip sheets, etc.) to help attendees implement what they learned in the pre-conference sessions without delay upon returning to their respective dealerships.
“With more than two decades of experience writing, editing and filming in the boating industry, Lenny is uniquely qualified to help MDCE attendees improve their video skills,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “Video has rapidly become a key marketing tool for dealers, and we are fortunate to have Lenny at the helm, guiding MDCE attendees towards the best strategies for creating and posting their own online videos.”
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.
Pre-Conference Workshop seating is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis. Attendees can select the workshop(s) they wish to attend during the MDCE registration process and pay an additional fee. Discounts are available for MRAA retail members.
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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