When you build a strong dealership culture in which employees feel vested in the business, it can unlock higher sales and profitability for even the most successful marine dealerships.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., leadership guru John Spence will present dealers with the tools they need to create highly satisfied, engaged and loyal employees that possess an “ownership” mentality.
In his MDCE Pre-Conference Workshop, titled “Culture = Cash,” attendees will learn how to help dealership employees embrace change, increase accountability, develop a strong sense of urgency, and maintain disciplined execution. Using a customized workbook, they will identify areas of strength and weakness in their dealership’s culture and then develop a plan to improve it. The workshop takes place Monday, Nov. 16 from 8 to 11:15 a.m. ET.
“Last year, MDCE attendees couldn’t get enough of John’s presentations on marine business strategy,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “He gives dealers the ability to implement best practices being used by the Fortune 500 to outperform their peers, and this workshop on dealership culture is no different.”
In 2014, MDCE Pre-Conference Workshop topics include leadership, sales, marketing, social media, succession planning, video production, and the service department. Each workshop will feature takeaways to help attendees implement what they learned without delay upon returning to their respective dealerships.
“John Spence was one of our most highly rated speakers last year, and many attendees asked us to bring him back in 2014,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “His concepts and ideas resonate with dealers, and we’re fortunate to have him with us at MDCE this November.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever featured. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but it has expanded this year for a total of four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added.
Pre-Conference Workshop seating is limited and is available on a first come, first serve basis. Attendees must select the workshops they wish to attend during the MDCE registration process and pay an additional fee. Discounts are available for MRAA retail members.
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, and 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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