Digital Dealer Workshops Overview
Dealer Proven Strategies
Choose from over 30 educational sessions led by top dealership executives, trainers, and consultants.
Auto Vendor Solutions
Demo the latest products & services from top technology-focused providers at the Digital Dealer Sponsor Hall.
Expand Your Knowledge
Receive expert counsel from top keynote speakers, including executives from the country’s top 100 dealerships.
Auto Show Access
Exclusive access to the Chicago Auto Show will be included with your admission to the Workshops.
Who Should Attend
Dealer Principals
Today’s new car business is a volume business. Front-end margins are in decline, and profitability often hinges on meeting the factory’s all-or-nothing performance targets. Learn how the most successful dealers become more efficient and market-precise as they stock, merchandise and price their new vehicle inventories.
General Managers
Great businesses like your dealership are driven by several different factors such as brand, technology, infrastructure, and most of all, people. Learn the latest management strategies to get the best results out of each department in your dealership.
General Sales Managers
Technology in auto sales is getting crazy. From CRM tools to equity mining tools to lead conversion tools to profiling tools just about everything you are looking for can be had. But in this world of technology, selling cars is still about two things: people and process. Learn what top dealerships are doing to generate record-breaking sales.
Internet Sales Managers
Today’s consumer is more digital and more demanding than ever. They visit less than two dealerships before making a buying decision and almost two out of three customers would rather buy 100% online. Learn the keys to improving customer satisfaction, close rates and deal grosses on your showroom floor.
Marketing Directors
The average person is exposed to over 5,000 ad messages per day. Only 86 get any awareness and less than 12 ads get any engagement. That means your advertising blast has a 0.0024% chance of any engagement at all. Learn everything you need to create and refine a seamless omnichannel car buying experience that will better integrate your online and offline marketing efforts.
Social Media Managers
80% of potential car buyers are more likely to turn to social media than to a salesperson. 68% say they’ve purchased a car involving social media. Are they headed to your store? Learn the latest social media strategies to convert “likes” into leads.
CRM Managers
Gaining shopper intelligence is an art form and dealerships that are invested in learning what consumers are researching and shopping for will win in the new digital landscape. Learn how to better follow online shopper patterns, conquest leads that are in-market, recover leads that have previously been marked lost, and win over those who are shopping the competition.
BDC Managers
By now, everyone has heard the news that the average consumer shops less than two dealerships in person prior to buying a vehicle. Conversion of opportunities is more important than ever in today’s automotive industry. In 2016, dealers are still struggling with this reality while some dealers implement BDC’s at the same time many others dismantle theirs. Learn effective strategies for maximizing inbound as well as outbound opportunities once and for all.
Pre-Owned Managers
It’s a simple concept. The sooner you get your cars on the lot, the sooner they’re ready to sell. Easy enough. Buy, transport, recondition, take photos, create a description, upload to your website and third-party sites, put it on the lot. Learn the latest pre-owned strategies separating top dealerships from the competition.
eCommerce Directors
Today’s car buyer increasingly demands transparency in their online purchase experience. And while transparency is typically tied to a dealer’s pricing, the customers’ “perception” of transparency is often influenced by the ENTIRE experience (beyond just price). Learn the latest e-commerce strategies to create an outstanding online buying experience.
Fixed Operations Managers
It has been said that relationships are built and strengthened or destroyed in service drive. These relationships with the consumer are worth far more than any marketing ploy to generate revenue. Learn how your service department can reshape the customer experience to meet—if not exceed—rising consumer expectations.
F&I Managers
Generation X & Y buyers live in a world of streaming data and electronic content and often become disinterested during traditional paper-based transactions. Learn how to adapt to the best technology resources to enhance the customer experience to achieve superior per vehicle retail profit while maintaining a defensible compliance strategy.
OEM Representatives
Discover and stay connected to the digital trends that dealerships are embracing. Also meet one-on-one with dealership representatives to provide digital marketing and sales guidance. Looking to host a larger meeting in conjunction with our conference? Contact concierge@digitaldealer.com
Automotive Dealer Associations
Stay educated with what your ADA members and their managers are learning to provide the best resources available. Also meet one-on-one with dealership representatives to provide digital marketing and sales guidance. Looking to host a larger meeting in conjunction with our conference? Contact concierge@digitaldealer.com
Independent Dealerships
Hundreds of independent dealerships from across the country also attend Digital Dealer each year to learn the latest marketing, sales and management strategies to sell and service more cars, more profitably.
Dealer Ops & Management Seminars
Employee Hiring & Training
Build and maintain a top-performing team by recruiting the best talent, improving on-boarding processes, and creating an exceptional culture.
Leadership/Management
Learn proven leadership and management coaching techniques, as well as policies and procedures, to increase productivity, profitability and growth.
Reputation & Loyalty
Secure loyal customers through strong branding and reputation management strategies (i.e. cause-based marketing, customer satisfaction, retention programs, etc.).
Disruptors & Emerging Trends
Thrive in the new world of automotive by preparing for emerging technology (i.e. AI), new concepts (i.e. ride sharing, connected cars), and industry disruptors.
Sales Strategies / Variable Ops Seminars
Customer Experience
Create an exceptional and seamless buying experience across all departments and stages through the path to purchase (i.e. inquiry to showroom).
Lead Handling / Sales Technique
Learn what to do with the lead after it comes in. Learn about best practices, proper follow up, maximizing every interaction, overcoming pushback, and dealing with specific buyers/scenarios.
F&I Strategies
Transform your F&I process from a source of frustration to a revenue-enhancing compliment to a sale. Learn how to expedite the F&I process, earn trust and keep buyers engages, and sell more F&I products.
Lead Management
Learn how to manage a variety of out-bound and in-bound leads and customer data. Learn fine-tuned BDC operations, including lead to salesperson handoff, appointment setting/follow up procedures, call tracking, and managing customer data in your CRM.
Pre-Owned Sales
Learn how to handle, manage and convert leads to used-car buyers, with action and language that communicates value, and builds trust and loyalty.
Fixed Operations
Learn how to handle and convert leads, satisfy customers in all scenarios, and increase revenue in parts sales, preventative maintenance, service and repair.
Marketing & Advertising Seminars
PPC Advertising
Maximize the performance and ROI of your paid online ad campaigns through strategic bidding strategies, use of planning tools, keyword selection, reporting and analysis, and targeting.
SEO/SEM Strategies
Increase your online visibility through organic search efforts and paid ad campaigns. Learn content marketing strategies to drive traffic, link-building techniques, and on-page optimization.
Data & Analytics
Extract, manage, and use data and analytics for real-time engagement, business intelligence, actionable insights, KPI measurement, and ROI analysis.
Social Media
Perfect your social media results by learning the latest tools and techniques for content marketing (Live Streaming, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) and advertising on social media.
Traditional Marketing
Learn how to best use offline marketing channels (TV, radio, direct mail, and print), and how to integrate traditional channels with your in-store and digital strategy.
Mobile Marketing
Drive growth and stronger consumer engagement through mobile marketing. Learn about mobile creative, design and UX, messaging, targeting, consumer trends, analytics, and attribution.
Video Marketing
Leverage the power of video by learning production techniques, innovative and practical videos to create, as well as distribution channels and strategies for maximum reach and engagement.
Email Marketing
Improve email marketing efforts by learning the latest in email design, targeting, automation and personalization, technical tips for optimization, best practices, and strategy integration.
Website/Digital Retailing
Learn vehicle merchandising tools and techniques to maintain compelling and accurate vehicle listings online, and how to assess how they’re performing.
Fixed Operations
Learn new marketing and advertising strategies and campaigns (seasonal, factory recall, etc.) to attract and retain customers for your service and parts department.
What Attendees Have to Say
“It was terrific! Eye opening! Informative!” – Timothy Curran, General Sales Manager, Hawkinson Nissan, Matteson, IL
“Helpful in keeping up with the fast changing digital world. This event keeps me up to pace on changes needed in our Dealership processes regarding digital marketing and BDC practices.” – Michael Bohannon, BDC Manager, Valley Motors, Cockeysville, MD
“We have formed a continuous improvement team to study the ideas we brought back with us and to implement changes. Both myself and our ISM found the information presented to be invaluable. We plan to attend the next conference.” Jim Myers, Vice President/General Manager, Stoops Buick-GMC, Plainfield, IN
“As always, it’s enlightening and humbling to learn how much you don’t know! Every year, I have at least 20 actionable items and every year they work!” –Chuck Olsen, Corporate Sales Manager, Boucher Automotive, Greenfield, WI
“I was so impressed. I left EVERY session with ideas and something I needed to change or implement as soon as I got back to the dealership. This conference is a must attend for dealership growth and profit!” – Lisa Miller, Internet BDC Manager, Joyce Buick GMC, Mansfield, OH
“Extremely valuable to see everything that’s ‘out there’ and to learn from the best in our field.” – Josh Damm, Marketing Director, Lichtsinn Motors, Forest City, IA
“This was a wonderful experience for me. I was able to come back to work and share with my GM the awesome ideas I received from being at the exposition.” – Kellie Wille, BDC Director, Auffenberg Dealer Group, O’Fallon, IL
“The Digital Dealer opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about social media.” – Bob Pagani, Service Manager, John Hinderer Honda, Heath, OH