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2021 Powersports Business Accelerate Conference Schedule, Nov. 8-10

As the dealer body at-large, our sponsors and industry members gather live and in-person for the first time since 2019 at the Nov. 8-10 Powersports Business Accelerate Conference, there’s no better to map out your three days in Atlanta at the Hyatt Regency. Dave McMahon, editor and content director at Powersports Business, has mapped out another series of seminars aimed at engagement — and profitability for 2022. Register for the conference by clicking here.

Hyatt Regency, Atlanta

Monday, Nov. 8, 2021

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The PSB Interview: General Managers

Powersports Business editor Dave McMahon is joined by dealership general managers JJ Zalenchak of Mosites Motorsports (North Versailles, PA) and Paul McGowan of Xtreme Powersports (Columbus, GA) for an interactive discussion with attendees about life as a GM over the past 18 months, and expectations for the year ahead. We’ll share challenges and successes, likely spend a second or two on inventory and staffing. Attending dealers also will be encouraged to engage in the kickoff conversation.

Immediately following the PSB Interview, we will recognize the inaugural class of the Powersports Business 40 Under 40 Dealers who are in attendance. These highly successful leaders are the future of our industry, and we invite you to join us in a toast as we celebrate their success.

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Welcome Networking Reception

Renew acquaintances with fellow dealers, industry members and event sponsors with complimentary drinks and eats.

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

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Coffee

Steve Jones

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

How to Make Big Gains in your Service Department in 2022 with Increased Productivity and Profitability

Attendees will learn how to identify critical benchmarks to measure and manage performance; increase labor and P&A sales through effective service writing procedures; maximize technician time to improve productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction; increase unit sales by improving your service operation; and much more.

Familiar industry veteran Steve Jones has worked in the powersports industry for over four decades. An avid rider, he also raced motorcycles for over 20 years. He worked in dealerships where he held management positions in Service, Parts, and Sales. Steve moved on to work for manufacturers as a regional Service Rep and as a District Sales Manager. He then became a business consultant, GM, Projects Manager, trainer, and facilitator for the consulting firm Gart Sutton & Associates. He has helped develop effective training programs and materials for most of the major manufacturers. A dynamic speaker, he’s conducted seminars and workshops on a variety of subjects for many different industry clients. Currently, Steve is an independent business consultant and trainer for OEs and dealers. He provides business operations analysis and management training for dealer principals, GMs, and individual department managers.

Bernie Brenner

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM

Digital Retailing: Better Connect with Customers from Sofa to Dealership

The customer buying experience is evolving. As we learned from the pandemic, brands and dealers that were nimble enough to create an interactive and engaging experience for customers had the upper hand. But what does digital retailing really mean and why should brands and dealers think about it as a strategy in 2021 and beyond? Learn what the next level of digital retailing looks like for the powersports industry and why you should take advantage of it within your own business. Key strategies and takeaways include: engaging consumers the Amazon way and increasing close rates by 50%+; Thinking beyond lead forms – how digital retailing solutions can provide deal clarity, increasing F&I product attachment, and improving customer satisfaction. Customers are willing to provide as much personal info as you ask for. Leverage online communications methods, such as texting and chat, to bring customers further down the purchase funnel.

Bernie Brenner is the founder and CEO of Rollick, Inc. Bernie drives Rollick’s strategic vision while focusing on building relationships with affinity, OEM, dealer, and investor partners. He is the author of “The Sumo Advantage,” which offers proven methods for identifying, negotiating, and managing hundreds of large-scale strategic partnerships.

Ron Cariker

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

How 1-to-1 Customer Communication Can Drive Sales Now and in the Future

The pandemic wreaked havoc on the powersports retail industry and limited dealers’ abilities to effectively communicate with customers and potential customers. Implementing simple mobile tools with existing customer data and digital strategies, dealers were able to increase revenue in all departments of their dealership. We will share real, proven examples of dealers not just surviving, but thriving with limited access to customers.

Ron Cariker is an accomplished global speaker and panelist sharing insight and expertise on mobile marketing and mobile technology. As the founder and president of 7 Media Group, Ron has provided mobile marketing services to many globally recognized brands such as Harley-Davidson, BMW, Ford Motor Company, Anheuser-Busch, Grupo Modelo, MillerCoors, Oklahoma City Thunder, BuffaloWild Wings, and many others. Sarah Oakley is the Marketing Director at Corpus Christi Harley-Davidson and Laredo Harley-Davidson.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Sponsor Networking Lunch

Dr. Elliot Eisenberg

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Keynote Speaker Elliot Eisenberg, PhD, “It’s the economy!”

In his fast-moving presentation, The Bowtie Economist will cover macroeconomic conditions such as GDP growth, interest rates, unemployment, inflation, currency movements, the health of the housing market and real estate, demographics, energy prices, household behavior, wage growth, income inequality, automobile sales and then tie it all back to how those things might impact or influence the powersports industry operating environment.

Eisenberg is a nationally acclaimed economist and public speaker specializing in making economics easy to understand, relevant and educational. Eisenberg is the Chief Economist for GraphsandLaughs, LLC, an economic consultancy that serves a variety of clients across the U.S. He writes a syndicated column and authors a daily 70-word commentary on the economy that is available at www.econ70.com. Eisenberg has spoken to hundreds of business groups, has been invited to testify before lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and is often asked to comment on proposed legislation. His research and opinions have been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Bureau of National Affairs, Forbes, Fortune, and many other publications. He is a regularly featured guest on cable news programs, talk, and public radio.

Mike Murray

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Capitalizing on Your Pre-Owned Inventory

The pre-owned market offers a valuable opportunity for dealers. Most people buy pre-owned before they buy new, so having inventory available for those customers can start the relationship early. For returning customers, taking trade-ins is a perfect avenue to new bike sales. Learn from NPA VP of Sales Mike Murray about the key purposes of pre-owned inventory, including how to capitalize on trade-ins by properly determining a vehicle’s Actual Cash Value (ACV) and how the commitment to pre-owned can increase your ROI. Dealers will break into groups to do walkarounds on NPA bikes on-site and provide insight as to how they arrived at their trade-in value.

Mike Murray is VP of Sales at National Powersport Auctions (NPA).

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Networking Reception

Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021

7:45 AM – 8:15 AM

Coffee

Rob Greenwald

8:15 AM – 9:30 AM

Recovering From COVID – Maximizing Sales and Finance Opportunities Post-Pandemic

For most dealers, COVID-19 created record-breaking sales and profitability. As we come out of this period of changes, we need to look at strategies and methods that will keep your dealership maintaining good profitability and getting people back on track to maximum performance as we move away from being order takers. We will also discuss reestablishing key areas to keep your dealership successful moving into 2022. This F&I and Sales focused workshop will help you plan for what’s coming and keep profits high.

Rob Greenwald has been increasing the performance and profits of dealerships since 1989. An honors graduate from Tulane University with degrees in Entrepreneurial Management and Behavioral Psychology, Rob teaches a constantly evolving curriculum that has powered many dealerships and individuals to record numbers. His seminars center around “the Human Factor” and developing approaches that stay well ahead of the curve. Rob prides himself on being a powersports only consultant, with his passion being the driving force behind his work.

Taiwan, TAITRA, scooters, parts, accessories, virtual, showcase
Dave McMahon

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Powersports Business 2021 Market Data Book Live!

The latest version of the industry’s go-to annual resource is revealed by Powersports Business editor and content director Dave McMahon, with the first look at industry stats and data from 2020 and into 2021. From the annual dealer survey to contributions from various facets of the industry, we’ll showcase and allow for discussion on the latest industry trends.

Steve Jones

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM

Taking your Parts Department to New Heights in 2022 and Beyond

Attendees will learn how to identify critical benchmarks to measure and manage performance; increase profits by controlling shrinkage and reducing obsolescence; improve sales & profits through proper staff training and maintaining margins; implement proper inventory control processes to increase cash flow by having the right inventory at the right time; increase your customer retention and satisfaction through exceptional customer service; and much more.

Familiar industry veteran Steve Jones has worked in the powersports industry for over four decades. An avid rider, he also raced motorcycles for over 20 years. He worked in dealerships where he held management positions in Service, Parts, and Sales. Steve moved on to work for manufacturers as a regional Service Rep and as a District Sales Manager. He then became a business consultant, GM, Projects Manager, trainer, and facilitator for the consulting firm Gart Sutton & Associates. He has helped develop effective training programs and materials for most of the major manufacturers. A dynamic speaker, he’s conducted seminars and workshops on a variety of subjects for many different industry clients. Currently, Steve is an independent business consultant and trainer for OEs and dealers. He provides business operations analysis and management training for dealer principals, GMs, and individual department managers.

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Networking Lunch

Phillip Billups

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM

From X to Y to Z: Tailoring Your Dealership’s Marketing to Millennials and Zoomers

Motorcycle buyer demographics are rapidly changing. Not only does Gen Y (Millennials) make up a large segment of the market, Gen Z (Zoomers) has also started buying. Both generations are highly experience-driven, with Zoomers specifically motivated by experience sharing. This presentation will provide Cycle Trader’s exclusive consumer research collected from active motorcycle shoppers to break down what motivates Gen Y and Gen Z when they’re searching for motorcycles. We’ll walk through actionable marketing strategies for dealers to reach young buyers at the top of the purchase funnel and move them through the path to purchase.

Phillip Billups joined Dominion in March of 2002 as a graphic designer and served with different businesses before becoming a Product Development Manager in 2007 for TraderOnline. In 2014, he started serving as the Vice President of Product the Recreational brands. During that time, he and his team achieved steady traffic growth and increases in leads for both dealer and private party customers while creating an environment where progress towards meeting the consumer’s needs is paramount. In his latest role, he is focused on driving dealer value by focusing on improving inventory workflows, enhancing the lead life cycle, and creating easy-to-use tools. When he’s not focused on being a husband and father to his young son and daughter, he enjoys riding his lightly modded 2010 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight.

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Rob Greenwald

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM

How to Supercharge Your Dealership’s Finance and Insurance Program to Success in 2022

This seminar is designed to bring advanced strategies, ideas, and techniques to ensure the ongoing performance of your dealership’s Finance and Insurance Program. We will discuss things to make your most profitable department per dollar invested and square foot better than ever. From analysis, changes, approaches, and methods of engagement, there will be found money throughout your Finance and Insurance Department.

Rob Greenwald has been increasing the performance and profits of dealerships since 1989. An honors graduate from Tulane University with degrees in Entrepreneurial Management and Behavioral Psychology, Rob teaches a constantly evolving curriculum that has powered many dealerships and individuals to record numbers. His seminars center around “the Human Factor” and developing approaches that stay well ahead of the curve. Rob prides himself on being a powersports-only consultant, with his passion being the driving force behind his work.

3:15 PM – Conference ends.

The 2021 Powersports Business Accelerate Conference sponsors, with company representatives in attendance at their booth, are:

Powersports Business, Accelerate, dealer, conference,

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