Tens of thousands of automotive professionals began gathering at NADA 100 January 26th, pumped up to drive growth in their dealerships for the future. The event is a spectacle to behold. A carnival along with concerts engaged the crowds and the Expo featured more than 600 exhibits that addressed every aspect of dealership life.

But you attended NADA 100 for YOU.

The lights, the fanfare, the pomp and circumstance – even the keynote addresses – they’re only an entertainment factor if you don’t plan to do anything about it. But because you attended NADA 100 for you, you’re going to put what you learned into action.

Start NOW

When you get home from a massive conference or event like this, you’re jacked up. Your blood is running hotter and the ideas are flowing like molten lava in your veins. Without the heat of the moment, the furnace of inspiring people around you, it starts to cool off quite quickly.

When you get back home, get right to work implementing what you’ve learned. The saying “strike while the iron is hot” applies in this situation exactly. Everything you’ve picked up at NADA is fresh in your mind are right now, you have a clarity of vision like none other.

Take the first hours of the time you get home to develop a plan for your store. If others from your dealership were along with you, sit down together for this process. If you went solo, it’s a job best done by yourself.

Nothing tempers your ambition and fervor like ‘the grind’. When you get back to work and slip into your routine, it’s all too easy to just keep doing the same things you were doing before NADA 100. Then, it’s not long until what you’ve picked up is just a distant fond memory.

Fail Often

Cartoonist Stephen McCranie originated the quote “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even started”. You want to be a master of the automotive industry, right? That means trying something new and trying often. Don’t be afraid of failure, because it’s through your failures that you’ll find something that is extremely effective.

Did you come across a marketing strategy at NADA that you hadn’t considered?  Give it a try. Is there a CRM tool for your service department that has sparked exponential growth in your competition? Give it serious thought. Are there suppliers or partners that just might save you money on expenses? Don’t be afraid to shake things up.

Some plans work great for one store and fail miserably for others. Demographics could be different or you may not have the support necessary from your staff. One thing is guaranteed (and you know this): if you don’t try, it has no chance of success.

Attend Again

You’ve picked up some great ideas from NADA 100 and you’ve met some really great people. And undoubtedly, you’ve renewed your passion for the automotive industry, whether it’s in the sales, service, parts, marketing, or collision department.

But with time, your excitement will start to ebb away. It becomes a job once again and your passion gets pushed deep down inside. You need people who will bring you up and challenge you personally and professionally. Getting together with like-minded individuals seems to have the desired effect, doesn’t it?

Plan to attend next year’s NADA event in Las Vegas, hosted from March 22nd to 25th, 2018. Like the convention this year, you’ll have the opportunity to renew your enthusiasm for your career and see the latest innovations in the industry.

Between now and then, seek out other opportunities to lift your spirits. DrivingSales hosts several events including the Presidents Club in Manhattan on April 9th and 10th, and the DrivingSales Executive Summit at the Bellagio in Las Vegas from October 22nd to 24th. And if you’re lucky enough to be close to a major car show, be sure to take it in.