DSES 2016 was an amazing event, mostly thanks to our wonderful speakers. We have here for you a list of our 7 highest rated speakers and their key takeaways.

Shaun Raines & Greg Gifford

Key Takeaways:
• Dealers will learn specific strategies for on site and off site organic optimization, based on the latest Local SEO best practices

• Dealers will learn how the recent updates to AdWords will affect auto dealers, and detailed tactics for better PPC campaign performance

• Dealers will learn how to boost local marketing efforts with Facebook ads and beacon marketing.

Adam Robinson

Key Takeaways:
• Learn how to build, manage and maintain a strong culture and workforce
• Learn how to build and leverage a strong employment brand to drive higher quality job applicants AND better consumer leads
• Discover how these leading dealers are compensating and managing their teams via innovative pay plans, strong incentive structures and the potential for career growth

Eric Savage

Key Takeaways:
Attendees will walk away with…
• An understanding of how a purpose-driven business allows for a strongly defined culture, which makes accountability, communication and trust easier.
• A way to see themselves as being “”givers”” instead of “”getters.””
• Proof that putting people before policy, process and profit makes a business stronger and better.
• Practical ways to marry the disciplines necessary for financial success with a culture that is not focused on money.

Brent Wees

Key Takeaways:
• Learn that Technology defines the generations, not the other way around.
• Learn to look past the “”current trend”” of age based marketing and get back to the basics of good retail business in a rapidly evolving technical space.
• Continue to future-proof your dealership to tackle trend with a level head!

Jared Hamilton

To innovate and survive as a successful dealership, general managers and dealer principals need to adopt a competency-based framework for recruiting, hiring, training, and management. This human-capital management style to optimizing dealership will provide a path to success for the next five years, creating value along the way.

You can apply Jared’s thought leadership at your store to:
• Apply a competency-based framework to enhance the business and management at the dealership
• Understand the 5 steps to this model and align them with business plans
• Create lasting value through nurturing employees and reducing turnover

Kerri Wise

Key Takeaways:
A Tug-of-War exists in the car buying process. Today’s car buyer wants to maintain control of the process, using information and technology to help them with each decision. On the same token, some dealers also want to maintain control in order to protect their profitability and bottom line. The best dealers find a way to not only survive, but thrive in today’s transparent marketplace.

In this session, I will share insights and learning from a recent study of 100 transparent dealers that embrace transparency while enjoying the highest close rates in their respective markets. Specifically, this session will help you:

• Understand how top performing dealers understand and address consumer’s pain points in the car buying process

• Examine the tactics that top dealers are using to build credibility at each step of the process.

• Evaluate the impact that price transparency has on the bottom line of top performing dealers

Ken Schmidt

We’re not wired to be loyal to products or services, no matter how well they perform. We’re only capable of being loyal to people and to well-managed brands that successfully humanize their presence by creating emotional resonance with us. It’s time for your customers to evolve from “folks who buy from us,” into “loyal friends who recommend us without being asked,” which means your relationships with them have to evolve from superficial to meaningfully permanent. Customers come and go. But loyalists, like Harley-Davidson tattoos, become part of you and never leave. Building tattoo-worthy customer relationships isn’t the marketing department’s job; it’s yours. This is how it’s done.

You can apply Ken’s thought leadership at your store to:
• Develop an experience around your dealership brand that excites your customers.
• Stand out from the crowd of competitors by unifying your brand and your employees.
• Build an experience that drives repeat purchases in new vehicles, parts and service.