The Digital Dealer Tampa Speaker Experience

I’ve been in the Automotive Industry for over 5 years now, and as every professional knows, the Industry thrives on its innovative conferences and 20 Groups. This year, I had the opportunity to network with the top professionals in our industry, be interviewed on a 5-Bedroom YACHT, and speak on the official Keynote Stage at this year’s Digital Dealer Conference!

Formally known as the Association of Automotive Internet Sales Professionals (AAISP) conference, Digital Dealer is a 2 and a ½ day event packed full of topnotch speakers, presenters, and professionals within the Automotive Industry. This event is so massive that they hold TWO conferences each year and gains thousands of dealership attendees from across the globe! By attending this conference, not only will you be in the same environment as the best of the best in Auto, you will learn what’s new and effective in today’s Market Place so you may bring these strategies back to your dealership to SELL more cars! This year’s first bi-annual Digital Dealer Conference took place from May 9th – 11th at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, FL. 

Digital Dealer has an excellent way of allowing dealerships and vendors, BOTH, to build their book of business and network with others to find better solutions to bring back to their organizations. Even though Vendors/Exhibitors are sectioned off from the Digital Dealer Speaking Sessions to prevent any distractions to the speakers and audience listening into the session, the Exhibitor’s booths are perfectly placed in the middle of the venue to ensure a consistent flow of foot traffic. Watch below to see video footage entering the Digital Dealer Exhibitor Hall on Day 2 of the conference, alongside my Dealer Synergy colleague and Performance Coach, Vaesly Vega!

Digital Dealer brings back the Courageous Conversation on DEI as we explore the message that, “We must change the heart of automotive in order to change the Face of Automotive.” Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is how the automotive industry will thrive in the future! The business case is clear, and there is an overall industry focus on DEI and the competitive advantage it brings to dealers. Discover various aspects of workplace diversity, identify specific ways to begin or further your journey into Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and explore DEI strategies that will put your dealership on the path to thriving in the future on this exclusive panel: The DEI Journey – Practical & Actionable Ways to Create Strategies & Thrive to the Future!

The Keynote Session was hosted/moderated by Sandy Zannino, the Founder of Innovative Auto HR, along with Erikka Tiffani Wells the Sales Manager at Volkswagen of Marion and Co-Founder of WOCAN (Women of Color Automotive Network), Danny Zaslavsky the General Manager/Dealer Partner at Country Hill Motors and Managing Partner of VinCue, Ashley Cavazos the Director of Digital Performance at Walser Automotive Group, and Ernie Lee the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at Rimrock Auto Group. 

These 6 incredible automotive professionals, myself included, focused on exploring various facets of diversity with an eye toward practical and actionable ways to create DEI strategies so that your organization/dealership can thrive in the future. In the new age of 2022, there has never been a better time for dealers to think about their DEI practices, and generate ideas on how to begin and get on the DEI journey!

In the middle of the Digital Dealer Conference, I had the privilege to be invited onto the Matador Yacht and be interviewed by Jason Harris on his Official Podcast: Strategy With Jason! It was breathtaking to explore and teach new marketing strategies while cruising the Tampa, Florida waters on a 5-Bedroom Yacht!

The goal of Jason’s podcast is to continuously provide value to dealerships through education by uploading several different forms of educational content on a daily basis with tips, techniques, and, most importantly, strategy! These podcasts are educational portals for those in the automotive industry to better and advance themselves. Stay connected to see the finalized podcast episode!

It’s important to understand the full synopsis and agenda of a conference before attending the event. If you have not yet attended a Digital Dealer Conference, I would not only recommend, but strongly encourage you, and your team, to participate in this year’s upcoming Digital Dealer Conference taking place on October 11th – 13th in Las Vegas, Nevada!