Industry Week seminars cater to those seeking educational opportunities

(Oct. 27, 2007) Although new product debuts are a big part of Industry week, the AAPEX and SEMA shows are not only about new products. Both shows include seminars, workshops and roundtable discussions to explore the latest hot button issues within the industry. In fact, SEMA's Vice President of Marketing and Communications Peter MacGillivray says that the more than 60 educational programs featured at the SEMA Show will cover everything from new technologies that can help a business grow to personal development seminars for business owners, managers and employees.

"Education is such an important part of the show," he adds. "Many of our members are entrepreneurs who are running a passion-driven business. The business came first, before the education was available. So there's a tremendous need and interest in the workshops we have developed."

The SEMA Show's "Store of the Future," now in its second year, will allow jobbers and retailers to gain hands-on experience with new products and get real-time feedback from store staff members about issues they may have experienced in their own shops. The SEMA Show also will feature a display of shop tools run by the stars of the television series West Coast Customs, where attendees can get expert advice on putting the new tools to use and hands-on experience using them. 

The AAPEX show also will feature educational seminars covering topics such as improving sales proficiency, fact-based marketing, selling parts for imports, right to repair, aftermarket research and data, hybrid vehicle update and repair and increasing sales. There will also be sessions on selling to the U.S. aftermarket, the top 10 sales blunders, tapping into underperformed maintenance, industry data standards, ASE certification and partnering with customers. All show attendees are invited to attend the seminars, which are posted on the AAPEX show Web site at www.aapexshow.com. But show organizers are encouraging attendees to plan ahead and sign up for seminars now; last year many of the educational sessions were filled to capacity.

"Trade shows are an excellent opportunity for peers to get together and talk about what's going on in the industry," says Arlene Davis, senior director of trade shows for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). "It's a time to explore new ideas and see new things, and to take home new educational experiences to think about."