From the Editors

Don’t miss Year 2 of the Powersports Business Institute @ AIMExpo

Liz KeenerA few months ago, I was talking to Curtis Sloan for a story for our June issue, and the subject of the Powersports Business Institute @ AIMExpo came up.

I had seen Sloan, general manager of 2013 Power 50 dealer Sloan’s Motorcycle & ATV, at the first PSBI@AIMExpo last year, and I was interested in his feedback on the event. His review was extremely positive.

Though Sloan literally grew up in a powersports dealership, as his dad founded Sloan’s the year Curtis turned 6, Sloan says events like the PSBI@AIMExpo show him that he can always learn more.

“In Proverbs, one of the more famous versus is, ‘Iron sharpens iron, so one human sharpens another,’” he said, explaining how even a lifelong veteran of a successful dealership can continue to learn.

PSBIThis year he’ll again be riding his bike more than 650 miles from his Murfreesboro, Tenn., base to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., to make sure he catches all that the PSBI@AIMExpo sessions have to offer from Thursday, Oct. 16 to Friday, Oct. 17. This year, he’s most interested in sessions about e-commerce and those that can help him combat competition from online retailers.

Of course the 2014 Powersports Business Institute @ AIMExpo, sponsored by ADP Lightspeed and Sta-Bil, will offer courses in both of those areas, but all 32 sessions are can’t-miss events. With four tracks to choose from, including Powering Profits, sponsored by McGraw Powersports Group; Digital Solutions, sponsored by Dominion Powersports Solutions; Sales & Marketing; and Service & Operations, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a few staff members to get the best ROI for the trip.

And, as Sloan pointed out to me, he missed a few networking opportunities in 2013. Since we know that was true for some dealers, we have added a PSBI@AIMExpo Kickoff Networking Reception from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Rosen Centre Hotel Pool Balcony. That event, sponsored by GE Capital, is designed for dealers and other AIMExpo attendees to network and maybe meet a friend before dinner that night and before the show starts Thursday morning.

My flight’s already booked for the event, so I’ll be there, taking in all the educational opportunities that I can. Like many of you, I’ve already mapped out the sessions I’d like to attend. If you haven’t yet, you can do so by clicking here.

I’ll see you in Orlando!

Liz Keener is the managing editor of Powersports Business, a trade magazine for the powersports industry. She reports on the powersports industry through Powersports Business’ varied media, including in the magazine and online. She assembles the brand’s three-times-a-week e-news and handles a variety of assignments for the magazine. Powersports Business is known for its exclusive national dealer surveys, in-depth industry analysis, Power 50 dealership honors program and dealership conference, Powersports Business Institute @ AIMExpo.

Contact: lkeener@powersportsbusiness.com
Website: www.powersportsbusiness.com

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