Pub 9 2020-2021 Issue 1

10 San Diego Dealer WHY DEALERS LOVE AUTO SHOWS W hen it comes to building brand awareness and excitement, driving consumer traffic into dealerships and increasing vehicle sales, nothing beats an auto show, say dealers across the country. According to NADA’s recent Dealer Attitude Survey, eight out of 10 dealers say their local auto show is important for driving customer traffic into their dealerships. “Auto shows sell cars. They help sell the product, and that’s the value of auto shows,” says Richard A. Baker, show manager of the Miami International Auto Show and incoming chairman of the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE). When auto showattendees get to the dealership showroom, the numbers indicate they’re more likely to buy: 54% of buyers made a purchase decision based on what they saw at an auto show, and 18% bought a brand they had not been considering before they saw it at the show, says Foresight Research. Discovering New Brands, Rediscovering Favorites In Charlotte, N.C., the brand conversion numbers were even higher —a whopping 62% of the Charlotte Auto Show attendees this year left considering a brand they may not have considered before attending the show, says Jenn Jackson, executive director, Greater Charlotte Auto Dealers Association. The Charlotte Auto Show, now in its 29th year, is supported by more than 100 auto dealers from 11 surrounding counties. “For the OEMs and dealers who battle with the brand shift, auto shows are an outstanding opportunity to either continue to lock them into your brand or catch their attention and sway them away.” Tindol Automotive has participated in the Charlotte Auto Show as a Ford dealer for over 25 years andmore recently as amanufacturer representing Roush Performance vehicles. “Seeing the show from both perspectives, we highly support the show because we have seen firsthand the number of people that love to shop, inquire, touch and feel the vehicles without sales pressure or obligation,” says owner and dealer principal Natalie By Sheryll Poe, NADA Contributor