Due to safety concerns and government restrictions caused by the Coronavirus outbreak, last October, National Automobile Dealers Association officials made the call to move the 2021 NADA Show to a virtual experience. This is the first time in NADA Show history that the event will be held online, and many dealers are interested to see how the show will unfold in a digital environment. Recently, we spoke with Mike Stanton, President and CEO of NADA, to find out more.
Every year, thousands of automotive retail professionals from dealers, to manufacturers, to vendor partners, showcase the latest and great that the automotive industry has to offer. According to Stanton, many attendees consider the NADA Show to be the ‘thirteenth’ month of the year in terms of sales objectives. The show is also a great platform to launch a business and start the year off with many prospective leads.
Stanton assures us that this year’s show will not be just another zoom meeting. NADA is pulling out all the stops for an immersive and exciting experience.
He says, “The NADA Show, at least for me, has always been a time to establish relationships, to reinforce and strengthen relationships, but also to compare notes, talk about trends, and really prepare for the future. So, we’re hoping to help dealers and the car companies, and really the industry, come together and do just that.”
This year’s show will be held February 9-11 and hosts 240 exhibitors, numerous workshops, educational sessions, and on-demand replay access through April 11. As always, the NADA Show will also have inspiring main stage presenters including actor and dealer Mark Walhberg, Jim Farley, President and CEO of Ford, 2020 NADA Chairman Rhett Ricart, 2021 NADA Chairman Paul Walser, and more. There’s still time to register and take advantage of special pricing options for dealership groups of 10 or more.
In this segment, Stanton and anchor Jim Fitzpatrick also discuss the industry’s digital transformation, adapting to consumer expectations, and NADA’s ongoing commitment to doing better in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The pair also tackle the value that franchised dealers bring to the market, as well as retail forecasts for 2021.
Stanton has overseen operations at NADA since 2018 and began his tenure as NADA President and CEO on January 1, 2021. Before working with NADA, Stanton served in roles with Nissan and Isuzu North America.
Be sure to watch our entire interview above, you won’t want to miss it!
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