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Training is a critical part of what makes our industry tick. There are always new technologies, products, processes and opportunities coming on the scene, so we all need to be trained on how to leverage these for the benefit of the dealership and our teams. You cannot underestimate the value that a good sales training program can bring to your team and your dealership.

There are various types of training that are offered throughout our industry. There are events sponsored by associations, training companies, industry vendors, publications, providers, and OEM sponsored events. They can have different goals, agendas and structure and be anything from a few hour sessions to a multi-day intensive workshop, conference or summit.

Since these can vary greatly, I wanted to share my thoughts and insights about some of these offerings. You have to evaluate your needs and expectations in order to determine if your time is well spent at the scheduled session.  A vendor-sponsored event can provide general information and might come along with product information, as well, about the sponsoring company’s offerings. And as Martha Stewart says, “This can be a good thing.”  Vendors have a vested interest in your success. What you might want to avoid, though, is a blatant infomercial that is 90% commercial and 10% information. Many dealers have been to vendor-sponsored training and breakfast meetings where they learned an incredible amount of good information. These are a great source of information and a brush up on product knowledge.

When it comes to sponsor-hosted events, you need to delve into what is driving the sponsors to host the event, so you can enter into it with your eyes open and with realistic expectations of what you will accomplish. You don’t want to be the dealer that pays a substantial registration fee for a multi-day event and come home saying it was a bad workshop and didn’t come close to offering what was “promised.” Be sure to check it out upfront.

Five Things You Should Consider when Deciding to Attend a Training Event

1. Who is sponsoring or organizing the event? Is it a vendor or is it a consultant or trainer?
2. What are the instructor’s credentials and experience level?
3. Why are they hosting the training event?
4. What is the cost of the event?  (registration, travel and hotel expense)
5. Do they offer testimonials from past attendees?

Now let’s look at these items:

Who is sponsoring the event?

For vendor-sponsored events, the size of the vendor and their resources will often determine the quality of the event. Most vendors want their clients to be successful in business so their goal is to add value at these events. Vendors usually take a proactive approach to educating their dealers to ensure retention.

Who is the speaker or instructor? 

Is it someone from our industry with a solid track record of success?  Anyone can read from a PowerPoint presentation, but what you really want to look for is street credibility. Do they walk the talk?

Find out why they are hosting the event. Are they trying to keep their current customers happy and successful? If it is a consultant or trainer, is it a free event to promote other products and services or are they making money from the event? Remember, you get what you pay for. So, when you attend a “Free” workshop, be sure you get something out of it but don’t expect to learn the “secret formula” that turns you into a super sales ninja.

Then analyze what your needs are for training. If you are looking for some basic ideas, some direction, and best practices, then sponsored or free workshops might be the right type of venue for you. However if you need a major program to make big improvements your Internet sales, for example, then you might need something all-encompassing.

Since many dealerships don’t have the budget to bring in the top trainers and consultants to customize a program for their stores, the next best option is to look for regional workshops or training offerings that offer a better “bang for the buck.”  These events can be two- or three-day sessions and can run from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on what is offered.

Many dealers have no problem spending a few thousand dollars for a multi-day event if they know their attendees will get their money’s worth. If you learn techniques that help you sell three extra vehicles a month, then the money was well spent.

Testimonials are also very important, whether you are attending for free or are spending $3,000 for an event. Your time is worth something so find out what others have said about these events. Ask for testimonials, or see if there are video testimonials available, or at least references you can contact about past events.

Last December our company held a seminar in Los Angeles. We had over 110 people attending from dealerships in the market and from some of the top dealerships in the country. After the event we had our video crew film the attendees and get their feedback.  Now we have informative video testimonials to help people understand what our sessions offer attendees.

Look for events where companies or associations are part of the sponsorship, as they have insights and resources often utilized by dealers groups and their management teams. They also provide a certain level of assurance that the event will be run efficiently and professionally. Look for all the quality training you can get, and then act on what you learn.  As in football, the coach can show you the play, but if you don’t run the play you won’t achieve your goal.

Sean V. Bradley is founder/CEO of Dealer Synergy Inc. Dealer Synergy is an international automotive training and consulting agency that specializes in full business development, CRM, Internet sales, owner retention, phone sales, special finance and advertising/marketing. Sean is currently working with NCM Associates on their Internet Sales Bootcamps this year. For information on these, click here.