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AAPEX Organizers Expand Education Program

In response to attendee feedback calling for more education and training opportunities at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), the "Inside Track" Learning Forum has been expanded to include 28 education seminars. All sessions will be held over a three-day period in the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 4.
By Shop Owner Staff
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In response to attendee feedback calling for more education and training opportunities at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), the “Inside Track” Learning Forum has been expanded to include 28 education seminars. All sessions will be held over a three-day period in the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 4.

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New this year will be two “Lunch & Learn” sessions that will include a box lunch. These sessions will charge $15 per person. All other sessions are free.

The free seminars and the “Lunch & Learns” will be conducted in Marco Polo Rooms 701-706 in the Venetian. Following are the working titles of the “Inside Track” seminars:

Tuesday, Nov. 2:

• OEM Proprietary Lubricants: Implications for the Aftermarket
• 2011 Aftermarket Outlook
• Selling Parts for Imports: Did You Ever Consider Listening to Your Customer? The Installer’s View
• Government Affairs Update
• “Lunch & Learn” – Social Media: What is it and How Do You Know When it is Working
• Relating, Not Translating: How to Market to Latinos
• Advanced Pricing Strategies
• Profit is Everybody’s Business  
• They Want What? Meeting the Expectations of Service Shop Owners and Technicians
• New Vehicle Technologies and Their Impact on the Aftermarket
• Customer Service: How to Keep Customers Rushing Back for More
• Ten Things Smart Executives Learn From Financial Downturns

Wednesday, Nov. 3:

• Gadgets, Gizmos, Geeks: 25 Tools, Technologies and Web-Based Services that Smart Businesses Are Using to Keep Their Customers Happy
• Effective Communication for Today’s Workplace: Strategies for Success
• The New Health Care Law: What It Means for Your Business
• Bull’s Eye Aftermarketing for Growth and Profits
• “Lunch & Learn” – All Things Automotive: Connecting With Gen Y
• Value Based Selling: Breaking the Discounting Habit
• Cost-Effective Marketing Techniques for Distributors
• Making It Right vs. Getting It Right
• Building Employee Engagement: Becoming An Employer of Choice
• Drive the Business, Steer the Brand

Thursday, Nov. 4:

• Industry Standards – A Look Inside the Shop of Tomorrow
• Hot International Markets: The Automotive Aftermarket in China, Brazil and Mexico
• Today’s Escalating Import Car Parc: How to Capitalize on More Than Just the ‘Fast Movers’
• Communicating with Confidence: Service Consultants and Technicians Working Together for Vehicle Owners (And Increasing Profit for Repair Shops)
• Adding Social Media to Your Marketing Toolbox
• Automotive Service Shops: Top Performer Benchmarks and How to Get There

For more information on the “Inside Track” Learning Forum sessions, visit www.aapexshow.com.

AAPEX is the annual business-to-business trade show representing the global automotive aftermarket and features more than 2,000 exhibitors. AAPEX is jointly sponsored by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), the aftermarket affiliate of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) and the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). For more information, visit www.aapexshow.com.

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I sometimes share case studies of the clients I have been able to assist in my role as an aftermarket business broker and provider of intermediary and advisory services. I do that when I think the story will provide a reader in similar circumstances with new insights or helpful information.
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Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.
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