The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance began broadcasting its annual Sales & Marketing Forum to a record audience Wednesday morning.
Hundreds of sales and marketing personnel from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia tuned in for the meeting, which is taking place virtually for the first time in its history.
“The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance is a family of family businesses. This week is our reunion,” said Ryan Backowski, director of marketing for Auto-Wares Group of Companies and chairman of the Alliance’s Sales & Marketing Committee. “We are thrilled to come together to be inspired by meaningful training seminars, engage in workshops and learn about the latest in parts and services provided by our supplier partners. The Sales and Marketing Forum is always worth the time investment and this year’s event will, again, be an energizing experience for our hundreds of attendees.”
The meeting agenda is packed full of Alliance general sessions, panel discussions and workshops featuring shareholder attendee selling gurus and top shop owners, and dozens of on-demand training courses. Special appearances include an industry update from Nathan Shipley, executive director of industry analysis at the NPD Group; a news update from Babcox Media publishers Dean Martin and Jim Merle; an advocacy panel discussion with representatives of the Auto Care Association; and a vendor panel with a handful of Alliance suppliers.
To top it off, the event also includes the Alliance’s first-ever booth show. Sixty of the Alliance’s valued product, information-technology and marketing channel partners are participating.
“While we will miss the interaction of an in-person forum, the virtual show is allowing us to reach so many more on-the-streets sales men and women with this meeting than we ever have before,” said J.C. Washbish, vice president of sales and marketing at the Alliance. “We’re looking forward to delivering a unique show and enjoying some quality camera-to-camera interaction with our members.”
The event began Wednesday morning and will close with a virtual happy hour Friday afternoon.
