SEMA, AAPEX shows to offer education for tire, service pros

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 10, 2016) —Aftermarket automotive parts and service professionals and tire dealers are gearing up to attend the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Exposition (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, in early November.

The SEMA Show, which includes the Global Tire Expo — Powered by TIA (Tire Industry Association), will be held Nov. 1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The show is expected to draw about 130,000 automotive professionals and more than 2,400 exhibitors, including nearly 300 in the tires and wheels categories.

AAPEX 2016 will be held Nov. 1-3 at the Sands Expo. AAPEX is co-owned by the Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association.

AAPEX 2016 expects to host more than 2,200 exhibitors and 45,000 targeted buyers.

Prior to the opening of SEMA, on Oct. 31, TIA will host its annual Tire Industry Honors Awards Ceremony at the Tropicana Las Vegas. The event will feature an induction ceremony for the Tire Industry Hall of Fame and presentations of other industry awards, including Tire Business' Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award.

TIA also is organizing several seminars geared for tire dealers during the SEMA Show, including:

Nov. 1

• Truck Tires at 10: Reinforced shoulder repairs in the field — Reviews the Tread Rubber and Repair Materials Manufacturers Group's (TRMG) reinforced shoulder repair guidelines and the limits for a repair, additional materials required and the procedures for positioning the repair unit.

• TPMS at 10: Next step in TPMS diagnostics — TIA will  showcase OBDII scan tools and their role in tire pressure monitoring system diagnostics.

• Tires at 2: Successful tire dealers share their secrets — The winners of the Tire Business' Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award and other industry awards will share their thoughts on what has made them successful.

Nov. 2

• Truck Tires at 10: The facts about torquing wheels — The session will explain each step of the RIST procedure before taking an in-depth look at how torque results in the level of clamping force that is created between the wheel and the hub. Everything from impact tools to torque sticks and torque wrenches will be discussed along with the pros and cons of each approach.

• ATS at 10: Automotive Tire Service (ATS) training program — TIA will discuss the updates to the Automotive Tire Service (ATS) training program for instructors and technicians.

• TIA's 2016 Legislative Review: The issues that affect you and how to protect your bottom line

• Management at 2: Improving sales and profits — The session will focus on techniques and ideas that retail tire dealers can use to help them increase car count and total sales.

SEMA also has organized a few dozen educational seminars throughout the show, including:

• Trends & Research: Technologies that will improve your 2017 profitability by Gene Marks, The Marks Group, Oct. 31;

• Marketing Strategies: Google is changing how people buy aftermarket parts, Ronald L. Dod Jr., CEO of Visiture L.L.C., Oct. 31;

• Gear Up Girl networking event — Women-only event hosted by the SEMA Businesswoman's Network, Oct. 31;

• Conversations: Interviews with leaders & legends — a panel discussion moderated by Wade Kawasaki, president, Coker Group, Nov. 1;.

• What retailers in other industries are doing to be successful — Panel discussion featuring experts outside the automotive industry discussing how to thrive in an eTail economy, Nov. 2; and

• Off-road, truck and jeep builders' panel — panel discussion hosted by SEMA's Light Truck Accessory Alliance, Nov. 3.

For the full schedule of seminars, visit: semashow.com and click on the “events” button.

In addition, SEMA's Wheel & Tire Council will hold its annual general membership meeting on Oct. 31 at the Renaissance Hotel and its annual members' reception on Nov. 1 at the Renaissance.

AAPEX

AAPEX will feature three days of seminars as part of its AAPEXedu program.

A segment of the program, the Service Professionals Program, will include Automotive Video Inc. (AVI) technical training and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) management and technical training for automotive service facility owners and repair professionals on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. There is a separate registration fee to attend these training programs.

To learn more about the ASA's program, visit aapexshow.com/asa. For more about the AVI's program, visit aapexshow.com/avi.

During the show, the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) will hold its Fall 2016 General Meeting on Nov. 2, at the Sands Expo. The meeting will include a session on proper and effective use of the SAE J2534 vehicle interface device.

Additionally, the Automotive Maintenance & Repair Association/Motorist Assurance Program (AMRA/MAP) will hold its annual membership meeting on Oct. 31 at the Venetian. The business meeting will be followed by cocktail reception and networking session.

The AAPEX 2016 General Session, starting at 8 a.m. on Nov. 2, at the adjacent Venetian hotel will feature retired four-star Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA). He will address the political situations in hot spots around the world, analyzing the tumultuous global environment and their impact on American interests. He will speak on the need to adapt to the ever-changing informational landscape and the dangers, risks, and potential rewards of America's cyber security situation.

AAPEXedu sessions designed for auto service professionals include:

Nov. 1  

• 2017 Aftermarket Outlook with speaker Nathan Shipley of NPD Group Inc.

• Selling Value: The key to better sales negotiation outcomes, Mike Schatzki, Negotiation Dynamics

• Is vertical integration in the aftermarket going to redefine the competitive landscape? Dietmar Ostermann, Ganesh Kalpundi and Jan Hesse of PwC

• The power of 1% sales negotiating, Mr. Schatzki

• Understanding how emotions drive purchasing decisions, Chuck Bean, Martec Group

• Next-generation marketing: Successfully positioning a brand or service with the millennial buyer, Ryan Jenkins, NextGenerationCatalyst

• No! Really! What is your competitive edge?, Brian Gardner, SalesProcess360

• What the aftermarket needs to know about connected vehicles, Debby Bezzina, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute; Dmitri Khijniak, 7layers Inc.; and Kevin Gay, U.S. Department of Transportation

• CRM is not a 4-letter word (Getting ROI from CRM), Mr. Gardner

• Next generation engagement: Proven strategies to attract and retain millennial talent, Mr. Jenkins

• The digital seller: How to make the internet your best friend and dramatically increase sales success, Marcus Sheridan, The Sales Lion

• How to become the Wikipedia of the industry to build your brand, business and bottom line, Mr. Sheridan

Nov. 2

• Content marketing: Story telling. Bigger revenues. Less selling, Carla Johnson, Monumental Shift Inc.

• New sales speak: The 9 biggest sales presentation mistakes and how to avoid them, Terri Sjodin, Sjodin Communications

• Building your brand in the digital age, Al Haberstroh, MontAd Media

• Customer experiences: Start showing. Quit telling, Ms. Johnson

• Small message. Big impact: How to put the power of the elevator speech effect to work for you, Ms. Sjodin

• 2017 Aftermarket Outlook (repeat)

• Five trends in five minutes: Trends affecting the aftermarket environment, Mark Seng, IHS Automotive

•  Scrappy! Ms. Sjodin

Nov. 3

• Induction system diagnosis and repair, Ryan Kooiman, Standard Motor Products

• Self-driving cars: Car sharing and new users to increase vehicle usage and mileage, Brandon Schoettle, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

• Shift... Selling to a new generation of tech-savvy customers, Jeremy O'Neal, Advisorfix

• 15 seconds to yes! Mr. O'Neal

• Achieving service excellence in today's TPMS market, W. Rippetoe, Schrader International

• Understanding and strengthening your brand, Mike DeSorbo, DCG Services L.L.C.

• Attention to details: Make brake service more efficient and profitable, Dann Ingrebritson and Wally Marciniak, Brake Parts Inc.

• Synthetic oils: Rejuvenate your maintenance service business, Martin Gold of Gold ‘n' Brown; Frank Scandura of Frank's European Service; Mark Malone of CRP Industries; and Mark Mathias, BIZOL Lubricants

The SEMA Show wraps up on Friday afternoon (Nov. 4), starting at 3 p.m., with Sema Ignited, a parade of the vehicles on display at the show as they leave the LVCC grounds. This event will give consumers a rare opportunity to collect and share images of hundreds of customized vehicles featuring the newest and most innovative products from the 2016 SEMA Show.

The event will include food trucks, music, entertainment, automotive celebrities, builders and more.