As 2023 came into view, were you busy filling your calendar with the top automotive repair events? If you haven’t made that move yet, it’s not too late to start! Many auto repair expos, conferences, and trade shows are just getting scheduled now.
So, grab your calendar and start preparing to fill out your schedule with exciting and informative events you’ll love to attend.
Why You Should Go to Automotive Conferences
Automotive conferences are the way to go if you dream of becoming a leader in your industry—or just want to see your shop grow and thrive. By attending these events regularly, you’ll benefit in all the following ways:
Establish Your Professional Network
Automotive events let you mingle with other industry professionals and build a solid professional network. You can then greatly benefit by exchanging ideas and perspectives, like overcoming challenges and growing your auto repair company. Every conference you attend gives you even more insights needed to take your auto repair shop to the next level.
Learn About New Tools and Equipment
Vendors come to automotive conferences, trade shows, and expos to show off their latest tools and equipment. You get to browse the new technology, talk to the creators, and even demo new products. You can then make smart investments that improve your existing processes and procedures.
Attend Truly Informative Workshops
Workshops and other training courses are a vital part of the automotive conference experience. Industry leaders host those classes to give shop owners, service advisors, and technicians the insights needed to excel in their roles. You can then employ the best practices in your shop to reach your goals and elevate your company’s success.
Top Automotive Conferences to Put on Your Calendar
Ready to add the top automotive conferences to your calendar? Here’s where to go.
VISION 2023
VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo is back for 2023 to give auto repair professionals an edge in running their businesses. At this conference, attendees get to explore over 100 training courses and 140 or more vendor booths.
The top courses on the agenda include:
- Advanced Pico Scope Functionality by Adam Robertson
- Hybrid System Diagnostics by Bryan Perrin
- Building Confidence in Behavioral Interviewing by Chris Cotton
- Managing a Fun and Successful Business by Cecil Bullard
- High Impact Service Advisor Sales Course by Tom Amero
- Driving Profitability Through the Service Counter by Jaron Kleber
With over 3,500 attendees onsite, the auto repair networking opportunities are out of this world as well.
Amplify 2023 – Auto Repair Virtual Conference
I am excited to announce that I will be speaking at the upcoming virtual conference Amplify 2023, hosted by AutoLeap, with an exciting session to help shop owners grow their businesses.
My session will be focused on “Profit & Cash Flows: Strategies to Manage Your Financial Profile.” I will be sharing how shop owners like yourself can make their bank accounts reflect what your income statement shows! Tune in to dive into:
- Importance of a profit & cash flow strategy
- Understanding essential profit margins & margin centers
- Understanding income statements
- Diagnosing allocation accounts when they are short
After this session, you’ll walk away with all the key action items that will help you manage your financial profile!
Amplify 2023 is happening on March 24th, from 9 AM – 5 PM ET. Book your complimentary, virtual ticket and join me at Amplify 2023.
And More Conferences…
Here are even more events to put on your calendar for 2023:
- Women in Auto Care Leadership Conference: February 27th – March 1st, 2023
- ATE 2023: March 31st – April 2nd, 2023
- AAPEX 2023 and SEMA Show: October 31st – November 3rd, 2023
- Adapt Automotive Tech Summit: December 4th – 6th, 2023
How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience
Now that you have the top automotive networking events on your calendar, it’s time to make the most of your experience by:
Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
You need to get out of your comfort zone if you want to grow—and networking at auto repair events is a great way to do that. These events attract big crowds, encourage in-depth chats, and push you to put yourself out there.
So, learn to embrace the discomfort, and you’ll find yourself confidently stepping up to the plate in no time flat.
Letting Go of How You Normally Do Things
If you firmly hold on to how you’ve always done things, there’s no room left for a new way forward. Let go of that ‘This is how I’ve always done it’ mentality and see if you can find new, better ways to operate your shop.
You don’t have to switch everything up, either. In fact, it’s better to employ one thing at a time and see how it works for your brand.
Staying Open to New Perspectives
Automotive networking exposes your mind to so many different perspectives, so it’s important to stay open to key insights offered by the people you meet.
Look beyond the shop owners, too, and listen to auto techs, service advisors, and management pros. By doing that, you’ll quickly learn why people think the way they do, helping improve your ability to run your shop effectively.
Bringing Your Whole Crew
Auto repair conferences are not just for shop owners. These events are built to improve auto repair shops from the ground up. So, close down your shop for a few days and bring your whole crew along for the ride.
Since they’re using their time to learn how to improve your shop, don’t just pay for their tickets and lodging—give them paid vacation days to promote a stress-free career development experience. You can also offer incentives for completing as many courses as possible during each event.
2023 is a Good Time for Networking!
As you attend these networking events, aim to be a small fish in a big pond. That way, you can learn from the industry leaders and keep moving forward in promoting your company’s success.
Remember to fill out your calendar with new events each January, too, so you can always stay well-informed on the latest happenings in the auto repair industry. Your efforts will pay off a big deal, especially if you bring your entire crew to each event.
Want additional insights in between the automotive networking events? Partner with Chris Cotton at AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching with a call to (940) 400-1008.
With auto shop coaching, you can effectively improve your work-life balance while promoting the success of your auto repair shop in every way.
