Incoming NADA chairman Annette Sykora, keynote speakers Tom Brokaw, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, General Motors chairman Richard Wagoner, and comedian Jay Leno were just a few of the luminaries present at the 91^st annual NADA convention and expo held Feb ninth through twelfth in San Francisco. With this years theme focusing on profitability, nearly 30,000 franchised dealers, allied industry, manufacturers, and exhibitors descended on San Francisco for the premier auto event of the year, and NADA did not disappoint. Attendees had the option to participate in a wide variety of profit-building workshops, general sessions, and exhibit halls, which were packed and abuzz with activity despite the lower than expected dealer turnout. It was evident at NADA that 2008 is predicted to be a challenging year for the auto industry. Manufacturers and dealers alike agreed that success lies in controlling costs and expenses while providing consumers with appealing products. With helping dealers improve profits at the forefront of their minds, the more than 700 exhibitors that packed the exhibit halls, had every conceivable product and service to offer attendees the competitive edge, from pumps that fill your tires with nitrogen, to wireless Internet that works while the vehicle is moving. Each year, over the course of the convention, we visit hundreds of exhibitors to see what is new and exciting. In years past, CRM vendors dazzled dealers and last year, the buzz was search engine marketing. This year, the exhibit hall was packed with vendors intent on helping dealers maximize used car profits with new inventory management and marketing tools aplenty. While walking and talking to vendors, we came across a few we thought you should know about.

Autobytel launched LocalConnect&trade-, an online local advertising program for both new and used car dealers. If a consumer is researching a brand the dealer carries, that dealers 800-number (along with specific marketing messages) appears, with special offer views, video demos, and slideshows spotlighting specific inventory. For used cars, LocalConnect uploads dealers inventory and displays selected inventory based on dealer preferences. Each dealer ad is displayed in a slide-show format that expands when the consumer clicks on a vehicle, and includes a link to the entire dealership used car inventory.

@utoRevenue&trade- drew large crowds at their booth with the opportunity to ride a Segway, as well as be entered into the drawing to win one. The Segway X2, valued at over $6,000, was the grand prize in the Ride Your Way to Huge Profits promotion sponsored by @utoRevenue. Neale Kuperman, president and CEO of Rockland Toyota in Rockland, N.Y., was the winner of the 2008 Segway X2. @utoRevenues products that drew the most excitement were @utoScheduler&trade-, an online appointment scheduling tool for dealerships, as well as @utoVoice&trade-, voice messaging services for dealerships, as well as voice messaging for appointment reminders and missed appointments.

AutoMart.com exhibited a new car partnership product to auto dealers at NADA. The Norfolk-based dealership advertising company introduced an expanded branding package for new car dealerships. By redesigning its new car section, AutoMart.com delivers increased user-friendliness through the navigation of new car model research, vehicle availability and selection, and online dealership contact tools. Dealer benefits from the new car partnership also include dealer branding within all elements of new car research, premium-listing placement in search results, spotlight advertisements, and new car price quotes.

BZ Results, an ADP Company, is an industry leader in helping dealers and manufacturers find, sell, and keep more customers profitably. Their system is highly regarded in the areas of digital marketing, search engine technology, CRM tools and training, and award winning Website development. BZ AdVantage! was the center of attention at the BZ Results booth where dealers learned how to turn their new and used sales, F&-I, subprime, and service and parts departments into moneymaking profit centers.

Dealer.com exhibited its TotalControl DOMINATOR&trade- pay-per-click advertising solution for dealers to review and demo. There is always a lot going on at NADA, and this year was no exception- more than ever, large dealer groups and progressive dealers are insisting on high Website lead conversion coupled with a high level of service from their Website vendors. Dealer.com suggests that dealers today simply should not consider a technology provider unless they feel comfortable that their technology vendors have their business interests in mind. Thats why Dealer.coms remains an industry leader.

DealerSocket reinforced their one solution, all departments mantra by unveiling exciting tools that are easy to use and fully integrated into their one system. DealerSocket's new Management Dashboard allows dealers to access aggregate reporting across all areas of their dealership, in one easy-to-read report. This new reporting tool allows GMs and dealer principals to be more strategic and enforce accountability in every department. DealerSocket also unveiled two new joint products with Blue Flame 6, a leading advertising agency, including full integration with a loyalty Rewards Program and Custom eNewsletters.

DealerTrack supplies online solutions to 90 percent of all franchised dealerships in America-more than any other provider. The companys platform connects over 22,000 automotive dealerships, plus 3,000 recreational vehicle, marine, and motorcycle dealerships with more than 475 financing sources and a broad range of service and information providers. Delivering a powerful combination of features and value, the DealerTrack DMS solution offered by Arkona is an essential part of maintaining dealer profitability in todays difficult market.

Experian Automotives Autocount helps dealers market more effectively with detailed reporting on new and used vehicle sales in specific zip codes or geographic areas. Dealers can opt to see this summary in a graphically-formatted, at-a-glance view of the market, information critical to help dealers adjust their inventory to what is being sold in their market, including top-selling cars and trucks and top five new and used car searches on Experians Autocheck.com in the dealers selected market.

Letizia Ad Team is one of the premier automotive specialty advertising agencies in the United States. A full service advertising agency that has been representing car dealers since 1974, Letizias expertise includes media buying and strategy, television and radio production, print advertising, Web design, direct mail, and outdoor advertising. They currently represent over 50 auto dealers including the number one Hyundai dealer in the world, Planet Hyundai, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

OneCommand released OneConnect, a suite of simple and easy-to-use customer communication tools that enable the design and execution of powerful and effective multi-channel marketing campaigns within seconds. Dealerships manage all campaigns through a single console that integrates consumer data segmentation with personalized communications across multiple channels including voice, direct media, personalized Websites, email, and mobile marketing channels. OneConnect also integrates directly with the Preference Manager application, allowing customers to choose the channels through which they prefer to receive communications.

RouteOne continued to educate dealers at this years NADA Convention. Its free suite of comprehensive tools, the RouteOne reporting module, allows dealers to submit credit applications to finance sources, request credit reports, and increase profitability, all from a single platform. RouteOnes open integration business model also allows dealers to integrate with their choice of a wide variety best in class providers, including DSPs, CRM systems, F&-I modules, and menu providers. Additionally, RouteOne provides compliance features, such as their Adverse Action capability, that allows dealers to maintain compliance on their own terms.

Travel America is regarded as a leader in creating and delivering intelligent, powerful, and cost-effective incentive programs. Travel Americas depth of experience in the sales promotion and travel incentive business enables its team of professionals to provide clients with effective dealer promotions. Through intelligent incentive programs that are powerful in delivery and cost effective to implement, the company pledges to help turn browsers into buyers!

Turn-Key Events booth was popular at this years NADA Convention with dealers and managers looking for better advertising solutions. The excitement was in large part due to the recent publication that Turn-Key Events four-day events generated an average of $127,214 in gross profit per event for their dealership customers in 2007. Turn-Key Events also debuted a brand new event advertising solution that generates hundreds of warm ups, by reaching every buyer in a dealerships market. As the best idea session winner in seven different twenty groups over the course of 2007, Turn-Key Events will surely be the light at the end of the tunnel for many dealerships in 2008.

The Best of NADA also included a number of events off-site. One event that was not to be missed was The Three at the Four. It was a party hosted by three companies: DealerSocket, Blue Flame 6, and Century Interactive. They also showed how creative you can be with a unique concept for an event: Start it early at 4:00 pm, and include as many references to the number three as possible. There were three buffet stations, triplets to greet you when you arrive, three lead singers in the band and even a special beverage called The Threesome. Aside from the creativity, the event location offered the right mix of networking as well as fun. The Four Seasons venue included an outdoor terrace as well as their ballroom so it offered a nice atmosphere. Kudos to the three companies! You can see video highlights from the party at www.blueflame6.com.