The 2016 IBD Summit, presented by Interbike, PeopleForBikes, the NBDA and the BPSA has opened registration – and that the initial wave of content has been booked. The event will feature fewer keynote presenters, more industry panels from top executives in (and out) of the bicycle industry, enhanced business seminars from The Mann Group and ‘extended interactive group collaboration time to focus on industry challenges and to further the Manifesto For Change.’
The Tempe, Arizona, venue remains the same as the 2015 edition – but the event dates have moved earlier on the calendar to help avoid conflict with other events. The new dates are 12-14 January 2016. (Next year’s IBD Summit again returns to the Marriott Tempe at The Buttes in Phoenix.)
Billed as one of the most exciting segments of the event comes in the form of a dynamic panel discussion from the motorcycle industry, and led by Powersports industry veteran and owner of Vroom Network, Eric Anderson.
The presentation, titled ‘Lessons Learned from The Motorcycle Industry: Takeaways for IBD’s’, will tap into the minds of 4 industry veterans who have gone through similar challenges to the bicycle industry. The group will discuss retail successes and failures, OEM relationships with retailers, analytics on motorcycle data and how it relates to the bicycle industry, maximizing parts, garments and accessories, profits/sq foot and more.
The all-star panel from the motorcycle industry will include George Gatto, Owner of Gatto Cycle Shop in Tarentum, PA. Gatto brings a unique perspective as a long-time, multi-store IBD and as a retailer for motorcycle brands including Harley Davidson, Polaris, Triumph and more. Also joining the group is Scot Begovich, Director of Data Solutions at Experien Marketing Services, who focuses on the Powersports industry. The final panelist will be Robert Pandya, External Relations Manager for Indian Motorcycles. Pandya brings two decades of experience in the motorcycle world to the panel, working with brands such as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, KYMCO and Victory Motorcycles and recently led the PR efforts for the re-launch of the iconic American brand Indian Motorcycle.
“This panel alone will make the investment worth any dealer’s while,” said Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike. “We know our retailers get the most out of these types of other industry comparisons, and this one should be no exception. There are so many lessons to be learned from the moto world and especially from iconic brands such as Harley and Indian.”
Mike Robbins and Stephen Shapiro are two of the three scheduled keynote speakers. Shapiro is one of the most sought-after speakers on the circuit and was most recently inducted into the National Speakers Association’s Hall of Fame. His keynote address, ‘Keeping IBD’s Ahead of the Game: Making the Impossible Possible’ is positioned as a thought-provoking segment, and his approach will present easy-to- implement ways in which bike dealers can embrace change and be ready to capitalize on opportunities.
Mike Robbins is a veteran speaker and author, who will deliver a passionate keynote discussing, ‘How the Power of Authenticity Affects Your Employees, Your Customers and Your Business.’ Robbins’ session will leave attendees with five powerful principles of authenticity that will aim to change the way IBDs engage with their staff and customers, and set them up for greater success in the future.
At the 2015 IBD Summit, The Mann Group hosted several small breakout sessions for store managers and owners to attend before and during the main event. The upcoming version will give The Mann Group centre stage as the company presents three sessions to the group on the following topics:
- Buying and Inventory Strategies: Exploring the key metrics that allow store owners to forecast the inventory that is successful for their business, and uncover where they can take some risk.
- Visual Merchandising 101: This session will uncover how often IBDs should change their store look, the best way to display performance apparel, the key areas retailers need to look at every week to know how product is selling through and more.
- How to Measure and Evaluate Employees Productivity: From setting goals to defining metrics based on customer engagement and more, IBDs are encouraged to come prepared to review sales goals and employee performance against those goals, and an in-depth discussion of how to get to where retailers want to be in their market.
Retailers can register at The IBD Summit website where they can also find a list of speakers and their biographies, more in-depth session descriptions, the event schedule and more. Registered Buyers who register before 21 December can take advantage of the US$695 early bird price (the conference fee covers all food, sessions and conference materials). The price increases to US$750 after 21 December.
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available for The IBD Summit and can be purchased directly through Interbike. Contact Andria Klinger, Sales Director at +1 949 226 5745 / andria.klinger[at]emeraldexpo.com.
