3-14-2017 -- Del Ellis produced a short series of educational videos to make the case for attending KnowledgeFest Spring 2017.

Click on the video below to view part 3 of the series:

3-6-2017 -- Del Ellis produced a short series of educational videos to make the case for attending KnowledgeFest Spring 2017.

Click on the video below to view part 2 of the series:

Utilizing a quality venue, good timing and a solid combination of educational seminars and manufacturer trainings, the first KnowledgeFest Spring Training event drew retailers from areas never before tapped for the industry-specific event.

Being the second of its kind, this event was created to focus primarily as a bridge for retailers who are unable to travel to Dallas in August and meet directly with manufacturers for training and to ask questions in an intimate setting. Located in downtown Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center, this second KnowledgeFest offered trainings from Kicker, Kenwood, Alpine, Voxx, Directed, Escort, Memphis Car Audio and K40, among others. Companies provided trainings on their latest products and gave sales tips on how to sell those products in the most effective ways. New technologies have been a source of confusion for many retailers in recent years due to the rapid rate of change, which manufacturers saught to help with at the event.

The educational tracks saw a variety of pairings from veteran retailers and industry gurus. One such pairing was between Del Ellis and Jason Kranitz, who were their to promote their new venture, Kingpin University, in an attempt to promote more education in the industry due to a shortage of installers. Also presenting were Marcel Newell and Ben Vollmer from Avidworx/Businessworx, alongside retailers Mike Bartells and John Schwartz.

The biggest strengths of the seminars came in their topics, focusing on some of the hottest issues causing headaches to retailers today, including how to find good help amidst an installer shortage, sale strategies for less popular categories like window tinting and techniques for integrating new technologies like iPad dash kits and OEM integration.

The event also showcased a Town Hall Meeting, featuring a panel of veteran retailers providing their thoughts in an open forum for both retailers and manufacturers to hear. Topics discussed included customer retention, finding and developing new talent and the importance of continuous training. Questions from the audience bore some controversy with some retailers airing grievances regarding topics like a lack of POP from some manufactures, specifically regarding literature for clients to read, as well as issues with defective products and no reimbursement for return shipping costs.

To close the meeting, Solomon Daniels, editor-in-chief of Mobile Electronics magazine, discussed this year's Industry Awards, which will take place in Dallas, Texas at KnowledgeFest 2015. The awards process officially begins on May 1st and will include many changes, including new awards for Rookie of the Year, Trusted Tech (separately voted), various retail performance awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award. A new website will be created specifically for the awards, which, in addition to current contest information and rules, will include previous winners and nominees.