We’re excited to announce the return of our popular specialty retail business development event, the Dealer Summit. March 19 – 22, 2019, Austin, TX will play host to this year’s three-day line-up of seminars and roundtable discussions led by some of the best marketing, retail and business strategy minds in the industry.
“The Dealer Summit is the only event in our industry – on the fly fishing or conventional side – that focuses entirely on giving specialty retailers expert insights and actionable strategies for growing their business,” says Ben Bulis, AFFTA President. “It’s a fantastic business resource for any angling retailer, and all are welcome to register. There’s nothing else like it.”
This marks the 5th year of fly fishing retailers and industry experts gathering from across the country for the Summit. Past years have been hosted in Bozeman, MT and Aspen, CO.
Speakers at this year’s event include: Rich Hill, President, The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance; Art Webb, Owner, Silver Kings TV; Robert Prioleau, Owner Blue Ion; Dan Mann, President, The Mann Group; Leslie Cunningham, VP Strategy, The Mann Group; Dan Morgan, CMO, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing; and Lucas Bissett, Owner, Low Tide Charters.
Over the three days, seminars will cover topics from the mind of the consumer and marketing strategy to online, social and digital tactics and creating the “out-of-shop experience.” Attendees will also convene roundtables and workgroups to share their experiences with peers and discuss and plan the practical application in their own businesses of what they’ve learned during the sessions.
Attendees give consistently high marks on the value and quality of the business strategies and best-practices they take away from the Summit. “I’ve attended the last 3 years,” says Bo Brines of Little Forks Outfitters in Midland, MI. “I’m blown away with caliber of the presentations and the evolution every year.”
Steve Schmidt of Western River Flyfisher in Salt Lake City, UT adds “hands down the best business seminar I’ve ever been to.”
“I’m putting new business learnings from the Dealer Summit seminars to work and it is really paying off,” says Mark Bachman of the Fly Fishing Shop in Welches, OR.
Early bird registration is open now through December 31, 2018. Lodging at the discount rate is also available through February 26th or until the group room block is sold out.
To learn more or register, click the Dealer Summit tab at the top of the page.
Photo: Geoff Duncan