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Digital Dealer Spam

In the last 3 days I have probably received 12 phone calls and 15 emails from vendors. I was expecting it AFTER DD11 when I drop my card in a million buckets to win a free ipad, but not before. I don't seem to remember getting these calls last time I went to DD.
 
Hey Blake! I've been meaning to SPAM you this week. I'll leave you about 20 voicemails today to make up for it, sound good? ;) (Blake knows I'm kidding around.)

I know the original post was whether or not a list is supposed to be given out, but I wanted to offer the vendor perspective and ask a serious question about SPAMINESS.

Vendors know that Digital Dealer attendees still represent the top 25% of the market that "gets it." Just reading some of the threads from frustrated eComm guys here this week shows you that there are still dealers out there that aren't considering rudimentary digital marketing let alone the stuff Joe Pistell talks about. "QR code?... dumb kid, you mean a BAR code?..."

The top 25% are headed to a conference where it is hopefully their intention to pick up something new, sometimes it is an idea or two, sometimes a new CRM, ILM, etc. Exhibiting vendors also know that veteran attendees don't necessarily walk the hall, they usually have a targeted list of booths they intend to visit. We all want to be on that shortlist, and some have spent a good deal of their annual marketing budget for the opportunity.

I guess it's like this... If your dealer paid good money to an insurance company to sponsor a seminar for the owners of totaled vehicles in the last 30 days and a list of attendees was supplied to you ahead of time, you'd expect your BDC or sales team to be reaching out, right? They have at least a slight interest in what you have to offer.

Here is my sincere question:

If you were a vendor, how would you try to make your shortlist? What is the most effective way to get your attention without becoming "THAT SPAMMY" sales guy? I don't think any vendor wants to be spammy.
 
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Great perspective, Ryan. Although it's a little late in the game, for future reference, anybody getting too many calls is free to e-mail me and we can get you put on a "Do Not Call" list. I was in a dealership for many years and attended many Digital Dealers while working in them. I understand that vendor calls, in general, "can" be annoying and the increase in them right before a conference even more so but we do have a remedy for people for future reference. Digital Dealer doesn't sell any of the lists. We do, however, provide them to exhibitors for pre-show marketing for the exact reasons Ryan outlined. For all going, we look forward to seeing you in a few days at the 11th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition.
 
1. Thats horse $#!+ that you'd have to contact dd after registering, paying AND NOT CONSENTING to receive calls and emails.

2. If a company wants to make a short list, build an amazing product that's worth purchasing. Make something that's worth talking about. PERIOD. Cold calling is brutal and if you think it's effective... power to you but don't bother me.

3. In my short sighted view, dd has some BIG ass backwards issues.
 
I agree with the folks about the abuse/overwhelming amount of vendor's calling and constantly emailing AND sending junk mail to my HOME address.

There should be an OPT-IN, and maybe a master list with the vendors split into different sections on the webpage with a link to a 1-5 page PDF of whatever information the vendor wants to put in there.

We went to DD10 and it was non-stop spam before and after. Fortunately my name badge was misprinted and wouldn't allow vendors to scan it properly - and I wasn't about to pay an extra $20 to have it reprinted.