National RV Show to be Largest in 34-year History

Featuring nearly 700,000 square feet of exhibits, RVIA’s 34th Annual National RV Trade Show, December 3-5 in Louisville, KY, will be the largest to date and is the ninth largest trade show in the U.S. This year’s event at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center (KFEC) will host 94 manufacturer and 311 supplier exhibitors occupying 695,000 square feet of exhibit space, 30,000 square feet more space than last year. It is expected to draw more than 10,000 RV industry officials and dealers.

RVIA’s traditional all-industry Outlook ‘97 breakfast kicks off the show, providing show goers with information about industry and economic conditions that are likely to affect their businesses next year.

The industry’s first national, institutional advertising campaign under the Go RVing Coalition banner will be unveiled at Outlook 97. Representatives of Eisner & Associates, the agency that developed the advertising, will present the three newly-produced television commercials and five print advertisements, scheduled to run from February through June 1997. Eisner account services director Peter Gladstone and chief creative officer Byron Tucker will detail the media and fulfillment plans, outline campaign assessment techniques and explain how dealers can tie into the program.

RVIA president David Humphreys will discuss the RV industry’s success at cooperating for the good of the industry and compare its record with competitors. RVIA vice president of public relations Gary LaBella will present video media highlights demonstrating how RVIA has kept RV travel in the news and in the minds of consumers through nationwide public relations programs, providing a positive environment for the new ads.

RVDA president Mike Molino will provide details on the kit available to dealers to exploit the Go RVing campaign theme, “Recreation Vehicles: Wherever You Go, You’re Always at Home.” The Dealer Promotion Package includes posters, advertising materials, a showroom video and registration materials for a new national RV sweepstakes supporting the industry advertising in Good Housekeeping magazine. Dealers will also be able to buy custom radio and TV ads using themes and images from the national campaign.

The “Will Rogers of Economics,” Dr. Gene Stanaland, will wrap up the Outlook ‘97 program, focusing on the November election and its impact on the economy and the RV industry. Stanaland formerly headed the Auburn University economics department.

Outlook ‘97 starts with a complimentary continental breakfast at 7 a.m. in the KFEC South Wing Ballroom. It concludes at 9 a.m., in time for the show’s opening. Admission is free, but preregistration for tickets is required.

RVIA will present a series of three informative seminars de-signed to help increase dealer sales in the KFEC 2nd Floor Ballroom. Ronald Wheeler, CEO of Wheeler Advertising, Inc., will present “Public Relations for the RV Dealer — There is Nothing Like Free Advertising” on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 8 a.m.

The seminar will help dealerships develop a public relations plan and budget for that extra marketing advantage. Wheeler is the recognized expert on RV industry advertising, marketing and public relations, with clients in 30 states and Canada.

On Wednesday, Edwin R. Rigsbee, president of Rigsbee Enterprises, Inc., will offer “Community Partnering for Greater Retail Success,” a session that will describe how to build a reputation for customer satisfaction by offering best-value services instead of just best price. Rigsbee has worked as a vice president of sales and as a sales seminar leader for Dunn & Bradstreet.

Rigsbee covers selling the RV lifestyle and getting customers what they really want and need in “Partnership Selling: Serving Your Customers and Being Rewarded,” at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The 1996 National RV Trade Show will also feature a series of proprietary one-hour seminars conducted by exhibitors chosen in a lottery and offered at no cost to attendees. The topics for Tuesday, Dec. 3, are “New Pro-ducts, Troubleshooting and Maintenance” by Shurflo, at 1:30 p.m.; “Dinghy Towing Sales and Service” by Automatic Equipment Manufacturing at 3 p.m.; and “Load Manager — Why it is Important in Power Management” by Heart Interface at 4:30 p.m.

Scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 4, are “Electronic Brake Controls and Proper Electric Trailer Brake Performance” by Tekonsha Engineering at 9:30 a.m.; “Precision Temp Tankless Water Heaters for RV Use” by Kevco, Inc. at 11 a.m.; “RV Furnace and Water Heater Sales and Service” by Suburban Manufacturing Co. at 2 p.m.; and “Protecting a Tow Vehicle’s Electrical System From Auxiliary Lighting Loads” by Draw-Tite, Inc. at 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 5, features “Independent Front Air Suspen-sion for Mountain Master Chassis” by Spartan Motors and Granning Air Suspensions at 10 a.m. and “The Benefits of Having One Service Provide Both Retail and Inventory Financing” by Green Tree Financial at 11:30 a.m.

“RVIA Today on the Convention and Visitors Channel” will provide daily coverage of the National RV Trade Show to thousands of Louisville hotel rooms and various locations in the KFEC.

One of the nation’s top sales trainers, Jim Ziegler, will present “Road to the Sale: Ten Great Negotiating Techniques to Boost Profits” on Monday, December 2, at the Executive West Hotel in Louisville, KY. The seminar will be held the day before the opening of the National RV Trade Show in Louisville.

Sponsored by the RVDA Education Foundation, this three-hour sales seminar will show how RV dealers can take control of the sales process for higher closing rates, Ziegler will also outline non-confrontational closing techniques and strategies to achieve higher F&I sales penetration.

With more than 20 years experience as a consultant to the automotive and RV industries, Ziegler has had more than 18,000 people enrolled in his training schools. The “Road to the Sale” seminar is designed especially for RV dealers and their top managers.

The seminar begins at 2:30 p.m. RVDA members are invited to attend a special reception following the seminar. Members can register in advance for $55 ($80 on site). Non-member registration fees are $80 in advance ($90 on site). For complete registration information, contact RVDA at (800) 336-0355.