ATLANTA -

On Tuesday, AutoTrader.com kicked off the first in a series of Interactive Dealer Summits, an educational event designed specifically for dealers with content customized for each market in which it takes place.

The first summit was held in Houston, with other events scheduled to take place from coast-to-coast throughout the year. The next is scheduled for May 15 in Miami, followed by a June 13 event in Sacramento, Calif.

The Interactive Dealer Summit is themed “Do you know today's customer? Think like your customer, unlock growth in your dealership.”

AutoTrader.com highlighted the summits will peel back the many layers of how consumers shop and help dealers understand why that information is essential to unlocking dealership growth.

“We believe that understanding the multitude of ways consumers arrive at their purchase decision is the key to effectively reaching and influencing them throughout their shopping journeys, and we are excited to bring a new round of insights and information to the dealer community,” said Jason Jager, director of industry relations and dealer learning at AutoTrader.com.

“We are committed to working closely with dealers to ensure that they have the most recent and relevant information about effective online advertising, and the Interactive Dealer Summits offer one more avenue to help us achieve that goal,” Jager continued.

Designed for all levels of dealership personnel, from dealer principals and owners to Internet managers, Jager explained the Interactive Dealer Summits can offer an opportunity for dealers to learn about key factors for online marketing success, exchange best-in-class strategies and gain insights from industry thought leaders.

And because these summits are both local and interactive, AutoTrader.com stressed the attendees and subject matter experts will be able to address challenges and opportunities specific to each market.

The company said attendees can expect lively discussions around how the various facets of online automotive advertising can help them reach and influence automotive shoppers throughout their shopping journeys.

The summits will include a mix of general sessions and workshops, ensuring that attendees walk away with plenty of new insights as well as actionable strategies to implement at their dealerships.

The Interactive Dealer Summits are one facet of the overall educational opportunities AutoTrader.com provides for dealers, which include customized in-dealership training, seminars, webinars and the online Dealer Learning Center www.dealerlearningcenter.com where dealers have 24/7 access to educational content and videos.

For other dates and locations for future sessions of the Interactive Dealer Summit, officials recommended that dealers keep tabs on the events page on the Dealer Learning Center.

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