Award recognizes the most innovative auto dealership strategies of 2014; finalists are Cathy Nesbit and Alyssa Safty, Harry Robinson Buick GMC; Bryan Armstrong, VW SouthTowne; Shelly Hebert, Glenmore Audi; Erich Gail, Cardinale Automotive Group; Robert Karbaum, Weins Canada Inc. / Don Valley North Toyota

Salt Lake City, Utah – August 25, 2014 – DrivingSales announced that five auto dealer professionals have been selected as finalists for the 2014 DrivingSales Dealer Best Idea Award, which recognizes the most innovative auto dealership strategies of 2014. The finalists will compete onstage for the award, as well as for $10,000 in cash and prizes, at the 2014 DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES), held Sunday, October 12^th through Tuesday, October 14^th, 2014 at the Bellagio Las Vegas.  This year’s award is sponsored by Cobalt.

The DSES, which had record attendance in 2013 and has sold out every year since inception, is unique in the industry because auto dealers determine the speakers and agenda, as well as the finalists and winners of the Dealer Best Idea Contest.

“Wow! What a terrific group of ‘Best Ideas’ our dealer panel has to pick from this year – and what do they all have in common? Results, results, results!” said DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton. “These are ‘Best Ideas’ that our dealer attendees can take home and implement almost immediately – each is creative, innovative, results-driven -- and shows that there is fantastic thinking on the ground in our dealerships.  From three whip-smart video marketing ideas, to an automated loyalty exchange program, to a primer for monetizing digital assets, our dealer attendees will head to their dealerships with a great new ‘ideas portfolio’ – while our dealer judges are going to have a challenge to pick the best of the best of these ideas.”

The 2014 DrivingSales Dealer Best Idea Award finalists, selected by a dealer panel, will present their strategies at the DrivingSales Executive Summit on Sunday, October 12th. The dealer panel will determine the winner and runners-up.

The 2014 DrivingSales Dealer Best Idea Award finalists are:

-          “Free Gas Friday” - Cathy Nesbit and Alyssa Safty, Director of Social Media/Comm. Involvement and Internet Manager, Harry Robinson Buick GMC

-           “Monetize your Digital Assets” - Bryan Armstrong, Internet Manager, VW SouthTowne

-           “#MyRideYYC” - Shelly Hebert, Business Development/Marketing Manager, Glenmore Audi  

-           “Vehicle Xchange Program: Loyalty-Driven Sales Velocity; in-Store and vBDC” - Erich Gail, COO, Cardinale Automotive Group

-          “YouTube Postal Service “ - Robert Karbaum, E-Commerce Manager, Weins Canada Inc. / Don Valley North Toyota

The Dealer Best Idea Award competition is part of an exciting 2014 DSES line-up that includes 30 breakout sessions, as well as keynotes from digital expert and author Brian Solis; SEO ‘Wizard’ Rand Fishkin; eMarketer’s Lead Digital Auto Analyst, Mike Hudson; Kellogg School of Management Marketing Professor Florian Zettelmeyer, and Managing Partner of Eisenberg Holdings Bryan Eisenberg– all of who will provide actionable tactics for issues critical to dealerships.

For more information about the DrivingSales Executive Summit and to register before the event sells out, go to http://drivingsalesexecutivesummit.com or contact dses@drivingsales.com.  Stay tuned for DSES news as it develops on www.twitter.com/drivingsales and on facebook.com/drivingsales. Participate in the conversation using #DSES as preparations continue throughout the year.

Check out today's blog on DrivingSales at:  http://www.drivingsales.com/blogs/DrivingSales/2014/08/21/announcin...

About The DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES)

The DrivingSales Executive Summit is where the most progressive dealers gather to collaborate and learn forward-thinking trends in automotive operations. DSES features world-renowned experts on marketing, technology and retail operations from inside and outside the industry who provide the most valuable and actionable insights for today’s dealership professionals. The DSES agenda is dealer-driven, ensuring the content is 100 percent focused on the needs of progressive dealers.  Only the top 10 percent of speaking applications selected by DrivingSales members make it on the agenda.

To protect the quality of the event, seating is limited and always held at a 5-diamond venue.  DSES has sold out every year. For those interested in attending, securing seating as early as possible is recommended.  For more information, visit DSES.com

About DrivingSales

DrivingSales is a professional network serving the auto industry with dealer-driven news and information, online training, and performance data, all to enable dealers to make critical business decisions at their dealerships.  DrivingSales’ mission is to connect progressive dealership professionals to the people and information they need to maximize their success.  Founded by a third-generation car dealer, and opened up to the industry in 2008, today DrivingSales has registered users in over 50% of new car dealerships in the US and is active in several other countries around the globe.  To learn more about the DrivingSales community, training or performance analytics visit DrivingSales.com, DrivingSalesUniversity.com and DrivingSalesData.com

DrivingSales Executive Summit Media Relations:
Melanie Webber
melanie(at)mwebbcom(dot)com
mWEBB Communications
424.603.4340

Crystal Hartwell
crystal(at)mwebbcom(dot)com
mWEBB Communications
714.987.1016