You’re convinced that you want to attend Navigate 2019, and you know just how much value you’ll get out of it. Now it’s time to convince your boss.
Most managers will be focused on the cost of attending—both the dollars and the time—so you’ll need to focus on why the investment is worth it. We’ve got you covered though! Use these four tips to make the conversation a bit easier and persuade your boss to let you attend:
1. Let your boss know what’s in it for them
Has your boss been talking about optimizing your dealership’s website for months? Have they been saying all year that they want to introduce new sales and management strategies to their team? Play to their interests and highlight how attending Navigate will allow you to help them achieve their goals for the dealership. There will be 30+ educational sessions to choose from, covering all the latest in digital marketing, sales, industry trends, and more.
2. Give them a chance to weigh in on the sessions you attend
This doesn’t mean make them plan your entire agenda. Instead, use this jam-packed agenda to put together a list of the sessions you want to attend and let them know what you want to get out of the conference. Then, give them a chance to suggest sessions and topics they want to make sure you learn about.
3. Frame the conversation around ROI, not conference costs
Be transparent about the costs of the conference—including a breakdown of travel, hotel, and registration costs—but frame the conversation around the investment your boss is making in the growth of the dealership. Emphasize that you’ll be bringing back actionable strategies and tactics that you can apply the minute you get back to your dealership. You’ll also get a host of slides and trainings that you can share with colleagues post-conference, so their one-time investment will have a long-term impact.
4. Emphasize how much networking matters
On top of all the learning and inspiration, you’ll have the chance to network with auto experts, CarGurus reps, and industry vendors throughout the event. There’ll be plenty of time to mingle, learn about best practices that work for other dealerships, and talk about industry trends—you might even meet your new mentor or a future hire at Navigate.
Need more help? Use the email template below to convince your boss to let you join us in October.
Hi [BOSS’S NAME],
I’m interested in attending CarGurus Navigate 2019 in Boston, MA from October 22-23, 2019 and would like your approval to attend. Navigate is a brand-new auto conference designed to help dealers succeed with digital marketing best practices, sales tactics, and industry insights, which will help me be more effective as a [ROLE] at [DEALERSHIP].
Industry leaders, marketing experts, and CarGurus executives will all be there in one place to discuss how the auto industry is changing—and I’m ready to learn how we can capitalize on it. At Navigate, I plan to identify solutions and learn strategies that will help drive more business at our dealership.
In particular, I will [choose relevant points or add your own below]:
- Learn two new online retailing strategies that we can test right away
- Gain insight into key shopper segments for our dealership and how we can reach them more effectively
- Set up time with our CarGurus account rep to discuss how we can be getting more high-quality leads and connections from the platform
While it will cost $[X] for me to attend, the best practices and new insights I learn will help us generate more sales and success in the long run. When I get back from Navigate, I’ll share the latest on how to take advantage of the changing auto industry, new strategies for motivating our team, and campaign ideas we can immediately implement – so that everyone on our team benefits.
If you’d like to learn more about Navigate, here’s the website: events.cargurus.com/navigate.
Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like for me to learn at the conference that will help us get more out of my attendance.
Thanks for taking the time to consider my request, and I look forward to talking to you more about it!
Best,
[NAME]