Author:
Cassie Gasaway
In ATA’s 2022 post-Show survey, 83% of retail attendees said that education and learning opportunities were important. To give ATA members what they want, ATA staff worked to organize educational offerings that members can attend to better themselves and their business. The 2023 ATA Trade Show brings back the Archery Industry Masterclass and tons of free seminars and Coffee Talks. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect.
Aside from the 2023 Archery Industry Masterclass, which features sessions on Tuesday, Jan. 10, most other educational opportunities will take place on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 12-13, so attendees can focus on buying on Wednesday, Jan. 11, aka Buyer Day. On Days 2 and 3, attendees can pick between nine seminars and nine Coffee Talks. Topics include marketing, ideas for increasing profitability, digital ad strategies, using data to reach customers and more.
Two presenters shared details for their educational session to give attendees an exclusive sneak peek at the Show.
AJ Willoughby, “Digital Marketing Tactics for 2023”
Willoughby is vice president of Titan Digital, an ATA supporting member and a digital marketing and website development firm with offices in Tennessee, Missouri and Colorado. He has been a consultant in the marketing industry for over 30 years and joined Titan Digital in 2012, where he helped spearhead the archery and outdoor division. Willoughby has helped many businesses and organizations achieve record-breaking marketing campaigns. He’s also an avid hunter, angler, and outdoorsman, which makes him the perfect presenter to share tips, advice and strategies on digital marketing.
“Marketing post-2020; it’s a new world,” he said. “The strategies to survive and go big are not the same as they were just a few years ago. How do you market an outdoor industry in a world that revolves around the computer screen and your cellphone? How do you compete as a small business owner with the big guys? What tactics do you have to know to survive in the wild, online world? Relying on what worked in 2019 will leave you wondering what happened. I’ll break it all down, including the tactics that get you results, when to use them and how to use them, as well as which ones are starting to fade away and what is on the horizon for 2023 and beyond.”
Godlewski will present on e-bikes. Photo Credit: ATA
Peter Godlewski, “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About E-Bikes, but Were Afraid to Ask”
Godlewski is the founder and president of Rungu Dualie Double Wheel e-bikes. He holds engineering degrees from Carnegie Mellon and Stanford universities. Before starting Rungu, he co-founded a company that went public nine years later, turned around a software business, and led technology and marketing teams in Fortune 500 companies. He wants ATA members to better understand these products and the market.
“E-bikes are booming, and so is the marketing hype,” he said. “With every e-bike brand declaring itself the best, how can you tell one from the rest? My talk aims to break down the hype and help you understand e-bike lingo in terms of real-world range, capabilities, and the advantages and disadvantages of different e-bike powertrains. I hope to spend half the allotted time on Q&A, so bring your questions.”
Plan to attend these Coffee Talks, and review the entire schedule of seminars and Coffee Talks to pick your favorites and add them to your schedule.
For more information about the 2023 Masterclass, read ATA’s article “Details and Teasers for the ATA’s 2023 Archery Industry Masterclass.” You’ll find course dates, presenter topics and registration specifics.
And don’t forget about archery instructor certifications! The ATA is offering Level 1, 2 and 3 archery certification courses in partnership with USA Archery at the 2023 ATA Trade Show in Indianapolis. Certification courses are easy to attend and cheaper than courses offered outside the Show. Additionally, each course has a hybrid format with an online component that must be completed before the Show and an in-person portion completed at the Show. This approach gives you more time on the Show floor. Reserve your spot today! Visit the ATA’s certification webpage for more information and to register online.
To view all #ATA2023 educational offerings, click here.
The educational session titles and focus are subject to change. Questions? Contact Kurt Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations, at (507) 233-8138 or kurtsmith@archerytrade.org.
