The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Conference is known as the “Super Bowl” of the automotive industry, where dealers, vendors, and experts converge to learn, network, and discuss the latest industry trends. But for third-party vendors, it's more than just a chance to showcase their products—it's an invaluable opportunity to understand the real challenges that dealers face.
We recently sat down with Sheridan Schreiber, an account executive at Edifice Automotive Marketing, to reflect on her first experience attending NADA in New Orleans. Sheridan, who was initially nervous but excited, learned firsthand how big and complex the automotive industry really is. With only 30% of expected attendees showing up due to a snowstorm, it was still clear just how massive the space is—and how much room there is for vendors like Edifice to grow and support dealers in the best ways possible.
But it wasn’t just the scale of the conference that impressed her. It was the conversations she had with dealers that really stood out, especially one core theme that kept coming up: dealers want vendors to be transparent with their data.
Sheridan sat in on several workshops and discussions, one of which included a panel of marketing directors from a 20 group. What stood out most to her during this session was a recurring complaint from dealers: too many vendors only show results that benefit them, cherry-picking the best numbers and leaving out the rest.
“Dealers want to see the good, the bad, and the ugly,” Sheridan explains. “They’re tired of vendors only showing them the wins. They want full transparency to understand where they’re succeeding, and where they need to pivot.”
This demand for transparency resonates deeply with Edifice’s approach. We’ve built our platform to show dealers their real-time results—no sugarcoating. Whether the numbers are up or down, our dealers have direct access to their performance data through their dashboard. And it updates in real-time, so they can check it at any point during the month. This level of transparency is something that dealers at NADA were specifically asking for, and it’s exactly what we’re delivering.
One of the things that makes our approach stand out is the real-time nature of our dashboard. We understand that there’s no room for hiding results when you’re working with data. Our dealers have access to their metrics 24/7, and the system automatically updates with the most current data. If things aren’t going as planned or if there’s a dip in performance, the dealer sees it immediately.
What’s more important, though, is how we handle it. If a dealer is having a slower month, we don’t shy away from showing them that. Instead, we work with them to identify areas for improvement and pivot strategies to ensure that next month is better. We never conceal the numbers, and we’re committed to showing our clients the full picture—because that’s the only way to help them grow.
One of the core values at Edifice Automotive Marketing is the belief that trust is built through transparency. Dealers can’t make informed decisions if they don’t have access to clear, accurate data. Our platform ensures that dealerships are never in the dark about how their marketing campaigns are performing. And as we heard loud and clear from dealers at NADA, this level of accountability is not just preferred—it’s expected.
Vendors who provide transparent, actionable data not only gain the trust of their clients but also help them achieve better results. When dealers can see everything—the good and the bad—it empowers them to make better, more informed decisions about how to optimize their operations.
Being a vendor at NADA isn’t just about promoting your products—it’s about building meaningful relationships and truly understanding the pain points that dealers experience every day. Sheridan found that the best part of attending was being able to speak with dealers face-to-face. “We’re often just behind the scenes, calling dealers and selling products,” she says. “But at NADA, it’s a chance to listen to them, hear their struggles, and understand their needs.”
Vendors who attend NADA have a unique opportunity to engage with dealers in a way that’s not possible during everyday interactions. With dealers away from the daily grind, they’re more focused on learning and discussing solutions that can actually help their business. These conversations can reveal insights that may have been missed or underestimated in a regular sales pitch.
For vendors like Edifice, it’s crucial to take the time to listen and adapt to what dealers are asking for—especially when it comes to transparency and accountability.
After her first NADA conference, Sheridan is even more committed to ensuring that Edifice remains at the forefront of transparency in the automotive marketing space. As she prepares for next year’s conference in Las Vegas, she’s excited about the opportunity to continue building relationships with dealers, listening to their needs, and further refining Edifice’s solutions to better serve them.
“Conferences like NADA are invaluable for vendors who want to stay connected with their customers and make sure they’re delivering solutions that truly solve their problems,” Sheridan says. “We’re always looking for ways to improve, and NADA is the perfect place to hear firsthand what dealers need from us.”
In a world where data can be murky and difficult to trust, vendors who prioritize transparency and accountability will always stand out. By attending events like NADA and staying committed to providing clear, real-time results, we’re making sure that dealers have everything they need to succeed.
At Edifice, we employ Elevation, our custom CDP to provide pinpoint accountability and data integration capabilities to guarantee our dealers a 4x ROI. Click the link below to check out our walkthrough and schedule a FREE Market analysis for your dealership.