DEER VALLEY, UT (BRAIN)—If DealerCamp, which kicks off tonight with a 6 p.m. reception, is half-way successful, Chance Regina, Blue Competition Cycles’ sales and marketing manager, promises to be back next year.
Regina, like others staking out tents and racking bicycles at this Utah mountain resort, said he needs an event where he can talk directly with dealers about Blue bicycles and his dealer programs.
With 150 retail store owners and an additional 100 retail staffers pre-registered, Regina said this could be an opportunity to introduce Blue to a new audience. And potentially boosting retail attendance will be a number of Utah retailers who plan to drive in for the event.
Interbike is too late, Regina said. “In the six years we’ve been at Interbike, we’ve never written a single order.” And Outdoor Demo, he added, mostly attracts dealer staff and competitors who want to check out his products. Blue dropped the outdoor event two years ago.
DealerCamp, a new event launched by Lance Camisasca’s Lifeboat Solutions, hopes to provide a venue for smaller companies where exhibitors can spend more time with dealers discussing their products and dealer programs. More than 350 retailers and exhibitor staff have signed up for tonight’s reception, Camisasca said, and it could go higher.
To date, DealerCamp has signed up 28 exhibiting companies that control 58 brands. For example, QBP will be on site with its Civia, Salsa, Lazer, Ridley and Fulcrum brands. Advanced Sports, owner of Fuji, Breezer, Kestrel and SE brands has signed up. BH/Pivot, Advanced Sports and others are also using the event to hold sales meetings with their staff and outside reps.
Other well-known brands include Scott USA, SRAM, Shimano, Pivot/BH, DeFeet, Cinelli, and others as well as Sinclair Imports, a Nevada distributor.
Ann Corbett, vice president of sales for DeFeet, had just set up her 10-by-10 tent as late afternoon rain clouds built up over Deer Valley. “We’re here to showcase DeFeet products,” she said, noting that this was DealerCamp’s inaugural event and she wanted to be part of it. “This is such a great venue and Lance made it so easy for us to set up and be here,” she said.
Snow Park Lodge is hosting DealerCamp. The resort, set halfway between Park City and Deer Valley, offers spectacular mountain bike trails and some challenging road rides. Retailers will stay at the Park City Marriott, three miles from Snow Park, and they can either ride there using a nearby Rails-to-Trails path or take a free shuttle. Some exhibitors are providing loaner bikes for dealers to ride.
Camisasca, former show director for Interbike, has staffed the event with industry veterans including former Interbike staffers Chad Battisone, Chad Sorensen and Mike Greehan. Avery Stonich, who was an early staff member at Bikes Belong, is the company’s communications director and Chris Zigmont, formerly with Pedro’s, is also part of the team.
(PHOTO: Kevin Tisue, a designer at Pivot Cycles/BH, (left) and Ken Bennett, a mechanic for the company, finish racking up bicycles for DealerCamp).
—Marc Sani
msani@bicycleretailer.com
