SEMA will kick off its 2014 webinar series Thursday, Jan.  9, with popular SEMA Show speaker and noted author Christine Corelli (www.christinespeaks.com), who will deliver “Twenty Ideas in 20 Minutes — Driving Business Growth and Fueling High Performance: How to Create a Sales-Service Excellence Culture.”

Getting customers is one thing. Between the challenges of escalating competition and "service savvy" customers, if you don’t excel in sales and every single aspect of the customer’s experience, they will take their buying power elsewhere. It’s that simple.

With the launch of the webinar, SEMA will implement a new format for the SEMA Education Institute (SEI). Traditionally hosted over a one-hour period, SEI will offer selected webinars in compact and concise 20-minute sessions. According to Zane Clark, SEMA’s director of education, “The shift serves to address our members’ busy schedules and challenges the presenter to focus the content on the key deliverables that will directly benefit our industry.”

In addition to the reduced session length, SEI also will offer sessions on Tuesdays (typically hosted on Thursdays) and incorporate new formats, such as video conferencing and live interviews.

Be sure and save the dates for other webinars that will be hosted through SEI during the first part of 2014:

• Feb. 6: "Opportunities for Growth: Working With the Top Auto Manufacturers," presented by Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG).

• Feb. 20: "So You Want to Be in Pictures? A How-to and the Pros and Cons of Product Placement in Film," presented by Mark McFann, Cast a Long Shadow.

• March 4: "SEMA Garage: Product Development and Innovation," presented by Mike Spagnola, SEMA.

• March 18: "911 Customer Service in 20 Minutes — Eight Words That Kill the Deal,” presented by Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor (www.nancyfriedman.com).

• April 17: "Volunteering at SEMA: Grow Your Contacts, Grow Your Business," presented by SEMA Councils and Networks.

SEI webinars provide representatives of SEMA-member companies with timely updates and sessions covering best business practices, industry trends, sales and marketing and more. Participants don’t have to leave the desk or office to benefit from a session, and they can interact via the live webinar or download the session when it’s convenient. SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and $29 for non-members.

For more information and to register, visit www.SEMA.org/webinars.