You have to believe; you have to lead
Jennifer Robison, National Retail Specialist — Tucker Rocky Distributing
May 16, 2013
Glorious May is here, but for some parts of the U.S. it’s been like February — cold, wet and just plain yucky. That has an effect on all of us. We feel like we should continue to hibernate, but when it’s sunny, we pop up like flowers in the sun; we feel like we can and want to do more, and we love... Read more »
Are you managing your online reputation?
Brad Smith, Director of Product — ARI
May 14, 2013
Spring is in full gear and motorcycle enthusiast “Paul” is psyched to buy a new bike, so he heads online to check out local dealerships. The search engine returns a list of results, and Paul spends some time reading customer reviews, which include both positive and negative commentary. Within minutes,... Read more »
What makes a great salesperson?
Steve Lemco, Author — "Motorcycle Sales Made Easy" and "You Gotta-Wanna"
May 9, 2013
While flying home to Seattle from doing a sales hiring and training job in New York, I was talking to the man sitting next to me. I told him what I did for a living. He had a simple question that required me to think deeply about the answer. He asked me what makes a good salesperson. I thought about... Read more »
Doing it right this selling season
Mark Mooney, Director, Retail Performance - Pied Piper Management Company LLC
May 7, 2013
As we enter the selling season, commit to your sales team! Lead well, and do it right. What sets you apart from your competition? Do you know, and does your team? What are the compelling reasons to buy from you and not the guy (or gal) down the street? People want to do business with the best, but you... Read more »
What are you doing to get your customers excited about riding?
Liz Hochstedler, Managing Editor — Powersports Business
May 2, 2013
The news hasn’t been pleasant — the MIC reported first-quarter motorcycle sales were down 13.3 percent; Harley-Davidson said its U.S. retail sales dropped 12.7 percent; in the Midwest and West, it’s still snowing. So what have you been doing while all of this has been going on? Have you been sitting... Read more »
So you call yourself a professional salesperson
John R. Graham, Marketing & Sales Consultant
April 30, 2013
There was a time not so long ago when accountants, attorneys, doctors, some musicians, certain ball players, the clergy and a few others earned the right to be called a “professional.” But that was about it. More recently, the dam burst and we’re now flooded with “professionals.” Everyone wants... Read more »
Powersports leaders continue to impress
Liz Hochstedler, Managing Editor — Powersports Business
April 25, 2013
Each spring the annual question comes up at Powersports Business headquarters: Who should be named the Executive of the Year? In my third year in on the discussion, I found myself better versed in the industry and more easily able to contribute my own list of names for consideration. Several came up,... Read more »
To succeed on Craigslist, consider these vital steps
Laura Reinders, Marketing Manager — PowerSports Network & Traffic Log Pro
April 23, 2013
In the days leading up to spring and summer riding season, some very important changes occurred that you might have missed — changes that could impact your pre-owned unit sales this riding season. Recently, Craigslist has made some significant changes regarding what they consider acceptable ad content... Read more »
What would I do to get ready for the season?
Jennifer Robison, National Retail Specialist — Tucker Rocky Distributing
April 18, 2013
As a consultant who regularly works with powersports and some marine dealers, the growth of P&A sales for our kind of seasonal businesses is a part of my everyday work. The focus is not just merchandising but all the elements that go with it. Retail is DETAILS, and the details need a looksee by owners,... Read more »
Baseball: In Minnesota, it’s also a winter sport
By Christopher Gerber, Associate Digital Editor - Powersports Business
April 16, 2013
It’s cold in Minnesota. I should clarify: It’s unseasonably cold in Minnesota. With temperatures as low as the teens in late April, the Minnesota Twins are in a bit of a bind: A snowstorm had just passed through, dropping 3 inches around the Twin Cities, and the baseball team would be hosting the... Read more »
