Stop business crises before they create havoc
John R. Graham, Marketing & Sales Consultant
February 7, 2013
Perhaps even more than the lure of money, optimism dominates the entrepreneurial mind. Whether it’s well grounded or not, every business enterprise is fueled by it. “During the Great Recession, more Americans have become entrepreneurs than at any time in the past 15 years,” states the Kauffman... Read more »
What a customer hears — or doesn’t hear — on the phone
Liz Hochstedler, Managing Editor — Powersports Business
February 5, 2013
When customers call your dealership and get put on hold, what do they hear? Are they treated to an exuberant “Welcome to Joe Schmo’s Cycle, where we carry the greatest brands in town. Did you know most of our staff has been here 10 years or more, and they can’t wait to get you on your dream bike,”... Read more »
Turning those lookers and shoppers into buyers
Mark Mooney, Director, Retail Performance - Pied Piper Management Company LLC
January 31, 2013
Turning all those lookers and shoppers into buyers is, in retail, the “holy grail” of topics. We send our managers and sales folks to workshops and seminars looking for answers. We test the waters, view the landscape, and hope that just over the horizon is the Promised Land, the mother lode. Retail... Read more »
Winter is the perfect time for a website tune-up
Laura Reinders, Marketing Manager — PowerSports Network & Traffic Log Pro
January 29, 2013
For many dealers, winter is the time of year when much-needed attention is given to their website, often resulting in a fresh coat of paint in the form of a new graphical look. Although that fresh coat of paint looks great, it is important to go beyond appearance and give the site’s content an overall... Read more »
How to act like a salesperson
John R. Graham, Marketing & Sales Consultant
January 24, 2013
Selling is the world’s most personal profession –– but not in the way you might think. In fact, many salespeople are downright superstitious. For some, it’s the way they shake hands, others are fanatical about punctuality, wearing certain jewelry or using a favorite pen. The list is almost endless.... Read more »
Don’t forget the importance of personal follow-ups
Liz Hochstedler, Managing Editor — Powersports Business
January 22, 2013
In the era of email, text messaging, Facebook and Instagram, it’s easy to get lost in our own impersonal worlds. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people I’d rather email than call, or Facebook rather than meet up with in person. But all this technology has made me appreciate personal touches even... Read more »
7 ways to plan your 2013 season P&A strategy
Jennifer Robison, National Retail Specialist - Tucker Rocky Distributing
January 17, 2013
We are on the dawn of our 2013 selling season. In less than a month we’ll be in February, the official unofficial start of the street motorcycle business in most regions. Some of you may not think that, but the first warm sunny couple of days in late January through February, and the game is on! Why?... Read more »
All devices lead to your website
Ben Borchert, Marketing Analyst — 50 Below, an ARI Company
January 15, 2013
All devices lead to your website. Or at least they should. People use many devices throughout the day. They use their laptop with their smartphone or their smartphone with their desktop, or a tablet while watching TV. In any given day, many people use multiple devices to view information. Let me give... Read more »
A lesson learned from not asking for the sale
Steve Lemco, Author of the book "You Gotta-Wanna"
January 10, 2013
Editor’s note: This is the fourth blog in a series about asking for the sale. In this installment, Steve Lemco shares a lesson learned from an encounter he had with a customer that didn’t end in a sale. In the early ‘70s, I met a customer who became, and is still, a good friend of mine. His name... Read more »
When faced with challenges, Power 15 dealers show innovation
Liz Hochstedler, Managing Editor — Powersports Business
January 8, 2013
Staying in business over the past several years has not been easy, yet some dealerships have found innovative ways to not only persevere through the hard times, but to actually succeed and better their business permanently. We at Powersports Business asked some of those dealers to be part of our inaugural... Read more »
