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Jan. 17, 2011 – V-Twin Expo to feature new educational opportunities

The annual winter V-twin aftermarket show in Cincinnati will try to answer a question that the show’s producer constantly fields: What happens if a dealership owner or employee develops a new product?
What should then be done to market and sell that product? Should such a person try to market and sell the new product on their own, or seek outside help?
Those questions will be answered during the “Launching your new products” seminar at the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati. The 11th annual show is scheduled for Feb. 5-7 at the Duke Energy Convention Center.
Like in past years, the show will feature close to 300 V-twin companies and have a full slate of seminars, including the one for would-be product developers. “That has been, quite honestly, my most frequent phone call,” said Jim Betlach, producer of the industry’s largest V-twin-specific aftermarket show. “They say, ‘Look I’ve got this idea. I want to sell this thing. Should I try to sell this through Drag Specialties or Custom Chrome or do it on my own?’ ”
Members of the seminar’s panel, including Tom Motzko of Drag Specialties, will try to answer those distribution questions. Other experts, including Grady Pfeiffer of GH Marketing and Earl LeVere, an intellectual property lawyer, also will address questions over such new enterprises.
Other seminar topics that are new to the expo this year will include a discussion on an emerging trend in the custom market and the continued heightened interest in trikes.
“The trike business has become a really big phenomenal on account there’s so many guys my age still riding,” Betlach said.
The emerging trend of building older custom bikes with affordable spare parts — sometimes referred to as the Limp Nickie Lot — will be discussed during the “Marketing tech tips and tricks” seminar.
The show also will feature a number of other returning seminars, including one that looks at the preowned market. PSB


V-Twin Expo Schedule

Saturday, Feb. 5

8 a.m.-5 p.m. — On-site registration
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Exhibit hall open
5 p.m.-7 p.m. — 11th annual V-Twin Industry Reception & Industry Leader Awards Presentation

Sunday, Feb. 6

9 a.m.-5 p.m. — On-site registration
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Exhibit hall open

Monday, Feb. 7

9 a.m.-1 p.m. — Exhibit hall open

Expo seminars include

Saturday, Feb. 5

11 a.m.-noon — Essentials to grow your preowned profit
Noon-1 p.m. — Internet marketing to increase your bike sales
3 p.m.-4 p.m. — Full Throttle Profits on high-performance parts

Sunday, Feb. 6

10 a.m.-11 a.m. — Answers to garage insurance
11 a.m.-noon — Trikes: How a third wheel can impact your business
1 p.m.-2 p.m. — Launching your new products

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