They ranged from developing new service department positions to staff-wide marketing to new sales programs. These best business practices and others were submitted by dealers throughout the nation to Powersports Business. These practices, which we call Bold Ideas, helped dealers get through these less-than-ideal economic times and in some cases, dramatically increase their sales. Read more >>
In eastern California there is a stretch of highway that riders are infinitely familiar with due to the breathtaking scenery. It’s called I-395 and this time of the year, construction signs declaring, “Your tax dollars at work” are almost as populous as the sagebrush. Read more >>
Fact one: Today when a motorcycle shopper walks through the door of a dealership, 77 percent of the time there will be no mention at all of the possibility of a test ride. Read more >>
To this day, the most powerful message that resonates with me regarding the volatile economic period we’re in was this simple thought: In a time such as this, there is no standing pat. Either your business grows or it shrinks. There is no middle ground. Read more >>
With the challenging market we have all lived through over the past 12-15 months, I have found myself making a specific point to analyze our company’s market share and registration data in the form of a presentation as if I were going to show this to my boss in Austria each month. Read more >>
The tug of war between e-commerce and customer service has been an ongoing battle for many dealers. While many dealers have e-mail addresses on their sites to help break down the Web wall, there’s a more effective way to communicate with consumers without stripping them of the online shopping experience: instant messaging. It’s not a face-to-face experience, but it’s the next best thing. Read more >>
Today’s economy and headlines are telling consumers “NO! Don’t spend …Wait.” Consumers inquire more, are no longer impulsive, are tentative, selective and often worry about purchasing at full retail. They are being trained to expect discounts and fire sales. A consumer with dollars in their pockets feels more confident that they have the upper hand. Many successful retailers are driving sales by giving customers an excuse to buy. Read more >>
An agreement not to compete prevents an individual from competing in a particular business or otherwise competing. Many people feel instinctively that such an agreement must be illegal. Under the right circumstances, however, noncompetition covenants as they are called are legal and enforceable, subject to a variety of rules in various states. Read more >>
DENVER - The whole “Men are from Venus, Women are from Mars” concept definitely has its place in retail. That’s my conclusion after a recent dealership visit that was part of our Training Day event. With the help of two industry partners, Powersports Business last week helped orchestrate the one-day training event at Grand Prix Motorsports, a Denver metric dealership that had won the free event. Read more >>
A phrase commonly heard at Dealership University is “recession-proof your dealership.” While that sounds great, I believe many dealers hear that phrase and overwhelmingly think.” In this economy, I don’t even know what to do, or where to start.” Well, there are four primary areas that control the growth (or decline) of your dealership’s sales. Focusing on each one of these areas individually will provide you with a much clearer and focused objective. The primary ways to grow your dealership are: Read more >>
