7 Simple Steps to Running a Successful Accessory Business

	Dealer Day, to be held during the 2011 SEMA Show, will examine the specifics of how to successfully integrate accessories into your dealership.

For those in the industry, it is no secret that accessories help sell cars, increase the bottom line and create a distinctive product for auto dealers. And while many new- and used-vehicle dealers understand the power of accessorization, others have questions about how to incorporate accessory sales effectively. SEMA Show Dealer Day (view a detailed agenda here), to be held November 2, from 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center in room N109, will take a deep dive into the specifics of how to successfully integrate accessories into your dealership.

Along with an enthusiasts consumer panel hosted by AutoPacific, a Vehicle Walk & Talk and a focused session on “How to Partner with the Right Accessories Installer,” Dealer Day will equip attendees with the “7 Simple Steps to Running a Successful Accessory Business.”

The 7 Simple Steps panel will delve into the key elements and obstacles of running an accessory business. The discussion will start by asking Dealers to conduct an honest assessment of the capabilities, tools and resources they can allocate toward an accessory program. From there, the panel will jump into topics, such as creating effective partnerships, systems, education, marketing, cross-departmental cooperation and inventory control.

The diverse and experienced panel will be moderated by SEMA’s Zane Clark who, prior to joining SEMA, spent 13 years running several very successful accessory programs for dealers as a third-party service provider and an in-house dealer direct accessories manager. Joining the panel will be:

• David Boutwell, finance and insurance process manger with CODA Automotive Inc., a leading developer of all-electric vehicles and advanced battery systems. Boutwell has years of experience in the automotive industry, both as a dealer and aftermarket parts supplier. His diverse background provides him with a unique and wide-ranging perspective from finance, sales strategy and product development, to real-world accessory integration.
• Chris Ferren, fleet/Internet manager with Bewley Allen Cadillac in Alhambra, California. Ferren began his career in the automotive aftermarket 15 years ago managing numerous vendor-provided and in-house aftermarket accessory departments, from small to multi-million-dollar stores in the Western United States. He has extensive experience in many aspects of dealership operations, new- and used-vehicle sales, service and body shop, giving him the practical knowledge to use aftermarket accessories to create dealer profit in today's marketplace.
• Jon Titman, vice president of sales for Automotive Essentials, a Rockville, Maryland-based restyler and expeditor. Titman has nearly 30 years of experience in the manufacturing, distribution, sales and installation of accessories to car dealers nationwide. He is a long-term member of the Professional Restylers Organization (PR)) council at SEMA, having served several terms on the PRO Select Committee. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the growth and progress of the restyling industry, Titman was named the 2004 recipient of the PRO/Jim Borre Lifetime Achievement Award. Upon his retirement from the PRO Select Committee in 2006, he received a distinguished service award.

Register today for the 2011 SEMA Show Dealer Day and take advantage of the early-bird rates.

“At our dealership, restyling has long been an integral part of our operation. We generate a loyal customer base by creating unique vehicles, from custom interiors to custom exteriors on both new and used vehicles, which consistently produce higher grosses.”

–Larry Appleby, Lund Cadillac, Phoenix, Arizona