By Ashley Reyes
Motorhead Digital is the latest SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Member Spotlight company. In this week’s feature, company founder Barry Alt shares how Motorhead Digital is helping to bring awareness to aftermarket restoration, performance and restyling shops and how he utilizes his expertise in website design and marketing to fuel an industry he is passionate about.
SEMA: Tell us the story of your company. How did you start?
Barry Alt: I'm the founder of Motorhead Digital, a digital marketing agency that provides our signature Marketing Maximizer programs specifically developed for auto restoration, performance and restyling shops. These programs are geared towards customer acquisition and conversion.
With more than 23 years of experience in digital marketing and website development helping any number of businesses with their marketing and website development needs in 2017, we shifted our focus on a goal to help our clients market and grow their shops through strategic marketing practices. You can read my helpful articles in The Shop magazine and on the Motorhead Digital website.
To fuel my passion I also own a classic ’69 427 and a ’13 427 Corvette and spend my spare time at shows like SEMA and PRI, as well as attending numerous car shows and drag racing events. I'm also a USPSA-certified range officer and competitive shooter.
SEMA: What was your breakthrough moment?
BA: After being in the website design and marketing business for more than 20 years, I realized in 2017 that I could focus on a niche that I was already passionate about. I created Motorhead Digital to focus on supporting and helping auto restoration, performance and restyling shops with their marketing and websites. Since I already knew and loved this space, it was a no brainier to take my business in this direction. So far, it’s been great, as I love working with shop owners and really love seeing what they’re creating and helping them move their businesses to the next level.
SEMA: Tell us about your business now in 2020 and what projects are you working on?
BA: Our big project for 2020 was the roll out of our signature Marketing Maximizer programs specifically developed for auto restoration, performance and restyling shops. We’re also focused on helping one of our current clients, RJ Cars Inc., and others in the industry up their marketing game as well as writing a shop profile article for RJ Cars that will appear in a publication in the automotive industry.
SEMA: Tell us about a build you are proud of.
BA: Since we’re not a shop, we really don't build cars but we’re super proud of our ’69 427 Tri-Power Corvette that we tinker with and take to local car shows.
SEMA: What advice do you have for young professionals contemplating a career in the automotive aftermarket?
BA: After 23-plus years of experience running a business, you need to have a solid business plan and processes, and understand the basics of running a business, niche down if you can (be the expert on that one thing) and pay your bills and taxes. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Focus on what you know best and when you can bring in the experts, especially in the bookkeeping, accounting and marketing fields.