SEMA News—October 2014

BUSINESS

By Mike Imlay

Retailer Spotlight

Kaizen Tuning Partners With Suppliers for Success

	Located in Boxborough, Massachusetts, Kaizen Tuning may appear nondescript outside, but there’s a lot going on inside. The retailer-installer specializes in high-end performance sports cars, working hand in hand with suppliers to deliver upscale customers expertly developed and tested products.

Seven years ago, Scott McIver took a big gamble right in the middle of the recession: He opened Kaizen Tuning, specializing in high-end retail aftermarket sales, fabrication and dyno tuning in Boxborough, Massachusetts.

“It was brutal, but we really saw a need,” he recalled. “I took delivery of one of the first Nissan GTRs on the East Coast. I’ve been to Japan many times and have seen how that car is treated over there. You don’t even need an appointment at a Nissan dealership for service. Here in the United States, [the dealership] didn’t really know how to handle a $100,000 supercar. They were treating it like a Sentra or a Maxima. That wasn’t going to work for me, so I started servicing it out of my home garage. After we were probably a month in, I had about five of them in my driveway. My wife told me it was about time to find someplace to do the business full time.”

McIver has seen his gamble pay off. Today, Kaizen Tuning has grown to a 10,000-sq.-ft. enterprise employing 10 highly skilled people, with sales topping $1 million annually. The retailer is well known throughout the New England area for its expertise in high-performance sports cars, starting with the Nissan GTR and Mitsubishi EVO and including Porsche, Subaru and Audi platforms, among
many others.

So what exactly led to Kaizen Tuning’s rapid success? It might partly be the philosophy expressed by the shop name.

“Kaizen means constant improvement,” McIver said. “It’s a Japanese term that’s used in all the automotive manufacturing fields to do small changes, measure the results and, at the end of the day, have better results than one big change.”

Then again, having an upscale clientele of vehicle owners composed of doctors, lawyers and other professionals, many of whom actually relish the performance of their cars on a track, certainly hasn’t hurt either.

The tuner shop has six lift-equipped bays, including a four-poster with alignment and balancing systems. Kaizen Tuning also has a dyno and full fabrication capabilities.

Plus, of course, Kaizen Tuning is built on the personal passion that often drives success in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. McIver has been captivated by the Japanese automotive ethic—and especially the Nissan GTR—ever since he first visited the country at age 14. In 1998, at age 25, he was walking around Tokyo and first saw the GTR in a dealer showroom. He was instantly hooked.

“It was an amazing, beautiful blue car,” he said. “The most aggressive car I’ve ever seen in my life.” And when the vehicle became available in the United States, he jumped at the chance to own one and personally dive up to his elbows into its mechanics.

“We really concentrated on the GTR to start and were one of the first companies in the Northeast to do so,” he said. “However, the business just wasn’t sustainable concentrating on one vehicle. We moved out to the Mitsubishi EVO and Subaru platforms and got a great result with both of those cars. We bought one of each and took them apart and put them back together and started testing aftermarket parts on them to see who we wanted to use for product lines. We studied what worked and what didn’t, so when we talked to a customer, we could talk intelligently about recommendations and upgrade packages.

		Executive Summary Kaizen Tuning 873 Massachusetts Ave. Boxborough, MA 01719 978-266-9900 www.kaizentuning.com  President: Scot McIver 10 employees Specializes in retail, fabrication and dyno tuning for high-performance sports cars Works closely with suppliers to R&D parts for an upscale clientele Produces its own Sakura Performance Engineering products in-house

“I probably had 210 miles on my own GTR before I brought it to our local road course at Lime Rock Park and started to really push it. As time went on, we had one of the first Cobb access ports installed on that car and worked hand in hand with Cobb to develop the product. We’ve worked with sway bars. We’ve worked with tire combinations. We’ve worked with intakes and all sorts of stuff to see what works and what doesn’t on that car.”

And therein, said McIver, lies the real secret behind Kaizen Tuning’s incredible growth: Beyond the passion, high-end customer service, concentration on a specific niche and constant improvement, it’s the strong relationships he has forged with his suppliers from the very beginning that have made Kaizen Tuning what it is.

“One of the things that makes us stand out over our competitors is how we work very closely with our manufacturers and distributors,” McIver said. “A lot of people use distributors and manufacturers as just a warehouse and someone they can beat up when they need parts cheap. We work hard with them to test and come out with the next thing, identify a market and really attack it. We’ve been very successful with that. Some of the companies we’ve worked closely with include HKS, Motovicity, Turn 14 and a Japanese company called Tomei, which is small but addresses some really specific needs. We get prototype parts, test them, provide feedback and then we get a great product in the end. That makes it hard to compete with us. We have an inherent knowledge of particular products that is unbeatable.”

In fact, McIver takes pride in working alongside with his manufacturers to further their research and development.

“We love doing that because it gets us involved with the grassroots of a product, and that helps us sell,” he said. “When we talk to a customer, we can speak on a level that is much more in-depth and technical, because we have had our hands in the guts of the product. We see what works and what doesn’t work firsthand. Believe me, we’ve had plenty of failures, products that just didn’t work out well.”

	In addition to digging elbow deep into performance mechanics at the shop, the Kaizen Tuning team is frequently found at the local track—as are many of their business-professional customers.

Still, failures are part of moving forward.

“Everything we do is track tested,” McIver said. “We’re on a first-name basis with our manufacturers, all the way down to the base engineers. They have been super appreciative of the feedback. In an engineering group, they sometimes bounce ideas off the wall and don’t get that outside injection of ideas. We think outside the box here, because not only are we a sales organization but we’re also all enthusiasts here. We bring the customer’s ideas to the engineers and they respond to them really well.”

In turn, said McIver, customers react positively to the knowledgeable, hands-on salespeople and technicians that such R&D yields. And, with a full showroom, six bays featuring lifts (including a four-poster with alignment and balancing systems), along with welding and full fabrication, the shop is kept plenty busy. Kaizen Tuning even produces its own in-house line of specialty parts under the Sakura Performance Engineering label.

“We’ve grown very quickly in a short time, and it’s mostly due to our business philosophy,” McIver concluded.

“I recommend that retailers get involved with their manufacturers and distributors on a more intimate basis. It can really help your business and lead to profit. When we work hand in hand with our partners, Kaizen Tuning achieves unparalleled success. It’s been a great ride.”

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

The Buzz for the 2014 SEMA Show:
SEMA Ignited

Our industry relies on SEMA to provide a SEMA Show that delivers return on investment. This issue of the magazine is a useful preview of the new Show features that will help your company meet your goals for a successful 2015. Our biggest news: the SEMA Ignited post-Show event that will provide a platform for exhibitors and industry partners to rev up media and consumers with the spectacular collection of innovative products and vehicles gathered only at the SEMA Show.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in. The event concept is simple. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, participating cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out on Friday, November 7, to assemble at one of the newest landmarks in the city, the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ entertainment district. There, from 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., consumers and the media will be able to experience the hottest cars, products and personalities from the SEMA Show and enjoy food and music in a culminating celebration. Participation in the event will be free of charge to SEMA exhibitors, attendees and consumers.

The Friday-night event will also serve as a platform for nationwide media coverage, including on-site taping of a nationally televised broadcast special. The prime-time program, underwritten by SEMA, will deliver the excitement of the industry’s offerings and a new awards competition, the “2014 SEMA Battle of the Builders,” featuring this year’s outstanding SEMA Show vehicles and their designers as they vie for a coveted “Best of Show” trophy.

If you’re not registered to participate in the SEMA Ignited event, now is the time to get in.

SEMA has partnered with the television network Velocity to produce and broadcast the program. Home to popular automotive shows, including “Overhaulin’,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Chasing Classic Cars” and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions in 2015, Velocity reaches approximately 60 million households in the United States.

SEMA is also collaborating with a range of traditional and online media partners to bring the excitement and offerings of the SEMA Show exhibitors to worldwide audiences.

We think that the SEMA Ignited event has the potential to capture media attention and stoke consumer awareness by providing a special “action” platform that highlights the impressive vehicles, products and personalities already in Las Vegas for the Show. Interested? Just e-mail info@SEMAignited.com, and we’ll be happy to discuss ways to make SEMA Ignited work for your business.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

 

SEMA News—October 2014

EVENTS

Trade-Show Leads

The Keys Are Collecting, Qualifying and Following Up

By Steve Campbell

	Don’t get lost in the maze. Every exhibitor should ensure that qualified buyers not only know the company’s booth location but also what products or services the exhibitor will be emphasizing at the SEMA Show.

According to a report entitled “2013 SEMA Show Research”—a post-Show survey of exhibitors and attendees—almost 90% of exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show said that they exhibit in order to generate leads and increase awareness of their companies. Slightly higher percentages said that those objectives were met at the 2013 Show.

Exhibitors can connect with more buyers at the SEMA Show than they might otherwise encounter in weeks or even months from their offices. But the connections aren’t automatic. In order to cement sales, exhibitors need to promote their attendance before the Show, offer a compelling display on-site and then follow up on quality leads after the Show.

Pre-Show Marketing

Buyers who attend the SEMA Show do so primarily to see new products, get ideas and keep up on industry trends. Nearly 90% attend to see new products, and about three-quarters visit the New Products Showcase. Well over half of the buyers at the SEMA Show said that the purchases they made at the 2013 Show or intended to make afterward were products or services that were new to the market or new to the buyer.

Even though the SEMA Show is highly organized and offers attendees numerous ways to find individual companies, exhibitors should ensure that qualified buyers not only know their booth locations but also what products or services they’ll be emphasizing at the event. The study conducted after the 2013 SEMA Show indicated that the vast majority of the attendees pre-planned their booth visits but only about 32% of exhibitors worked at pre-event promotions—which means that you can get a leg up on the competition by doing so.

Start with e-mail blasts, postcards and prominent displays on your website that include your booth number and location at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). (Buyer list rentals are available via the Exhibitor Services Manual at SEMAShow.com/esm.) Also use social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to spread the word. And be sure to take advantage of the SEMA Show Online Media Center, where exhibitors can post press releases specifically for automotive media who will be attending the Show. Simply go to the SEMAShow.com website, click on the Exhibitors menu at the top of the page, and select “Submit a Press Release.”

You might also consider offering a promotional product for the recipients of your mailers if they stop by your booth. The freebie gives buyers an additional reason to visit, and even if only a percentage of them are truly interested in your products, that percentage could wind up making significant purchases. Giveaways during the Show can also draw traffic into your exhibit. There are almost always crowds around booths that are holding raffles, running contests, giving away prizes, but it’s best if the giveaway product is useful, is related to your company and will remind attendees of who you are.

About a month prior to the Show, make phone calls to the buyers you’d truly like to attract to your booth. For those who set a specific appointment time and day, follow up a week before the Show to confirm the meeting.

You may also want to e-mail press releases concerning your SEMA Show plans to carrw@sema.org for inclusion in SEMA News and/or the SEMA Show Daily newspaper, which is distributed at the event each day. Use your releases to promote newsworthy booth activities or products that will be featured at the Show. Be sure to also print up plenty of releases to be distributed at the Media Center, which will again be located in room N110 on the east side of the Grand Lobby in the LVCC. Reporters and editors congregate there and are always looking for content.

Set Goals and Qualify Leads

One of the booth personnel’s primary functions should be to qualify leads and then obtain complete information about them for follow-up after the SEMA Show.

Everybody’s aim improves with a target in sight. Goals provide focus, and salespeople like to have tangible, measurable objectives, such as writing a specific number of orders or trying to generate a set number of qualified leads to follow up on after the dust settles. Establish your company’s goals well before the SEMA Show and then ensure that all subsequent planning is aimed at meeting those objectives.

Speaking of salespeople, be sure to select booth staff who can handle any question or request a buyer might pose. Even a one-man operation will need a relief person at some point during the week. Professional appearance, proper training and product knowledge are imperative.

One of the booth personnel’s primary functions should be to qualify leads and then obtain complete information about them for follow-up after the SEMA Show. It’s great when a salesperson can also close a deal at the event, but most buyers wait to make purchases until after the Show, and not every booth visitor will be a “hot” or even “warm” prospect.

Booth personnel should be able to assess each buyer through a few minutes of conversation that includes information about the buyer’s needs and budget to determine whether there is truly potential for business. If so, the company representative should ask for the visitor’s business card, swipe his or her badge in a lead-retrieval device (see below) or otherwise acquire contact information and even set up a future appointment or phone call at a specific time after the Show. And if the conversation indicates that the booth visitor isn’t really interested in buying, the company representative should tactfully end the discussion and move on to potentially more profitable contacts.

For quality leads, ensure that booth staffers make notes, either written or captured on an electronic device, regarding the details of their conversations. What was the lead’s purpose in attending the SEMA Show? Was he or she in a position to make purchasing decisions? What products was the lead interested in? When might he or she want to make a purchase? Using questions to discover which of your products might interest leads can make them more comfortable about talking with salespeople, and the resulting notes will be invaluable during follow-up calls or meetings after the SEMA Show. They can be used to remind buyers about your company and its products.

Ensure that booth personnel understand the key message points your company wants to convey at the Show and that they return to those points in every conversation with each visitor. Use your early planning to develop those points, and employ them in your booth design, graphics, pre-Show promotion, brochures and any Show advertising your company does.

Lead Tracking

Just under half of the buyers who attended the 2013 SEMA Show made purchases while at the event, but a whopping 87% planned to buy during the coming year, and exhibitors averaged between 300 and 500 leads at the 2013 Show.

Collecting business cards or making notes—even notes on an electronic tablet—provides a fair amount of information about the attendees who visit your booth. But the SEMA Show attracts thousands of visitors, many of whom may be pertinent to your specific types of products. The advances in electronic lead retrieval make an automated tracking system almost a requirement.

Electronic systems capture information when a booth visitor simply swipes his or her Show badge. If you make getting that swipe a priority as soon as you’ve established a legitimate buyer as a qualified lead, you’ve captured a mass of data in less than a second.

The electronic lead-retrieval system used at the SEMA Show is an adjunct program of CompuSystems, SEMA’s official registration provider. The company offers a suite of products and services designed to help exhibitors maximize the information they capture and retain on each booth visitor. When a buyer’s badge is swiped in an exhibitor’s CompuSystems device, all of the demographic information that the buyer provided during the registration process is downloaded. Each device also allows booth personnel to quickly key in a series of codes that provide information about the quality of the lead, his or her level of buying authority, the type of follow-up contact that will be most appreciated (e-mail, regular mail or a phone call) and whether the lead was provided with literature or a product demonstration.

CompuSystems offers four different CompuLEAD retrieval products that range from a handheld device with a touchscreen and stylus to a desktop unit that reads attendee badges and prints sales lead reports. All include 10 standard qualifier codes and four standard survey questions but can also be outfitted with up to 99 custom lead qualifiers for additional charges. There’s even a unit that uses the exhibitor’s own iPhone or Android device to capture leads both on and off the SEMA Show floor. Other options include printers and the ability to send electronic literature to leads from within the smartphone app.

	When a buyer’s badge is swiped in an exhibitor’s CompuSystems device, all of the demographic information that the buyer provided during the registration process is downloaded. The exhibitor can then use that information in creating a database of leads and following up with hot prospects after the SEMA Show.

CompuSystems also offers to come to the exhibitor’s booth to assist in setup of its device and ensure that the booth team is familiar with the device’s operation and features. All of the units require electricity either to power up the device or to recharge the mobile units.

Utilizing a combination of the electronic scanners, business cards and manual notes guarantees that an exhibitor captures all of the information needed to create a mailing list for all levels of leads and also make immediate follow-up calls on the most qualified contacts. For those high-value qualifiers, exhibitors should try to coordinate a specific day, time and means of contact for the follow-up with each lead. With the advent of smartphones, most buyers will be able to access their calendars and set meeting or call times on the spot.

Post-Show Follow-Up

Part of your planning before the SEMA Show should include the timing and means by which you will follow up with the leads your company generates. Surveys indicate that salespeople do not follow up an amazing 80% of all leads, so this step in the process can put your company miles ahead of its competitors. Be sure that your salespeople understand the importance of this step, and have a system in place to track their progress and reward successes.

If your sales team has categorized the contacts made at the Show using some hierarchy—A, B and C levels or hot, warm and cold leads—you should be able to categorize how quickly to follow up with each one. The most qualified or interested leads should be contacted within only a few days and no more than a week after the SEMA Show. You might send the next level of contacts a personalized e-mail using details from your Show notes. And even the lowest rung of leads can be added to your e-mail lists or your catalog distribution.

Whatever system you use, make follow-up a priority mission. Experts say that the best time to contact leads is between 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays or Thursdays. At the conclusion of the first contact, make a note of when to make the next call or visit, and don’t hesitate to invite your leads, regardless of their position in the hierarchy, to visit your facility and learn more about your company.

CompuSystems also offers post-event follow-up services for both exhibitors and attendees. The company’s myLeads follow-up services are included free with all CompuLEAD rentals. Exhibitors can keep track of the attendees who visited their booths, view and print lead lists, send broadcast e-mails to their lists, print mailing labels from their lists and create reports based on lead ranking, profile, leads by the hour and by geographical distribution. Attendees can view and download company information for the exhibitors they visited and send follow-up e-mails to the exhibitors.

The reasons for exhibiting at the SEMA Show are developing business relationships and creating sales. Collecting, qualifying and following up with leads is the best way to perform both functions.

SEMA News—October 2014

EVENTS

Trade-Show Leads

The Keys Are Collecting, Qualifying and Following Up

By Steve Campbell

	Don’t get lost in the maze. Every exhibitor should ensure that qualified buyers not only know the company’s booth location but also what products or services the exhibitor will be emphasizing at the SEMA Show.

According to a report entitled “2013 SEMA Show Research”—a post-Show survey of exhibitors and attendees—almost 90% of exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show said that they exhibit in order to generate leads and increase awareness of their companies. Slightly higher percentages said that those objectives were met at the 2013 Show.

Exhibitors can connect with more buyers at the SEMA Show than they might otherwise encounter in weeks or even months from their offices. But the connections aren’t automatic. In order to cement sales, exhibitors need to promote their attendance before the Show, offer a compelling display on-site and then follow up on quality leads after the Show.

Pre-Show Marketing

Buyers who attend the SEMA Show do so primarily to see new products, get ideas and keep up on industry trends. Nearly 90% attend to see new products, and about three-quarters visit the New Products Showcase. Well over half of the buyers at the SEMA Show said that the purchases they made at the 2013 Show or intended to make afterward were products or services that were new to the market or new to the buyer.

Even though the SEMA Show is highly organized and offers attendees numerous ways to find individual companies, exhibitors should ensure that qualified buyers not only know their booth locations but also what products or services they’ll be emphasizing at the event. The study conducted after the 2013 SEMA Show indicated that the vast majority of the attendees pre-planned their booth visits but only about 32% of exhibitors worked at pre-event promotions—which means that you can get a leg up on the competition by doing so.

Start with e-mail blasts, postcards and prominent displays on your website that include your booth number and location at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). (Buyer list rentals are available via the Exhibitor Services Manual at SEMAShow.com/esm.) Also use social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to spread the word. And be sure to take advantage of the SEMA Show Online Media Center, where exhibitors can post press releases specifically for automotive media who will be attending the Show. Simply go to the SEMAShow.com website, click on the Exhibitors menu at the top of the page, and select “Submit a Press Release.”

You might also consider offering a promotional product for the recipients of your mailers if they stop by your booth. The freebie gives buyers an additional reason to visit, and even if only a percentage of them are truly interested in your products, that percentage could wind up making significant purchases. Giveaways during the Show can also draw traffic into your exhibit. There are almost always crowds around booths that are holding raffles, running contests, giving away prizes, but it’s best if the giveaway product is useful, is related to your company and will remind attendees of who you are.

About a month prior to the Show, make phone calls to the buyers you’d truly like to attract to your booth. For those who set a specific appointment time and day, follow up a week before the Show to confirm the meeting.

You may also want to e-mail press releases concerning your SEMA Show plans to carrw@sema.org for inclusion in SEMA News and/or the SEMA Show Daily newspaper, which is distributed at the event each day. Use your releases to promote newsworthy booth activities or products that will be featured at the Show. Be sure to also print up plenty of releases to be distributed at the Media Center, which will again be located in room N110 on the east side of the Grand Lobby in the LVCC. Reporters and editors congregate there and are always looking for content.

Set Goals and Qualify Leads

One of the booth personnel’s primary functions should be to qualify leads and then obtain complete information about them for follow-up after the SEMA Show.

Everybody’s aim improves with a target in sight. Goals provide focus, and salespeople like to have tangible, measurable objectives, such as writing a specific number of orders or trying to generate a set number of qualified leads to follow up on after the dust settles. Establish your company’s goals well before the SEMA Show and then ensure that all subsequent planning is aimed at meeting those objectives.

Speaking of salespeople, be sure to select booth staff who can handle any question or request a buyer might pose. Even a one-man operation will need a relief person at some point during the week. Professional appearance, proper training and product knowledge are imperative.

One of the booth personnel’s primary functions should be to qualify leads and then obtain complete information about them for follow-up after the SEMA Show. It’s great when a salesperson can also close a deal at the event, but most buyers wait to make purchases until after the Show, and not every booth visitor will be a “hot” or even “warm” prospect.

Booth personnel should be able to assess each buyer through a few minutes of conversation that includes information about the buyer’s needs and budget to determine whether there is truly potential for business. If so, the company representative should ask for the visitor’s business card, swipe his or her badge in a lead-retrieval device (see below) or otherwise acquire contact information and even set up a future appointment or phone call at a specific time after the Show. And if the conversation indicates that the booth visitor isn’t really interested in buying, the company representative should tactfully end the discussion and move on to potentially more profitable contacts.

For quality leads, ensure that booth staffers make notes, either written or captured on an electronic device, regarding the details of their conversations. What was the lead’s purpose in attending the SEMA Show? Was he or she in a position to make purchasing decisions? What products was the lead interested in? When might he or she want to make a purchase? Using questions to discover which of your products might interest leads can make them more comfortable about talking with salespeople, and the resulting notes will be invaluable during follow-up calls or meetings after the SEMA Show. They can be used to remind buyers about your company and its products.

Ensure that booth personnel understand the key message points your company wants to convey at the Show and that they return to those points in every conversation with each visitor. Use your early planning to develop those points, and employ them in your booth design, graphics, pre-Show promotion, brochures and any Show advertising your company does.

Lead Tracking

Just under half of the buyers who attended the 2013 SEMA Show made purchases while at the event, but a whopping 87% planned to buy during the coming year, and exhibitors averaged between 300 and 500 leads at the 2013 Show.

Collecting business cards or making notes—even notes on an electronic tablet—provides a fair amount of information about the attendees who visit your booth. But the SEMA Show attracts thousands of visitors, many of whom may be pertinent to your specific types of products. The advances in electronic lead retrieval make an automated tracking system almost a requirement.

Electronic systems capture information when a booth visitor simply swipes his or her Show badge. If you make getting that swipe a priority as soon as you’ve established a legitimate buyer as a qualified lead, you’ve captured a mass of data in less than a second.

The electronic lead-retrieval system used at the SEMA Show is an adjunct program of CompuSystems, SEMA’s official registration provider. The company offers a suite of products and services designed to help exhibitors maximize the information they capture and retain on each booth visitor. When a buyer’s badge is swiped in an exhibitor’s CompuSystems device, all of the demographic information that the buyer provided during the registration process is downloaded. Each device also allows booth personnel to quickly key in a series of codes that provide information about the quality of the lead, his or her level of buying authority, the type of follow-up contact that will be most appreciated (e-mail, regular mail or a phone call) and whether the lead was provided with literature or a product demonstration.

CompuSystems offers four different CompuLEAD retrieval products that range from a handheld device with a touchscreen and stylus to a desktop unit that reads attendee badges and prints sales lead reports. All include 10 standard qualifier codes and four standard survey questions but can also be outfitted with up to 99 custom lead qualifiers for additional charges. There’s even a unit that uses the exhibitor’s own iPhone or Android device to capture leads both on and off the SEMA Show floor. Other options include printers and the ability to send electronic literature to leads from within the smartphone app.

	When a buyer’s badge is swiped in an exhibitor’s CompuSystems device, all of the demographic information that the buyer provided during the registration process is downloaded. The exhibitor can then use that information in creating a database of leads and following up with hot prospects after the SEMA Show.

CompuSystems also offers to come to the exhibitor’s booth to assist in setup of its device and ensure that the booth team is familiar with the device’s operation and features. All of the units require electricity either to power up the device or to recharge the mobile units.

Utilizing a combination of the electronic scanners, business cards and manual notes guarantees that an exhibitor captures all of the information needed to create a mailing list for all levels of leads and also make immediate follow-up calls on the most qualified contacts. For those high-value qualifiers, exhibitors should try to coordinate a specific day, time and means of contact for the follow-up with each lead. With the advent of smartphones, most buyers will be able to access their calendars and set meeting or call times on the spot.

Post-Show Follow-Up

Part of your planning before the SEMA Show should include the timing and means by which you will follow up with the leads your company generates. Surveys indicate that salespeople do not follow up an amazing 80% of all leads, so this step in the process can put your company miles ahead of its competitors. Be sure that your salespeople understand the importance of this step, and have a system in place to track their progress and reward successes.

If your sales team has categorized the contacts made at the Show using some hierarchy—A, B and C levels or hot, warm and cold leads—you should be able to categorize how quickly to follow up with each one. The most qualified or interested leads should be contacted within only a few days and no more than a week after the SEMA Show. You might send the next level of contacts a personalized e-mail using details from your Show notes. And even the lowest rung of leads can be added to your e-mail lists or your catalog distribution.

Whatever system you use, make follow-up a priority mission. Experts say that the best time to contact leads is between 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays or Thursdays. At the conclusion of the first contact, make a note of when to make the next call or visit, and don’t hesitate to invite your leads, regardless of their position in the hierarchy, to visit your facility and learn more about your company.

CompuSystems also offers post-event follow-up services for both exhibitors and attendees. The company’s myLeads follow-up services are included free with all CompuLEAD rentals. Exhibitors can keep track of the attendees who visited their booths, view and print lead lists, send broadcast e-mails to their lists, print mailing labels from their lists and create reports based on lead ranking, profile, leads by the hour and by geographical distribution. Attendees can view and download company information for the exhibitors they visited and send follow-up e-mails to the exhibitors.

The reasons for exhibiting at the SEMA Show are developing business relationships and creating sales. Collecting, qualifying and following up with leads is the best way to perform both functions.