SEMA News—September 2014

EVENTS
By Mike Imlay

Attract Buyers Before the SEMA Show

Four Expert Tips for Building Online Buzz for Your Booth Starting Today

In today’s world, one of the best ways to do so is through your website and related online properties. To find out how you can leverage your web presence starting today, SEMA News turned to Tom Marx, president and CEO of The Marx Group, a recognized marketing communications leader in the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarkets. He offered four expert tips that every business can easily follow, even as the clock ticks down to the Show.

1. Invest in Google AdWords

“One of the first things to think about is purchasing Google AdWords,” Marx suggested, referring to Google’s service where advertisers “bid” on keyword advertising related to their products as well as the maximum cost per click that they’re willing to pay each time their ad is selected. “With Google AdWords, you extend your reach into algorithms, which gives you greater contact and the ability to rise higher up on their search engines, so that’s one way to start to develop some opportunities.”

We know what you’re probably thinking: How does an advertising program typically targeted at consumers help pull buyer traffic to your company website, let alone to your booth at the SEMA Show? But there’s a solid strategy behind Marx’s tactical advice.

“People often look at Google AdWords simply as something to drive customer sales to them, but what they don’t realize is that the business-to-business (B2B) sector is looking at the same sites that your customers and users are looking at,” he said. “By bringing a higher level of traffic, the result is more eyes on your site and, ultimately, more people going to your booth at the SEMA Show.

“For example, we had a client last year who was selling performance cylinder heads. He had come up with the name Lightning for them, and he ended up buying and using keywords around ‘performance cylinder heads,’ ‘racing cylinder heads’ and ‘high-performance cylinder heads.’ It increased his traffic probably about three-fold over previous numbers, which we checked through Google Analytics. He also tied a promotion to his efforts, including a naming contest for the product. The result was all these things combined to bring significant traffic to his booth when he got to the Show.”

2. Create a Social Media Promo

The above anecdote brings us to a second important pointer from Marx. Social media is literally all about buzz, so it’s crucial to leverage it to build anticipation about your booth long before the Show. Perhaps there’s no better way to accomplish this than an online promotion.

Whatever the specific promotion, said Marx, the end goal is really about the significant traffic boost your company website will get, which will not only raise its ranking in search engines but also gain more eyes for your products, services and upcoming presence at the Show.

“The strategy here has to be based upon what will drive an audience,” emphasized Marx. “For example, one of our clients last year had a photo gallery. People would shoot a photograph of their car with the company’s product, go online and load it to a photo gallery. The company would then choose a person a month to win a gas card and, eventually, one person to win a $9,000 prize. That drove a lot of traffic back to the company site by using Facebook to actually promote the promotion. Back at the site, they had to upload their photograph and register to win, etc. It created a lot of buzz, and that buzz translated to a lot more traffic at the Show. Then, at the Show itself, the company gave away the $9,000 check to the person who actually won the grand prize, and that in turn got publicity because it caught the interest of the media. It further gave the company an opportunity to generate its own press releases as well.”

3. Put Out a Wire Release

Speaking of press releases, they offer perhaps the simplest and most efficient means of generating advance word of your Show plans. But don’t rely on your website and social media accounts alone to disseminate them.

“Consider doing a wire release to the automotive aftermarket using PR Newswire,” Marks suggested. “That also places you higher up on search engines and starts to bring awareness to your website. I don’t think people realize the full value of press releases or how much a PR Newswire release gets picked up by the media and how much that really can impact your website traffic. In fact, PR Newswire is probably the easiest and best service to use for somebody who may be a neophyte to this. We at The Marx Group also use MarketWired and several different outlets.”

Note as well that the SEMA Show also offers an Online Media Center (available at www.SEMAShow.com/press) to circulate press releases in advance of the event. Not only will media outlets have access to your news, but SEMA’s own editorial staff will also often make use of releases uploaded there for various association publications, including SEMA News, SEMA Show Daily and SEMA eNews. There is no charge to submit a release, and it will appear online for all journalists to access.

“The key is that you’ll also want to load all of your public relations releases onto your website so that people can also go there to find them,” added Marx. “In fact, a newsroom on your website that contains all of your latest information is important. Frankly, you should set up a regular press release schedule, like once a month, because that brings a lot of traffic to your site, builds awareness and improves your search-engine results as well.”

4. Integrate Your Marketing

Moreover, invest in the sort of floor and follow-up efforts that can make this year’s Show the beginning of a marketing strategy that sparks and builds buzz for your booth next year.

“After the event, put up a photo gallery of people who came to your exhibit,” Marx said. “Get testimonials from people at the booth about your product or service—how well it sells, how good it does, how it improves performance, how people like the appearance of it. Gather some success stories from the B2B people at the event and possibly think about doing a survey at the event where people can use an iPad or a tablet. Post the results of that survey on a special homepage off your website that drives traffic to your site. People like to see pictures of themselves as well as obtain further information.”

Finally, don’t be afraid to tap into the consumer-trade synergy inherent in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. Although the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, keep your consumer base apprised of what you’re doing there and find ways for them to participate in the excitement through your website and social media.

“When you look at what goes on at the SEMA Show, there are a lot of small-business people who are enthusiasts as well,” Marx concluded. “I think you’ll find that if you bring the trade in, you’ll bring the consumers with them. We live in a funny industry. Oftentimes, the B2B side is reading the same media that the business-to-consumer side is reading. If they see a promotion that is geared toward a consumer, it impacts their enthusiasm for wanting to be more aggressive in selling your product, because they know that you’re doing the job of promoting yourself.”

SEMA News—September 2014

EVENTS
By Mike Imlay

Attract Buyers Before the SEMA Show

Four Expert Tips for Building Online Buzz for Your Booth Starting Today

In today’s world, one of the best ways to do so is through your website and related online properties. To find out how you can leverage your web presence starting today, SEMA News turned to Tom Marx, president and CEO of The Marx Group, a recognized marketing communications leader in the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarkets. He offered four expert tips that every business can easily follow, even as the clock ticks down to the Show.

1. Invest in Google AdWords

“One of the first things to think about is purchasing Google AdWords,” Marx suggested, referring to Google’s service where advertisers “bid” on keyword advertising related to their products as well as the maximum cost per click that they’re willing to pay each time their ad is selected. “With Google AdWords, you extend your reach into algorithms, which gives you greater contact and the ability to rise higher up on their search engines, so that’s one way to start to develop some opportunities.”

We know what you’re probably thinking: How does an advertising program typically targeted at consumers help pull buyer traffic to your company website, let alone to your booth at the SEMA Show? But there’s a solid strategy behind Marx’s tactical advice.

“People often look at Google AdWords simply as something to drive customer sales to them, but what they don’t realize is that the business-to-business (B2B) sector is looking at the same sites that your customers and users are looking at,” he said. “By bringing a higher level of traffic, the result is more eyes on your site and, ultimately, more people going to your booth at the SEMA Show.

“For example, we had a client last year who was selling performance cylinder heads. He had come up with the name Lightning for them, and he ended up buying and using keywords around ‘performance cylinder heads,’ ‘racing cylinder heads’ and ‘high-performance cylinder heads.’ It increased his traffic probably about three-fold over previous numbers, which we checked through Google Analytics. He also tied a promotion to his efforts, including a naming contest for the product. The result was all these things combined to bring significant traffic to his booth when he got to the Show.”

2. Create a Social Media Promo

The above anecdote brings us to a second important pointer from Marx. Social media is literally all about buzz, so it’s crucial to leverage it to build anticipation about your booth long before the Show. Perhaps there’s no better way to accomplish this than an online promotion.

Whatever the specific promotion, said Marx, the end goal is really about the significant traffic boost your company website will get, which will not only raise its ranking in search engines but also gain more eyes for your products, services and upcoming presence at the Show.

“The strategy here has to be based upon what will drive an audience,” emphasized Marx. “For example, one of our clients last year had a photo gallery. People would shoot a photograph of their car with the company’s product, go online and load it to a photo gallery. The company would then choose a person a month to win a gas card and, eventually, one person to win a $9,000 prize. That drove a lot of traffic back to the company site by using Facebook to actually promote the promotion. Back at the site, they had to upload their photograph and register to win, etc. It created a lot of buzz, and that buzz translated to a lot more traffic at the Show. Then, at the Show itself, the company gave away the $9,000 check to the person who actually won the grand prize, and that in turn got publicity because it caught the interest of the media. It further gave the company an opportunity to generate its own press releases as well.”

3. Put Out a Wire Release

Speaking of press releases, they offer perhaps the simplest and most efficient means of generating advance word of your Show plans. But don’t rely on your website and social media accounts alone to disseminate them.

“Consider doing a wire release to the automotive aftermarket using PR Newswire,” Marks suggested. “That also places you higher up on search engines and starts to bring awareness to your website. I don’t think people realize the full value of press releases or how much a PR Newswire release gets picked up by the media and how much that really can impact your website traffic. In fact, PR Newswire is probably the easiest and best service to use for somebody who may be a neophyte to this. We at The Marx Group also use MarketWired and several different outlets.”

Note as well that the SEMA Show also offers an Online Media Center (available at www.SEMAShow.com/press) to circulate press releases in advance of the event. Not only will media outlets have access to your news, but SEMA’s own editorial staff will also often make use of releases uploaded there for various association publications, including SEMA News, SEMA Show Daily and SEMA eNews. There is no charge to submit a release, and it will appear online for all journalists to access.

“The key is that you’ll also want to load all of your public relations releases onto your website so that people can also go there to find them,” added Marx. “In fact, a newsroom on your website that contains all of your latest information is important. Frankly, you should set up a regular press release schedule, like once a month, because that brings a lot of traffic to your site, builds awareness and improves your search-engine results as well.”

4. Integrate Your Marketing

Moreover, invest in the sort of floor and follow-up efforts that can make this year’s Show the beginning of a marketing strategy that sparks and builds buzz for your booth next year.

“After the event, put up a photo gallery of people who came to your exhibit,” Marx said. “Get testimonials from people at the booth about your product or service—how well it sells, how good it does, how it improves performance, how people like the appearance of it. Gather some success stories from the B2B people at the event and possibly think about doing a survey at the event where people can use an iPad or a tablet. Post the results of that survey on a special homepage off your website that drives traffic to your site. People like to see pictures of themselves as well as obtain further information.”

Finally, don’t be afraid to tap into the consumer-trade synergy inherent in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. Although the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, keep your consumer base apprised of what you’re doing there and find ways for them to participate in the excitement through your website and social media.

“When you look at what goes on at the SEMA Show, there are a lot of small-business people who are enthusiasts as well,” Marx concluded. “I think you’ll find that if you bring the trade in, you’ll bring the consumers with them. We live in a funny industry. Oftentimes, the B2B side is reading the same media that the business-to-consumer side is reading. If they see a promotion that is geared toward a consumer, it impacts their enthusiasm for wanting to be more aggressive in selling your product, because they know that you’re doing the job of promoting yourself.”

SEMA News—September 2014

EVENTS
By Mike Imlay

Attract Buyers Before the SEMA Show

Four Expert Tips for Building Online Buzz for Your Booth Starting Today

In today’s world, one of the best ways to do so is through your website and related online properties. To find out how you can leverage your web presence starting today, SEMA News turned to Tom Marx, president and CEO of The Marx Group, a recognized marketing communications leader in the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarkets. He offered four expert tips that every business can easily follow, even as the clock ticks down to the Show.

1. Invest in Google AdWords

“One of the first things to think about is purchasing Google AdWords,” Marx suggested, referring to Google’s service where advertisers “bid” on keyword advertising related to their products as well as the maximum cost per click that they’re willing to pay each time their ad is selected. “With Google AdWords, you extend your reach into algorithms, which gives you greater contact and the ability to rise higher up on their search engines, so that’s one way to start to develop some opportunities.”

We know what you’re probably thinking: How does an advertising program typically targeted at consumers help pull buyer traffic to your company website, let alone to your booth at the SEMA Show? But there’s a solid strategy behind Marx’s tactical advice.

“People often look at Google AdWords simply as something to drive customer sales to them, but what they don’t realize is that the business-to-business (B2B) sector is looking at the same sites that your customers and users are looking at,” he said. “By bringing a higher level of traffic, the result is more eyes on your site and, ultimately, more people going to your booth at the SEMA Show.

“For example, we had a client last year who was selling performance cylinder heads. He had come up with the name Lightning for them, and he ended up buying and using keywords around ‘performance cylinder heads,’ ‘racing cylinder heads’ and ‘high-performance cylinder heads.’ It increased his traffic probably about three-fold over previous numbers, which we checked through Google Analytics. He also tied a promotion to his efforts, including a naming contest for the product. The result was all these things combined to bring significant traffic to his booth when he got to the Show.”

2. Create a Social Media Promo

The above anecdote brings us to a second important pointer from Marx. Social media is literally all about buzz, so it’s crucial to leverage it to build anticipation about your booth long before the Show. Perhaps there’s no better way to accomplish this than an online promotion.

Whatever the specific promotion, said Marx, the end goal is really about the significant traffic boost your company website will get, which will not only raise its ranking in search engines but also gain more eyes for your products, services and upcoming presence at the Show.

“The strategy here has to be based upon what will drive an audience,” emphasized Marx. “For example, one of our clients last year had a photo gallery. People would shoot a photograph of their car with the company’s product, go online and load it to a photo gallery. The company would then choose a person a month to win a gas card and, eventually, one person to win a $9,000 prize. That drove a lot of traffic back to the company site by using Facebook to actually promote the promotion. Back at the site, they had to upload their photograph and register to win, etc. It created a lot of buzz, and that buzz translated to a lot more traffic at the Show. Then, at the Show itself, the company gave away the $9,000 check to the person who actually won the grand prize, and that in turn got publicity because it caught the interest of the media. It further gave the company an opportunity to generate its own press releases as well.”

3. Put Out a Wire Release

Speaking of press releases, they offer perhaps the simplest and most efficient means of generating advance word of your Show plans. But don’t rely on your website and social media accounts alone to disseminate them.

“Consider doing a wire release to the automotive aftermarket using PR Newswire,” Marks suggested. “That also places you higher up on search engines and starts to bring awareness to your website. I don’t think people realize the full value of press releases or how much a PR Newswire release gets picked up by the media and how much that really can impact your website traffic. In fact, PR Newswire is probably the easiest and best service to use for somebody who may be a neophyte to this. We at The Marx Group also use MarketWired and several different outlets.”

Note as well that the SEMA Show also offers an Online Media Center (available at www.SEMAShow.com/press) to circulate press releases in advance of the event. Not only will media outlets have access to your news, but SEMA’s own editorial staff will also often make use of releases uploaded there for various association publications, including SEMA News, SEMA Show Daily and SEMA eNews. There is no charge to submit a release, and it will appear online for all journalists to access.

“The key is that you’ll also want to load all of your public relations releases onto your website so that people can also go there to find them,” added Marx. “In fact, a newsroom on your website that contains all of your latest information is important. Frankly, you should set up a regular press release schedule, like once a month, because that brings a lot of traffic to your site, builds awareness and improves your search-engine results as well.”

4. Integrate Your Marketing

Moreover, invest in the sort of floor and follow-up efforts that can make this year’s Show the beginning of a marketing strategy that sparks and builds buzz for your booth next year.

“After the event, put up a photo gallery of people who came to your exhibit,” Marx said. “Get testimonials from people at the booth about your product or service—how well it sells, how good it does, how it improves performance, how people like the appearance of it. Gather some success stories from the B2B people at the event and possibly think about doing a survey at the event where people can use an iPad or a tablet. Post the results of that survey on a special homepage off your website that drives traffic to your site. People like to see pictures of themselves as well as obtain further information.”

Finally, don’t be afraid to tap into the consumer-trade synergy inherent in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. Although the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, keep your consumer base apprised of what you’re doing there and find ways for them to participate in the excitement through your website and social media.

“When you look at what goes on at the SEMA Show, there are a lot of small-business people who are enthusiasts as well,” Marx concluded. “I think you’ll find that if you bring the trade in, you’ll bring the consumers with them. We live in a funny industry. Oftentimes, the B2B side is reading the same media that the business-to-consumer side is reading. If they see a promotion that is geared toward a consumer, it impacts their enthusiasm for wanting to be more aggressive in selling your product, because they know that you’re doing the job of promoting yourself.”

SEMA News—September 2014

EVENTS
By Mike Imlay

Attract Buyers Before the SEMA Show

Four Expert Tips for Building Online Buzz for Your Booth Starting Today

In today’s world, one of the best ways to do so is through your website and related online properties. To find out how you can leverage your web presence starting today, SEMA News turned to Tom Marx, president and CEO of The Marx Group, a recognized marketing communications leader in the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarkets. He offered four expert tips that every business can easily follow, even as the clock ticks down to the Show.

1. Invest in Google AdWords

“One of the first things to think about is purchasing Google AdWords,” Marx suggested, referring to Google’s service where advertisers “bid” on keyword advertising related to their products as well as the maximum cost per click that they’re willing to pay each time their ad is selected. “With Google AdWords, you extend your reach into algorithms, which gives you greater contact and the ability to rise higher up on their search engines, so that’s one way to start to develop some opportunities.”

We know what you’re probably thinking: How does an advertising program typically targeted at consumers help pull buyer traffic to your company website, let alone to your booth at the SEMA Show? But there’s a solid strategy behind Marx’s tactical advice.

“People often look at Google AdWords simply as something to drive customer sales to them, but what they don’t realize is that the business-to-business (B2B) sector is looking at the same sites that your customers and users are looking at,” he said. “By bringing a higher level of traffic, the result is more eyes on your site and, ultimately, more people going to your booth at the SEMA Show.

“For example, we had a client last year who was selling performance cylinder heads. He had come up with the name Lightning for them, and he ended up buying and using keywords around ‘performance cylinder heads,’ ‘racing cylinder heads’ and ‘high-performance cylinder heads.’ It increased his traffic probably about three-fold over previous numbers, which we checked through Google Analytics. He also tied a promotion to his efforts, including a naming contest for the product. The result was all these things combined to bring significant traffic to his booth when he got to the Show.”

2. Create a Social Media Promo

The above anecdote brings us to a second important pointer from Marx. Social media is literally all about buzz, so it’s crucial to leverage it to build anticipation about your booth long before the Show. Perhaps there’s no better way to accomplish this than an online promotion.

Whatever the specific promotion, said Marx, the end goal is really about the significant traffic boost your company website will get, which will not only raise its ranking in search engines but also gain more eyes for your products, services and upcoming presence at the Show.

“The strategy here has to be based upon what will drive an audience,” emphasized Marx. “For example, one of our clients last year had a photo gallery. People would shoot a photograph of their car with the company’s product, go online and load it to a photo gallery. The company would then choose a person a month to win a gas card and, eventually, one person to win a $9,000 prize. That drove a lot of traffic back to the company site by using Facebook to actually promote the promotion. Back at the site, they had to upload their photograph and register to win, etc. It created a lot of buzz, and that buzz translated to a lot more traffic at the Show. Then, at the Show itself, the company gave away the $9,000 check to the person who actually won the grand prize, and that in turn got publicity because it caught the interest of the media. It further gave the company an opportunity to generate its own press releases as well.”

3. Put Out a Wire Release

Speaking of press releases, they offer perhaps the simplest and most efficient means of generating advance word of your Show plans. But don’t rely on your website and social media accounts alone to disseminate them.

“Consider doing a wire release to the automotive aftermarket using PR Newswire,” Marks suggested. “That also places you higher up on search engines and starts to bring awareness to your website. I don’t think people realize the full value of press releases or how much a PR Newswire release gets picked up by the media and how much that really can impact your website traffic. In fact, PR Newswire is probably the easiest and best service to use for somebody who may be a neophyte to this. We at The Marx Group also use MarketWired and several different outlets.”

Note as well that the SEMA Show also offers an Online Media Center (available at www.SEMAShow.com/press) to circulate press releases in advance of the event. Not only will media outlets have access to your news, but SEMA’s own editorial staff will also often make use of releases uploaded there for various association publications, including SEMA News, SEMA Show Daily and SEMA eNews. There is no charge to submit a release, and it will appear online for all journalists to access.

“The key is that you’ll also want to load all of your public relations releases onto your website so that people can also go there to find them,” added Marx. “In fact, a newsroom on your website that contains all of your latest information is important. Frankly, you should set up a regular press release schedule, like once a month, because that brings a lot of traffic to your site, builds awareness and improves your search-engine results as well.”

4. Integrate Your Marketing

Moreover, invest in the sort of floor and follow-up efforts that can make this year’s Show the beginning of a marketing strategy that sparks and builds buzz for your booth next year.

“After the event, put up a photo gallery of people who came to your exhibit,” Marx said. “Get testimonials from people at the booth about your product or service—how well it sells, how good it does, how it improves performance, how people like the appearance of it. Gather some success stories from the B2B people at the event and possibly think about doing a survey at the event where people can use an iPad or a tablet. Post the results of that survey on a special homepage off your website that drives traffic to your site. People like to see pictures of themselves as well as obtain further information.”

Finally, don’t be afraid to tap into the consumer-trade synergy inherent in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. Although the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, keep your consumer base apprised of what you’re doing there and find ways for them to participate in the excitement through your website and social media.

“When you look at what goes on at the SEMA Show, there are a lot of small-business people who are enthusiasts as well,” Marx concluded. “I think you’ll find that if you bring the trade in, you’ll bring the consumers with them. We live in a funny industry. Oftentimes, the B2B side is reading the same media that the business-to-consumer side is reading. If they see a promotion that is geared toward a consumer, it impacts their enthusiasm for wanting to be more aggressive in selling your product, because they know that you’re doing the job of promoting yourself.”

SEMA News—September 2014

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Are you Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be?

Arguably one of the greatest hockey players ever to pick up a stick, Wayne Gretzky is also credited with one of the most insightful quotes ever about focus and achievement: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This simple thought captures the essence of staying ahead of the game: Think ahead, pay attention to where things are going, and go for it! Whether you are anticipating future trends in automotive accessories and performance or you’re staying on point with business technology, it’s critical to always be looking forward.

The same certainly applies when acting on the rapidly growing demands for quality, standards-compliant product data. I have said many times that those who are taking a wait-and-see attitude about their data will soon find themselves on the outside looking in as more-progressive competitors suddenly command front-stage visibility. How? With ready availability of quality product data, well maintained and expertly distributed, that creates a saturation of consumer awareness and brand recognition. Remember, more than 50% of consumers in the automotive specialty parts space use the Internet to research what products they are going to buy. If you are “data challenged,” you are as good as invisible on search engines such as Google and Bing.

And don’t assume for a second that customers will expend extra energy to find you because you have been around for 50 years or your stuff is way better than the other guy’s. Visibility is becoming more and more relevant every day, and the attention span of consumers is getting shorter and shorter. It’s often been said by Internet marketers that if you aren’t on the first page of Google results for search terms around your product or service, you aren’t being seen. Test it out for yourself. You might very well find that a search for your product category produces little or nothing for your brand, or maybe you are being saved by a few customers who are savvy about search-engine optimization. Is that going to drive the sales growth you are looking for in the next three, five or 10 years?

In this case, the “puck” is going to be in electronic form rather than where it has been in years past—i.e., paper catalogs, telephone calls and that event trailer you spend so much money on every year. We are hearing more and more from progressive manufacturers and retailers who have already stopped printing paper catalogs or are thinking hard about it. And what are they investing this saved money in? Websites, electronic catalogs, mobile capabilities, all powered by…you guessed it, product data.

And by the way, did you know that you can load, validate to the standards, securely store and distribute your product data with the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)to an unlimited number of customers for as little as $1,000 a year? Even the biggest companies in our marketplace simply can’t spend more than $600 a month to use the SDC’s powerful data-management system, and there are no upfront costs to get started! Oh, and there’s that free Help Desk support and some of the industry’s leading experts available to provide all the help you need.

So go check that budget and remind yourself how much you spend each year on customer dinners, sales calls and events. You might find that it’s pretty easy to see the value of an industry-owned and -operated solution that can and will help you get your data up to world-class standards and provide an easy way to manage it going forward—all at a pretty darn good price.

Check out the SDC. We’ll be happy to help you get up to speed in a hurry. We’ll give you the stick, help you navigate the ice and point you to exactly where the puck is going.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at jimg@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—September 2014

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Are you Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be?

Arguably one of the greatest hockey players ever to pick up a stick, Wayne Gretzky is also credited with one of the most insightful quotes ever about focus and achievement: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This simple thought captures the essence of staying ahead of the game: Think ahead, pay attention to where things are going, and go for it! Whether you are anticipating future trends in automotive accessories and performance or you’re staying on point with business technology, it’s critical to always be looking forward.

The same certainly applies when acting on the rapidly growing demands for quality, standards-compliant product data. I have said many times that those who are taking a wait-and-see attitude about their data will soon find themselves on the outside looking in as more-progressive competitors suddenly command front-stage visibility. How? With ready availability of quality product data, well maintained and expertly distributed, that creates a saturation of consumer awareness and brand recognition. Remember, more than 50% of consumers in the automotive specialty parts space use the Internet to research what products they are going to buy. If you are “data challenged,” you are as good as invisible on search engines such as Google and Bing.

And don’t assume for a second that customers will expend extra energy to find you because you have been around for 50 years or your stuff is way better than the other guy’s. Visibility is becoming more and more relevant every day, and the attention span of consumers is getting shorter and shorter. It’s often been said by Internet marketers that if you aren’t on the first page of Google results for search terms around your product or service, you aren’t being seen. Test it out for yourself. You might very well find that a search for your product category produces little or nothing for your brand, or maybe you are being saved by a few customers who are savvy about search-engine optimization. Is that going to drive the sales growth you are looking for in the next three, five or 10 years?

In this case, the “puck” is going to be in electronic form rather than where it has been in years past—i.e., paper catalogs, telephone calls and that event trailer you spend so much money on every year. We are hearing more and more from progressive manufacturers and retailers who have already stopped printing paper catalogs or are thinking hard about it. And what are they investing this saved money in? Websites, electronic catalogs, mobile capabilities, all powered by…you guessed it, product data.

And by the way, did you know that you can load, validate to the standards, securely store and distribute your product data with the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)to an unlimited number of customers for as little as $1,000 a year? Even the biggest companies in our marketplace simply can’t spend more than $600 a month to use the SDC’s powerful data-management system, and there are no upfront costs to get started! Oh, and there’s that free Help Desk support and some of the industry’s leading experts available to provide all the help you need.

So go check that budget and remind yourself how much you spend each year on customer dinners, sales calls and events. You might find that it’s pretty easy to see the value of an industry-owned and -operated solution that can and will help you get your data up to world-class standards and provide an easy way to manage it going forward—all at a pretty darn good price.

Check out the SDC. We’ll be happy to help you get up to speed in a hurry. We’ll give you the stick, help you navigate the ice and point you to exactly where the puck is going.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at jimg@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—September 2014

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Are you Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be?

Arguably one of the greatest hockey players ever to pick up a stick, Wayne Gretzky is also credited with one of the most insightful quotes ever about focus and achievement: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This simple thought captures the essence of staying ahead of the game: Think ahead, pay attention to where things are going, and go for it! Whether you are anticipating future trends in automotive accessories and performance or you’re staying on point with business technology, it’s critical to always be looking forward.

The same certainly applies when acting on the rapidly growing demands for quality, standards-compliant product data. I have said many times that those who are taking a wait-and-see attitude about their data will soon find themselves on the outside looking in as more-progressive competitors suddenly command front-stage visibility. How? With ready availability of quality product data, well maintained and expertly distributed, that creates a saturation of consumer awareness and brand recognition. Remember, more than 50% of consumers in the automotive specialty parts space use the Internet to research what products they are going to buy. If you are “data challenged,” you are as good as invisible on search engines such as Google and Bing.

And don’t assume for a second that customers will expend extra energy to find you because you have been around for 50 years or your stuff is way better than the other guy’s. Visibility is becoming more and more relevant every day, and the attention span of consumers is getting shorter and shorter. It’s often been said by Internet marketers that if you aren’t on the first page of Google results for search terms around your product or service, you aren’t being seen. Test it out for yourself. You might very well find that a search for your product category produces little or nothing for your brand, or maybe you are being saved by a few customers who are savvy about search-engine optimization. Is that going to drive the sales growth you are looking for in the next three, five or 10 years?

In this case, the “puck” is going to be in electronic form rather than where it has been in years past—i.e., paper catalogs, telephone calls and that event trailer you spend so much money on every year. We are hearing more and more from progressive manufacturers and retailers who have already stopped printing paper catalogs or are thinking hard about it. And what are they investing this saved money in? Websites, electronic catalogs, mobile capabilities, all powered by…you guessed it, product data.

And by the way, did you know that you can load, validate to the standards, securely store and distribute your product data with the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)to an unlimited number of customers for as little as $1,000 a year? Even the biggest companies in our marketplace simply can’t spend more than $600 a month to use the SDC’s powerful data-management system, and there are no upfront costs to get started! Oh, and there’s that free Help Desk support and some of the industry’s leading experts available to provide all the help you need.

So go check that budget and remind yourself how much you spend each year on customer dinners, sales calls and events. You might find that it’s pretty easy to see the value of an industry-owned and -operated solution that can and will help you get your data up to world-class standards and provide an easy way to manage it going forward—all at a pretty darn good price.

Check out the SDC. We’ll be happy to help you get up to speed in a hurry. We’ll give you the stick, help you navigate the ice and point you to exactly where the puck is going.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at jimg@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—September 2014

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Are you Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be?

Arguably one of the greatest hockey players ever to pick up a stick, Wayne Gretzky is also credited with one of the most insightful quotes ever about focus and achievement: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This simple thought captures the essence of staying ahead of the game: Think ahead, pay attention to where things are going, and go for it! Whether you are anticipating future trends in automotive accessories and performance or you’re staying on point with business technology, it’s critical to always be looking forward.

The same certainly applies when acting on the rapidly growing demands for quality, standards-compliant product data. I have said many times that those who are taking a wait-and-see attitude about their data will soon find themselves on the outside looking in as more-progressive competitors suddenly command front-stage visibility. How? With ready availability of quality product data, well maintained and expertly distributed, that creates a saturation of consumer awareness and brand recognition. Remember, more than 50% of consumers in the automotive specialty parts space use the Internet to research what products they are going to buy. If you are “data challenged,” you are as good as invisible on search engines such as Google and Bing.

And don’t assume for a second that customers will expend extra energy to find you because you have been around for 50 years or your stuff is way better than the other guy’s. Visibility is becoming more and more relevant every day, and the attention span of consumers is getting shorter and shorter. It’s often been said by Internet marketers that if you aren’t on the first page of Google results for search terms around your product or service, you aren’t being seen. Test it out for yourself. You might very well find that a search for your product category produces little or nothing for your brand, or maybe you are being saved by a few customers who are savvy about search-engine optimization. Is that going to drive the sales growth you are looking for in the next three, five or 10 years?

In this case, the “puck” is going to be in electronic form rather than where it has been in years past—i.e., paper catalogs, telephone calls and that event trailer you spend so much money on every year. We are hearing more and more from progressive manufacturers and retailers who have already stopped printing paper catalogs or are thinking hard about it. And what are they investing this saved money in? Websites, electronic catalogs, mobile capabilities, all powered by…you guessed it, product data.

And by the way, did you know that you can load, validate to the standards, securely store and distribute your product data with the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)to an unlimited number of customers for as little as $1,000 a year? Even the biggest companies in our marketplace simply can’t spend more than $600 a month to use the SDC’s powerful data-management system, and there are no upfront costs to get started! Oh, and there’s that free Help Desk support and some of the industry’s leading experts available to provide all the help you need.

So go check that budget and remind yourself how much you spend each year on customer dinners, sales calls and events. You might find that it’s pretty easy to see the value of an industry-owned and -operated solution that can and will help you get your data up to world-class standards and provide an easy way to manage it going forward—all at a pretty darn good price.

Check out the SDC. We’ll be happy to help you get up to speed in a hurry. We’ll give you the stick, help you navigate the ice and point you to exactly where the puck is going.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at jimg@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—September 2014

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Are you Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be?

Arguably one of the greatest hockey players ever to pick up a stick, Wayne Gretzky is also credited with one of the most insightful quotes ever about focus and achievement: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This simple thought captures the essence of staying ahead of the game: Think ahead, pay attention to where things are going, and go for it! Whether you are anticipating future trends in automotive accessories and performance or you’re staying on point with business technology, it’s critical to always be looking forward.

The same certainly applies when acting on the rapidly growing demands for quality, standards-compliant product data. I have said many times that those who are taking a wait-and-see attitude about their data will soon find themselves on the outside looking in as more-progressive competitors suddenly command front-stage visibility. How? With ready availability of quality product data, well maintained and expertly distributed, that creates a saturation of consumer awareness and brand recognition. Remember, more than 50% of consumers in the automotive specialty parts space use the Internet to research what products they are going to buy. If you are “data challenged,” you are as good as invisible on search engines such as Google and Bing.

And don’t assume for a second that customers will expend extra energy to find you because you have been around for 50 years or your stuff is way better than the other guy’s. Visibility is becoming more and more relevant every day, and the attention span of consumers is getting shorter and shorter. It’s often been said by Internet marketers that if you aren’t on the first page of Google results for search terms around your product or service, you aren’t being seen. Test it out for yourself. You might very well find that a search for your product category produces little or nothing for your brand, or maybe you are being saved by a few customers who are savvy about search-engine optimization. Is that going to drive the sales growth you are looking for in the next three, five or 10 years?

In this case, the “puck” is going to be in electronic form rather than where it has been in years past—i.e., paper catalogs, telephone calls and that event trailer you spend so much money on every year. We are hearing more and more from progressive manufacturers and retailers who have already stopped printing paper catalogs or are thinking hard about it. And what are they investing this saved money in? Websites, electronic catalogs, mobile capabilities, all powered by…you guessed it, product data.

And by the way, did you know that you can load, validate to the standards, securely store and distribute your product data with the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)to an unlimited number of customers for as little as $1,000 a year? Even the biggest companies in our marketplace simply can’t spend more than $600 a month to use the SDC’s powerful data-management system, and there are no upfront costs to get started! Oh, and there’s that free Help Desk support and some of the industry’s leading experts available to provide all the help you need.

So go check that budget and remind yourself how much you spend each year on customer dinners, sales calls and events. You might find that it’s pretty easy to see the value of an industry-owned and -operated solution that can and will help you get your data up to world-class standards and provide an easy way to manage it going forward—all at a pretty darn good price.

Check out the SDC. We’ll be happy to help you get up to speed in a hurry. We’ll give you the stick, help you navigate the ice and point you to exactly where the puck is going.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at jimg@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—September 2014

CHRIS KERSTING

Recruiting and Cultivating for the Future

For decades now, SEMA members have expressed concern about the aging of the automotive specialty segment and the number of young enthusiasts entering the marketplace and our workforce. Addressing those concerns, SEMA has developed a number of initiatives, many of which have matured and grown. There has been expansion of the SEMA Young Executive Network (YEN), now 1,300 strong; development of a robust student program that brings 500-plus automotive students to the SEMA Show each year; and substantial support of other productive youth-oriented automotive programs, such as Hot Rodders of Tomorrow.

More recently, we’ve initiated the Gen III Innovator award to identify and recognize outstanding talent and, for the third year now, we are honoring 35 young individuals who have been recommended by their peers as outstanding examples of innovators and young leaders in our industry. You’ll find the story of this year’s under-35 honorees in this issue, and they are an impressive group. About a third of them work at SEMA-member companies or have some SEMA council affiliation, but many are young people who’ve had little or no prior relationship to the association.

Bridging to future leaders who are not yet a part of the SEMA community is a key opportunity within this program. As a group, the honorees are entrepreneurial in nature, innovative and enthusiastic. Once identified through this peer-to-peer program, we look for appropriate ways to help them succeed with their businesses, become involved in SEMA and, we hope, propel the future success of the industry.

The initiatives I’ve noted have already made a difference when it comes to attracting and integrating young people into our industry. But we are always looking for new and promising ideas.

One new initiative created by YEN came to fruition earlier this summer, when SEMA embedded 10 YEN members into the Hot Rod Power Tour. This experience gave these future leaders new insights into the industry and personal access to established industry leaders. Perhaps of greater significance, these outgoing business ambassadors spent the week meeting with young enthusiasts and speaking at vocational and technical schools to highlight our industry as an exciting, attainable career path.

I had the chance to personally witness some of those connections and conversations, and they reminded me of the many stories I’ve heard about how great icons in our industry were initially inspired by encounters with people who had already succeeded in turning their passion into careers. Our ambassadors posted blogs, made videos and tweeted their messages to create a social-media groundswell aimed at a younger generation. The project was a real success.

Another recent project is allowing us to test ways to bring promising young talent into member companies.

The Career Windows Project is an internship—with a twist. Instead of the traditional internship, where an individual might spend a summer working as an entry-level employee in a single department of a business, the Career Windows Project moves the intern through multiple departments in a short amount of time. The intern might spend two or three days in each of several different departments, such as product development, manufacturing, warehousing, customer service, shipping, marketing and administration.

This framework allows the intern to gain a broad view of various roles in a specialty automotive business in perhaps three weeks. It makes for a reasonable commitment by the host company, and the intern can see more, try out more workplace roles and assess more career choices within our industry. This kind of program also benefits the company by gaining access to strong future prospects for employment. The cost, in time and money, is minimized by the short duration of the internship, but the upside is maximized.

We recently conducted a “pilot” Career Windows Project internship here at SEMA headquarters, leading us to the conclusion that this concept—along with more traditional internships—might be something we could coordinate for the industry, matching potential host companies with prospects from the many schools and programs where young people are exploring automotive careers. It’s just one more way that SEMA may be able to help member companies connect with new talent and energy and build companies that can succeed into the future.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO