SEMA News—October 2012

EVENTS

Targeted Educational Programs

Hot Topics at the SEMA Show

	The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) will offer more than 50 free education sessions and several “pay-to-attend” courses during the SEMA Show.

More than 50 educational programs in a number of segment categories will be presented at the 2012 SEMA Show, and you can see the full list in “2012 SEMA Show Education Days Brochure” starting on p. 67. Even so, we wanted to call out a few seminars that are of particular importance.

The Latest Tools, Tips and Tricks to Counter Counterfeits and Knock-Offs

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Sponsored by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) and the Street Performance Council (SPC)
• The panel, moderated by SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Stuart Gosswein, will include Merritt Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm; Steve Lustig of Dickinson Wright; Robb Roby of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear; Kenya Merritt of the FBI; and Jon Ruttencutter of the Department of Homeland Security.

Presented by representatives from federal enforcement agencies and seasoned intellectual-property attorneys, this informative seminar will tackle real-world counterfeit problems that have an impact on SEMA-member companies and will provide tips on how to avoid and combat the threat. The expert panelists will cover a wide range of topics, including protecting intellectual property marketed at trade shows and sold on the Internet; understanding the difference between counterfeit product, unlawful knock-offs and legal imitations; how to train staff or hire private investigators to identify fake merchandise; and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies to seize pirated products and prevent illegal knock-offs.

Are Young Enthusiasts Disappearing?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N255
• Powered by the Young Executives Network (YEN)
• The panel will include James Lawrence of PowerTV, Evan Smith of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine, Jim Ryan of Dirtsports magazine, Mickey Andrade of HRE Wheels, Jim Liaw of Formula Drift and Zach Veach of Andretti Autosport.

Is love for the automobile fading within today’s youth market? This panel discussion will tackle what is possibly the most critical question facing the automotive specialty-equipment industry today. Where will the next generation of automotive enthusiasts come from? How is technology changing the way we reach the next generation? How are we faring in our efforts to compete for the attention of today’s youth?

Join YEN as it hosts this hard-hitting session to tackle this critical issue. The panel will consist of a cross section of industry veterans, newcomers and representatives of Generation Y. There will be a 45-minute moderated presentation followed by 15 minutes of audience questions and answers. Come ready to learn and share your input!

	The SEI sessions will provide an unprecedented opportunity for you to swing into a seminar room while you are at the Show and hear from subject-matter experts and industry veterans.

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor. With more than 30 years of experience in retail, including senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His presentations are designed to provide practical information in a fun and memorable format, earning raving fans along the way.

Shoppers are walking in to your store with loaded weapons: their smartphones. If you choose to ignore this phenomenon, the results can be the demise of your business. Why? Because they can check prices while you are helping another customer; they can scan your barcode and compare your prices to those of any online retailer and buy while your staff is hanging out behind the counter. You can’t ignore it or just “try harder,” as some have suggested. You have to go to battle to win the fight for the customer’s loyalty. You’ll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to neutralize the smartphone weapon.

Selling Like a Pro

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs (see biographical notes above)

The premise is simple: Learn how to move your merchandise and increase your profits. But this seminar is different. Most sales training is hell-bent to focus on making people do something, making employees into robots, making them aggressive, making them “close.” Maybe it worked in the ’50s, but people nowadays can smell someone closing them like something you stepped in.

The reality is that your retail sales are not lost at the register; they are lost due to untrained clerks who do not approach and help your customers. It’s not their fault; many of them have never been taught what to do. But unless your employees can build trust quickly and start relationships with your customers, your merchandise will stay on the shelves. Use this proven system and watch your retail sales increase, your merchandise turn increase and your employee turnover plummet.

	For the latest information on SEMA’s Education Days program, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli of Christine Corelli & Associates. Corelli is the author of five business books, including Wake Up and Smell the Competition, and is the founder, president, and chief creative officer of her own firm. She is a keynote speaker, business columnist and expert facilitator, and she has appeared on CNBC and other media outlets nationwide.

Market forces, consolidation and the economy have caused companies to apply more advanced approaches to sales, marketing and conducting business. Value-added offerings, competitive competence and superior sales skills are key. Based on the popular book of the same title, this hard-hitting presentation will identify what smart companies are doing to position themselves for success and how top sales producers are meeting their goals in today’s challenging business climate.

Are You a Boss or a Leader?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center,Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli (see biographical notes above)

How effective are you as a leader? What would your employees say about your leadership style? How can you lead in a way that gets the most out of your team? How do you get employees to feel engaged and connected to something larger than the group they work in each day? Author Christine Corelli will show you how to display dynamic leadership, apply mental self-leadership techniques (examination of self-dialogue, beliefs and assumptions, thought patterns, goal setting), obtain high levels of employee engagement and discover why smart organizations adopt a zero tolerance for bad bosses. 

SEMA News—October 2012

EVENTS

Targeted Educational Programs

Hot Topics at the SEMA Show

	The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) will offer more than 50 free education sessions and several “pay-to-attend” courses during the SEMA Show.

More than 50 educational programs in a number of segment categories will be presented at the 2012 SEMA Show, and you can see the full list in “2012 SEMA Show Education Days Brochure” starting on p. 67. Even so, we wanted to call out a few seminars that are of particular importance.

The Latest Tools, Tips and Tricks to Counter Counterfeits and Knock-Offs

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Sponsored by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) and the Street Performance Council (SPC)
• The panel, moderated by SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Stuart Gosswein, will include Merritt Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm; Steve Lustig of Dickinson Wright; Robb Roby of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear; Kenya Merritt of the FBI; and Jon Ruttencutter of the Department of Homeland Security.

Presented by representatives from federal enforcement agencies and seasoned intellectual-property attorneys, this informative seminar will tackle real-world counterfeit problems that have an impact on SEMA-member companies and will provide tips on how to avoid and combat the threat. The expert panelists will cover a wide range of topics, including protecting intellectual property marketed at trade shows and sold on the Internet; understanding the difference between counterfeit product, unlawful knock-offs and legal imitations; how to train staff or hire private investigators to identify fake merchandise; and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies to seize pirated products and prevent illegal knock-offs.

Are Young Enthusiasts Disappearing?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N255
• Powered by the Young Executives Network (YEN)
• The panel will include James Lawrence of PowerTV, Evan Smith of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine, Jim Ryan of Dirtsports magazine, Mickey Andrade of HRE Wheels, Jim Liaw of Formula Drift and Zach Veach of Andretti Autosport.

Is love for the automobile fading within today’s youth market? This panel discussion will tackle what is possibly the most critical question facing the automotive specialty-equipment industry today. Where will the next generation of automotive enthusiasts come from? How is technology changing the way we reach the next generation? How are we faring in our efforts to compete for the attention of today’s youth?

Join YEN as it hosts this hard-hitting session to tackle this critical issue. The panel will consist of a cross section of industry veterans, newcomers and representatives of Generation Y. There will be a 45-minute moderated presentation followed by 15 minutes of audience questions and answers. Come ready to learn and share your input!

	The SEI sessions will provide an unprecedented opportunity for you to swing into a seminar room while you are at the Show and hear from subject-matter experts and industry veterans.

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor. With more than 30 years of experience in retail, including senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His presentations are designed to provide practical information in a fun and memorable format, earning raving fans along the way.

Shoppers are walking in to your store with loaded weapons: their smartphones. If you choose to ignore this phenomenon, the results can be the demise of your business. Why? Because they can check prices while you are helping another customer; they can scan your barcode and compare your prices to those of any online retailer and buy while your staff is hanging out behind the counter. You can’t ignore it or just “try harder,” as some have suggested. You have to go to battle to win the fight for the customer’s loyalty. You’ll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to neutralize the smartphone weapon.

Selling Like a Pro

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs (see biographical notes above)

The premise is simple: Learn how to move your merchandise and increase your profits. But this seminar is different. Most sales training is hell-bent to focus on making people do something, making employees into robots, making them aggressive, making them “close.” Maybe it worked in the ’50s, but people nowadays can smell someone closing them like something you stepped in.

The reality is that your retail sales are not lost at the register; they are lost due to untrained clerks who do not approach and help your customers. It’s not their fault; many of them have never been taught what to do. But unless your employees can build trust quickly and start relationships with your customers, your merchandise will stay on the shelves. Use this proven system and watch your retail sales increase, your merchandise turn increase and your employee turnover plummet.

	For the latest information on SEMA’s Education Days program, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli of Christine Corelli & Associates. Corelli is the author of five business books, including Wake Up and Smell the Competition, and is the founder, president, and chief creative officer of her own firm. She is a keynote speaker, business columnist and expert facilitator, and she has appeared on CNBC and other media outlets nationwide.

Market forces, consolidation and the economy have caused companies to apply more advanced approaches to sales, marketing and conducting business. Value-added offerings, competitive competence and superior sales skills are key. Based on the popular book of the same title, this hard-hitting presentation will identify what smart companies are doing to position themselves for success and how top sales producers are meeting their goals in today’s challenging business climate.

Are You a Boss or a Leader?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center,Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli (see biographical notes above)

How effective are you as a leader? What would your employees say about your leadership style? How can you lead in a way that gets the most out of your team? How do you get employees to feel engaged and connected to something larger than the group they work in each day? Author Christine Corelli will show you how to display dynamic leadership, apply mental self-leadership techniques (examination of self-dialogue, beliefs and assumptions, thought patterns, goal setting), obtain high levels of employee engagement and discover why smart organizations adopt a zero tolerance for bad bosses. 

SEMA News—October 2012

EVENTS

Targeted Educational Programs

Hot Topics at the SEMA Show

	The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) will offer more than 50 free education sessions and several “pay-to-attend” courses during the SEMA Show.

More than 50 educational programs in a number of segment categories will be presented at the 2012 SEMA Show, and you can see the full list in “2012 SEMA Show Education Days Brochure” starting on p. 67. Even so, we wanted to call out a few seminars that are of particular importance.

The Latest Tools, Tips and Tricks to Counter Counterfeits and Knock-Offs

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Sponsored by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) and the Street Performance Council (SPC)
• The panel, moderated by SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Stuart Gosswein, will include Merritt Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm; Steve Lustig of Dickinson Wright; Robb Roby of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear; Kenya Merritt of the FBI; and Jon Ruttencutter of the Department of Homeland Security.

Presented by representatives from federal enforcement agencies and seasoned intellectual-property attorneys, this informative seminar will tackle real-world counterfeit problems that have an impact on SEMA-member companies and will provide tips on how to avoid and combat the threat. The expert panelists will cover a wide range of topics, including protecting intellectual property marketed at trade shows and sold on the Internet; understanding the difference between counterfeit product, unlawful knock-offs and legal imitations; how to train staff or hire private investigators to identify fake merchandise; and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies to seize pirated products and prevent illegal knock-offs.

Are Young Enthusiasts Disappearing?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N255
• Powered by the Young Executives Network (YEN)
• The panel will include James Lawrence of PowerTV, Evan Smith of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine, Jim Ryan of Dirtsports magazine, Mickey Andrade of HRE Wheels, Jim Liaw of Formula Drift and Zach Veach of Andretti Autosport.

Is love for the automobile fading within today’s youth market? This panel discussion will tackle what is possibly the most critical question facing the automotive specialty-equipment industry today. Where will the next generation of automotive enthusiasts come from? How is technology changing the way we reach the next generation? How are we faring in our efforts to compete for the attention of today’s youth?

Join YEN as it hosts this hard-hitting session to tackle this critical issue. The panel will consist of a cross section of industry veterans, newcomers and representatives of Generation Y. There will be a 45-minute moderated presentation followed by 15 minutes of audience questions and answers. Come ready to learn and share your input!

	The SEI sessions will provide an unprecedented opportunity for you to swing into a seminar room while you are at the Show and hear from subject-matter experts and industry veterans.

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor. With more than 30 years of experience in retail, including senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His presentations are designed to provide practical information in a fun and memorable format, earning raving fans along the way.

Shoppers are walking in to your store with loaded weapons: their smartphones. If you choose to ignore this phenomenon, the results can be the demise of your business. Why? Because they can check prices while you are helping another customer; they can scan your barcode and compare your prices to those of any online retailer and buy while your staff is hanging out behind the counter. You can’t ignore it or just “try harder,” as some have suggested. You have to go to battle to win the fight for the customer’s loyalty. You’ll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to neutralize the smartphone weapon.

Selling Like a Pro

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs (see biographical notes above)

The premise is simple: Learn how to move your merchandise and increase your profits. But this seminar is different. Most sales training is hell-bent to focus on making people do something, making employees into robots, making them aggressive, making them “close.” Maybe it worked in the ’50s, but people nowadays can smell someone closing them like something you stepped in.

The reality is that your retail sales are not lost at the register; they are lost due to untrained clerks who do not approach and help your customers. It’s not their fault; many of them have never been taught what to do. But unless your employees can build trust quickly and start relationships with your customers, your merchandise will stay on the shelves. Use this proven system and watch your retail sales increase, your merchandise turn increase and your employee turnover plummet.

	For the latest information on SEMA’s Education Days program, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli of Christine Corelli & Associates. Corelli is the author of five business books, including Wake Up and Smell the Competition, and is the founder, president, and chief creative officer of her own firm. She is a keynote speaker, business columnist and expert facilitator, and she has appeared on CNBC and other media outlets nationwide.

Market forces, consolidation and the economy have caused companies to apply more advanced approaches to sales, marketing and conducting business. Value-added offerings, competitive competence and superior sales skills are key. Based on the popular book of the same title, this hard-hitting presentation will identify what smart companies are doing to position themselves for success and how top sales producers are meeting their goals in today’s challenging business climate.

Are You a Boss or a Leader?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center,Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli (see biographical notes above)

How effective are you as a leader? What would your employees say about your leadership style? How can you lead in a way that gets the most out of your team? How do you get employees to feel engaged and connected to something larger than the group they work in each day? Author Christine Corelli will show you how to display dynamic leadership, apply mental self-leadership techniques (examination of self-dialogue, beliefs and assumptions, thought patterns, goal setting), obtain high levels of employee engagement and discover why smart organizations adopt a zero tolerance for bad bosses. 

SEMA News—October 2012

EVENTS

Targeted Educational Programs

Hot Topics at the SEMA Show

	The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) will offer more than 50 free education sessions and several “pay-to-attend” courses during the SEMA Show.

More than 50 educational programs in a number of segment categories will be presented at the 2012 SEMA Show, and you can see the full list in “2012 SEMA Show Education Days Brochure” starting on p. 67. Even so, we wanted to call out a few seminars that are of particular importance.

The Latest Tools, Tips and Tricks to Counter Counterfeits and Knock-Offs

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Sponsored by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) and the Street Performance Council (SPC)
• The panel, moderated by SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Stuart Gosswein, will include Merritt Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm; Steve Lustig of Dickinson Wright; Robb Roby of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear; Kenya Merritt of the FBI; and Jon Ruttencutter of the Department of Homeland Security.

Presented by representatives from federal enforcement agencies and seasoned intellectual-property attorneys, this informative seminar will tackle real-world counterfeit problems that have an impact on SEMA-member companies and will provide tips on how to avoid and combat the threat. The expert panelists will cover a wide range of topics, including protecting intellectual property marketed at trade shows and sold on the Internet; understanding the difference between counterfeit product, unlawful knock-offs and legal imitations; how to train staff or hire private investigators to identify fake merchandise; and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies to seize pirated products and prevent illegal knock-offs.

Are Young Enthusiasts Disappearing?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N255
• Powered by the Young Executives Network (YEN)
• The panel will include James Lawrence of PowerTV, Evan Smith of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine, Jim Ryan of Dirtsports magazine, Mickey Andrade of HRE Wheels, Jim Liaw of Formula Drift and Zach Veach of Andretti Autosport.

Is love for the automobile fading within today’s youth market? This panel discussion will tackle what is possibly the most critical question facing the automotive specialty-equipment industry today. Where will the next generation of automotive enthusiasts come from? How is technology changing the way we reach the next generation? How are we faring in our efforts to compete for the attention of today’s youth?

Join YEN as it hosts this hard-hitting session to tackle this critical issue. The panel will consist of a cross section of industry veterans, newcomers and representatives of Generation Y. There will be a 45-minute moderated presentation followed by 15 minutes of audience questions and answers. Come ready to learn and share your input!

	The SEI sessions will provide an unprecedented opportunity for you to swing into a seminar room while you are at the Show and hear from subject-matter experts and industry veterans.

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor. With more than 30 years of experience in retail, including senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His presentations are designed to provide practical information in a fun and memorable format, earning raving fans along the way.

Shoppers are walking in to your store with loaded weapons: their smartphones. If you choose to ignore this phenomenon, the results can be the demise of your business. Why? Because they can check prices while you are helping another customer; they can scan your barcode and compare your prices to those of any online retailer and buy while your staff is hanging out behind the counter. You can’t ignore it or just “try harder,” as some have suggested. You have to go to battle to win the fight for the customer’s loyalty. You’ll leave this session with actionable steps you can take to neutralize the smartphone weapon.

Selling Like a Pro

• Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258
• Powered by the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)
• Presented by Bob Phibbs (see biographical notes above)

The premise is simple: Learn how to move your merchandise and increase your profits. But this seminar is different. Most sales training is hell-bent to focus on making people do something, making employees into robots, making them aggressive, making them “close.” Maybe it worked in the ’50s, but people nowadays can smell someone closing them like something you stepped in.

The reality is that your retail sales are not lost at the register; they are lost due to untrained clerks who do not approach and help your customers. It’s not their fault; many of them have never been taught what to do. But unless your employees can build trust quickly and start relationships with your customers, your merchandise will stay on the shelves. Use this proven system and watch your retail sales increase, your merchandise turn increase and your employee turnover plummet.

	For the latest information on SEMA’s Education Days program, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli of Christine Corelli & Associates. Corelli is the author of five business books, including Wake Up and Smell the Competition, and is the founder, president, and chief creative officer of her own firm. She is a keynote speaker, business columnist and expert facilitator, and she has appeared on CNBC and other media outlets nationwide.

Market forces, consolidation and the economy have caused companies to apply more advanced approaches to sales, marketing and conducting business. Value-added offerings, competitive competence and superior sales skills are key. Based on the popular book of the same title, this hard-hitting presentation will identify what smart companies are doing to position themselves for success and how top sales producers are meeting their goals in today’s challenging business climate.

Are You a Boss or a Leader?

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Las Vegas Convention Center,Room N253
• Presented by Christine Corelli (see biographical notes above)

How effective are you as a leader? What would your employees say about your leadership style? How can you lead in a way that gets the most out of your team? How do you get employees to feel engaged and connected to something larger than the group they work in each day? Author Christine Corelli will show you how to display dynamic leadership, apply mental self-leadership techniques (examination of self-dialogue, beliefs and assumptions, thought patterns, goal setting), obtain high levels of employee engagement and discover why smart organizations adopt a zero tolerance for bad bosses. 

SEMA News—October 2012

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Product Data

Fuel for the Retail Sales Machine

On average, more than 80% of consumers research products before buying. Many of those purchases happen in brick-and-mortar retail stores, and many happen online. The point here is not where a product is purchased but rather how the buying decision is made. You can’t do research without product information, right?

So how do consumers research? Some rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, magazines and other media; but the fact is that today’s technology makes the Internet a natural place for consumer research, regardless of where the transaction ultimately takes place. It’s all about visibility of product details, images and features that set the stage for a consumer buying decision.

Consumers these days are pretty savvy about how they spend their money. And with the growing amount of information available online, researching is pretty darn easy. So why not make sure that your products are presented consistently, accurately and in the kind of great detail that well-managed product data can provide? Do you really want someone who just learned about your products yesterday to be writing features and benefits copy today?

As an industry, we can no longer afford to bet our sales growth on whether or not counterpeople will represent our products completely. Nor can we be sure that our verbal recommendations at the point of sale will satisfy the informational needs of our customers. We must put our best information forward to ensure that buyers have the details they need at their fingertips online and that counterpeople can answer inquiries with accuracy, confidence and consistency.

The supplier (manufacturer) must own the data-management process, and the wholesale and retail channels must have affordable, complete, rich product data available in a format that meets their systems needs. It is this relationship that will grow our businesses through greater product awareness, broader market presence and confidence-inspiring content that consumers can relate to.

• Introduce new parts more efficiently
• Get you up-to-speed faster with new customers
• Enable consistent distribution of accurate pricing information
• Enable online lookups on e-commerce and manufacturer websites
• More effectively control data content and marketing messages
• Ensure “visibility” to online consumers through search engines and websites
• Enable synchronization of data files to minimize “bad” data in customer systems
• Help you sell more by having products represented across thousands of wholesale, brick-and-mortar and web business systems
• Improve efficiency in distribution and shipping through accurate weights and measures, package size, UPC codes and more
• Save money by engaging with the lowest cost solution available: the SEMA Data Co-op

The answer may be simple but, as is often the case, the execution is complicated. All we really have to do is get all the data together in one place in a standardized format, store it securely and enable distribution to approved receivers in the formats they need to populate their business systems.

Sounds simple, but it’s not so easy. That’s why the SEMA Board of Directors has given the go-ahead to the SEMA Data Co-op, equipping it with the best people, guidance and funding they could muster. All we need to succeed is for every product supplier and every product reseller to join our effort and start helping each other.

That part is simple.

SEMA News—October 2012

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Product Data

Fuel for the Retail Sales Machine

On average, more than 80% of consumers research products before buying. Many of those purchases happen in brick-and-mortar retail stores, and many happen online. The point here is not where a product is purchased but rather how the buying decision is made. You can’t do research without product information, right?

So how do consumers research? Some rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, magazines and other media; but the fact is that today’s technology makes the Internet a natural place for consumer research, regardless of where the transaction ultimately takes place. It’s all about visibility of product details, images and features that set the stage for a consumer buying decision.

Consumers these days are pretty savvy about how they spend their money. And with the growing amount of information available online, researching is pretty darn easy. So why not make sure that your products are presented consistently, accurately and in the kind of great detail that well-managed product data can provide? Do you really want someone who just learned about your products yesterday to be writing features and benefits copy today?

As an industry, we can no longer afford to bet our sales growth on whether or not counterpeople will represent our products completely. Nor can we be sure that our verbal recommendations at the point of sale will satisfy the informational needs of our customers. We must put our best information forward to ensure that buyers have the details they need at their fingertips online and that counterpeople can answer inquiries with accuracy, confidence and consistency.

The supplier (manufacturer) must own the data-management process, and the wholesale and retail channels must have affordable, complete, rich product data available in a format that meets their systems needs. It is this relationship that will grow our businesses through greater product awareness, broader market presence and confidence-inspiring content that consumers can relate to.

• Introduce new parts more efficiently
• Get you up-to-speed faster with new customers
• Enable consistent distribution of accurate pricing information
• Enable online lookups on e-commerce and manufacturer websites
• More effectively control data content and marketing messages
• Ensure “visibility” to online consumers through search engines and websites
• Enable synchronization of data files to minimize “bad” data in customer systems
• Help you sell more by having products represented across thousands of wholesale, brick-and-mortar and web business systems
• Improve efficiency in distribution and shipping through accurate weights and measures, package size, UPC codes and more
• Save money by engaging with the lowest cost solution available: the SEMA Data Co-op

The answer may be simple but, as is often the case, the execution is complicated. All we really have to do is get all the data together in one place in a standardized format, store it securely and enable distribution to approved receivers in the formats they need to populate their business systems.

Sounds simple, but it’s not so easy. That’s why the SEMA Board of Directors has given the go-ahead to the SEMA Data Co-op, equipping it with the best people, guidance and funding they could muster. All we need to succeed is for every product supplier and every product reseller to join our effort and start helping each other.

That part is simple.

SEMA News—October 2012

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Product Data

Fuel for the Retail Sales Machine

On average, more than 80% of consumers research products before buying. Many of those purchases happen in brick-and-mortar retail stores, and many happen online. The point here is not where a product is purchased but rather how the buying decision is made. You can’t do research without product information, right?

So how do consumers research? Some rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, magazines and other media; but the fact is that today’s technology makes the Internet a natural place for consumer research, regardless of where the transaction ultimately takes place. It’s all about visibility of product details, images and features that set the stage for a consumer buying decision.

Consumers these days are pretty savvy about how they spend their money. And with the growing amount of information available online, researching is pretty darn easy. So why not make sure that your products are presented consistently, accurately and in the kind of great detail that well-managed product data can provide? Do you really want someone who just learned about your products yesterday to be writing features and benefits copy today?

As an industry, we can no longer afford to bet our sales growth on whether or not counterpeople will represent our products completely. Nor can we be sure that our verbal recommendations at the point of sale will satisfy the informational needs of our customers. We must put our best information forward to ensure that buyers have the details they need at their fingertips online and that counterpeople can answer inquiries with accuracy, confidence and consistency.

The supplier (manufacturer) must own the data-management process, and the wholesale and retail channels must have affordable, complete, rich product data available in a format that meets their systems needs. It is this relationship that will grow our businesses through greater product awareness, broader market presence and confidence-inspiring content that consumers can relate to.

• Introduce new parts more efficiently
• Get you up-to-speed faster with new customers
• Enable consistent distribution of accurate pricing information
• Enable online lookups on e-commerce and manufacturer websites
• More effectively control data content and marketing messages
• Ensure “visibility” to online consumers through search engines and websites
• Enable synchronization of data files to minimize “bad” data in customer systems
• Help you sell more by having products represented across thousands of wholesale, brick-and-mortar and web business systems
• Improve efficiency in distribution and shipping through accurate weights and measures, package size, UPC codes and more
• Save money by engaging with the lowest cost solution available: the SEMA Data Co-op

The answer may be simple but, as is often the case, the execution is complicated. All we really have to do is get all the data together in one place in a standardized format, store it securely and enable distribution to approved receivers in the formats they need to populate their business systems.

Sounds simple, but it’s not so easy. That’s why the SEMA Board of Directors has given the go-ahead to the SEMA Data Co-op, equipping it with the best people, guidance and funding they could muster. All we need to succeed is for every product supplier and every product reseller to join our effort and start helping each other.

That part is simple.

SEMA News—October 2012

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Product Data

Fuel for the Retail Sales Machine

On average, more than 80% of consumers research products before buying. Many of those purchases happen in brick-and-mortar retail stores, and many happen online. The point here is not where a product is purchased but rather how the buying decision is made. You can’t do research without product information, right?

So how do consumers research? Some rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, magazines and other media; but the fact is that today’s technology makes the Internet a natural place for consumer research, regardless of where the transaction ultimately takes place. It’s all about visibility of product details, images and features that set the stage for a consumer buying decision.

Consumers these days are pretty savvy about how they spend their money. And with the growing amount of information available online, researching is pretty darn easy. So why not make sure that your products are presented consistently, accurately and in the kind of great detail that well-managed product data can provide? Do you really want someone who just learned about your products yesterday to be writing features and benefits copy today?

As an industry, we can no longer afford to bet our sales growth on whether or not counterpeople will represent our products completely. Nor can we be sure that our verbal recommendations at the point of sale will satisfy the informational needs of our customers. We must put our best information forward to ensure that buyers have the details they need at their fingertips online and that counterpeople can answer inquiries with accuracy, confidence and consistency.

The supplier (manufacturer) must own the data-management process, and the wholesale and retail channels must have affordable, complete, rich product data available in a format that meets their systems needs. It is this relationship that will grow our businesses through greater product awareness, broader market presence and confidence-inspiring content that consumers can relate to.

• Introduce new parts more efficiently
• Get you up-to-speed faster with new customers
• Enable consistent distribution of accurate pricing information
• Enable online lookups on e-commerce and manufacturer websites
• More effectively control data content and marketing messages
• Ensure “visibility” to online consumers through search engines and websites
• Enable synchronization of data files to minimize “bad” data in customer systems
• Help you sell more by having products represented across thousands of wholesale, brick-and-mortar and web business systems
• Improve efficiency in distribution and shipping through accurate weights and measures, package size, UPC codes and more
• Save money by engaging with the lowest cost solution available: the SEMA Data Co-op

The answer may be simple but, as is often the case, the execution is complicated. All we really have to do is get all the data together in one place in a standardized format, store it securely and enable distribution to approved receivers in the formats they need to populate their business systems.

Sounds simple, but it’s not so easy. That’s why the SEMA Board of Directors has given the go-ahead to the SEMA Data Co-op, equipping it with the best people, guidance and funding they could muster. All we need to succeed is for every product supplier and every product reseller to join our effort and start helping each other.

That part is simple.

SEMA News—October 2012

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Product Data

Fuel for the Retail Sales Machine

On average, more than 80% of consumers research products before buying. Many of those purchases happen in brick-and-mortar retail stores, and many happen online. The point here is not where a product is purchased but rather how the buying decision is made. You can’t do research without product information, right?

So how do consumers research? Some rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, magazines and other media; but the fact is that today’s technology makes the Internet a natural place for consumer research, regardless of where the transaction ultimately takes place. It’s all about visibility of product details, images and features that set the stage for a consumer buying decision.

Consumers these days are pretty savvy about how they spend their money. And with the growing amount of information available online, researching is pretty darn easy. So why not make sure that your products are presented consistently, accurately and in the kind of great detail that well-managed product data can provide? Do you really want someone who just learned about your products yesterday to be writing features and benefits copy today?

As an industry, we can no longer afford to bet our sales growth on whether or not counterpeople will represent our products completely. Nor can we be sure that our verbal recommendations at the point of sale will satisfy the informational needs of our customers. We must put our best information forward to ensure that buyers have the details they need at their fingertips online and that counterpeople can answer inquiries with accuracy, confidence and consistency.

The supplier (manufacturer) must own the data-management process, and the wholesale and retail channels must have affordable, complete, rich product data available in a format that meets their systems needs. It is this relationship that will grow our businesses through greater product awareness, broader market presence and confidence-inspiring content that consumers can relate to.

• Introduce new parts more efficiently
• Get you up-to-speed faster with new customers
• Enable consistent distribution of accurate pricing information
• Enable online lookups on e-commerce and manufacturer websites
• More effectively control data content and marketing messages
• Ensure “visibility” to online consumers through search engines and websites
• Enable synchronization of data files to minimize “bad” data in customer systems
• Help you sell more by having products represented across thousands of wholesale, brick-and-mortar and web business systems
• Improve efficiency in distribution and shipping through accurate weights and measures, package size, UPC codes and more
• Save money by engaging with the lowest cost solution available: the SEMA Data Co-op

The answer may be simple but, as is often the case, the execution is complicated. All we really have to do is get all the data together in one place in a standardized format, store it securely and enable distribution to approved receivers in the formats they need to populate their business systems.

Sounds simple, but it’s not so easy. That’s why the SEMA Board of Directors has given the go-ahead to the SEMA Data Co-op, equipping it with the best people, guidance and funding they could muster. All we need to succeed is for every product supplier and every product reseller to join our effort and start helping each other.

That part is simple.

SEMA News—October 2012 

REQUIRED READING

Trade Publications That Can Help Improve Your Business

Everyone’s busy these days, so the decision about what to read is a big one. There are hundreds of great publications and websites out there that are filled with valuable news and information. Deciding which ones to read regularly depends largely on what market segment you are in and what role you play in your company. Here are a few key publications to consider: