The restoration market is expected to continue to grow as the average age of vehicles on the road continues to increase, classic cars gain in popularity and Baby Boomers have more discretionary money to purchase these vehicles.

As the world’s premier automotive specialty-products trade show, the 2010 SEMA Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 2–5, attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries and also provides a unique opportunity for buyers and exhibitors to connect.

The Show covers the entire realm of the specialty-equipment industry and is comprised of 12 categories: Global Tire Expo—Powered by TIA; Hot Rod Alley; Mobile Electronics & Technology; Paint, Body & Equipment; Powersports & Utility Vehicles; Racing & Performance; Restoration Marketplace; Restyling & Car Care Accessories; Tools & Equipment; Trucks, SUVs and Off-Road; Wheels & Accessories; and OEM.

Each will be highlighted separately every week in SEMA eNews. This week’s category is Restoration Marketplace. So far, 60 automotive restoration companies—of which 13 are first-timers—are exhibiting in the Central Hall.

The restoration market includes the products and services used in returning vehicles, particularly classics, to their originally manufactured or showroom condition. Many of these products are refurbished original parts, others are salvaged parts and some are reproductions.

This market is expected to continue to grow as the average age of vehicles on the road continues to increase, classic cars gain in popularity and Baby Boomers have more discretionary money to purchase these vehicles. It is estimated there are approximately 300,000 restoration projects in various stages of completion across the United States at any given time.

Four primary vehicle groups are typically found within the restoration market: antiques manufactured prior to 1920, domestic vehicles manufactured from 1920 to World War II, post-World War II domestic vehicles and foreign vehicles.

In 2009, 43% of SEMA Show buyers reported selling to the restoration market. In 2006, the restoration market’s retail worth was estimated at $1.418 billion. This market comprises about 3.67% of the entire automotive specialty-equipment market. Due to the limited use and small volume of antiques and collector cars, they are exempt from emissions inspection. Defined as 25 years or older, antique or collector vehicle classifications usually contain limited-use provisions that restrict the vehicle to club events, parades or other hobby-related activities.

"The restoration market hosts a lot of great events, including the Hotrod & Restoration Show and the Hershey Car Show," said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. "Restoration is a value proposition to the SEMA Show because participation from around the world truly makes it a global event. This section of the Show represents an unparalleled opportunity for networking and education with an international emphasis."

Buyers, exhibitors and media: Click here to register or reserve your space for the 2010 SEMA Show.

Click here to view the online floorplan.

Have you ever asked yourself “what does the future hold for the automotive aftermarket industry?” Or “what will I be doing in the future?”

With these crazy economic times, I find myself asking these questions on a daily basis. I then ask myself: “Is the market really changing? Are consumers going to be more conservative with accessory purchases? And what about all this talk about factory sales representatives being a thing of the past? Are times changing and will the factories not really need guys like me out in the field? What am I going to do?

With these questions leading to more questions, and more stress, I had to find some answers for myself. Over the past few weeks I’ve asked other sales reps in the automotive aftermarket industry from around the country if they’re asking themselves these same questions.

I found out I’m not alone. In fact, some of them were thinking about these same questions and getting deeper than I did. After compiling all of my thoughts and those of my peers, I thought I would share the answers to the above questions from my viewpoint.

What does the future hold for the automotive aftermarket industry? This is an easy question to answer. Our industry will do exactly as it has in the past: build and rebuild. The consumer these days is waiting to see what is going to happen next before spending their hard-earned cash.

Now here’s the tough question: when is “next” over? I feel we’re getting close. My local retail stores say people have been calling and just asking about products for the past few years. Now that same customer is starting to purchase the product they asked about months ago. I find myself doing the same. Do I need a new set of wheels for the truck right now? Maybe in a few months. Let’s see what happens next.

Our industry is made up of so many great minds and so many people with new ideas, I feel this is the time for them to shine. Let’s bring things to the table the consumer can’t live without. It might mean something as simple as just redesigning. It’s going to take work, a lot of work, to get us back to where we were a few years ago.

Is our market really changing? Yes it is, just as it has for the past 50 years. Not so long ago, all of our rides had chrome wheels, a lot of flashy products hanging on them, and movie stars and sports figures telling the consumer what to buy. Take a look around you now. People are still hanging products on their vehicles, but in a more downplayed way: black- or matte-finished wheels, flat paint, and simpler products. Our market is changing, and in my opinion the economy had very little to do with it. Change happens on a daily basis whether we like it or not. We, now more than ever, need to be ahead of the game. I just think the consumer hasn’t yet seen the “next” cool thing.

Which brings me to my next questions. Is the consumer going to be more conservative with accessory purchases? Yes. But he or she is also going to be a smarter shopper, looking for deals online, shopping store to store for the best price, and doing research before they buy. Most consumers know what they want before they visit the place they purchase from.

In some cases the consumer knows more about a current product than the person selling it. They also know about new products being released before the jobbers do. This is no fault to the factory or the reps; the consumer is just obsessed with research. They want info, info, and info!

OK, here’s a touchy subject. Are factory sales reps a thing of the past? Of course not. Reps can provide a great value to factories and sales managers when they work together. These days, reps can be used as a very powerful tool for a factory. The real question I should be asking myself is “what can I do to bring more value to my factories and show significance to my customers?”

A good place to start is by asking each of your factories and customers what they expect from you. Communication and supporting each other is the best way to keep a good working relationship. Reps are here to stay. We just need to change with the times.

Now it’s time to answer the question most important to me. What will I be doing in the future? I came to the conclusion that this industry is where I belong. The factories, the customers and the way our industry is always changing never makes for a dull day. I love the aftermarket industry and hope to continue to grow and make new connections within this industry.

So is this a changing market? Or a change in the times? I would have to say “yes” to both. —Mike Timmons, Wes-Coast Marketing, SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) member

Have you ever asked yourself “what does the future hold for the automotive aftermarket industry?” Or “what will I be doing in the future?”

With these crazy economic times, I find myself asking these questions on a daily basis. I then ask myself: “Is the market really changing? Are consumers going to be more conservative with accessory purchases? And what about all this talk about factory sales representatives being a thing of the past? Are times changing and will the factories not really need guys like me out in the field? What am I going to do?

With these questions leading to more questions, and more stress, I had to find some answers for myself. Over the past few weeks I’ve asked other sales reps in the automotive aftermarket industry from around the country if they’re asking themselves these same questions.

I found out I’m not alone. In fact, some of them were thinking about these same questions and getting deeper than I did. After compiling all of my thoughts and those of my peers, I thought I would share the answers to the above questions from my viewpoint.

What does the future hold for the automotive aftermarket industry? This is an easy question to answer. Our industry will do exactly as it has in the past: build and rebuild. The consumer these days is waiting to see what is going to happen next before spending their hard-earned cash.

Now here’s the tough question: when is “next” over? I feel we’re getting close. My local retail stores say people have been calling and just asking about products for the past few years. Now that same customer is starting to purchase the product they asked about months ago. I find myself doing the same. Do I need a new set of wheels for the truck right now? Maybe in a few months. Let’s see what happens next.

Our industry is made up of so many great minds and so many people with new ideas, I feel this is the time for them to shine. Let’s bring things to the table the consumer can’t live without. It might mean something as simple as just redesigning. It’s going to take work, a lot of work, to get us back to where we were a few years ago.

Is our market really changing? Yes it is, just as it has for the past 50 years. Not so long ago, all of our rides had chrome wheels, a lot of flashy products hanging on them, and movie stars and sports figures telling the consumer what to buy. Take a look around you now. People are still hanging products on their vehicles, but in a more downplayed way: black- or matte-finished wheels, flat paint, and simpler products. Our market is changing, and in my opinion the economy had very little to do with it. Change happens on a daily basis whether we like it or not. We, now more than ever, need to be ahead of the game. I just think the consumer hasn’t yet seen the “next” cool thing.

Which brings me to my next questions. Is the consumer going to be more conservative with accessory purchases? Yes. But he or she is also going to be a smarter shopper, looking for deals online, shopping store to store for the best price, and doing research before they buy. Most consumers know what they want before they visit the place they purchase from.

In some cases the consumer knows more about a current product than the person selling it. They also know about new products being released before the jobbers do. This is no fault to the factory or the reps; the consumer is just obsessed with research. They want info, info, and info!

OK, here’s a touchy subject. Are factory sales reps a thing of the past? Of course not. Reps can provide a great value to factories and sales managers when they work together. These days, reps can be used as a very powerful tool for a factory. The real question I should be asking myself is “what can I do to bring more value to my factories and show significance to my customers?”

A good place to start is by asking each of your factories and customers what they expect from you. Communication and supporting each other is the best way to keep a good working relationship. Reps are here to stay. We just need to change with the times.

Now it’s time to answer the question most important to me. What will I be doing in the future? I came to the conclusion that this industry is where I belong. The factories, the customers and the way our industry is always changing never makes for a dull day. I love the aftermarket industry and hope to continue to grow and make new connections within this industry.

So is this a changing market? Or a change in the times? I would have to say “yes” to both. —Mike Timmons, Wes-Coast Marketing, SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) member

At first glance, this mule car looks like nothing more than a standard Cadillac CTS sedan. Au contraire, says spy photog godmother Brenda Priddy, who notes that the front and rear axles are positioned closer to the middle than on a CTS and indicates a mutant chassis underneath. Priddy says the CTS decoy body is hiding the underpinnings of the 2013 Cadillac ATS. Riding on GM’s new Alpha chassis, the ATS has been described as a smaller version of the CTS and possibly meant to be a true competitor to the BMW 3-Series. The ATS could get a new, rumored 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, but the 3.0L V6 or the 3.6L V6 should also be optional variants. ATS sedan production is expected to start in July 2012, followed by the coupe in July 2013, and Priddy says pricing is expected to range from the high 20s to low-mid 30s.

Photos copyright Brenda Priddy & Company. Reuse or reproduction without copyright holder's consent is prohibited.

At first glance, this mule car looks like nothing more than a standard Cadillac CTS sedan. Au contraire, says spy photog godmother Brenda Priddy, who notes that the front and rear axles are positioned closer to the middle than on a CTS and indicates a mutant chassis underneath. Priddy says the CTS decoy body is hiding the underpinnings of the 2013 Cadillac ATS. Riding on GM’s new Alpha chassis, the ATS has been described as a smaller version of the CTS and possibly meant to be a true competitor to the BMW 3-Series. The ATS could get a new, rumored 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, but the 3.0L V6 or the 3.6L V6 should also be optional variants. ATS sedan production is expected to start in July 2012, followed by the coupe in July 2013, and Priddy says pricing is expected to range from the high 20s to low-mid 30s.

Photos copyright Brenda Priddy & Company. Reuse or reproduction without copyright holder's consent is prohibited.

Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, shows exhibitors how to promote themselves to potential buyers before, during and after the SEMA Show.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit took place in May and offered participants valuable information, techniques and skills designed to guarantee a profitable and successful SEMA Show experience. The Summit featured key staff and trade show industry experts leading a series of programs created to ensure exhibitors get the most out of the industry’s annual trade event.

Weren’t able to attend the Summit? Not a problem. The valuable educational seminars were recorded and will be presented here in SEMA eNews.

This week’s SEMA Exhibitor Summit installment is based on the “Converting Leads to Sales” seminar led by Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, a registration service provider.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

A different seminar will be highlighted each week in SEMA eNews. To view other Summit videos, click here.

CompuSystems’ job is to provide exhibitors with an opportunity to promote themselves to potential buyers before the 2010 SEMA Show, produce a credential that is easy to read and enable exhibitors and potential buyers to follow up with each other after the Show.

The Show registration process officially launches the connection between buyers and sellers. Via CompuSystems’ TrafficMax application, exhibitors can download a selected portion of the registration file before, during and after the Show and then select the date range for when buyers registered so they don’t attempt to reach out to the same group of people. According to McCaffray, for exhibitors who market themselves to prospective attendees year after year, 10% of the leads they take are from people they’ve marketed to before. Exhibitors can also narrow their selections geographically in the event they only operate in a particular region or state. This service provides exhibitors an opportunity to tell their story to Show attendees beforehand.

The SEMA Show badge serves two purposes: to provide identification and serve as an electronic business card. The two-dimensional barcode includes all personal information, including visitor profile information, so when exhibitors obtain a sales lead, they will know as much information about the potential buyer beyond the information commonly displayed on a business card. After each lead’s badge is scanned using a mobile or desktop device for a qualified sales lead, the data is recorded electronically on an embedded USB drive.

CompuLEAD Pro provides software prior to the Show where exhibitors can set up an extensive, customized survey and questionnaire unique to them. The device comes with a cable and plugs into a computer’s USB port. After scanning the badge, it provides a survey with questions exhibitors may want to ask visitors. A new iPhone application uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to grab information from the Internet and transfer to your phone via CompuSystems’ BuyerConnect portal.

In 2011, a PDA-style mobile device will be able to scan the badge and put the information in real-time into the BuyerConnect portal and allow exhibitors to perform a survey on potential buyers. Every potential buyer who visits a booth with a lead-recording device during the Show will receive a corresponding BuyerConnect e-mail as a reminder of where they visited so they can also follow up with exhibitors. This enables the exhibitor-visitor interaction to continue even after the Show ends.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, shows exhibitors how to promote themselves to potential buyers before, during and after the SEMA Show.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit took place in May and offered participants valuable information, techniques and skills designed to guarantee a profitable and successful SEMA Show experience. The Summit featured key staff and trade show industry experts leading a series of programs created to ensure exhibitors get the most out of the industry’s annual trade event.

Weren’t able to attend the Summit? Not a problem. The valuable educational seminars were recorded and will be presented here in SEMA eNews.

This week’s SEMA Exhibitor Summit installment is based on the “Converting Leads to Sales” seminar led by Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, a registration service provider.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

A different seminar will be highlighted each week in SEMA eNews. To view other Summit videos, click here.

CompuSystems’ job is to provide exhibitors with an opportunity to promote themselves to potential buyers before the 2010 SEMA Show, produce a credential that is easy to read and enable exhibitors and potential buyers to follow up with each other after the Show.

The Show registration process officially launches the connection between buyers and sellers. Via CompuSystems’ TrafficMax application, exhibitors can download a selected portion of the registration file before, during and after the Show and then select the date range for when buyers registered so they don’t attempt to reach out to the same group of people. According to McCaffray, for exhibitors who market themselves to prospective attendees year after year, 10% of the leads they take are from people they’ve marketed to before. Exhibitors can also narrow their selections geographically in the event they only operate in a particular region or state. This service provides exhibitors an opportunity to tell their story to Show attendees beforehand.

The SEMA Show badge serves two purposes: to provide identification and serve as an electronic business card. The two-dimensional barcode includes all personal information, including visitor profile information, so when exhibitors obtain a sales lead, they will know as much information about the potential buyer beyond the information commonly displayed on a business card. After each lead’s badge is scanned using a mobile or desktop device for a qualified sales lead, the data is recorded electronically on an embedded USB drive.

CompuLEAD Pro provides software prior to the Show where exhibitors can set up an extensive, customized survey and questionnaire unique to them. The device comes with a cable and plugs into a computer’s USB port. After scanning the badge, it provides a survey with questions exhibitors may want to ask visitors. A new iPhone application uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to grab information from the Internet and transfer to your phone via CompuSystems’ BuyerConnect portal.

In 2011, a PDA-style mobile device will be able to scan the badge and put the information in real-time into the BuyerConnect portal and allow exhibitors to perform a survey on potential buyers. Every potential buyer who visits a booth with a lead-recording device during the Show will receive a corresponding BuyerConnect e-mail as a reminder of where they visited so they can also follow up with exhibitors. This enables the exhibitor-visitor interaction to continue even after the Show ends.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, shows exhibitors how to promote themselves to potential buyers before, during and after the SEMA Show.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit took place in May and offered participants valuable information, techniques and skills designed to guarantee a profitable and successful SEMA Show experience. The Summit featured key staff and trade show industry experts leading a series of programs created to ensure exhibitors get the most out of the industry’s annual trade event.

Weren’t able to attend the Summit? Not a problem. The valuable educational seminars were recorded and will be presented here in SEMA eNews.

This week’s SEMA Exhibitor Summit installment is based on the “Converting Leads to Sales” seminar led by Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, a registration service provider.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

A different seminar will be highlighted each week in SEMA eNews. To view other Summit videos, click here.

CompuSystems’ job is to provide exhibitors with an opportunity to promote themselves to potential buyers before the 2010 SEMA Show, produce a credential that is easy to read and enable exhibitors and potential buyers to follow up with each other after the Show.

The Show registration process officially launches the connection between buyers and sellers. Via CompuSystems’ TrafficMax application, exhibitors can download a selected portion of the registration file before, during and after the Show and then select the date range for when buyers registered so they don’t attempt to reach out to the same group of people. According to McCaffray, for exhibitors who market themselves to prospective attendees year after year, 10% of the leads they take are from people they’ve marketed to before. Exhibitors can also narrow their selections geographically in the event they only operate in a particular region or state. This service provides exhibitors an opportunity to tell their story to Show attendees beforehand.

The SEMA Show badge serves two purposes: to provide identification and serve as an electronic business card. The two-dimensional barcode includes all personal information, including visitor profile information, so when exhibitors obtain a sales lead, they will know as much information about the potential buyer beyond the information commonly displayed on a business card. After each lead’s badge is scanned using a mobile or desktop device for a qualified sales lead, the data is recorded electronically on an embedded USB drive.

CompuLEAD Pro provides software prior to the Show where exhibitors can set up an extensive, customized survey and questionnaire unique to them. The device comes with a cable and plugs into a computer’s USB port. After scanning the badge, it provides a survey with questions exhibitors may want to ask visitors. A new iPhone application uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to grab information from the Internet and transfer to your phone via CompuSystems’ BuyerConnect portal.

In 2011, a PDA-style mobile device will be able to scan the badge and put the information in real-time into the BuyerConnect portal and allow exhibitors to perform a survey on potential buyers. Every potential buyer who visits a booth with a lead-recording device during the Show will receive a corresponding BuyerConnect e-mail as a reminder of where they visited so they can also follow up with exhibitors. This enables the exhibitor-visitor interaction to continue even after the Show ends.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, shows exhibitors how to promote themselves to potential buyers before, during and after the SEMA Show.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit took place in May and offered participants valuable information, techniques and skills designed to guarantee a profitable and successful SEMA Show experience. The Summit featured key staff and trade show industry experts leading a series of programs created to ensure exhibitors get the most out of the industry’s annual trade event.

Weren’t able to attend the Summit? Not a problem. The valuable educational seminars were recorded and will be presented here in SEMA eNews.

This week’s SEMA Exhibitor Summit installment is based on the “Converting Leads to Sales” seminar led by Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, a registration service provider.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

A different seminar will be highlighted each week in SEMA eNews. To view other Summit videos, click here.

CompuSystems’ job is to provide exhibitors with an opportunity to promote themselves to potential buyers before the 2010 SEMA Show, produce a credential that is easy to read and enable exhibitors and potential buyers to follow up with each other after the Show.

The Show registration process officially launches the connection between buyers and sellers. Via CompuSystems’ TrafficMax application, exhibitors can download a selected portion of the registration file before, during and after the Show and then select the date range for when buyers registered so they don’t attempt to reach out to the same group of people. According to McCaffray, for exhibitors who market themselves to prospective attendees year after year, 10% of the leads they take are from people they’ve marketed to before. Exhibitors can also narrow their selections geographically in the event they only operate in a particular region or state. This service provides exhibitors an opportunity to tell their story to Show attendees beforehand.

The SEMA Show badge serves two purposes: to provide identification and serve as an electronic business card. The two-dimensional barcode includes all personal information, including visitor profile information, so when exhibitors obtain a sales lead, they will know as much information about the potential buyer beyond the information commonly displayed on a business card. After each lead’s badge is scanned using a mobile or desktop device for a qualified sales lead, the data is recorded electronically on an embedded USB drive.

CompuLEAD Pro provides software prior to the Show where exhibitors can set up an extensive, customized survey and questionnaire unique to them. The device comes with a cable and plugs into a computer’s USB port. After scanning the badge, it provides a survey with questions exhibitors may want to ask visitors. A new iPhone application uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to grab information from the Internet and transfer to your phone via CompuSystems’ BuyerConnect portal.

In 2011, a PDA-style mobile device will be able to scan the badge and put the information in real-time into the BuyerConnect portal and allow exhibitors to perform a survey on potential buyers. Every potential buyer who visits a booth with a lead-recording device during the Show will receive a corresponding BuyerConnect e-mail as a reminder of where they visited so they can also follow up with exhibitors. This enables the exhibitor-visitor interaction to continue even after the Show ends.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, shows exhibitors how to promote themselves to potential buyers before, during and after the SEMA Show.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit took place in May and offered participants valuable information, techniques and skills designed to guarantee a profitable and successful SEMA Show experience. The Summit featured key staff and trade show industry experts leading a series of programs created to ensure exhibitors get the most out of the industry’s annual trade event.

Weren’t able to attend the Summit? Not a problem. The valuable educational seminars were recorded and will be presented here in SEMA eNews.

This week’s SEMA Exhibitor Summit installment is based on the “Converting Leads to Sales” seminar led by Paul McCaffray, executive vice president and COO of CompuSystems, a registration service provider.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.

A different seminar will be highlighted each week in SEMA eNews. To view other Summit videos, click here.

CompuSystems’ job is to provide exhibitors with an opportunity to promote themselves to potential buyers before the 2010 SEMA Show, produce a credential that is easy to read and enable exhibitors and potential buyers to follow up with each other after the Show.

The Show registration process officially launches the connection between buyers and sellers. Via CompuSystems’ TrafficMax application, exhibitors can download a selected portion of the registration file before, during and after the Show and then select the date range for when buyers registered so they don’t attempt to reach out to the same group of people. According to McCaffray, for exhibitors who market themselves to prospective attendees year after year, 10% of the leads they take are from people they’ve marketed to before. Exhibitors can also narrow their selections geographically in the event they only operate in a particular region or state. This service provides exhibitors an opportunity to tell their story to Show attendees beforehand.

The SEMA Show badge serves two purposes: to provide identification and serve as an electronic business card. The two-dimensional barcode includes all personal information, including visitor profile information, so when exhibitors obtain a sales lead, they will know as much information about the potential buyer beyond the information commonly displayed on a business card. After each lead’s badge is scanned using a mobile or desktop device for a qualified sales lead, the data is recorded electronically on an embedded USB drive.

CompuLEAD Pro provides software prior to the Show where exhibitors can set up an extensive, customized survey and questionnaire unique to them. The device comes with a cable and plugs into a computer’s USB port. After scanning the badge, it provides a survey with questions exhibitors may want to ask visitors. A new iPhone application uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to grab information from the Internet and transfer to your phone via CompuSystems’ BuyerConnect portal.

In 2011, a PDA-style mobile device will be able to scan the badge and put the information in real-time into the BuyerConnect portal and allow exhibitors to perform a survey on potential buyers. Every potential buyer who visits a booth with a lead-recording device during the Show will receive a corresponding BuyerConnect e-mail as a reminder of where they visited so they can also follow up with exhibitors. This enables the exhibitor-visitor interaction to continue even after the Show ends.

Click here to watch the video presentation in its entirety.