Making the Most of the 2015 SEMA Show

The 2015 SEMA Show is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

The 2015 SEMA Show, to be held November 3–6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Those buyers will be in search of the newest automotive specialty-equipment products to sell to consumers during the coming year, and additional thousands of media representatives will be looking for innovative products to publicize. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

First-time exhibitors—and all exhibitors, really—should begin their 2015 SEMA Show preparations by reading the Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM), which is available online at www.SEMAShow.com/esm. The ESM is the SEMA Show bible for exhibiting companies. It contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The manual offers information on programs and provides advice on everything from pre-Show promotion and use of the online media center to sponsorship and advertising opportunities that attract maximum attention.

The Exhibitor Services Manual contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The first stop in the ESM should be the “About the Show” section, which is the top tab in the online manual’s navigation menu. This section is designed to provide a comprehensive planning strategy for a successful exhibit, including checklists for budgets and deadlines and where to find expert resources for every need and contingency. One of the most important first contacts at the SEMA Show is the exhibitor’s floor manager, who assists exhibitors as a liaison to all the services they need to assure a smooth move in and move out.

The floor managers are listed in the ESM by Show section, and they have desks in each hall of the Show. They will be touring the Show floor and introducing themselves on-site, and exhibitors should additionally connect with their SEMA sales representatives, also listed in the ESM, who can help them acclimate to the LVCC and SEMA Show setup.

The deadline checklist is particularly important. It can help exhibitors stay organized and is also tied to discounts. What’s startling is how many exhibitors overlook the available savings. Last year, 47% of exhibitors took advantage of early-order discounts—which means that 53% missed the deadline dates and paid premium prices! Every exhibitor can—and should—save big by paying attention to the deadline checklist, and it should be reviewed on a weekly basis in the months preceding the SEMA Show.

The ESM also includes lists, links and contact information for official event service providers. These approved vendors have been vetted for ethical business practices, and they offer the best value through pre-negotiated rates. Beware of unofficial vendors offering deals that appear too good to be true, because they may be neither good nor valid. SEMA-approved vendors provide high levels of customer service and the confidence that they will deliver the services exhibitors need. Especially pertinent is securing hotel rooms early and through the official housing provider, Travel Planners, to avoid losing your hotel room and your money at the last minute.

The 2015 SEMA Show will also include a new expansion area adjacent to the South Hall. This new location for first-time and featured exhibitors is known as the Performance Pavilion and will be located near shuttle bus, taxi and limo drop-off and pickup points, making it a primary thoroughfare into the SEMA Show.

New Products Showcase

	An estimated 80% of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the New Products Showcase. It is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities for first-time exhibitors at the SEMA Show.

The New Products Showcase is the number-one buyer and media destination at the SEMA Show, and a majority of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the Showcase. First-time exhibitors often get caught up in preparations for the SEMA Show and discount the value of putting a product into the Showcase, but it is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities at the Show.

Every exhibitor is entitled to place one item into the Showcase free (subsequent entries are $75 each), which provides a unique opportunity to increase exposure and gain additional publicity. The Showcase includes programs for exhibitors with all-new products as well as those who are promoting previously introduced products.

For 2015, the New Products Showcase will be housed directly between South Hall and Central Hall in an area known as the Skybridge—one of the highest-traffic areas in the LVCC. Buyers and media can use ultra-convenient electronic scanners to select products in the Showcase that they want more information about, so it’s imperative that all exhibitors, but especially first-timers, utilize the showcase to bring traffic to their booths and help generate leads.

In addition to the exposure benefits of the New Products Showcase, displaying there also qualifies new products for an award as a Best New Product of the SEMA Show. The awards are announced at the New Products Breakfast, held Tuesday morning, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., at the Westgate Las Vegas Casino & Hotel, Event Center South. Products are judged in 16 award categories, and each category will have one winner and two runners-up. For more information about entering the New Products Showcase, visit www.SEMAShow.com/new-products.

All of the new products will also be featured on the latest SEMA Show mobile app. Each will include a photo, a product description and information about the exhibitor who entered the product. The products will be searchable by company and by product. The mobile app has become a yearlong tool for both buyers and exhibitors. The app is available free of charge through iTunes and Android stores (search 2015 SEMA Show). Those who downloaded previous SEMA Show apps will need to download the new one for this year. Exhibitors should also publicize their participation in the Show by engaging in social media, using the hashtag #sema2015.

Press Releases

Another prime publicity opportunity is submitting a press release to the online media center. Such releases typically reveal new products being introduced at the Show, including a description and photo of the product. They may also announce Show specials that the exhibitor may offer in its booth (75% of buyers indicated that they took advantage of a special offer during the 2014 Show), new programs or other company developments. Visit www.SEMAShow.com/node/add/press to post a release, and post early so that you meet editors’ deadlines.

Hard copy or digital releases in the form of flash drives or DVDs may also be distributed at the on-site SEMA Show Media Center, which is available exclusively to credentialed media. Editors and reporters use the center as a workspace that features computers, dedicated WiFi, lounge areas, exhibitor press materials and more. The Media Center will be housed in Room S220 on the Skybridge, immediately adjacent to the New Products Showcase. Exhibitors may bring copies of their press releases for distribution to the Media Center during the hours of operation detailed at www.SEMAShow.com/media.

Generating and Following Up on Buyer Leads

Allowing exhibitors to gather contact information from buyers interested in products is one of the SEMA Show’s primary functions. Countertop lead-retrieval devices can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically capture business and contact data.

Business is the name of the game at the SEMA Show, and gathering contact information for buyers interested in exhibitors’ products is one of the event’s primary functions. Some exhibitors rely on writing the information down or collecting business cards, but the ESM contains instructions for renting countertop lead-retrieval devices that can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically record business and contact data. There is now even a smartphone app that uses the phone’s camera function to read the barcode on the buyer’s SEMA Show badge. A description in the ESM shows how to download the app.

The app and other devices available from CompuSystems, SEMA’s official registration provider, are part of a suite of products designed to help exhibitors convert booth visits into sales. The lead-retrieval products help capture and qualify leads on the Show floor, and exhibitors who have used the devices also have access to the myLeads follow-up service when the Show ends.

Buyers report that they are expecting to be followed up with in the weeks after the SEMA Show, and it is more important than ever in this technology age to do so in a timely manner so that you are top of mind for buyers who’ve shown interest in your products. To learn more, visit www.SEMAShow.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/lead-retrieval.pdf.

Displaying a Vehicle

In addition to its business value, the SEMA Show is also one of the world’s most exclusive car shows. It is open only to industry professionals and houses some of the world’s most innovative vehicles. Exhibitors should take care that the vehicles they either display in a booth or endorse as a feature vehicle are treated as extensions of their exhibit space. A vehicle that wouldn’t be representative of the exhibitor’s company in the booth likely shouldn’t be showcased as a feature vehicle either.

Just putting a sticker of the exhibiting company’s logo in a window is not representative of the company’s brand. But a vehicle that is outfitted with appropriate product can help showcase the company and attract interested buyers. There are strict rules regarding the branding of non-exhibiting manufacturers on these vehicles. (See the Vehicles/Car Display Opportunities tab in the online ESM, where you’ll also find a feature-vehicle application form as well as a booth-vehicle application form.)

SEMA exhibitors and car builders should also consider entering their vehicles in the 2015 Battle of the Builders competition. Last year, more than 125 vehicles took part. They were pared down to the top 10 finalists by the editors of three leading automotive magazines, and then the finalists themselves judged each others’ vehicles to determine the ultimate winner.

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited

	The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

The top vehicles in the Battle of the Builders competition will be on display at SEMA Ignited and will be filmed by the Velocity Network for repeated broadcasts throughout 2016.

At the close of the SEMA Show on Friday afternoon, hundreds of cars and trucks pour out the doors of the LVCC to join the SEMA Cruise, a procession of the world’s most innovative vehicles that draws thousands of spectators and provides yet another benefit to brand awareness for exhibitors. The cruise route this year will terminate at the Gold Lot across the street from the LVCC and will lead up to the second annual SEMA Ignited after party.

The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

New Information Weekly

The weeks leading up to the SEMA Show are crucial for gathering information and honing exhibitor preparations. It’s the most critical time to watch for announcements from the SEMA Show via e-mail, the association’s SEMA eNews newsletter and SEMA News magazine. All contain money-saving announcements pertinent to the Show along with direct messages from the Show organizers to provide participants with pertinent deadline information, special programs and unique opportunities that will help exhibitors succeed.

Also watch those sources for announcements about this year’s SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet, to be held on Thursday evening. Past headline attractions at the banquet have included Jay Leno, Sinbad and George Carlin. Tickets are free to exhibitors based on booth size and include dinner and great networking opportunities. Also keep an eye out for the 2015 educational sessions, which cover everything from optimizing retail operations to social-media marketing and advancements in technology. Many of the sessions are conveniently scheduled Monday before the SEMA Show opens and/or early in the mornings so that exhibitors may attend.

Making the Most of the 2015 SEMA Show

The 2015 SEMA Show is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

The 2015 SEMA Show, to be held November 3–6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Those buyers will be in search of the newest automotive specialty-equipment products to sell to consumers during the coming year, and additional thousands of media representatives will be looking for innovative products to publicize. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

First-time exhibitors—and all exhibitors, really—should begin their 2015 SEMA Show preparations by reading the Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM), which is available online at www.SEMAShow.com/esm. The ESM is the SEMA Show bible for exhibiting companies. It contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The manual offers information on programs and provides advice on everything from pre-Show promotion and use of the online media center to sponsorship and advertising opportunities that attract maximum attention.

The Exhibitor Services Manual contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The first stop in the ESM should be the “About the Show” section, which is the top tab in the online manual’s navigation menu. This section is designed to provide a comprehensive planning strategy for a successful exhibit, including checklists for budgets and deadlines and where to find expert resources for every need and contingency. One of the most important first contacts at the SEMA Show is the exhibitor’s floor manager, who assists exhibitors as a liaison to all the services they need to assure a smooth move in and move out.

The floor managers are listed in the ESM by Show section, and they have desks in each hall of the Show. They will be touring the Show floor and introducing themselves on-site, and exhibitors should additionally connect with their SEMA sales representatives, also listed in the ESM, who can help them acclimate to the LVCC and SEMA Show setup.

The deadline checklist is particularly important. It can help exhibitors stay organized and is also tied to discounts. What’s startling is how many exhibitors overlook the available savings. Last year, 47% of exhibitors took advantage of early-order discounts—which means that 53% missed the deadline dates and paid premium prices! Every exhibitor can—and should—save big by paying attention to the deadline checklist, and it should be reviewed on a weekly basis in the months preceding the SEMA Show.

The ESM also includes lists, links and contact information for official event service providers. These approved vendors have been vetted for ethical business practices, and they offer the best value through pre-negotiated rates. Beware of unofficial vendors offering deals that appear too good to be true, because they may be neither good nor valid. SEMA-approved vendors provide high levels of customer service and the confidence that they will deliver the services exhibitors need. Especially pertinent is securing hotel rooms early and through the official housing provider, Travel Planners, to avoid losing your hotel room and your money at the last minute.

The 2015 SEMA Show will also include a new expansion area adjacent to the South Hall. This new location for first-time and featured exhibitors is known as the Performance Pavilion and will be located near shuttle bus, taxi and limo drop-off and pickup points, making it a primary thoroughfare into the SEMA Show.

New Products Showcase

	An estimated 80% of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the New Products Showcase. It is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities for first-time exhibitors at the SEMA Show.

The New Products Showcase is the number-one buyer and media destination at the SEMA Show, and a majority of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the Showcase. First-time exhibitors often get caught up in preparations for the SEMA Show and discount the value of putting a product into the Showcase, but it is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities at the Show.

Every exhibitor is entitled to place one item into the Showcase free (subsequent entries are $75 each), which provides a unique opportunity to increase exposure and gain additional publicity. The Showcase includes programs for exhibitors with all-new products as well as those who are promoting previously introduced products.

For 2015, the New Products Showcase will be housed directly between South Hall and Central Hall in an area known as the Skybridge—one of the highest-traffic areas in the LVCC. Buyers and media can use ultra-convenient electronic scanners to select products in the Showcase that they want more information about, so it’s imperative that all exhibitors, but especially first-timers, utilize the showcase to bring traffic to their booths and help generate leads.

In addition to the exposure benefits of the New Products Showcase, displaying there also qualifies new products for an award as a Best New Product of the SEMA Show. The awards are announced at the New Products Breakfast, held Tuesday morning, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., at the Westgate Las Vegas Casino & Hotel, Event Center South. Products are judged in 16 award categories, and each category will have one winner and two runners-up. For more information about entering the New Products Showcase, visit www.SEMAShow.com/new-products.

All of the new products will also be featured on the latest SEMA Show mobile app. Each will include a photo, a product description and information about the exhibitor who entered the product. The products will be searchable by company and by product. The mobile app has become a yearlong tool for both buyers and exhibitors. The app is available free of charge through iTunes and Android stores (search 2015 SEMA Show). Those who downloaded previous SEMA Show apps will need to download the new one for this year. Exhibitors should also publicize their participation in the Show by engaging in social media, using the hashtag #sema2015.

Press Releases

Another prime publicity opportunity is submitting a press release to the online media center. Such releases typically reveal new products being introduced at the Show, including a description and photo of the product. They may also announce Show specials that the exhibitor may offer in its booth (75% of buyers indicated that they took advantage of a special offer during the 2014 Show), new programs or other company developments. Visit www.SEMAShow.com/node/add/press to post a release, and post early so that you meet editors’ deadlines.

Hard copy or digital releases in the form of flash drives or DVDs may also be distributed at the on-site SEMA Show Media Center, which is available exclusively to credentialed media. Editors and reporters use the center as a workspace that features computers, dedicated WiFi, lounge areas, exhibitor press materials and more. The Media Center will be housed in Room S220 on the Skybridge, immediately adjacent to the New Products Showcase. Exhibitors may bring copies of their press releases for distribution to the Media Center during the hours of operation detailed at www.SEMAShow.com/media.

Generating and Following Up on Buyer Leads

Allowing exhibitors to gather contact information from buyers interested in products is one of the SEMA Show’s primary functions. Countertop lead-retrieval devices can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically capture business and contact data.

Business is the name of the game at the SEMA Show, and gathering contact information for buyers interested in exhibitors’ products is one of the event’s primary functions. Some exhibitors rely on writing the information down or collecting business cards, but the ESM contains instructions for renting countertop lead-retrieval devices that can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically record business and contact data. There is now even a smartphone app that uses the phone’s camera function to read the barcode on the buyer’s SEMA Show badge. A description in the ESM shows how to download the app.

The app and other devices available from CompuSystems, SEMA’s official registration provider, are part of a suite of products designed to help exhibitors convert booth visits into sales. The lead-retrieval products help capture and qualify leads on the Show floor, and exhibitors who have used the devices also have access to the myLeads follow-up service when the Show ends.

Buyers report that they are expecting to be followed up with in the weeks after the SEMA Show, and it is more important than ever in this technology age to do so in a timely manner so that you are top of mind for buyers who’ve shown interest in your products. To learn more, visit www.SEMAShow.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/lead-retrieval.pdf.

Displaying a Vehicle

In addition to its business value, the SEMA Show is also one of the world’s most exclusive car shows. It is open only to industry professionals and houses some of the world’s most innovative vehicles. Exhibitors should take care that the vehicles they either display in a booth or endorse as a feature vehicle are treated as extensions of their exhibit space. A vehicle that wouldn’t be representative of the exhibitor’s company in the booth likely shouldn’t be showcased as a feature vehicle either.

Just putting a sticker of the exhibiting company’s logo in a window is not representative of the company’s brand. But a vehicle that is outfitted with appropriate product can help showcase the company and attract interested buyers. There are strict rules regarding the branding of non-exhibiting manufacturers on these vehicles. (See the Vehicles/Car Display Opportunities tab in the online ESM, where you’ll also find a feature-vehicle application form as well as a booth-vehicle application form.)

SEMA exhibitors and car builders should also consider entering their vehicles in the 2015 Battle of the Builders competition. Last year, more than 125 vehicles took part. They were pared down to the top 10 finalists by the editors of three leading automotive magazines, and then the finalists themselves judged each others’ vehicles to determine the ultimate winner.

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited

	The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

The top vehicles in the Battle of the Builders competition will be on display at SEMA Ignited and will be filmed by the Velocity Network for repeated broadcasts throughout 2016.

At the close of the SEMA Show on Friday afternoon, hundreds of cars and trucks pour out the doors of the LVCC to join the SEMA Cruise, a procession of the world’s most innovative vehicles that draws thousands of spectators and provides yet another benefit to brand awareness for exhibitors. The cruise route this year will terminate at the Gold Lot across the street from the LVCC and will lead up to the second annual SEMA Ignited after party.

The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

New Information Weekly

The weeks leading up to the SEMA Show are crucial for gathering information and honing exhibitor preparations. It’s the most critical time to watch for announcements from the SEMA Show via e-mail, the association’s SEMA eNews newsletter and SEMA News magazine. All contain money-saving announcements pertinent to the Show along with direct messages from the Show organizers to provide participants with pertinent deadline information, special programs and unique opportunities that will help exhibitors succeed.

Also watch those sources for announcements about this year’s SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet, to be held on Thursday evening. Past headline attractions at the banquet have included Jay Leno, Sinbad and George Carlin. Tickets are free to exhibitors based on booth size and include dinner and great networking opportunities. Also keep an eye out for the 2015 educational sessions, which cover everything from optimizing retail operations to social-media marketing and advancements in technology. Many of the sessions are conveniently scheduled Monday before the SEMA Show opens and/or early in the mornings so that exhibitors may attend.

Making the Most of the 2015 SEMA Show

The 2015 SEMA Show is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

The 2015 SEMA Show, to be held November 3–6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), is on track to draw more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 60,000 buyers. Those buyers will be in search of the newest automotive specialty-equipment products to sell to consumers during the coming year, and additional thousands of media representatives will be looking for innovative products to publicize. Last year, nearly 90% of buyers who attended the SEMA Show said that they planned to purchase products from exhibitors. With a little preparation, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.

First-time exhibitors—and all exhibitors, really—should begin their 2015 SEMA Show preparations by reading the Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM), which is available online at www.SEMAShow.com/esm. The ESM is the SEMA Show bible for exhibiting companies. It contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The manual offers information on programs and provides advice on everything from pre-Show promotion and use of the online media center to sponsorship and advertising opportunities that attract maximum attention.

The Exhibitor Services Manual contains information about virtually every item any exhibitor needs in order to set a budget, acquire booth space, set up and coordinate displays and garner sales leads.

The first stop in the ESM should be the “About the Show” section, which is the top tab in the online manual’s navigation menu. This section is designed to provide a comprehensive planning strategy for a successful exhibit, including checklists for budgets and deadlines and where to find expert resources for every need and contingency. One of the most important first contacts at the SEMA Show is the exhibitor’s floor manager, who assists exhibitors as a liaison to all the services they need to assure a smooth move in and move out.

The floor managers are listed in the ESM by Show section, and they have desks in each hall of the Show. They will be touring the Show floor and introducing themselves on-site, and exhibitors should additionally connect with their SEMA sales representatives, also listed in the ESM, who can help them acclimate to the LVCC and SEMA Show setup.

The deadline checklist is particularly important. It can help exhibitors stay organized and is also tied to discounts. What’s startling is how many exhibitors overlook the available savings. Last year, 47% of exhibitors took advantage of early-order discounts—which means that 53% missed the deadline dates and paid premium prices! Every exhibitor can—and should—save big by paying attention to the deadline checklist, and it should be reviewed on a weekly basis in the months preceding the SEMA Show.

The ESM also includes lists, links and contact information for official event service providers. These approved vendors have been vetted for ethical business practices, and they offer the best value through pre-negotiated rates. Beware of unofficial vendors offering deals that appear too good to be true, because they may be neither good nor valid. SEMA-approved vendors provide high levels of customer service and the confidence that they will deliver the services exhibitors need. Especially pertinent is securing hotel rooms early and through the official housing provider, Travel Planners, to avoid losing your hotel room and your money at the last minute.

The 2015 SEMA Show will also include a new expansion area adjacent to the South Hall. This new location for first-time and featured exhibitors is known as the Performance Pavilion and will be located near shuttle bus, taxi and limo drop-off and pickup points, making it a primary thoroughfare into the SEMA Show.

New Products Showcase

	An estimated 80% of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the New Products Showcase. It is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities for first-time exhibitors at the SEMA Show.

The New Products Showcase is the number-one buyer and media destination at the SEMA Show, and a majority of buyers find out about new companies by visiting the Showcase. First-time exhibitors often get caught up in preparations for the SEMA Show and discount the value of putting a product into the Showcase, but it is one of the best bang-for-the-buck exposure opportunities at the Show.

Every exhibitor is entitled to place one item into the Showcase free (subsequent entries are $75 each), which provides a unique opportunity to increase exposure and gain additional publicity. The Showcase includes programs for exhibitors with all-new products as well as those who are promoting previously introduced products.

For 2015, the New Products Showcase will be housed directly between South Hall and Central Hall in an area known as the Skybridge—one of the highest-traffic areas in the LVCC. Buyers and media can use ultra-convenient electronic scanners to select products in the Showcase that they want more information about, so it’s imperative that all exhibitors, but especially first-timers, utilize the showcase to bring traffic to their booths and help generate leads.

In addition to the exposure benefits of the New Products Showcase, displaying there also qualifies new products for an award as a Best New Product of the SEMA Show. The awards are announced at the New Products Breakfast, held Tuesday morning, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., at the Westgate Las Vegas Casino & Hotel, Event Center South. Products are judged in 16 award categories, and each category will have one winner and two runners-up. For more information about entering the New Products Showcase, visit www.SEMAShow.com/new-products.

All of the new products will also be featured on the latest SEMA Show mobile app. Each will include a photo, a product description and information about the exhibitor who entered the product. The products will be searchable by company and by product. The mobile app has become a yearlong tool for both buyers and exhibitors. The app is available free of charge through iTunes and Android stores (search 2015 SEMA Show). Those who downloaded previous SEMA Show apps will need to download the new one for this year. Exhibitors should also publicize their participation in the Show by engaging in social media, using the hashtag #sema2015.

Press Releases

Another prime publicity opportunity is submitting a press release to the online media center. Such releases typically reveal new products being introduced at the Show, including a description and photo of the product. They may also announce Show specials that the exhibitor may offer in its booth (75% of buyers indicated that they took advantage of a special offer during the 2014 Show), new programs or other company developments. Visit www.SEMAShow.com/node/add/press to post a release, and post early so that you meet editors’ deadlines.

Hard copy or digital releases in the form of flash drives or DVDs may also be distributed at the on-site SEMA Show Media Center, which is available exclusively to credentialed media. Editors and reporters use the center as a workspace that features computers, dedicated WiFi, lounge areas, exhibitor press materials and more. The Media Center will be housed in Room S220 on the Skybridge, immediately adjacent to the New Products Showcase. Exhibitors may bring copies of their press releases for distribution to the Media Center during the hours of operation detailed at www.SEMAShow.com/media.

Generating and Following Up on Buyer Leads

Allowing exhibitors to gather contact information from buyers interested in products is one of the SEMA Show’s primary functions. Countertop lead-retrieval devices can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically capture business and contact data.

Business is the name of the game at the SEMA Show, and gathering contact information for buyers interested in exhibitors’ products is one of the event’s primary functions. Some exhibitors rely on writing the information down or collecting business cards, but the ESM contains instructions for renting countertop lead-retrieval devices that can be used to scan each buyer’s badge to electronically record business and contact data. There is now even a smartphone app that uses the phone’s camera function to read the barcode on the buyer’s SEMA Show badge. A description in the ESM shows how to download the app.

The app and other devices available from CompuSystems, SEMA’s official registration provider, are part of a suite of products designed to help exhibitors convert booth visits into sales. The lead-retrieval products help capture and qualify leads on the Show floor, and exhibitors who have used the devices also have access to the myLeads follow-up service when the Show ends.

Buyers report that they are expecting to be followed up with in the weeks after the SEMA Show, and it is more important than ever in this technology age to do so in a timely manner so that you are top of mind for buyers who’ve shown interest in your products. To learn more, visit www.SEMAShow.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/lead-retrieval.pdf.

Displaying a Vehicle

In addition to its business value, the SEMA Show is also one of the world’s most exclusive car shows. It is open only to industry professionals and houses some of the world’s most innovative vehicles. Exhibitors should take care that the vehicles they either display in a booth or endorse as a feature vehicle are treated as extensions of their exhibit space. A vehicle that wouldn’t be representative of the exhibitor’s company in the booth likely shouldn’t be showcased as a feature vehicle either.

Just putting a sticker of the exhibiting company’s logo in a window is not representative of the company’s brand. But a vehicle that is outfitted with appropriate product can help showcase the company and attract interested buyers. There are strict rules regarding the branding of non-exhibiting manufacturers on these vehicles. (See the Vehicles/Car Display Opportunities tab in the online ESM, where you’ll also find a feature-vehicle application form as well as a booth-vehicle application form.)

SEMA exhibitors and car builders should also consider entering their vehicles in the 2015 Battle of the Builders competition. Last year, more than 125 vehicles took part. They were pared down to the top 10 finalists by the editors of three leading automotive magazines, and then the finalists themselves judged each others’ vehicles to determine the ultimate winner.

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited

	The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

The top vehicles in the Battle of the Builders competition will be on display at SEMA Ignited and will be filmed by the Velocity Network for repeated broadcasts throughout 2016.

At the close of the SEMA Show on Friday afternoon, hundreds of cars and trucks pour out the doors of the LVCC to join the SEMA Cruise, a procession of the world’s most innovative vehicles that draws thousands of spectators and provides yet another benefit to brand awareness for exhibitors. The cruise route this year will terminate at the Gold Lot across the street from the LVCC and will lead up to the second annual SEMA Ignited after party.

The SEMA Ignited post-SEMA Show extravaganza includes food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and displays. The event gives exhibitors a chance to show off their vehicles—and thus their products—to the public after four days of trade-only exposure.

New Information Weekly

The weeks leading up to the SEMA Show are crucial for gathering information and honing exhibitor preparations. It’s the most critical time to watch for announcements from the SEMA Show via e-mail, the association’s SEMA eNews newsletter and SEMA News magazine. All contain money-saving announcements pertinent to the Show along with direct messages from the Show organizers to provide participants with pertinent deadline information, special programs and unique opportunities that will help exhibitors succeed.

Also watch those sources for announcements about this year’s SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet, to be held on Thursday evening. Past headline attractions at the banquet have included Jay Leno, Sinbad and George Carlin. Tickets are free to exhibitors based on booth size and include dinner and great networking opportunities. Also keep an eye out for the 2015 educational sessions, which cover everything from optimizing retail operations to social-media marketing and advancements in technology. Many of the sessions are conveniently scheduled Monday before the SEMA Show opens and/or early in the mornings so that exhibitors may attend.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

BUSINESS
By Chad Simon

Retail Spotlight

Southern Off-Road Specialists Provides Superior Customer Experience

	Southern Off-Road Specialists is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories.

A longtime passion for off-roading helped motivate the Richmond family to launch Southern Off-Road Specialists (SORS) in 2000. Having an enthusiast mindset with the ability to relate to customers and foresee trends is the formula that has enabled owners Don Richmond and his son Adam—who started working at the shop when he was just 15—to succeed in this competitive market.

SORS got its humble start in a two-bay gas station, grossing $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly sales. Today, the four-wheel-drive shop is housed in a 40,000-sq.-ft. facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, and employs 18 people. The family-owned company is closing in on $1 million in monthly sales by supplying enthusiasts with lift kits, tires, wheels, tonneau covers, aftermarket bumpers, lighting and other popular truck accessories. In 2012, SORS added an entire arms-and-ammo showroom inside of the truck shop. Adam Richmond instantly saw the benefits of the natural crossover, as 80% of the company’s gun business came from existing truck and accessory clients.

SEMA News recently caught up with the younger Richmond to find out how the family has managed to propel the company forward despite competition from larger, corporate-owned companies.

SEMA News: What is the single most important factor in your success? Who are your customers, and why do they come to you?

Adam Richmond: In a market where almost everything we sell is discretionary, the customer experience is truly one of the most important factors contributing to our success. Most customers have a general idea of what they’re looking for but welcome the expertise of our sales team. At the end of the day, we always want our customers to leave happy. We understand that we’re in a word-of-mouth business, and making them happy is of utmost importance to us. People make mistakes, and the true success of a business is how it overcomes those mistakes and responds to them.

Our clients are mostly males between the ages of 16 and 45. They come to us because we are established in the community, we have a solid reputation and we’re in a great location.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy? How do you train your staff to best serve the company?

AR: We strive to provide a superior customer experience, starting with the interaction with our sales team, followed by top-quality installation service and continuing with friendly after-sales support. We found that hiring off-road enthusiasts is key because it’s easier to train them on the products and services we offer, and the personal interest transfers strongly when working with customers on their special projects.

SN: What differentiates you from the competition?

AR: We are an operationally involved, family-owned company, and our clients like knowing that the owners are directly involved in the day-to-day operations. Problem resolution is typically streamlined much faster and more efficiently compared to our corporately owned competitors.

SN: What has been your company’s most rewarding success?

AR: We have created very close relationships with the leaders in our industry. We test prototype products, have direct contact with their design teams and can help influence products that we know our customers will love. This keeps us on the leading edge and helps propel us into the future.

SN: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

SORS continues the customer experience beyond the actual sale by providing installation service and support.

AR: The industry is constantly changing over time. It’s a challenge to keep up with current trends and foresee what will be popular. Being an enthusiast helps us to understand what’s going on in the industry.

Before the recession, back in 2007 and 2008, a large majority of our customer base was small-business owners. We catered to a clientele who purchased a new truck every year. Literally, it felt like overnight that business went away. If we had not been watching what was happening in the market and been able to anticipate that customer base disappearing, we would have been in real trouble.

We actually started targeting dealerships prior to that. We were able to supplement the individual small-business owner customer base that was our cornerstone for several years and transition it to dealer-focused for the next couple years. Throughout the recession, our company continued to grow.

About 40% of our business was diesel performance when stricter diesel emissions-controls were put in place, and that went real soft overnight as well. Seeing that happening, we were able to transition almost 40% of our business to nothing but Jeep products. We’re constantly finding what’s new and what else we can be doing, which has helped us.

SEMA News—September 2015

INTERNET
By Joe Dysart

Got Old Credit Card Terminals?

You’re on the Hook for Fraud Starting October 2015

	According to a February 2015 poll by Newtek Business Services, 71% of business owners are unaware that they’ll be on the hook for magnetic stripe fraud after October 2015.

Auto-parts businesses will be on the hook for credit card fraud if they don’t migrate to new chip card terminals by October 1, 2015, according to the major credit card companies.

Essentially, Mastercard, Visa, American Express and the like have had it with old-technology magnetic-stripe cards, which are easy plunder for fraudsters, so they’ve decided to shift the fraud liability to businesses that insist on mag-stripe technology and don’t bring in new chip card terminals. Thus, if a fraudster comes into your non-chip-card-ready business after October 1 and charges a part—or more—on a credit card, your business eats the loss.

All of it. Problem is, thousands of U.S. businesses have no idea that they’re on a collision course with fraud liability this fall. And credit card companies are starting to get worried.

“While the credit card industry needs to churn out a lot more chip cards, retailers seem to be in worse shape,” said Matt Schulz, a senior industry analyst at
CreditCards.com. “Very few are ready to accept chip cards.”

Indeed. According to a February 2015 poll by Newtek Business Services, 71% of business owners are unaware that they’ll be on the hook for magnetic stripe fraud after October 2015.

“It is apparent that business owners still do not have a full understanding of the importance of chip card processing,” said Barry Sloane, CEO of Newtek. “It is extremely important for individuals taking credit card payments to be aware.”

Despite the backlash anticipated from businesses that begin getting stung for fraud this fall, the major credit card companies are hanging tough with their deadline. And it’s no wonder. All of those credit goliaths have been burned by the wholesale theft of credit card data that is often measured in millions of accounts. And all of those titans have been dealing with untold numbers of angry cardholders—many of whom know all too well that the security on a mag-stripe credit card is a joke.

Chip cards, by comparison, are much more secure, according to Megan Shamas, a spokesperson for EMV-Connection, a branch of the Smart Card Alliance. Specifically, chip cards produce a one-time-use code for every transaction, making it much more difficult for fraudsters to compromise. Plus, if a chip card is lost or stolen, the card is also much more difficult to counterfeit, Shamas said.

Chip cards—also known as EMV cards, an acronym for Europay, Mastercard and Visa, the three companies that helped develop the card technology—also have an extremely successful track record in Europe. Credit card fraud in the United Kingdom plummeted by 72% after chip cards were widely adopted, according to Patricia Moloney Figliola, a specialist in Internet and telecommunications policy with The Congressional Research Service, a research team employed by the U.S. Congress. And Canada saw a 48% reduction in fraud after chip cards were rolled out there, Figliola said.

In fact, according to Figliola, the United States is the last major market to make the switch to chip cards.

	Chip cards produce a one-time-use code for every transaction, making it much more difficult for fraudsters to compromise.

Besides intense pressure from credit card companies on chip card migration, fed-up consumers are also beating the drum. A recent Mastercard study revealed that 63% of credit card holders want a chip card “immediately,” said Carolyn Balfany, group head of U.S. product delivery for Mastercard. And 87% of those surveyed said that they were completely comfortable with the idea of transitioning to chip cards.

Of course, the rub for auto-parts businesses is that getting from here to there will cost coin. Phil Wimberly, vice president of integrated solutions sales for OpenEdge, a payments software provider, said that companies can expect to pay $300 to $1,300 for a new chip card terminal, depending on the features they’re looking for. Plus, they’ll have to train staff to deal with the new technology.

One of the best resources for the new terminals will probably be the business that’s already handling the processing of your mag-stripe cards, Wimberly said. The silver lining is that customers will most likely find making the switch fairly intuitive, though there are a few differences.

Chip cards need to be inserted into a terminal rather than swiped. And a chip card needs to stay inserted in the terminal until the transaction is completed. For verification, chip cards will require either a customer signature or a customer PIN. And some will be “contactless,” requiring only a simple “wave” over a terminal to initiate a transaction.

During the first few years of the transition, chip cards will also come with magnetic stripes, which will enable consumers to make purchases at businesses still mired in mag-stripe technology. But the primary point to remember is that you won’t be on the hook for fraud created by any mag-stripe card you accept as payment as long as your business has chip card terminals, according to EMV-Connection’s Shamas. As long as your business has made the effort to accept chip cards, the credit card companies aren’t looking to penalize you for accepting a mag-strip card, she said.

As the October deadline looms, all of the major credit card companies are ramping up massive business educational campaigns, hoping to help businesses dodge the fraud-liability ax. But even with the massive PR push, industry watchers fret that there will still be hundreds of thousands of uniformed businesses seeing red over new fraud liability this fall.

“The Achilles heel for EMV merchant adoption will be small and micro merchants that are not only unprepared for EMV but are even unaware of the fraud-liability shift in the United States this year,” said Nick Holland, head of payments for Javelin Strategy & Research.

Don’t be one of those unaware businesses.

For more information about EMV® and its impact on your business, contact your First Data Business Consultant Ken Keifer @ 424-903-6877 or e-mail ken.keifer@firstdata.com.