SEMA News—June 2013

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Do-It-Yourself Product Data Management?

It’s Easier Than You Think!

Not too long ago, it took an expert in HTML to enable you to launch a website for your business. It was all very mysterious and was often communicated in a “trust us, you wouldn’t understand” manner. Today, there are numerous ready-to-go platform solutions that have made what was once an expensive and expertise-intensive process into a do-it-yourself reality. In fact, many business owners today are finding that understanding their business technology and managing the details internally is not only relatively easy to do, but also brings a whole new level of control into the business that most often produces better results while saving money.

Much like web platform solutions, a lot has changed in the wonderful world of product data management. There are now tools that take away the mystery of this apparently complex and labor-intensive task. Specifically, the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) Product Information Management Systems (PIMS) has automated the complex elements of data management into a user-friendly web interface that truly puts you in control.

The SDC has packaged all the mystery and complexity of the industry data standards into a state-of-the-art solution designed with users in mind. In fact, it almost looks too easy! You can start with almost any data file you have, and our fulltime live help desk will work with you to identify and fill out any missing data elements, upload the file into the system, validate your data for compliance to the standards and store it securely in our repository for export to your customers.

This highly efficient process not only produces customer-specific data exports, but also does so in minutes and hours—rather than days, weeks or months. For example, let’s say you are launching a new product and you want to get it on the street as soon as possible. As a Data Co-op member, you simply upload or manually enter the new product into the system, send it to real-time validation and, if it passes, the data goes directly to the repository for distribution to your customers. The system will automatically notify your customers that you have new product information waiting, and they can download it immediately or receive it on their next scheduled delivery.

Another important feature of the SDC is our close relationship with each of your customers. We work directly with each of these “receivers” of data to document their specific data needs, and we design and store a custom export format especially for them. As you know, some receivers can use standard ACES and PIES exports, but many have specific requirements that can become a real management chore (think load sheets). For an SDC user, the system automatically takes care of all data exports, ensuring consistent, accurate data exports with literally no effort!

It really comes down to this: Find a part-time resource in your company who can own the process of gathering, updating and loading your data into the SDC system, and let the technology do the rest. After all, nobody is more qualified to create your product data than you are, and to rely on an outside source to control your published product details and content is risky at best. With the SDC, not only will you take direct control of your data, content and marketing messages, but you will also own the result 100%, as it should be.

Don’t let a lack of understanding keep you from managing this critical business element! We’ll show you how our DIY approach will save you time and money and produce better results than you have ever experienced, without all the mystery, delays and expense that are costing you dollars and sales.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven at the SEMA Data Co-op at jimg@SEMAdatacoop.org or call 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—June 2013

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Do-It-Yourself Product Data Management?

It’s Easier Than You Think!

Not too long ago, it took an expert in HTML to enable you to launch a website for your business. It was all very mysterious and was often communicated in a “trust us, you wouldn’t understand” manner. Today, there are numerous ready-to-go platform solutions that have made what was once an expensive and expertise-intensive process into a do-it-yourself reality. In fact, many business owners today are finding that understanding their business technology and managing the details internally is not only relatively easy to do, but also brings a whole new level of control into the business that most often produces better results while saving money.

Much like web platform solutions, a lot has changed in the wonderful world of product data management. There are now tools that take away the mystery of this apparently complex and labor-intensive task. Specifically, the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) Product Information Management Systems (PIMS) has automated the complex elements of data management into a user-friendly web interface that truly puts you in control.

The SDC has packaged all the mystery and complexity of the industry data standards into a state-of-the-art solution designed with users in mind. In fact, it almost looks too easy! You can start with almost any data file you have, and our fulltime live help desk will work with you to identify and fill out any missing data elements, upload the file into the system, validate your data for compliance to the standards and store it securely in our repository for export to your customers.

This highly efficient process not only produces customer-specific data exports, but also does so in minutes and hours—rather than days, weeks or months. For example, let’s say you are launching a new product and you want to get it on the street as soon as possible. As a Data Co-op member, you simply upload or manually enter the new product into the system, send it to real-time validation and, if it passes, the data goes directly to the repository for distribution to your customers. The system will automatically notify your customers that you have new product information waiting, and they can download it immediately or receive it on their next scheduled delivery.

Another important feature of the SDC is our close relationship with each of your customers. We work directly with each of these “receivers” of data to document their specific data needs, and we design and store a custom export format especially for them. As you know, some receivers can use standard ACES and PIES exports, but many have specific requirements that can become a real management chore (think load sheets). For an SDC user, the system automatically takes care of all data exports, ensuring consistent, accurate data exports with literally no effort!

It really comes down to this: Find a part-time resource in your company who can own the process of gathering, updating and loading your data into the SDC system, and let the technology do the rest. After all, nobody is more qualified to create your product data than you are, and to rely on an outside source to control your published product details and content is risky at best. With the SDC, not only will you take direct control of your data, content and marketing messages, but you will also own the result 100%, as it should be.

Don’t let a lack of understanding keep you from managing this critical business element! We’ll show you how our DIY approach will save you time and money and produce better results than you have ever experienced, without all the mystery, delays and expense that are costing you dollars and sales.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven at the SEMA Data Co-op at jimg@SEMAdatacoop.org or call 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—June 2013

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Do-It-Yourself Product Data Management?

It’s Easier Than You Think!

Not too long ago, it took an expert in HTML to enable you to launch a website for your business. It was all very mysterious and was often communicated in a “trust us, you wouldn’t understand” manner. Today, there are numerous ready-to-go platform solutions that have made what was once an expensive and expertise-intensive process into a do-it-yourself reality. In fact, many business owners today are finding that understanding their business technology and managing the details internally is not only relatively easy to do, but also brings a whole new level of control into the business that most often produces better results while saving money.

Much like web platform solutions, a lot has changed in the wonderful world of product data management. There are now tools that take away the mystery of this apparently complex and labor-intensive task. Specifically, the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) Product Information Management Systems (PIMS) has automated the complex elements of data management into a user-friendly web interface that truly puts you in control.

The SDC has packaged all the mystery and complexity of the industry data standards into a state-of-the-art solution designed with users in mind. In fact, it almost looks too easy! You can start with almost any data file you have, and our fulltime live help desk will work with you to identify and fill out any missing data elements, upload the file into the system, validate your data for compliance to the standards and store it securely in our repository for export to your customers.

This highly efficient process not only produces customer-specific data exports, but also does so in minutes and hours—rather than days, weeks or months. For example, let’s say you are launching a new product and you want to get it on the street as soon as possible. As a Data Co-op member, you simply upload or manually enter the new product into the system, send it to real-time validation and, if it passes, the data goes directly to the repository for distribution to your customers. The system will automatically notify your customers that you have new product information waiting, and they can download it immediately or receive it on their next scheduled delivery.

Another important feature of the SDC is our close relationship with each of your customers. We work directly with each of these “receivers” of data to document their specific data needs, and we design and store a custom export format especially for them. As you know, some receivers can use standard ACES and PIES exports, but many have specific requirements that can become a real management chore (think load sheets). For an SDC user, the system automatically takes care of all data exports, ensuring consistent, accurate data exports with literally no effort!

It really comes down to this: Find a part-time resource in your company who can own the process of gathering, updating and loading your data into the SDC system, and let the technology do the rest. After all, nobody is more qualified to create your product data than you are, and to rely on an outside source to control your published product details and content is risky at best. With the SDC, not only will you take direct control of your data, content and marketing messages, but you will also own the result 100%, as it should be.

Don’t let a lack of understanding keep you from managing this critical business element! We’ll show you how our DIY approach will save you time and money and produce better results than you have ever experienced, without all the mystery, delays and expense that are costing you dollars and sales.

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven at the SEMA Data Co-op at jimg@SEMAdatacoop.org or call 888-958-6698 x4.

By SEMA Editors

	SEMA is looking for collector vehicles to display at this year's Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser. This ’65 Ford Mustang was on display at the 2012 SEMA Show.

SEMA is looking for a limited number of collector vehicles to be displayed onsite at the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser, held July 26, 2013, at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center in Pomona, California.

The annual Installation Banquet serves as the venue where we thank our association's outgoing Board members and welcome those who have been newly elected. It is also the setting in which we announce the newest selections for the SEMA Hall of Fame. This year's inductees include George Barris, Eric Grant, Wade Kawasaki and Joe Schubeck. Proceeds from the gala will be donated to SEMA Cares charities.

For more information about the gala, visit www.sema.org/gala or register now. If you're interested in displaying your vehicle, contact Jamie Eriksen at 909-978-6737 or jamiee@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

	SEMA is looking for collector vehicles to display at this year's Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser. This ’65 Ford Mustang was on display at the 2012 SEMA Show.

SEMA is looking for a limited number of collector vehicles to be displayed onsite at the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser, held July 26, 2013, at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center in Pomona, California.

The annual Installation Banquet serves as the venue where we thank our association's outgoing Board members and welcome those who have been newly elected. It is also the setting in which we announce the newest selections for the SEMA Hall of Fame. This year's inductees include George Barris, Eric Grant, Wade Kawasaki and Joe Schubeck. Proceeds from the gala will be donated to SEMA Cares charities.

For more information about the gala, visit www.sema.org/gala or register now. If you're interested in displaying your vehicle, contact Jamie Eriksen at 909-978-6737 or jamiee@sema.org.

SEMA News—June 2013

INTERNET
By Joe Dysart

Old Is New

Feature Articles Now the Top Digital Marketing Tool

“Before, content wasn’t the big push,” said Tyson Stevens, a search-engine optimization manager at PMA Media Group and contributor to the 2013 State of Content study released by CopyPress. “The goal was to put out mediocre content as quickly as possible, targeting as many keywords as possible and pushing links to that content to increase search-engine rankings.”

But content marketing is no longer about the quick, cheap hit, Stevens said. It must be quality.

Evidence of the trend popped up most dramatically in a study entitled “Quarterly Intelligence Briefing: Digital Trends for 2013,” released by Econsultancy and Adobe. The research found that 39% of marketers surveyed now say that content—including articles, video and white papers—is their top tool for digital marketing.

Similar research in “The Spending Study: A Look at How Corporate America Invests in Branded Content for 2012,” released by the Custom Content Council, found that nearly 75% of the 177 respondents are creating content for print and then re-purposing that content on their company websites and throughout social media. The study also found that 79% of marketers surveyed said they are refocusing their marketing efforts on branding with content at a moderate or aggressive pace.

“The stability of brand content spending in the face of overall marketing budget decline proves the staying power and efficacy of content marketing,” said Lori Rosen, executive director of the Custom Content Council. This notable growth outcome is motivating brands to outsource content creation at record levels, she said.

“From an agency perspective, a lot of service providers have begun offering content marketing services where none existed before,” said Dan Tynski, a vice president at Fractl, a content marketing firm and another contributor to the CopyPress study. “There has been a huge shift away from any/all strategies that smell even remotely of black hat. Efforts are being made across the board to stay above board.”

Of course, companies looking to take advantage of the new emphasis on quality feature articles in digital marketing still need to drop critical keywords into that copy. And they still need to study how those feature articles are performing with web analytics and make adjustments accordingly, according to web marketing experts.

Those marketers will also want to find as many ways as possible to re-purpose that content across all the communities where they have a presence. A feature article written for a company website, for example, can easily be re-purposed as a press release and massaged again to surface as a post on company Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other accounts.

“Producing and sharing engaging content with targeted communities and influencers is becoming the safest way to increase rankings in Google while promoting your company or branding online,” Stevens said.

The clear takeaway: The days of throwing a bag of keywords up on a website and seeing what sticks are over.

“I often talk about the convergence of search, social and content marketing, and that’s what it is all about,” said Arnie Kuenn, president of the marketing firm Vertical Measures and a contributor to the CopyPress study. “Nothing works well in a silo. A good content marketing plan includes many aspects, starting with a strategy and incorporating research, development, optimization, promotion and measurement.”

It’s also a good idea to follow or at least consider Google’s own tips for creating the kind of content that is most highly rewarded by the search engine. Key advice found in Google’s “Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide” includes the following:

Create Content People Will Recommend: Users know good content when they see it and will likely direct others to it. These links can come from blog posts, social media, e-mail, forums and the like. Google generously rewards authentic links to your content from these types of third-party sources.

Post Only Fresh Content: Marketers who post rehashed content or simply copy content from other websites to their own are penalized by Google. Ditto for marketers who post duplicate content on many pages of the same website.

Avoid Posting Seas of Text: A holdover from the early days of keyword stuffing, seas of text—large swaths of words that feature no paragraphs, sub headings or layout separations—are penalized by Google.

Forget Keyword Stuffing: Dropping reams of keywords into text and rendering it difficult or impossible to read is severely punished by Google. Ditto for dropping in blocks of text, such as “frequent misspellings used to reach this page.” The search engine also penalizes marketers that post invisible text that can only be seen by search engines.

Use Descriptive Anchor Text: Google rewards anchor text—the text you use to link to other pages on your website and other sites—that is descriptive and easy to understand. Avoid using generic terms, such as “page,” “article” or “click here.”

For more information on content marketing, check out: Content Marketing Institute, WebInkNow, SEOmoz Blog, Vertical Measures Blog. and CopyPressed.

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan.

For more information:
646-233-4089
joe@joedysart.com
visit www.joedysart.com

SEMA News—June 2013

INTERNET
By Joe Dysart

Old Is New

Feature Articles Now the Top Digital Marketing Tool

“Before, content wasn’t the big push,” said Tyson Stevens, a search-engine optimization manager at PMA Media Group and contributor to the 2013 State of Content study released by CopyPress. “The goal was to put out mediocre content as quickly as possible, targeting as many keywords as possible and pushing links to that content to increase search-engine rankings.”

But content marketing is no longer about the quick, cheap hit, Stevens said. It must be quality.

Evidence of the trend popped up most dramatically in a study entitled “Quarterly Intelligence Briefing: Digital Trends for 2013,” released by Econsultancy and Adobe. The research found that 39% of marketers surveyed now say that content—including articles, video and white papers—is their top tool for digital marketing.

Similar research in “The Spending Study: A Look at How Corporate America Invests in Branded Content for 2012,” released by the Custom Content Council, found that nearly 75% of the 177 respondents are creating content for print and then re-purposing that content on their company websites and throughout social media. The study also found that 79% of marketers surveyed said they are refocusing their marketing efforts on branding with content at a moderate or aggressive pace.

“The stability of brand content spending in the face of overall marketing budget decline proves the staying power and efficacy of content marketing,” said Lori Rosen, executive director of the Custom Content Council. This notable growth outcome is motivating brands to outsource content creation at record levels, she said.

“From an agency perspective, a lot of service providers have begun offering content marketing services where none existed before,” said Dan Tynski, a vice president at Fractl, a content marketing firm and another contributor to the CopyPress study. “There has been a huge shift away from any/all strategies that smell even remotely of black hat. Efforts are being made across the board to stay above board.”

Of course, companies looking to take advantage of the new emphasis on quality feature articles in digital marketing still need to drop critical keywords into that copy. And they still need to study how those feature articles are performing with web analytics and make adjustments accordingly, according to web marketing experts.

Those marketers will also want to find as many ways as possible to re-purpose that content across all the communities where they have a presence. A feature article written for a company website, for example, can easily be re-purposed as a press release and massaged again to surface as a post on company Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other accounts.

“Producing and sharing engaging content with targeted communities and influencers is becoming the safest way to increase rankings in Google while promoting your company or branding online,” Stevens said.

The clear takeaway: The days of throwing a bag of keywords up on a website and seeing what sticks are over.

“I often talk about the convergence of search, social and content marketing, and that’s what it is all about,” said Arnie Kuenn, president of the marketing firm Vertical Measures and a contributor to the CopyPress study. “Nothing works well in a silo. A good content marketing plan includes many aspects, starting with a strategy and incorporating research, development, optimization, promotion and measurement.”

It’s also a good idea to follow or at least consider Google’s own tips for creating the kind of content that is most highly rewarded by the search engine. Key advice found in Google’s “Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide” includes the following:

Create Content People Will Recommend: Users know good content when they see it and will likely direct others to it. These links can come from blog posts, social media, e-mail, forums and the like. Google generously rewards authentic links to your content from these types of third-party sources.

Post Only Fresh Content: Marketers who post rehashed content or simply copy content from other websites to their own are penalized by Google. Ditto for marketers who post duplicate content on many pages of the same website.

Avoid Posting Seas of Text: A holdover from the early days of keyword stuffing, seas of text—large swaths of words that feature no paragraphs, sub headings or layout separations—are penalized by Google.

Forget Keyword Stuffing: Dropping reams of keywords into text and rendering it difficult or impossible to read is severely punished by Google. Ditto for dropping in blocks of text, such as “frequent misspellings used to reach this page.” The search engine also penalizes marketers that post invisible text that can only be seen by search engines.

Use Descriptive Anchor Text: Google rewards anchor text—the text you use to link to other pages on your website and other sites—that is descriptive and easy to understand. Avoid using generic terms, such as “page,” “article” or “click here.”

For more information on content marketing, check out: Content Marketing Institute, WebInkNow, SEOmoz Blog, Vertical Measures Blog. and CopyPressed.

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan.

For more information:
646-233-4089
joe@joedysart.com
visit www.joedysart.com

By Della Domingo

Many editors say that the Media Center bins and New Products Showcase are among their top resources for information.

When asked how they find new products at the SEMA Show, editors from leading publications consistently cite the New Products Showcase.
 
“I find products to feature from the SEMA New Products Showcase and on the SEMA website,” says Johnny Hunkins, editor of Popular Hot Rodding.
 
Drew Hardin, editor Muscle Car Review, agrees. “At the Show, have examples of new products in the New Products area, and have press materials available in the media room.”
 
The New Products Showcase provides editors with a quick overview of the products that are featured at the Show. The Showcase includes a category for previously introduced products, as well as one for all-new products, making it available and relevant to every SEMA Show exhibitor. There is no cost for the first product category submission, provided that the submission is entered before the early registration deadline and received online.
 
As an added benefit, all products in the Showcase are shot by professional photographers in a studio setting. The images are provided to media throughout the year. However, exhibitors may also obtain the professional, studio-quality images for their marketing and PR use.
 
Other ways to attract editors' attention and increase media coverage include:

• Post press releases on the SEMA Show website. The online press center serves as the single, primary location for media to obtain Show news and information.

• Place press materials in the available Media Center bins. Many editors say that the bins are among their top resources for information.

• At the Show, have new products displayed in your booth. While you also want to have your products in the New Products Showcase, you don’t want to request that media go look for your product.

• Have press release materials ready when the media show up in your booth. Don’t forget to alert all booth staff as to where the press materials are located so that if the marketing/PR people are unavailable, someone can hand the press materials to the reporter without asking him/her to come back later.

• Consider putting your press materials on a USB drive. Editors overwhelmingly noted that USB drives are ideal because they are small enough to fit in one’s pocket and allow them to begin working on their stories immediately after the Show.

• Don’t ignore the media at your booth. One editor notes that a common mistake he sees exhibitors make is letting key product people leave the booth to surf the Show. “It means when I come by to talk to someone knowledgeable, they aren’t there. The Show is too big and too busy, so chances are I’m not coming back.”

By Della Domingo

Many editors say that the Media Center bins and New Products Showcase are among their top resources for information.

When asked how they find new products at the SEMA Show, editors from leading publications consistently cite the New Products Showcase.
 
“I find products to feature from the SEMA New Products Showcase and on the SEMA website,” says Johnny Hunkins, editor of Popular Hot Rodding.
 
Drew Hardin, editor Muscle Car Review, agrees. “At the Show, have examples of new products in the New Products area, and have press materials available in the media room.”
 
The New Products Showcase provides editors with a quick overview of the products that are featured at the Show. The Showcase includes a category for previously introduced products, as well as one for all-new products, making it available and relevant to every SEMA Show exhibitor. There is no cost for the first product category submission, provided that the submission is entered before the early registration deadline and received online.
 
As an added benefit, all products in the Showcase are shot by professional photographers in a studio setting. The images are provided to media throughout the year. However, exhibitors may also obtain the professional, studio-quality images for their marketing and PR use.
 
Other ways to attract editors' attention and increase media coverage include:

• Post press releases on the SEMA Show website. The online press center serves as the single, primary location for media to obtain Show news and information.

• Place press materials in the available Media Center bins. Many editors say that the bins are among their top resources for information.

• At the Show, have new products displayed in your booth. While you also want to have your products in the New Products Showcase, you don’t want to request that media go look for your product.

• Have press release materials ready when the media show up in your booth. Don’t forget to alert all booth staff as to where the press materials are located so that if the marketing/PR people are unavailable, someone can hand the press materials to the reporter without asking him/her to come back later.

• Consider putting your press materials on a USB drive. Editors overwhelmingly noted that USB drives are ideal because they are small enough to fit in one’s pocket and allow them to begin working on their stories immediately after the Show.

• Don’t ignore the media at your booth. One editor notes that a common mistake he sees exhibitors make is letting key product people leave the booth to surf the Show. “It means when I come by to talk to someone knowledgeable, they aren’t there. The Show is too big and too busy, so chances are I’m not coming back.”