With Facebook often besting Google these days as the most visited site on the web, it’s no surprise that makers of web analytics software are scrambling to develop new apps aimed at scrutinizing visitor activity there. Specifically, three of the top web analytics software makers are already rolling out modules that companies can use to better discern how visitors are interacting on their Facebook pages. And more software makers are expected to follow suit in the months to come. [Read more]

Thousands of new products debut at the SEMA Show New Products Showcase every year. Learn how to put all the elements in place for your next new product launch in this upcoming SEMA webinar.

In a crowded marketplace, you can’t afford to miss a beat with a new product launch. After major investments in development, engineering and manufacturing, the initial marketing strategy is often overlooked, underfunded or poorly executed, and the product never reaches its sales goals.

Whether you are contemplating a product launch or are already deep in the process, this webinar will help you focus on what is most important, beginning with the six P’s: planning, product, pricing, placement, promotion and participation.

On Thursday, July 1, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), learn proven methods to leverage your next product launch and benefit from improved sales and awareness. Tom Marx, president of The Marx Group, will teach you how to make your next launch pay immediate dividends.

Marx's full-service advertising agency specializes in business development, marketing strategy and communications support services to the automotive aftermarket, and he’ll cover top techniques that will include:

* Timeline recommendations
* Identifying the most effective marketing tools to leverage your brand or your product’s unique selling proposition
* How to get buy-in from all stakeholders
* Incorporating methods to engage customers for improved out-of-the-gate sales performance and metrics

Marx is an active member of SEMA for more than 25 years and is the past president of the Automotive Communications Council. He writes two monthly eNewsletters that provide marketing, business management and merger and acquisition insights and strategies, and his comprehensive experience in lead generation, direct mail, public relations, marketing and advertising can help you achieve breakthrough results.

Participate live or download the webinar when it’s convenient. Register at www.SEMA.org/events/webinars. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Tune into SEMA's webinar detailing how to protect your intellectual property when selling your products in China.

Do you have a comprehensive strategy in place to protect your intellectual property rights (IPR)? While most SEMA members have an HR strategy and marketing strategy, far fewer have as detailed a plan to protect their patents, trademarks, domain names and copyrighted materials (such as website content and product instructions) from infringement.

Join IPR guru Merritt R. Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm on July 8, to learn about best practices in protecting your intellectual property assets. The webinar is designed especially for SEMA members preparing to head to China in September for the SEMA CIAPE China Business Development Conference in Beijing to explore the sales potential for their products in the world's fastest-growing market, although other SEMA members would benefit from participating as well.

Brand-aware [or brand-conscious] consumers in China are increasingly clamoring for SEMA-member products, and a group of leading SEMA-member companies is heading to China to participate in one-on-one pre-arranged meetings with Chinese distributors.

This one-hour session will walk companies through a review of IPR protections that companies should take as they consider entering foreign markets, including, particularly, the Chinese market. It will offer suggestions for protecting yourself during the distributor selection process. Finally, it will discuss precautions that you should take once your products begin being sold in the Chinese market, including the protections available to you if you believe that your intellectual property rights are being violated in the Chinese market.

Like all property, intellectual property can be stolen or lost through inattention, so make sure to shore up your IPR strategy now to protect yourself from problems later!

Participate live or download the webinar when it's convenient. Register at www.SEMA.org/events/webinars.

And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

In today’s competitive marketplace, every business must take advantage of technology to build brand awareness, connect with customers and promote sales.

Whether you’re a business owner, an IT professional or are in charge of your company’s marketing, you can’t afford to miss the Business Technology Symposium, powered by the Street Performance Council (SPC). The eight essential eCommerce supersessions, presented by industry experts, will inform, entertain and provide you with the skills you need for success as you move forward.

Mobile Devices: The Future of Mobile Marketing — Mobile device applications are on the verge of revolutionizing sales and marketing just as radically as the Internet did during the past decade. Learn how to apply mobile applications to your promotions, including Microsoft “Get Tag,” mobile barcoding and more. Presenter: Nathan Sacco, eBay.

Reaching Your Customers on Forums and Blogs — In this Internet age, everyone uses the web to research, select and buy products. Forums and blogs have become sounding boards for consumers around the world, informing peer networks about innovations and markets. Small businesses must take advantage of these resources. Learn how to create, manage and interact on your own forums or blogs to bring maximum impact for your brand. Moderator: Tyler Tanaka, PostRelease. Panelists: Adrian Harris, Internet Brands; Stewart Lawson, VerticalScope; Mike Martinez, izmocars.

Grab Market Share with Search Engine Marketing & Pay Per Click — Search engines are the indispensible tool people use to find products in the modern world and they partner with pay-per-click advertising for the most efficient way to obtain customers. Any business that operates a website to market its products must understand how to use keywords and pay per click to attract traffic and maximize sales. Learn the top techniques in this supersession. Presenter: Matt Bailey, SiteLogic Online Marketing.

Getting People to Read Your E-mails — Write, click and send. Easy, eh? But it’s also easy for your recipient to hit delete. Learn how to ensure that your e-mails are not only opened but compel the recipient to act. This session will explain the optimum techniques for small-business owners, focusing on case studies and best practices, software tools and templates for success. Presenter: Michael Kelly, ClickMail.

Market Research in the Digital Age — Information is king in online marketing and compiling information from your customers can help you build a better business. Learn how to use online surveying tools, focus groups and social media sites, and then develop your own surveys by understanding the right types of questions to ask. Moderator: Tom Myroniak, SEMA. Panelists: Michael Cooperman, J.D. Power & Associates; Dan Hall, AutoPacific; David Parcell, Harris Interactive; Famous Rhodes, eBay Motors.

Converting Leads to Sales with Customer Relationship Management — Find new clients and retain current customers by using technology to organize and automate your business. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, learn about the features and benefits of the latest software packages. There’s money to be saved by managing your customers’ data. Presenter: Jeff Scott, C-Level Management.

Good Data = More Sales — If your customers can’t find your products or don’t understand how the information on your website is presented, they won’t buy today and won’t be back tomorrow. In this session, learn how to organize and maintain your data. A relatively modest investment in time and resources now will bring the reward of success far into the future. Moderator: Famous Rhodes, eBay Motors. Panelists: Rob Eberhart, DCi; Cameron Evans, Red Line Oil; Matt Gold, RPMware; Gigi Ho, Digital Performance.

Social Media for Your Business — Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can multiply your company’s sales, but proper use of social media involves much more than just showing up. Learn the do’s and don’ts of these new communications forms from an all-star lineup of marketing professionals. Even more important, learn how to avoid social media disasters that can jeopardize sales. Moderator: Tyler Tanaka, PostRelease. Panelists: Mark Davidson, Shift+One Media; Bryan Elliott, SoCal Action Sports Network; Matt Martelli, Mad Media; Mike Martinez, izmocars.

Pre-register now and save $30.

Early-bird pre-registration is available at these discounted prices until July 15, 2010:

SPC Members: $99, includes entrance to the 2010 Business Technology Symposium and lunch.

SEMA Members: $149, includes entrance to the 2010 Business Technology Symposium, lunch and a one-year Street Performance Council (SPC) membership (up to $100 value). After the first BTS registration, additional company employees may register for the discounted fee of $99.

Non-Members: $199, includes entrance to the 2010 Business Technology Symposium and lunch.

Parking is available in, and adjacent to, the Pasadena Convention Center for $9. For more information and to register for SEMA’s SPC Business Technology Symposium, visit www.sema.org/bts.

KIA is hosting a Measuring Session for SEMA manufacturing members featuring its 2011 Sorento and 2011 Sportage on Wednesday, June 30, at its Irvine, California, headquarters.

The 2011 Sorento offers two engine choices, a 2.4L four-cylinder making 175-With hp, and a 3.5L V6 with a six-speed Sportmatic transmission making 276 hp. The 2011 Sportage, meanwhile, offers a 2.4L, 176-hp four-cylinder with a six-speed Sportmatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Attendance is by pre-registration only and cameras are permitted. But act soon, as the deadline to register is Monday, June 28.

RSVP with name(s), company name, address, phone number with reference to Kia at: measuringsession@sema.org.

For additional information, contact Bill Wolf, 909/978-6739 or Kelly Clancy, 909/978-6735.

	Industrial Opportunity Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock. Chairman Vic Edelbrock Jr., (shown here with second-gen Camaro) will continue to co-manage the company.

Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock LLC.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy," Edelbrock Chairman Vic Edelbrock, Jr. said in a company release. "The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Edelbrock President John Colaianne added that "IOP and its partners are excited to join hands with the Edelbrock organization. We feel this company has all the intangibles—a strong brand, healthy infrastructure and dedicated employees—that not only make it the leader in the performance automotive aftermarket, but also prime for growth."

Edelbrock and Colaianne will continue to manage the company, according to the release.

	Industrial Opportunity Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock. Chairman Vic Edelbrock Jr., (shown here with second-gen Camaro) will continue to co-manage the company.

Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock LLC.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy," Edelbrock Chairman Vic Edelbrock, Jr. said in a company release. "The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Edelbrock President John Colaianne added that "IOP and its partners are excited to join hands with the Edelbrock organization. We feel this company has all the intangibles—a strong brand, healthy infrastructure and dedicated employees—that not only make it the leader in the performance automotive aftermarket, but also prime for growth."

Edelbrock and Colaianne will continue to manage the company, according to the release.

	Industrial Opportunity Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock. Chairman Vic Edelbrock Jr., (shown here with second-gen Camaro) will continue to co-manage the company.

Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock LLC.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy," Edelbrock Chairman Vic Edelbrock, Jr. said in a company release. "The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Edelbrock President John Colaianne added that "IOP and its partners are excited to join hands with the Edelbrock organization. We feel this company has all the intangibles—a strong brand, healthy infrastructure and dedicated employees—that not only make it the leader in the performance automotive aftermarket, but also prime for growth."

Edelbrock and Colaianne will continue to manage the company, according to the release.

	Industrial Opportunity Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock. Chairman Vic Edelbrock Jr., (shown here with second-gen Camaro) will continue to co-manage the company.

Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock LLC.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy," Edelbrock Chairman Vic Edelbrock, Jr. said in a company release. "The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Edelbrock President John Colaianne added that "IOP and its partners are excited to join hands with the Edelbrock organization. We feel this company has all the intangibles—a strong brand, healthy infrastructure and dedicated employees—that not only make it the leader in the performance automotive aftermarket, but also prime for growth."

Edelbrock and Colaianne will continue to manage the company, according to the release.

	Industrial Opportunity Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock. Chairman Vic Edelbrock Jr., (shown here with second-gen Camaro) will continue to co-manage the company.

Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock LLC.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy," Edelbrock Chairman Vic Edelbrock, Jr. said in a company release. "The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Edelbrock President John Colaianne added that "IOP and its partners are excited to join hands with the Edelbrock organization. We feel this company has all the intangibles—a strong brand, healthy infrastructure and dedicated employees—that not only make it the leader in the performance automotive aftermarket, but also prime for growth."

Edelbrock and Colaianne will continue to manage the company, according to the release.