News and updates from SEMA's councils and committees.

Money has been tight for more than two years. Small businesses were especially hard hit by the recession that began late in 2007, with some estimates indicating that companies suffered sales losses ranging from 10% to 40% or more. The resulting constriction resulted in layoffs, cutbacks, inventory reductions and consolidations that made a bad situation even worse for businesses that were on the bubble between solvency and bankruptcy. Some did not survive. [Read more]

The Dealer Day Conference at the 2010 SEMA Show will focus on specialty-equipment sales and integration, and feature an operations panel to provide insight into the inner workings and challenges facing today's dealers.

Enter your car, truck, rod or classic in the SEMA Show 'N Shine car show, Saturday, July 24, in Pasadena, California, and you're not only helping children's charities, but also eligible for a free hotel stay and admission to the 2010 SEMA Show.

SEMA-member companies have the opportunity to help build pinewood drag cars at the Lignum, Virginia, Childhelp Village kid’s build Saturday, May 22, 2010.

SEMA Show management and Freeman—the company that handles the event design, décor and movement of exhibit materials in and out of the Las Vegas Convention Center—are offering free material handling for qualified exhibitors of the 2010 SEMA Show.

In its daily efforts to promote and protect the auto hobby, SEMA continues to partner with lawmakers across the country through the State Automotive Leadership Caucus. Celebrating its five-year anniversary, the caucus is a bipartisan group of state lawmakers whose common thread is a love and appreciation for automobiles. Supported by SEMA's Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C., the caucus serves to raise the motor-vehicle hobby's profile in the state legislatures and in the public's eyes. [Read more] 

The SEMA Financial Benchmarking Report is used by companies to benchmark key sales performance indicators against industry averages. There are actually three reports, representing manufacturers, WDs and retailers. The most recent editions available to the industry are the January and February 2010 reports.

Your website is the face of your company for millions of Internet users, so design and functionality can make or break your web enterprise. A knowledgeable web designer can help lead customers to your site and make it easy for them to find your products. Learn how to choose the ideal team by tuning in to SEMA’s exclusive new webinar: “How to Select and Prepare for a Web Designer.”