12 • December 2023 • Powersports Business

FROM THE EDITOR

INSTA TIPS

Is your dealership capitalizing on the top-of-mind marketing ease that Instagram offers ? Did you come up with an ideal way to showcase your customers in an effort to help spread the word about your shop and its employees ? If so , let us know . Powersports Business will highlight Instagram posts from a variety of dealerships in upcoming editions of the magazine .

Dealerships featured all follow the Powersports Business Instagram at @ powersportsbusiness . All posts featured will be photo or video in nature , with content from Instagram Stories not considered for this piece .

Got an Instagram tip that works at your dealership or one with which you do business ? Feel like raising the collective industry tide ? Let us know at mhubbard @ epgacceleration . com .

The PSB / EPG team ( left to right ): Cassie Huskey , Roberto Almenar , Glenn Hansen , Leslie Palmer , Mark Rosacker , Madelyn Hubbard , David Gee , Lindsay Zigan , Dave Voll , Adam Quandt , Edwin Rosario , Brendan Baker , and Susan Clement .

I don ’ t know about you , but the past three years have been a blur . So much has happened in rapid succession that I cannot keep track of it . But once a year , I usually get a moment to reflect on the months gone by and the year ahead . Here are some things I

BRENDAN BAKER learned this year .

Working from home is overrated . I say this because I have been working remotely for over three years . One Friday in March of 2020 , I went home to “ experiment ” with remote working and never returned to the office . I ’ ve worked hybrid and fully remote . I ’ m not sure I ’ m a fan of either , but I ’ m getting used to it . When PSB hired me last March , I was fully remote already . It made switching jobs easier , but it takes a certain type of person to excel in this environment . Most of you have already returned to full-time in the store or office-type work . But the upside is I get to have coffee with my dogs . They are my “ in-person ” co-workers now .

Measure twice cut once . If you ’ ve ever put up drywall , you may know this one . It ’ s tempting to take shortcuts with things you don ’ t think are essential , only to find out the little things are important , too . I ’ ve cut numerous sheets of drywall wrong . It may not ruin the end result , but it almost always makes it more complicated . It ’ s the same with business and life . You may think little things are not a big deal . But guess what ? They are , and little things add up to big things . I try to be efficient as much as possible . However , I ’ m not a robot . A . I . may change how we work in the future , and every company thinks they ’ ve found a golden ticket . A . I . is a tool that can be used as inaccurately as a tape measure or drywall knife .

The bottom line is always the bottom line . Or , as Snoop Dogg so famously said , “ With my mind on my money and my money on my mind .” We have to keep a close eye on the numbers . Whatever your metrics are , keep track of them and follow them closely enough to know when something may cause an alarm . Are you watching your website leads ? Are the leads up or down month-over-month ? It ’ s the processes you use to track your business that set you up for success . With the tools we have today , dealers and companies can use them in almost realtime to get a snapshot of the day , week , or month .

It ’ s the economy , stupid . A political strategist came up with this slogan . But in the world of powersports and high-end retail sales , the economy certainly plays a role in the buying process . When the economy is doing well , which by many metrics it is , then consumers have confidence . However , high inflation has sapped away confidence as the cost of core goods continues to increase . The high-income households are not as affected , but the middle class is feeling it . And Q3 showed a little of this , and we suspect Q4 will have more of a drop . Our samestore sales data from Lightspeed this month show that major unit sales are down about 10 percent on average across the U . S . Demand for our products has softened lately . We think it will carry into 2024 , but for how long ? I don ’ t know . It ’ s an election year .

Time IS money . This may not need to be repeated , but time is really all we have . Perhaps A . I . will help us regain some of this someday , but we have to use it wisely for now . And that is not always the easiest thing to do . Do you feel like you have as much time in the day as you used to ? I know I don ’ t . The past few years have sped the world up even more . And I only have the time to mull things over briefly . My motto is to decide now , not later .

Everyone wants premium . After speaking with several OEMs and dealers this year , I ’ m convinced that premium products are where it ’ s at . At a dealer meeting this summer , a dealer told me he couldn ’ t get enough of the premium products . And the OEMs need to supply him with more of them . Another OEM said to me that their premium UTVs are the biggest seller . It ’ s like you have to build the base model just to offer the premium . But base models don ’ t sell as well . Even value brands sell more premium models vs . base .

One step at a time . When everything is going 100 mph around you , remember the only way to get to the end goal is one step at a time . I need this sticker by my desk . Instead of trying to walk around the task or issue , put your head down and go straight into it . It ’ s not going to get easier .

Finally , be thankful . I am grateful for my family and my new work family . It is a pleasure to work with true powersports professionals . I am also grateful for all the new connections I ’ ve made with many of you this year . See you in 2024 !

RIDENOW FORT WORTH @ ridenow _ fortworth

Followers 5,489

RideNow Fort Worth of Fort Worth , Texas , shared an entertaining and educational video about one of its side-by-sides . A salesperson introduced himself , shared a few of the unit ’ s features , then invited customers to visit the dealership and ask for him . This is a great way to create a connection with customers before they even enter your dealership ’ s doors . The caption shared what unit was featured in the video and its listed MSRP . A link was also included in the caption to direct customers to the listing on the dealership ’ s website .

COLUMBIA POWERSPORTS CENTER

@ columbiapowersports Followers 942 When you ’ re short on time but want to post something more attention grabbing than a photo , take a few photos of a unit on your lot and make a quick slideshow of the pictures . Columbia Powersports Center of Seven Oaks , South Carolina , recently posted a video of rotating photos of a side-by-side . The video caught our eye ! The caption reads , “ Experience the perfect blend of comfort , capability , and aggressive styling , elevating your everyday rides to extraordinary heights with the all-new 2024 @ KawasakiUSA # KawasakiMULE PRO-FXR 1000 series . Come down and pick out yours today .”

WEST VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS

@ westvirginiamotorsports Followers 335 Christmas is around the corner ! Have you reminded customers to stop by the dealership before the month ends ? West Virigina Motorsports of Princeton , West Virginia , recently shared an image of a youth ATV wrapped in a big red bow and cleverly captioned the post , “ YOUTH ATVs for Under the Tree !!” Remind parents this is the year to get their kiddo an ATV and , for friends or spouses looking for a gift , consider posting your accessories and apparel .