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Powersports Business • June 2024 • 11

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 .

Save the date ! Be sure to reserve your spot for our one-of-a-kind Accelerate

Conference in Charlotte , North Carolina , that will be held January 19-22 , 2025 .

TAMPA BAY POWERSPORTS @ tampabaypowersports Followers 534 Snow and the heat are seasonal , but rain is year-round . Motorcycle riders know this best , and Tampa Bay Powersports addresses this in a recent Instagram post . The dealership posts a video of a rider driving during a downpour and reminds motorcyclists to have the right gear for this situation . The caption includes multiple hashtags referencing riding in the rain to boost the post and reach a larger audience . The video is short and entertaining with a message reminding customers to invest in gear they may need .

It ’ s hard to believe we are already halfway through 2024 . As we go to press , it is still early in the riding season , and there ’ s still time left before the final outcome is determined . But looking ahead , we should focus more on training – specifically ,

BRENDAN BAKER our Accelerate Conference , which will be here before we know it . The conference will be held in Charlotte , North Carolina , January 19−22 , 2025 .

Accelerate brings together dealers and industry leaders to focus on key issues , business growth , and future planning through workshops , seminars , case studies , and keynotes . It is a unique experience for dealers , unlike any other conference you ’ ve likely attended in the past . It is filled with networking discussions , receptions , and thought leadership .

Are you curious about how to engage or expand your consumer base ? Are you looking to impart leadership skills to future stakeholders in your dealership ? Are you wondering if money is being left on the table ? We ’ ll be digging into how to make your business more profitable by discussing scalability , leverage , and growth through leadership .

As we spotlight the future of powersports at Accelerate , we want to know the latest issues dealers are facing . Have you put expansion plans on hold because of high interest rates ? Are you still having a hard time hiring the right people ? And in that vein , we also want to know what you do well . What are the strengths of your dealership ? Did your dealership set a new benchmark in a particular operations category last year ? Is a particular department or segment of your dealership known for its exceptional performance ? If you answered yes to any of these , or if you know of a dealership that could , we invite you to fill out a Best-In-Class award nomination !

We are holding nominations open on our website until August 31 , 2024 . And don ’ t forget to nominate someone you know , whether a dealer or an industry professional , for the 40 Under 40 and Women With Spark awards ! As I said at last year ’ s awards gala in Dallas , ‘ These are your awards !’ We want to shine the light on the best and the brightest and give you the recognition you deserve for all the hard work you put into your career .

In our electrification feature , we look closer at the e-bike and e-motorcycle segment , which was booming a few years ago and now seems to have fallen flat . What is notable from our data of over 600 powersports enthusiasts is that over half say they are unlikely to purchase an electric motorcycle or e-bike right now . That could change as technology improves and prices come down . But probably the biggest gut-punch for manufacturers of electric vehicles is that most of these enthusiasts don ’ t think electric will surpass traditional internal combustion-powered vehicles for performance and price for at least 5−10 more years .

However , a follow-up question shows that 58 % consider the charging infrastructure crucial to purchasing an electric vehicle , which seems obvious . We know consumers are generally concerned with range anxiety and how fast and convenient it will be to keep the batteries topped up . If the infrastructure is more robust for EVs and prices are more in line with ICE vehicles , then customers will try it . Right now , it ’ s mostly the early adopters . We can ’ t make people buy EVs ; the market recognizes this and is , in turn , pulling back . Some will make it through , and others won ’ t . But dealers should be cautious not to get stuck in the middle .

On a final note , we ’ re trying something new and are opening the comments section to stories we post on powersportsbusiness . com . This is a trial period because sometimes bots take over , or bad actors try to ruin it for everyone .

We will maintain moderator control over the approval process , but please let us know what you think about a particular topic or story in the comments . We want to spark a deeper conversation about some of these topics , and we feel this is a great way to get feedback . But it could also backfire miserably . We ’ ll take our chances .

HICKLIN POWERSPORTS @ hicklinpowersports

Followers 1,414 Hicklin Powersports made a few pictures go a long way by turning them into a video that showcases the photos one after another . The video shows models and apparel from the marine segment and is captioned , “ Catch us on the water all summer long .” For video ideas that could draw attention consider the season , what ’ s been selling , what product may need some attention and what your customers need to know about your dealership .

PAULSON ’ S MOTORSPORTS @ paulsons _ motorsports Followers 6,114 Appreciations posts are a must , but they can become redundant to your audience . To switch it up , Paulson ’ s Motorsports thanked one of its customers a different way . The dealership ’ s logo pops up at the beginning of a video , followed by a picture of the customer with his new motorcycle , then text that says “ Thank you , Ryan .” This unique appreciation post is a way to keep your Instagram page interesting . The caption includes more details reading , “ Shout out to Ryan for dropping by to meet with our team member Micah ! We hope you enjoy your stunning 2024 Kawasaki Z900 !”