“We may need to Get External to notice.” 

The Landscape Industry has experienced steady growth between 2010 and 2015, with an average annual increase in revenue of 6%. In their 2016 Industry Outlook, Green Industry Pros writer and associate publisher Gregg Wartgow shares the results of their fall survey of Landscape Contractors, and the future is bright!  Wartgow points out that “Roughly two-thirds expect to grow their sales in the installation, maintenance, and lawn care divisions [this year]”. Wartgow references housing starts, commercial construction and foreseen increase in per capita disposable income as key contributors to sustainable growth through 2020. These increases in new construction also draw in higher demand, which inevitably allows landscaping professionals to increase their profit margins.

I'm sure you've heard the saying "Time is money." An overused cliche yes, but nonetheless its underlying meaning will always hold true. So, I ask you this: Is your outdoor power equipment dealership running efficiently, or is there room for improvement? With the limited resources that small- and medium-sized businesses operate on, efficiency becomes even more critical to maintaining and growing your profits. Here are three technologies that will help you become a more profitable and efficient outdoor power equipment dealership.

Of course, it's that time of year again, time to prep your outdoor power equipment dealership for the Springtime surge in business. In our industry, there are always elements that we can improve. This time of year is the perfect opportunity to consider what you can do to make the customer experience better this season. After seeing dozens of dealerships go through this process, we here at KPM have compiled a list of the most valuable improvements and changes you can make to gain the upper hand.

As an outdoor power equipment dealership, you are always trying to find ways to maximize your selling potential. Equipment demo programs are the perfect way to gain more customers by creating a hands-on environment for buyers, AND they give you an edge over competitors. But to achieve success, it has to be managed correctly.

If you had to explain the value of two-step distribution, could you? Two-step distributors buy products from the manufacturers and then sell the product to independent dealer businesses. The dealers, in turn, sell it to the end user, thereby earning the two-step definition.

For those of us in the OPE industry, it is the way we do business so we do not think about the inherent value. It just is. Many times the simplest and easiest way to explain something is to just list some of the benefits for the dealers; explaining why they would want to use distributors, and then do the same thing for the manufacturers.

Tried-And-True Marketing Tactics You Should Try in 2016

When you are busy running an outdoor power equipment dealership, it can be hard to find time to take on the task of marketing. We often push it to the back burner because of the varying degrees of trial and error it requires to get results from our efforts. Since time is money and we can’t waste what little resources we have to spare, KPM has compiled a tried-and-true list of tips and tricks to augment your dealership's marketing efforts. If you want to increase awareness and drive more traffic to your dealership, try some of these marketing tactics.

This past year, KPM worked with Alex Goldfayn to incorporate some of his Evangelist marketing ideas into our own business. One specific thing that Alex explains to his clients is how to incorporate client testimonials into your company’s communications.

Recently, Alex gave this webinar to his past and current clients as a kickoff for 2016. I wanted to share this with our blog readers. Maybe you can find value in Alex’s ideas for your own OPE business.

Highlights from the webinar include:

Most outdoor power equipment dealers contain their business inside their four walls, and they wait for potential customers to come inside the dealership. They have created a comfort zone where they feel at ease completing the same day-to-day tasks that have always been on the agenda. While that process may keep these dealerships in business, it by no means guarantees a large amount of success or growth.

2015 was somewhat of an unusual year for the outdoor power equipment industry in the Northeast.

Sales and service of snow and ice handling equipment started out extremely strong due to the frequent and large amount of snow and ice we received throughout our region from mid-January into early March.  Manufacturers, distributors and dealers who offered snow blowers, snow plows, and spreaders/sanders experienced record-breaking sales in 2015. 

Starting The Process

Have you been debating whether or not to expand your client base to include municipal and government entities? While this may seem like the perfect way to expand your profits, pursuing this type of customer is not for every outdoor power equipment dealership. Many dealers do not have the staff, equipment, and time to successfully roll out a plan to follow up on this type of business. Like most business projects, it pays to start slow and ramp up if you start to see success. If your business can handle the new influx of work, then here are some tips to successfully engage potential municipal and government clients.