NTPDA and Social Media

Perhaps you have noticed an uptick in our social media efforts. That's because we've refined some search items and we've been reaching out to more and more members as well as potential members.

Part of the future success for the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is going to rest with how well we share the value of membership. While it's true that, when we get together, we have a great time it is also true that your association leadership is attempting to help you become more successful. We do that by sharing topical news items, links to new sales ideas, marketing advice and member to member sharing.

So, here is something you can do for us...get social.  

If you are using social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube make sure you hit us up as well.  Let us know what you are doing. Share with us your news. Tag us in your posts and let us use the power of social media to help promote the work you are doing.

Search for us on Facebook: National Tractor Parts Dealer Association

And on Twitter we are @NTPDA

Together we can make an impact and make a difference.

Membership - Why Not?

Becoming a member of the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is easy...if you meet specific guidelines which are in our organizational by-laws.  We have two categories of Membership.  Ready?

• Regular Members are those corporations, partnerships, and individual businesses whose main business includes the distribution of recycled tractor and equipment parts;

• Associate Members are manufacturers and wholesale suppliers and those who provide products and/or services to the Regular Members.

So, you can be in the business of selling recycled tractor and equipment parts OR be a company who provides products and/or services to folks who are Regular Members.

So, what's the VALUE in becoming an NTPDA Member?  Glad you asked because there are many right here. On top of the realization that taking advantage of even just a couple of our benefits you will offset the cost of membership...easy.

Let's DO THIS...here is the application page for membership. We'd love to have you join us in San Antonio in January and get to know you between now and then.  

Thanks for reading and for joining the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association!

 

 

Too Early?

The Summer Board Meeting is in the books and much of the meeting had to do with the 2017 Conference and Trade Show headed to San Antonio starting on January 18. So, this is your "heads up" to Save the Date!

The Membership Committee is working on details surrounding the event and recently members filled out a survey telling them what they wanted to learn while in Texas.  The survey was sent via email in May to 192 email addresses we have on file. 14% of our members responded and told us these are the top four things they would like to learn more about during the 2017 Conference and Trade Show:

• Marketing including Social Media - 74% of those who responded said they want to learn more about how to market effectively and how to better use social media in their marketing efforts. This would include traditional marketing methods such as print, radio, television as well as new media such as Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram and a host of other products that are available;
• Employee Recruitment/Retention/Motivation - 44% of our responding members say they would like to learn how to better recruit and retain employees. And 59% said they would like to learn how to better motivate current employees. This didn't surprise us much because across most industries we hear the same thing, "We can't find good people who want to work." Our goal with this area would be to examine what works and what might need work when it comes to finding, keeping and motivating employees;
• Sales - This area received a 51% rating. Our members want to know how to increase sales and who doesn't? What new ideas are there to boost the bottom line and deliver a more sound profit?

You can be assured that we are working, right now, on delivering on our promise to bring value to your membership. 

We hope that you'll Save the Dates of January 18 - 21 for our Annual Conference and Trade Show this year in San Antonio!  More information will be coming to you on a regular basis!

See ya in Texas y'all!

 

Using All the Tools

We enjoy finding news about our NTPDA Members and when we were checking the Internet came across this great article from The Detroit News about our
associate member Steiner Tractor Parts.  If you want to go and read the article go ahead but promise to come back!

What we liked about this was how well the article focused on the lifestyle of repairing old tractors and how that hobby has grown into a huge business: "What started as a four-page flyer...has grown into a 616 page phone-book size catalog..."  This is also a great example of something called "Earned Media" or sharing a story with reporters and then following up to make sure it's carried.  Remember this is in The Detroit News, not a rural publication but valuable in helping them build their brand.

And that's not all. A visit to the Steiner Tractor Parts website told us their crew is using all the marketing tools they can to increase their "findability". From Pinterest (Yes...Pinterest!) to Facebook and YouTube our friends at Steiner understand that marketing to multiple segments of the community pays off.

We just thought you might find it interesting and helpful as you continue to build your online and in person business.

Hope you had a fantastic Independence Day Holiday!