It's That Time! Fall Bulletin News

You've got products and services and our members would LOVE to know more about them!  It's time to reserve your spot in the Fall Edition of The Bulletin. Four times a year we print a high quality magazine (and online edition) covering member news, interviews, thoughts and ideas about the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association. And because we allow advertising in the mag...you get to be there too.

So, if you've got news or simply want to make sure our members see what you have to offer this is the time to secure your spot. Here is a link to the sizes and special member pricing for the ads and if you've got NEWS about your business we'd love to share with everybody.  Sure, you can do social media (and we do) but this is an opportunity for some "hard-copy" reading that stays around longer than a scroll through. 

Send your story or ad to [email protected] and we'll do our very best to make sure it gets in.  Have questions and want to visit?  Sure, call us at 877-668-0900 and we'll be happy to help!

Thank you for being a member...it does matter! 

Reach Every NTPDA Member!

You have a product or a service to sell; use The Bulletin to get your message out to our NTPDA Membership. Each quarter we produce a high quality magazine designed to inform, entertain and educate our membership about a host of issues like best marketing practices, highlighting member benefits, member news, member interviews, upcoming events, photo memories, articles from staff and elected officers of our association. 

We not only create the magazine but we also post each edition on our NTPDA website where advertisers get "hot links" directly to their latest offering or website. You can see a sample of that page here.

And cost? We haven't raised our prices in years. Because The Bulletin is created "in house" our only costs are publishing, printing and postage. You can find our rates and sizes here.

The deadline for the June 2023 Edition is May 18 and we'd love to get your message into our magazine.  So, if you are interested in promoting your products or services to our world-wide membership let's talk. You can send your articles and ads to [email protected] or give us a call at 877-668-0900.  

Thanks for being a Member...it matters.

 

Winning in a Business Dominated by Men - Meet Terri Stevens

She started selling recycled tractor parts when she was seventeen. Something not many young women did in the 1970's.  Fast forward several years and she became the owner of The Tractor Barn. Today Terri Stevens sells tractors, parts, lawn and garden machines to an ever expanding customer base. We caught up with Terri in Nashville at the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association Annual Conference & Trade Show.  Where we talked about a host of things including how NTPDA has impacted her and her business.  How have things changed in her world...let's find out as you "Meet Our Members". 

Thanks for listening to a program dedicated to raising the brand of NTPDA. 

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 

Bulletin Deadline Coming Up!

Hello Members!  A reminder that the deadline for our Conference and Trade Show Bulletin is the 16th of November.  This is a great opportunity for you to
reach every member in our association with your message/advertisement prior to going to Nashville.  We're on a really tight turnaround this time because we want to get the Bulletin to you well before the middle of December. 

So, if you've got business news or if you are advertising with new copy we're going to need that before the 16th.  If you are in the holiday mood you can also send holiday greetings to your members with a small ad. You can send your ad and presser to [email protected].  Please be aware of the deadline...it really matters with this edition.  So you have ad information here is a LINK to the ad sizes and rates.

One more thing Kim and I just finished our weekly phone meeting and I can share with you we've received lots of registrations for our Nashville event in January. This looks to be a fantastic conference and trade show.  To get registered you can follow this LINK.

Thank you for being a member!

Michael & Kim

Three Important Things!

Look, we know you are busy so we won't take up much time...however, there are THREE important things to share with you right here, right now.  

Early Registration for Nashville

It's already shaping up to be a popular Conference & Trade Show and what is really neat is that you'll not have to pay the hotel nightly rate of $270.00 plus tax. The NTPDA Board has authorized a "buy-down" of your hotel rate for Thursday, Friday and Saturday of $150 per night. That means your nightly rate for those three nights comes in at $120.00 plus tax. That, friends is a significant savings.  So, that is "Thing One" about registration. "Thing Two" is that if you register, using THIS LINK you'll also save money. Registration is $300 per person until the end of October and then it jumps to $375 per person for November/December.  We've already had a number of people register and we encourage you to do it now.

The Whova App

This is also some really big news. We're using an application that will be on your smartphone. The Whova App is a great way to connect with other NTPDA Members and Guests.  When you register you'll be getting a link to download the app that features photos, contact information and a way for you to connect with our trade show displayers.  Plus you'll be able to ask us questions and more.  This is a total game changer.  That is "Thing One" about Whova. "Thing Two" is an advertising opportunity for your company to be placed on the app so that you can promote products and services to attendees. The cost for that is just $500 and Whova stays live for weeks following our event in January. For more about this opportunity contact Kim or Michael for details. We think you're going to love it. Want to LEARN MORE?  Check out this VIDEO! 

The December Bulletin

And, finally the deadline for entry into the 2022 Conference and Trade Show Bulletin is November 16.  We're on a really tight schedule because we want to get it into your hands well before the holidays.  So...if you have news about your business or if you want to take this opportunity to highlight your presence at our Conference and Trade Show...let's get this done.  You can send your news and your ad directly to Michael via email: [email protected] 

CORNHOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I lied...there is a fourth thing.  We're seeking sponsors to help us with the two prizes we're doing for our brand new Cornhole Tournament. First Prize is a cool $1,000 and second place walks away with $500. If you would like to sponsor this event (and it's already starting to fill up) let's do it.  You can contact Kim or Michael to reserve your place.  [email protected] or [email protected] 

OK, that's it and under 500 words!

Another Member Benefit Explained - The Bulletin

Here's a Member Benefit that is open to our members as well as non-members. Four times a year the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) publishes a hard-copy, high quality, magazine called The Bulletin. (You can see samples on our website.) This is a great opportunity for member to member marketing as well as offering non-members the opportunity to reach our membership. Except, of course, members receive a prefered rate.  Check the video below for a bit more.

The Bulletin, a great way to put your product or service in front of the decision makers who make up the NTPDA. Here is the published rate sheet.  Hope to see you and your logo in The Bulletin soon!

A Member Marketing Tip

From every report we've gotten it seems like our National Tractor Parts Dealer Association members who are selling parts into the agricultural sector are having a really good year. Each day we reach out to both our Regular and Associate Members and, from what we hear, things are going well. That's the good news and we're grateful.

One of the things members might consider is to reach out to your "Brand Warriors" those top ten or fifteen people you KNOW who love your business and your service. Last week this segment aired on Insight on Business the News Hour and we thought it might be something valuable as you continue through this season and even during some slow times.  Your "Brand Warriors" can help you expand your business if you simply ask them to get involved.  Click on the audio file to listen.

IOB 3 May 2020 Mkt Tip

Remember, your membership is truly an investment and we're here to do everything we can to make that a reality.

Twitter Basics

Several weeks ago we shared with you that we've done a "social media audit" of our NTPDA members. Just to see what social media platforms they are using and what we might do to better help our members communicate with their customers. We've already looked at Facebook now a peek at Twitter.

We found a minority of our members on the Twitter Platform. Most likely that's because they may not be aware of how many people in agriculture are already there and think it's not worthwhile. Nothing could be further from the  truth. If you go to Twitter and search for #Farming #Agriculture #Harvest19 you'll find a host of farmers and ranchers there talking about their experiences. You'll also find some of the major equipment retail centers using Twitter to inform folks about their offerings, pricings, etc.

In other words: Twitter is a happening place.

So, let's set out some basics for Twitter use...ready?

• Have a Plan - Just like with Facebook you need to have a plan for Twitter. What you want is to share information that farmers and ranchers find useful. That is a BUNCH better than using the platform simply for selling stuff. So, think about what you know about parts and agriculture that others might find useful and then create a calendar of what to talk about;
• Your Business Blog - We've said for YEARS that every business should have a business blog that is attached to your website. That gives you more power from search engines AND you get to tell YOUR story in your own words. But then...what do you do with your blog?  Share it on Twitter. Again if you are sharing information farmers and ranchers find valuable...you win;
• When to Tweet - We've always thought that the best times to Tweet is when your customers are active on their computers...makes sense right? However with so many farmers and ranchers using their phones to interact that means your customer isn't tied down to a computer screen. He or she might be waiting at the grain elevator or on the combine scrolling through social media and making comments.  Bottom line is that if you are active so too is your customer;
• How to Tweet - You can jump on Twitter and create an account for FREE. However we think it's wise to purchase a subscription to a system that will allow you to manage your Twitter stream more effectively. There are several out there. We've used Hootsuite for years. It gives you the flexibility to follow others, schedule your Tweets and see what is going on at a glance;
• Use Images - People respond to images more than just words. Make sure your Tweets have images most of the time; 
• Tweet Often - Twitter is like a message board that constantly is moving. If you Tweet, say at 6:00AM but not again until Noon you've lost six hours of "eyeballs". We recommend tweeting at least eight to twelve times a day. By using your automated system that's pretty easy to do;
• Don't Link to Facebook - OK...we know some of you do but your Tweet shows up like this: "facebook.com7476982" or something like that. The reader has NO idea what you've posted. Facebook and Twitter are two very different animals. If you are going to link to Facebook make sure you post what it's about;
• Re-Tweeting - One of the best ways to engage is by retweeting posts you think are interesting and/or valuable. And, as a favor, always RT our Tweets...please;
• Using the Hashtag - Once you've been on Twitter for a bit you'll get the hang of Hashtags. It's how to search for something or to keep a topic fresh. You can even set your search for a # Hashtag. For example, like in the opening of this post... #Agriculture put that into Twitter and see what people are talking about when it comes to topics.  This is really handy when you are at a trade show and there is a Hashtag for the event. NTPDA uses #NTPDA20 as the Hashtag for our upcoming annual meeting in Phoenix.

There you have it...some very basic thoughts about Tweeting for Business. As always let us know if you've got questions or comments. You can leave those here on this post!  Thanks for reading and being an NTPDA Member! 

Social Media & Business - Facebook

Welcome back to our ongoing series of posts regarding social media and business. Recently we conducted an audit of our members and what social media tools they seem to prefer when attempting to reach their target audience. That led us to this attempt to help our members, and really anybody else reading, to learn some best practices and "how to" engage consumers with social media. Our first piece on this was "The Business Blog" and you can read that here.

When we looked at our membership the social media platform of choice seems to be Facebook. That's no surprise because the social media giant had, as of
the second quarter of 2019 a bit over 2.4 billion active users!

Oh But The Changes

Perhaps you've noticed that, over the past couple of years, your Facebook posts haven't been getting the traction they once received. Three years ago you could post something about your business and you might get hundreds of impressions and interactions. Today that number has shrunk. Why? Because Facebook wants you to pay for your content to be seen. It's a smart business decision and one of the reasons that Facebook stock is, today, trading at $183.70 a share. So, what can you do to make sure your content stands out on Facebook?  

Video and Facebook

In a recent study of over 777 million Facebook posts it was found that video remains the number one driver of consumer engagement. On average video posts on Facebook rack up at least 59% more engagement than other types. Looking at the content of the top 500 Facebook posts of 2018 we find that 81% of them were backed by video. Only 18% were backed by static images.

So, it's a clear indication that you should be spending some time posting short video clips about your business. And, because video is so easy to shoot...why not. Plus you don't need all kinds of fancy gear to make this happen. You can start with your cell  phone video. (We'll have an entire blog about that coming up.)

Reactions to Facebook Posts

The same study looked at reactions to Facebook posts and found that emotion rules. People interact with content they find funny or inspirational. That doesn't mean that everybody loves funny or inspirational content and you have to be careful, given the social climate we find ourselves in, what you post. Remember the goal is to polish your brand. It's always best to know what your target demographic finds engaging...which really is rule number one when it comes to social media marketing.

Prime Example of Engaging Content

Last year the Norfolk Police Department received more than 3.2 million engagements and grew their audience to well-over 180,000 fans. How? The Lip Sync Challenge. Here is a link to their video. But, promise to come back!

OK, that's pretty cool and I'm not suggesting that you get your crew together for a lip sync challenge but what consumers want to see is the human side of your business. Sure you might be selling an axle but what else goes on in your company that is engaging and fun?

How Too - It's Big

We've got a couple of members that do some excellent "How to" videos. And, according to the study this stuff works well too. When you are helping your customers find ways to fix something not only do you get the credit but it's likely that post will be shared with others. I know you have some "fixes" that could benefit others.  It's not always about "selling" but it is about connecting.

Behind the Scenes

Engage your customers in the "behind the scenes" of what goes on in your business. People buy from people they know, like and trust. You've got to have some great stories that you can record and then share. Right?  It takes work but it really does work.

This post has already gotten a bit long...so let's break it off here and next time some suggestions as to how you can take some great video with excellent sound on a budget you can live with.  

Thanks for reading!

Michael Libbie, a long time member of the National Tractor Parts Dealership Association, creates content for our association. If you wish to comment, feel free. And, here is a link to that 2019 Study of Facebook in case you want a deeper dive. 

Social Media and Business - The Business Blog

In an earlier post for the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association I wrote about doing an "audit" of our member sites and their use of social media for business. This is a continuing series that I hope will help our membership fully understand, appreciate and utilize the power of social media to promote their
business and sell more products and services. Each post will cover a social media example that you may wish to incorporate into your marketing efforts. Let's go!

The Business Blog

This can be the building block and cornerstone of everything you do regarding social media content. Creating a blog for your business allows you to do a number of things like:

• Telling Your Story - Nobody knows your business like you. Writing a blog about your business allows you to share your story with customers old and new. The best thing is that you have control over the story line and that is important.
• Improving Search Engine Finds - If you have a static website, something that doesn't often change, your site will be overlooked by the search engine algorithms that are constantly seeking new content. If your site doesn't change search engines will pass it by and if you can't be found you can't do business.
• Giving the "Back-Story" of Business - Look, your customers know what you do but so many are interested in how you do...what you do. With a business blog you can tell real stories about how you've impacted customer needs. You can even use the words of your customers to polish your brand.
• Creating Content for Other Platforms - By writing short blogs and then using other social media tools to point customers back to your website becomes a win for connecting those tools back to your business.

OK...but "How do I go about getting this done?" I hear your pain and frustration. Let's start with the basics:

• Find A Blog Host - This might involve getting your IT people involved. NTPDA uses Typepad as our source but there are many more. If you are using a WordPress design they have a blog "plug in". Costs for blog hosting range from free to $20 a month. It's an investment if you use it.
• Incorporate the Blog - Once you've found a comfortable format have your IT professional or "webmaster" incorporate it onto the homepage of your website. That way the first few lines are always seen and you are always updating your site. You can see how that is done on our NTPDA.com site.
• Know Your Audience - You know who your customers are and who you want to reach. Keep your blog posts directed to your target. And, remember this isn't always about "selling" it's about telling a story that meets the interests of those you want to reach.
• Create a Calendar - This is the strategic part of blogging. If you write it down, it gets done. Let's say you want to write one blog post a week. Set aside that time on your calendar and write a draft in a word document. Keep it to under 400 words. 
• Take Notes - I often hear, "But, I don't know what to write about!" That's why you should be taking notes between blog posts. What happened over the  past week that folks might find interesting? Jot it down and then go back to it during the time you've set aside for writing.
• Use Photos - People respond to images. Incorporate photos into your post. Once you get it going you might be able to embed video. The creative side of this doesn't have many limits.

I know it sounds like work...and it is...but if you want to expand your sales and polish your brand the Business Blog can go a long way to that goal.

Thanks for reading and if you've got comments or questions feel free to drop them into our comment section.

Michael

 

Michael P. Libbie is a marketing professional who has been a member of NTPDA for nearly 20 years and has been the author of many of our blog posts.