Building A Better Business with Jack Stack

Off mic he said to me, "I'm going to share with you what ails so many businesses, families and our nation and it can be wrapped up in two words, financial literacy." Meet Jack Stack: businessman, author, keynote speaker who, in the next several minutes, will share with you how you can build a thriving business by getting everybody on board...and it's not done by holding hands and singing Kumbaya. No, his tried and true method is to get everybody from the line worker to HR to engineering to marketing to the front office to better understand what's going on "inside the numbers" and how they can play a part in creating productivity and profit. And, it not only can help businesses but also families and that, he says, will cure so many of our nation's ills. Oh, and the NTPDA connection? The business Jack started is SRC Holdings and one of the businesses under that umbrella is NTPDA Member Global Recovery Corporation. Small world... Strap in for Jack Stack.

Thanks for listening!

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. 

Seller Beware!

We're all aware of the old saying, "Buyer beware!" and while that's true even sellers need to beware of scam artists. Here is a story about that we think you'll enjoy and, perhaps, learn from.

We get phone calls all the time from people wanting to sell NTPDA something. From Medicare insurance to car warranty insurance to copy paper. It's a steady stream. However, not long ago we received, for the second time, a phone call from a company who wanted to sell us parts. The  person on the other line said, "Please, we would like to sell you tractor parts. Can you put me in touch with your purchasing agent?" We told them we don't actually sell parts but our members sell parts.  He was not listening. "No, no, no...we have tractor parts for you. Please let me speak to your purchasing agent." Again, I shared with my insistent friend that we do not sell parts but if his company wanted to sell parts to our members his company should become a member of NTPDA. He said, "Yes, yes I understand but we do have tractor parts to sell to you. May I please speak to your purchasing agent?"

Clearly he didn't understand and this went on for some time (we are very patient people here at NTPDA) before I asked the caller for his email and I would
send him a note about who and what we are and give him the opportunity to join our group. That was three weeks ago and we've not heard back.

Last week I was visiting with one of our long-term members who I knew sold a specific brand of parts to dealers. I told him the story and he said to me, "I know who you are talking about and it is a scam."  He told me that he had gotten a call from this same company requesting that he send some parts to three of their clients in the U.S. and that the company ordering the parts would pay the bill.  So, our member received payment online and filled the three orders. All good...right?

Except a few days later the company that called to order the parts disputed the charges and the payment was reversed.

Our member was out the parts and the payment.  While it was not a huge order it still hurt.

The bottom line here is know who you are doing business with. One of the great things about being a member of NTPDA is that we do know each other. We do business with each other and there is a method to attempt to fix problems that arise. 

Yes, along with our many benefits, there is a sense of comfort being an NTPDA member...and thank you!

NTPDA Leadership with Scott Schelling and Trey Russell

Over 40 years ago a group of agriculture equipment recyclers got together and formed the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA). The group was small and mostly confined to the United States. Today the association has members not only in the U.S. but also Canada, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. Here I sit down with Scott Schelling the Immediate Past President and owner of Rock Valley Tractor Parts of Iowa and Trey Russell the incoming President and second generation to Russell's Tractor Parts of Alabama during our time at our Annual Conference and Trade Show. We talk about what they've gotten out of the association and what may be coming in the future.  Plus a "Shout Out" about the Summer Mixer coming in July. 

Thanks for listening!

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.

Two More Acquisitions for All States Ag Parts

Over the past two weeks we’ve been informed that our member All States Ag Parts (ASAP) has made two more important acquisitions.  Tractor Joe of Plymouth, MN which specializes in on-line ag parts for tractors and other agricultural equipment and Yesterday’s Tractor Company based in Port Townsend, WA which specializes in providing antique tractor owners with valuable resources for repair and information as well as a complete line of antique tractor parts.

John Dyke, CEO of All States Ag Parts said of the two acquisitions, “Both Tractor Joe and Yesterday’s Tractor allow ASAP to continue serving the vast agriculture by offering new and different products and services.  Tractor Joe brings a fully developed website operation with good traffic numbers which will supplement our existing site. Meanwhile Yesterday’s Tractor allows us to continue to serve their current and future customers and expand the current parts offering by including used parts in addition to expanding the remanufactured and new part lines.”

 Both former owners, Marina Vorobeychik of Tractor Joe and Kim Pratt of Yesterday’s Tractor will remain in place during the transition and both newly acquired companies will retain their current identities.

Tractor Joe can be reached at 888-860-9096 or online at www.TractorJoe.com while Yesterday’s Tractor can be reached at 800-853-2651 or online at www.YesterdaysTractors.com .

All States Ag Parts now operates 21 locations in North America including 16 tractor and combine salvage yards.  ASAP is the leading supplier of agricultural parts in North America and carries used, new aftermarket and remanufactured parts for tractors, skid steers, combines and other ag equipment. Parts are stocked for virtually all brands of equipment including John Deere, Case IH, Ford, New Holland, Allis Chalmers, Massey Ferguson, AGCO, Hesston and many more.  All States Ag Parts may be reached at 877-530-4430 or at www.TractorPartsASAP.com

The National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) congratulates All States Ag Parts as the company continues to expand to serve farmers, ranchers, hobbyists and restoration customers.

What If We Told You...

What if we told you we have a way for your business to save hundreds of dollars and all you had to do was work with our prefered vendor Payteva?  Would you? Our bet is that you would at least look into it.

Recently Payteva, a credit/debit card processing service, and its founder, Steve Casteel, became a member of NTPDA. During a recent conversation with him (we check in with our members all the time) he told us about how PayTeva is saving a company based on the east coast hundreds of dollars each month just by following the suggestions of Steve and his crew.

One of the things we do for our members is attempt to make sure your membership dues becomes an investment rather than an expense and, clearly, by working with Steve you've got an opportunity to do just that. And, it doesn't cost you a dime to at least make a call to learn more.

Here is a link to Payteva.  Let us know how it goes AND if you want to hear more check out this audio interview we recently did with Steve on behalf of NTPDA.

Thanks for being a member...or hoping  to be one.  We'll make it worthwhile!

 

Online Sales and Sales Taxes with George Isaacson

While in Maricopa, Arizona for the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) Annual Conference and Trade Show we were able to sit down with Professor George Isaacson, a Constitutional Law expert who has argued online sales tax in the Supreme Court and is also the Senior Partner for the law firm Brann & Isaacson, for a conversation about online sales and sales tax. This piece originally aired the week after our meeting and this new edit should be important for our membership to hear.  With over 12,000 tax bodies in the United States it's increasingly difficult to manage and collect taxes. However, there is a solution.  We open up by talking about the Constitution and trade.

This is the kind of information our members receive on a regular basis. Our goal is to offer real value to our members in every way we can. If you do not yet belong and your business revolves around agricultural parts here is an invitation to join us. Regular Membership is reserved for those companies who sell parts and do salvage. Associate Membership is for those companies who wish to sell to our Regular Members.  Here is the link to our Membership Page. 

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! 

Member News from Down Under - Parts Express in Australia

The phone conversation with Mike Winter, president of long-time NTPDA Member Worthington Tractor Parts, Inc. started here when asked about the launch of their wholesale company, Parts Express scheduled for later this year in Australia: “Any business that doesn’t constantly find ways to improve its level of service to the market is bad news for the longevity of that business.” He went on to say, “Our goal is to build a global brand that will bring high quality parts at affordable prices with great speed and accuracy to the dealerships and repair shops that need them.”

Parts Express has a history of success as a wholesale supplier of agricultural parts in the United States and this launch of strategically placed warehouses throughout Australia will meet the increased demand on the continent. Winter added, “To this point products have been available through Neil’s Parts which we acquired in 1996. Now, with additional resources going to the wholesale market we believe we’ll become a world leader for the agricultural market.”

Bruce Jacobsma, Director of Parts Express added, “Our goal is to make Parts Express a globally recognized name in the agricultural spare parts market. This operation takes us one step closer to achieving that goal.”

Parts Express currently has four distribution centers in the United States and a bonded warehouse in Germany. Dealerships and repair shops are able to buy direct from Parts Express by using the B2B online website or by phone.

The addition of Parts Express into Australia is all about service, speed and affordability according to Jason Atkins, General Manager/Director of Neil’s Parts, “When we’re able to deliver quality products that are affordable and do so quickly and accurately our customers and their customers win. This move will deliver that outcome. “

Congratulations to the entire team from NTPDA!

If you’ve got news from your member business, make sure to connect with us at [email protected]!

About Parts Express - Parts Express is a leading wholesale supplier of agricultural parts in the United States. It carries a wide range of new aftermarket parts for tractors, combines (headers), grain heads (fronts), cotton pickers, and skid steers. Parts Express stocks parts for most brands of equipment including John Deere, Case IH, Ford, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, AGCO and more. To accommodate the local market, they will be distributing wholesale: CAMSO track systems, Gulf Western Oils, Redekop Mav systems, cane harvester parts and Chamberlain parts in Australia.

Parts Express USA can be reached at 800-247-1237 or online at www.Parts-Exp.com 

Wish You Were Here!

We are in Mobile for the 2019 NTPDA Annual Meeting and Trade Show and if you didn't make it...well, we wish you were here. We have so much coming up that we know will help move your business and our industry forward. And, yes, we'll have time to get together with friends and actually do business.

For those of us who are here, and on the ground, the next few days will fly by. Our Early Bird Gathering is Thursday evening and, if you've ever been with us, you know it will be great.

On Friday we'll launch into "Going Beyond the Brand" which has everything to do with employee and customer engagement. How can we get our employees to become more engaged in what our customers want and need. And, know what?  Most of that has to do with listening and being responsive. To get there Karen will talk about transparency and the customer experience. It's not always price but it is about winning.

Also on Friday we'll dive into your online presence with "Online Excellence - Redesigning Your Website From THe Ground Up".  What is it that consumers want to know and see when they first get to your site?  How can you use technology to create a winning relationship with your customer and how can your website engage? Nicholas will have answers to your questions.

And by the time we get to Thursday evening we'll be in our Trade Show area with dozens of opportunities to do business here in Mobile.

And, that's just Friday!!

We really do miss those of you who can't be here and we're going to do our best to get you to see the value, along with the fun, of being at our Annual Meeting and Trade Show.  Be watching out Facebook Page and our Twitter Stream @NTPDA all week long for updates, video clips and more.  You can also follow us by using the hashtag #NTPDA19!  Easy, no?

And, we haven't even talked about Saturday...yet.

 

 

The Power of Repeating Stuff

Who doesn't like repeat customers? Who doesn't like being told...a couple of times...that you've got a great logo or uniform or...heck a haircut? Just as much as we enjoy repeat customers and repeated complements so too should we learn that when we repeat something over and over it has real power.

In marketing and advertising it is what is called "Top of Mind Awareness". Making sure your product or service is at the top of mind when it comes to buying what you are selling. "One and DONE" doesn't cut it. It takes an effort to make sure you repeat your message over and over.

Here are a couple of examples and while they are for national brands we think you'll get the message:

" Winston Tastes Good Like a Cigarette Should" - Winston has been of television and radio for decades...yet we remember the tag line;

"The Campaign of Bottled Beer" - Miller used this slogan for years and years abandoned it and this year brought it back...for good reason;

"A Diamond is Forever" - DeBeers debuted this way back in 1948 and they are still using it because...it works;

"Breakfast of Champions" - Who doesn't know this 1930's Wheaties slogan;

"It's the Real Thing" - CocaCola hit it out of the park with this from 1970;

"Say it With Flowers" - This will surprise you, the slogan dates back to 1917!

You get the idea... True, each one of these slogans had real dollars behind them to push the idea and the brand. Maybe your business doesn't have that sort of advertising budget but maybe you don't need all that cash to accomplish much the same thing.

Think of your value proposition and what you bring to your customers and then put that in words. Not a bunch of words but short and sweet. We know of a law firm that has the tag line, "We get things done!" because the number one complaint complaint among legal clients is that far too often law firms don't get things done and clients have to wait...and wait. The firm went so far as to register the slogan and they use it...everywhere.

Find your value proposition and then repeat it...often and everywhere. The goal is to have your customers hear or see those words and identify you and your unique value. 

It very well could bring you...repeat customers.