June 2022

(844) 673-2266

DEALERS UNITE IN THE PURSUIT OF RETAIL EXCELLENCE 

News from YOUR National Powersports Dealer Association



Welcome to the June 2022 newsletter from the NPDA! There is strength in our growing numbers, and we're on the move in furthering our mission: "To advance our industry by elevating Dealers to be well prepared, sustainably profitable and exceed the expectations of a growing Powersports customer base."

In this issue:

• Member + Partner Lists Keep Growing! 
• FREE Webinar For Dealers - THIS THURSDAY!
• Survey Says? - Membership Survey #1 Results
• Membership Survey #2 Coming July 1
• Partner Spotlight - Liqui Moly
• Just Something to Think About ...

Member + Partner Lists Keep Growing! 

It's only been a few weeks since our first anniversary on May 24, and we proudly announce we've topped 200 members and 14 partners supporting the NPDA! What does that mean for you?

• First up, we're connecting with some very smart people in our industry! Not only dealers with amazing experience, but leaders from partner companies able to provide access to tools for improving your businesses.
• The larger our member/partner base, the more we can do to help each member run their dealerships better by providing helpful resources, including educational/training programming, group buying power and information on things such as insurance, warranty reimbursements and state franchise laws.
• We're developing a strategy to deliver key information on subjects of the most benefit to you, including technology, law, training, and management systems.

Immediate projects we're working on:

• Website relaunch - We're only a year old, but we're making some changes to our website look and functionality to make it more user friendly.
• Group buying power - there's strength in numbers, and we are seeking to find you savings when buying items you use in running your businesses
• A webinar series featuring experts from our partners providing information you can use NOW
• Regional Meet & Greets - we're planning gatherings nationwide for members and prospects to gather for in-person discussions, seminars, socialize and provide feedback on issues of importance
• Continuing to grow our base - You've committed to support the NPDA, but can we ask for a little added help? Share this newsletter with industry colleagues, send them to our website, www.npda.org, and help us gain even more momentum in creating the best, most impactful group for Powersports Dealers imaginable!

Survey Says! - Membership Survey #1 Results

The NPDA is about listening and learning in order to successfully advocate, educate and celebrate members, partners and supporters of our industry.

To that end, we are launching a series of surveys to gain insight into what's on the collective mind of our membership. Each survey is short, but the information is allowing us to drill down on the topics important to you and allow us to achieve the greatest success!

Our first section was issued June 1, and again on June 10.  Among the key findings:

• 90 percent of respondents think staying on top of compliance, regulatory and government affairs is important;
• 70 percent think keeping staff trained and "retail ready" is a challenge;
• 60 percent are concerned that the "Tesla Model" of direct to consumer sales is being considered by their O.E.M.s
• 60 percent support the following: "I need to invest some time and/or money in supporting my industry and fostering the growth of our businesses."
• 100 percent said they would consider attending a Town Hall Open House type meeting hosted by a fellow Powersports Dealer to learn more about the state of our industry and the NPDA.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our inaugural survey!

Membership Survey #2 Coming July 1

Our survey work continues July 1 with the second questionnaire in our three-part series.

This time, we’ll be seeking input about education & training, dealer development, and the role you’d like to see the NPDA play in growing your business.

Be on the lookout for the NPDA survey in your email in-box soon, and as always, thanks in advance for your responses!

Partner Spotlight – Liqui Moly

www.liqui-moly.com

Headquarters: Germany; Liqui Moly USA has offices in New York and California

Year Founded: 1957

Number of Employees: 1,000-plus worldwide

Business Summary: Liqui Moly is a globally renowned manufacturer of premium quality lubricants, motor oils, additives, vehicle care products, chemical repair tools, service products, glues and sealants.

The following questions were posed to Vinny Russo. Key Account Manager -  Powersports USA/Canada, for Liqui Moly USA:

Why Is Liqui Moly A Partner Of The NPDA? When approached at the last AIMExpo, the pitch was very good, and we at Liqui Moly thought this might be a great avenue to increase the speed of recognition to the USA Powersports Dealers of our relatively young line of race-proven Powersports products. Our line of Powersports products has really only been available here in the US about six years. In comparison, our auto products have been here for 30 years, and due to the product performance and hard work of our ever growing on-the-street Sales Team, the visibility, growth and recognition of those products has been amazing. You can't go into a European auto repair garage without seeing the Liqui Moly brand, and this has spread to the Domestic and Asian garages as well. We at Liqui Moly do not want to wait 25 years for the brand recognition of our Powersports products! Partnering with the NPDA we hope will assist us in moving that needle a lot faster.

How Can NPDA Members Best Benefit From Our Partnership With Liqui Moly? The more familiar they become with our Brand, the more comfortable and confident they will be in conveying the benefits of each product we produce. Liqui Moly has been voted Germany's Best Brand 12 years in a row, as voted on by the shops and folks across Germany. Readers of Europe's leading Motorbike magazine "Motorrad" have voted us Best Brand the last three years. When we say our oils are race proven - you won't find more demanding racing than in the MotoGP series. All the motorbikes in Moto2 and 3 have been using our Race 5w-40 oils, the same Race line available to the Dealers and public, for the last nine years. That's eight manufacturer’s bikes with NO motor issues due to our oils. Our partnership with MotoGP is ongoing. Although we sponsor many riders in street racing with MotoAmerica and Canadian Superbike, we also extend to teams in American Flat Track, Beta USA Factory race team, Factory Can-Am and Polaris RZR teams in the desert with Legacy Racing, Dp4, Texas Outlaw series, in addition to the Pro Watercross and Full Throttle WaterX series with Jetskis. Don't forget we have snow products as well!

Anything Else You'd Like To Add To Help NPDA Members Understand How Liqui Moly Can Help Them Do Business Better? Additives. Our stand alone ones, and the additives we use to make these great oils. In our labs in Germany, we create some of the most effective problem-solving additives in the world. We've been creating some neat short Product Spotlight videos on our YouTube channel accessible to anyone, to better understand the purpose, use and application of them. We are adding new ones each month. We also have a free online Oil Guide on our website that will show Dealers info on approved or recommended oils, capacities, and change intervals of all Powersports machines and brands. We want the Dealers to know that they will not only be selling great high end products that will benefit customers’ Powersports machines, designed to make them run like new, but they will also make good profit on them as well. Lastly, our Reps are always available to them for any questions, training and recommendations.

Just Something To Think About ...

A number of years ago a friend visiting Taiwan experienced the overwhelming crush of full-sized motorcycles, smaller motorbikes and scooters on every street. Cars simply were (and still are) in the engine-powered minority. Check out places like China, Vietnam, etc., and you’ll find it’s the same.

In a restaurant one evening, my friend asked the waitress what she rode, and was told a motorcycle of some type. “That must be nice, getting off work and hitting the road like that,” the friend said. “No,” the waitress responded, “it’s just how I get to work and back home.”

Point being, many of the products motorsports dealers in this country sell are for leisure and pleasure riding versus being critical modes of transportation as they are elsewhere.

Look at your customer base – can you think of many, if any of them who only ride and don’t have a car, truck or SUV?

Why is that? And why does this waitress, and millions of others who live in less developed countries, only ride?

It’s pretty simple: The cost of having a car, truck or SUV is simply too high, and the two-wheeled alternatives available to them are more affordable. Bonus – they get better mileage on two wheels versus four.

Wait, isn’t affordable transportation one of the things your products offer? And with gas prices soaring, aren’t more miles per gallon a great selling point?

Are your marketing efforts this summer centered on this fact?

Sure, summer riding can be hot, rainstorms occur, and some journeys might involve discomfort. Further, kicking off riding earlier in the spring or extending it later into the fall means it might be cold or even snowy depending on where you are located.

But virtually all but the most difficult weather conditions can be countered with appropriate riding gear. Are you pushing heated, cooling or waterproof gear year round to ensure your customers are aware of the options?

Finally, if your customers replace some of their driving miles with riding, won’t they reach service intervals faster, driving business for your techs, or maybe even want to replace their bike with a new one sooner?

If you look hard enough, you can find a silver lining in just about anything, even higher gas prices.

In chaos lies opportunity. 

The NPDA Founding Board