Help!! Looking for SHOWS for my Company to attend

[toofun]

I work for Lebaron Bonney. We are well known for our Model A, Roadster interior kits and recently have acquired a company that has allowed us to expand all the way up through 1962 model fords. We also deal in GM interior kits as well. Since I have started there we have made leaps and bounds in improving our lead times as well as many improvements in our quality(the quality has always been great but now it is even better) We have been able to do this while NOT increasing our prices.. Anyways, Hershey pennsylvania has always been a big show for us but we are looking to expand our exposure to customers in other areas of the country.

Does anyone have a suggestion of a show or list of shows we should attend? Like I said our bread and butter has always been Model A roadsters. I hear there are a couple of big ALL ROADSTER shows in Long BEACH California. I also hear that there is one in Texas as well. ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!! My boss has put it on me to come up with some ideas so I want to make sure the trip from Massachusetts is worth it!!! Thanks In advance!!

Mark
TOOFUN

[WS6]

Are there any roadster shows at Carlisle? That's in your back yard basically.

[vintageracer]

What is your purpose at these new shows? Show your products? Sell your product? Just hand out information and talk to new direct customers? Recruit new dealers? Check out new talent at the titty bars?

To receive ANY decent information and input, we need more information as to WHY you now want to attend more shows. You CAN and WILL waste lot's of money going to shows without a specific purpose and well laid out game plan.

We need more information from you to be able to provide a response of any value!

[toofun]

What is your purpose at these new shows? Show your products? Sell your product? Just hand out information and talk to new direct customers? Recruit new dealers? Check out new talent at the titty bars?

To receive ANY decent information and input, we need more information as to WHY you now want to attend more shows. You CAN and WILL waste lot's of money going to shows without a specific purpose and well laid out game plan.

We need more information from you to be able to provide a response of any value!

Well it is funny, when they hired me here they have some pretty lofty expectations. I have managed to tackle a good amount of the problems here already in a very short time. Now they are looking to get more business(arent we all!!) So I guess all of the above. We would like to sell product there if possible and definately want to show our product since people want to see what they are buying into. Besides our product is so good and done exactly or as close to original as possible. Talking to customers and answering questions is also very key to getting business as well since customers want to know you know what you are talking about. It also puts a face and a personal aspect to the company as well. Exposure to new customers and giving existing customers the chance to see us in person and answer questions is always a nice benefit that I feel will always come back to you in repeat business.

So I guess if I had to rate it I would say we would like to do all three. The fourth is an added benefit that would be considered gravy(LOL)

Thanks
Mark
TOOFUN

[vintageracer]

Not wanting to rain on your parade however trying doing all 3 at any and all shows you attend without a "show specific" plan is a great way to waste LOT'S of money on little results. Vitually EVERYONE wants to do all three (show, sell, talk, recruit dealers) at shows and the result is usually poorly executed show plan!

Example, the Lebaron Bonney products that I have known over the years are for 40's and earlier cars therefore displaying at an "import" meet would probably be a waste of time. No market = no interest! Goodguys? Maybe? But just look throught the Goodguys Gazzette. Not near the amount of 40's and earlier cars as there was 10 years ago since Musclecars and modified cars have become the "IN" thing. Most of those folks want a quality product and could give a rats ass about how correct your stitching is on you products. So while Goodguys would appear to be a great place to go, maybe not?

Your company name is well known within a generation the is dieing everyday and not within the youth and middle age crowd who is now spending the money on cars. Look at your website, Antique is a word that is prominently displayed. Antique cars are not classic car market leaders at this time. 20 years ago ya, today NO!

The NEWEST car displayed on your website homepage is a 1958 Ford with most of the others from the 20's and 30's. I think is it safe to say that a 1958 Ford ain't the most popular restoration or "restomod" car on the market right now nor are car restorations from the 20's and 30's a market leader. Quite frankly, I am not sure there are a lot of shows for you to go to and market your products that will meet with any success/reward for the expenditure other than Hershey.

I know your company has a long and storied history however times do change and product line expansion to meet today's BIG markets might just be a better consideration instead of what shows to attend. Now I know that product expansion is NOT what you or the owner's want to hear but that should ALWAYS be a consideration for any "growing" business.

With the product line you currently show on your website I suggest you look in the current issue of Hemmings for their very complete listing of shows for 2008 and target only those that are antique oriented. Why not mail ALL your current customers a 15% off coupon that can be activated if and when they complete your new "online" customer survey. Cheap, expensive and DIRECT to the customers that currently buy your products. Their response to a well developed customer survey will give you all the information you need as far as shows AND a great idea as to where to look for new customers! This will give you much better information than spending lot's of money galavanting around the country with no plan!

Last but not least, talk to your peers in the parts industry. Call Corky Coker at Coker Tire for input since he sells lot's of tires into the same market you service with your products. Try to get good information from others who sell to your market and see where they spend their advertising/marketing dollars. Coker is a great example of an antique supplier who has branched out to newer markets and who has also become HEAVILY involved in the automotive aftermarket business. After all, Corky is the retiring president of SEMA!

[toofun]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the input. You are right about the declining market in antique cars. Lebaron Bonney has make some improvements in that they offer kits all the way up to 62's now but I share your sentiments on expanding into other markets. Resto mods, and modified cars are a huge market. The muscle car generation is even a bigger market and captures the younger generation for sure. These are all avenues that I am exploring with Lebaron. We are always looking to expand into other areas as well as acquire other companies that will allow us to do so. The president of the company has a very open mind which helps in going forward with these ideas.

Believe me there is no bigger fan in expanding and growing into other markets than me!! One of the reasons I took on this job is to have the freedom to help expand in this direction. Anyways, thanks again for the input

Mark
TOOFUN