Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/726432
6 OCTOBER 2016 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com OPE STAFF Group Publisher David Voll Associate Publisher John Kmitta Editor Steve Noe Art Director Jean Blackmer Senior Production Manager Karen Kalinyak DIRECT MAIL LIST SALES MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com REPRINT SERVICE Robin Cooper, email rcooper@epgmediallc.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Founder and Owner OPE Consulting Services Jeff Sheets Senior Advisor Servantage Dixie Sales (retired) Jim Starmer President Plano Power Equipment Glen Whitt Director of Sales and Marketing Central Power Distributors, Inc. John D. Hedges EDITORIAL OFFICES EPG Media & Specialty Information 10405 6th Ave. N., Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441 ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4408 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4460 lpalmer@epgmediallc.com CIRCULATION For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (847) 513-6025 or fax (763) 383-4497 customerservice@epgmediallc.com business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Outdoor Power Equipment. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by Outdoor Power Equipment or EPG Media & Specialty Information, or preference over similar products not mentioned. Editor Steve Noe | snoe@epgmediallc.com UPFRONT Final preparations for GIE+EXPO 2016 Before going on a family vacation, my wife hands a "things to pack" checklist to each of our daughters, so they can properly pack without our help. This extensive checklist includes everything from hygiene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss) and clothes (type and quantity) to the basics (snacks) and miscellaneous items (cell phone and charger). Now I'm assuming that you don't need such a checklist to prepare for the 2016 Green Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO), which is set to take place Wednesday, Oct. 19 (Dealer Day), through Friday, Oct. 21, at Louisville's Kentucky Exposition Center. If you forget any toiletries, you can always call your hotel's front desk and often get those items for free. However, I'm here to provide you with the following brief "things to do" checklist before you leave for Louisville: ■ Re-read OPE's "GIE+EXPO 2016 Show Preview" in the September 2016 print edition or the digital edition at outdoorpowerequipment.com under "Resources" and then the "Back Issues" tab on the drop-down menu. The direct link to the September 2016 OPE digital edition is http://read.dmtmag.com/i/714159-september-2016. ■ Register for GIE+EXPO and any of its events requiring pre-registration at www.gie-expo.com. The show's website features a list of local hotels and rates with the option to book online 24/7 or through the Louisville Housing Bureau during its business hours at (800) 743-3100 or (502) 561-3100. The show's website has loads of other valuable information. ■ Download the free Go EXPO smartphone app, which is now available in the iTunes and Google Play stores. Sponsored by Gravely, the mobile app provides easy access to event schedules, the floor plan, exhibitor information, show announcements and social media posts. Specifically, the Go EXPO app's Personalized Planner allows attendees and mobile app users to build a custom itinerary of preferred sessions and take notes via the My Notes feature. When not attending educational sessions, mobile app users can also utilize the Planner to search for exhibitors and view their product information, select exhibitors that they want to meet on the show floor and request appointments with them, use the interactive floor plan and a downloadable personalized walking map to easily navigate to their booth locations, and tag your favorites. The app can also be used to search the conference schedule, rate sessions, add and email notes, and view handouts. In addition, Go EXPO allows users to read, follow, and comment on tweets and Facebook posts from fellow attendees and exhibiting companies, as well as tune into exclusive updates, notifications and blogs from show management. ■ Be sure to pre-register for UTV University, which will debut on Dealer Day (October 19) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. With Cub Cadet and Jacobsen serving as premier sponsors and Walbro as a session sponsor, UTV University will feature presentations by proven powersports dealer training specialists; a roundtable discussion with UTV manufacturers and industry leaders about the state of the UTV industry; and a Dealer Kick-off Keynote on "Selling Across Generations: Specific Actions That Drive Sales with Each Generation" by Jason Dorsey, "The Gen Y Guy." UTV University will be presented by OPE's sister publication, Powersports Business magazine, so don't be surprised to see me assisting with its production. And if you miss seeing me at UTV University, please be sure to stop by OPE's booth 10215 to pay me a visit. I'm looking forward to renewing old acquaintances and making new ones at the show! OPE