How effective are your advertising and media campaigns? More important, how are you measuring your return on investment (ROI)? When marketing pros speak of “tracking media,” they’re really referring to tracking promotion, which—along with product, price and place—is one of the four P’s of marketing...

Wheels continue to be one of the first modifications that car and truck owners make to their vehicles. The popularity of these products may be one reason why wheels are so prominent at the SEMA Show. Located in the lower South Hall, where buyer activity tends to be among the highest, the SEMA Show’s...

Despite intense competition from social media heavyweights, such as Facebook and Twitter, e-mail remains a formidable marketing stalwart, according to a new study released in May by Market Tools (www.markettools.com). The researchers found that e-mail use was actually up among 45% of the 1,268...

To paraphrase a well-worn Oldsmobile ad, today’s vehicles are not your father’s paint and trim. If you think modern consumers are left scratching their heads over how to maintain the appearance of their vehicles, imagine what the companies that formulate car care products go through.

Editor’s Note: Most of the specialty-equipment companies contacted in a recent SEMA survey said that they planned to hire new employees in 2011. Salespeople were at the top of the list. To learn more about the traits and skills of successful salespeople—and how to hire them—we contacted freelance...

Washington joined the growing list of states to enact SEMA model legislation to amend the vehicle titling and registration classification for street rods and create a classification for custom vehicles. The bill was approved by the Washington State Legislature and signed into law by Governor...

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Councils announced July 8, 2011 as “Collector Car Appreciation Day.”

Law and Order is an update of some of the most recent federal and state legislative and regulatory issues that could potentially impact the automotive specialty-equipment industry. These include issues affecting small-business owners and their employees.

’13 Mustang GT500, Cadillac SRX Plug-In, MINI Cooper Coupe, ’12 GMC Denali