Who needs a good web site??? Is it worth it!

The social media market has taken a hit with security breeches so many shops are now asking do I need a web site?

Many shops used their FB page as a shop page which worked out great! I use our DM page all of the time but I have noticed unless I advertise more FB regulates our exposure. So it's no longer free if you want full exposure to social media.

Now I have moved much energy to Twitter and Instagram to offset the now biased FB and Google which does not like rural trucks, rural lifestyle and conservative views.

So how important is your web site?

DIESEL Motorsports recently revised ours for a couple of reasons. One our long time friend and mine personally Eric (Woodstock) passed away from cancer at a young age of 66, he has managed our DM web site for the entire 11 years. I was very sad on many levels since I had known Eric for over 22 years plus he was a good shooting buddy being past military, sheriff, police, etc.

Second, I knew with Eric gone I needed to not only update but manage our content with a more up-to-date format. www.DIESELmotorsports.US is now 80% done and up for viewing.

Still adding some features on the DM site including a shopping cart with DM swag but adding more information that can be useful to our enthusiasts.

Traffic has been up since we launched it in September with much more attention along with page views.

It is important to have a web site because business people look for your site. It verifies you as a brick and mortar shop they can do business. It also helps in search engines when locating legitimate shops for repairs and what kind of repairs or upgrades your shop is capable of installing on their truck.

Always make sure to include a gallery to show customer's trucks when finished plus a quote from them. It means a lot to the people looking for assurance your shop will treat their truck right.

It doesn't take long when finished to shoot a quick photo with your cell phone of the truck and customer out in the parking lot.

I have heard from many shops who are in small towns they can not get the proper services to put up a site and maintain it. Many report locals who have taken their dollars then disappeared!

I understand the frustration since I have been in your shoes plus your job is to repair trucks not run your web site. You rely on those people to help you with just like you help people with their trucks.

If you have a hard time finding people to help you with a proper web site, contact me and i can help you find some professional help in that area.

SEMA Show or PRI Show - which should you attend??? As a diesel enthusiasts. . .

I get asked every year since I have gone to both for so long? Which show is worth going to for the money?

If you have never been to Las Vegas or the SEMA show then it is worth going if you have the time and the dollars. They don't call Vegas sin city for nothing, everything costs! And it cost more during the SEMA show, they know how many people come to this show!

If you come to SEMA, bring very good walking shoes since you will walk 5-7 miles in one day to view the show. When people in Vegas say it is only a block away, count on about 4 normal blocks. There is a lot of people which makes it difficult to view and talk to the vendors, it helps if you have a buyers badge.

Hotels surrounding the Convention center are expensive ranging $170-$350 per night, Uber and taxis all want $20 to go anywhere. If you want cheaper hotels go to outlying areas or by the airport, you can get rooms for $79-$130 a night.

SEMA has been cracking down on industry badges for both events so if you are a diesel shop or repair shop you can qualify as a buyer. Just go online and register but it does cost $40 per person or $75 if it is past October 12th. Make sure to put your wife down as spouse which is easier to register.

There are a lot of diesel trucks with HUGE lift kits and large wheels but very few performance upgrades on newer trucks since this violates EPA rules.

To me if you want to look for performance items plus tooling for your shop, the PRI show is a much better show and cheaper to attend. Hotels are $59-$200 per night and taxis/Uber are normal rates. It is located in Indianapolis which takes you less time to travel to and easier to get back home to the shop.

There are no vehicles to view so if you are expecting a truck or car show you will be disappointed. What you will see is real performance parts/services and tooling machines. Yes you can actually talk to the vendors at this show especially if you are listed as a buyer and not a competitor.

Even though what you would see in Las Vegas would be more entertaining it would not relate to your shop business as much as the PRI show.

You can see everything at the PRI show in most likely one or two days where you could not see everything at SEMA/AAPEX if you walked 5 miles everyday.

If you got the $$$ and time and have never been you should visit the SEMA show but if you have limited time and need to watch the $$ go to the PRI show!

If you have questions about either show please ask or respond back to me!

ronk@dieselmotorsports.US