Season-to-Season: Heritage Tractor

Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s new series, “Season-to-Season,” digs into the seasonal challenges and opportunities dealerships face in a typical year. Kansas-based Heritage Tractor shares best practices for the winter season as it copes with back-to-back droughts.

Heritage Tractor,
Baldwin City, Kan.

Founded: 1998, with stores now in Atchison, Lawrence, Topeka and Paola, Kan., and Clinton and Harrisonville, Mo.

Location: On a main highway on the outskirts of Baldwin City, a town of about 4,500, and near the major metro areas of Lawrence, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo.

Lines: John Deere, Frontier, Honda, Land Pride, Schaben Industries, Stihl and Polaris

Challenge and Solution: Droughts in 2011 and 2012 cut equipment sales. Heritage met the challenge by adding new lines, such as John Deere Landscapes and Honda walk-behind mowers and generators. They boosted retail sales with online advertising.

Winter 2013: Heritage Tractor Drives Sales in Tough Times by Boosting Marketing, Filling Product Gaps

Kansas-based Heritage Tractor shares best practices for the winter season as it copes with back-to-back droughts.

Spring 2013: Heritage Tractor Creates Reasons to Buy This Spring

Challenges this spring: Turn seasonal optimism into equipment purchases and manage employee transitions.

Summer 2013: Heritage Tractor Sells Solutions

Challenges this summer: Find new ways to partner with customers on equipment, parts and service.

Fall 2013: Heritage Tractor Demands More from Parts, Service Departments

The final installment in our 2013 “Season-to-Season” series shows how Heritage Tractor sharpens its customer service processes.

Videos
		Employee Goal Monitoring Software and Parts Van Increase Dealer Efficiency Watch Video
		Selling to Rural Lifestylers Watch Video
		Team and Customer Communication Watch Video
		Using Special Events to Generate New Sales Watch Video
		The Making of a Successful Dealer Event Watch Video
		The Importance of Outside Sales to a Dealership's Success Watch Video
		Solidifying a Communication Plan for the New Year Watch Video
		Creating a Culture of Accountability at the Dealership Watch Video
		Strategies for Employee Retention Watch Video
		Customer Solutions Watch Video
		Strategic Planning Watch Video
		Branding Strategies Watch Video

Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf

Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf was managing editor of Rural Lifestyle Dealer. Prior to that, she was a contributing writer for Rural Lifestyle Dealer and Farm Equipment magazines before becoming editor in 2012. She previously covered agriculture as a freelance writer for several industry publications. Lynn also worked in public relations and marketing and earned her accreditation in public relations. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and lives on a third-generation family farm in Kansas. Contact: lwoolf@lessitermedia.com

Videos

AEM Highlights Pro-Manufacturing Policy Initiatives

For its part, the editorial team at Lessiter Media, reporting on behalf of Farm Equipment, Rural Lifestyle Dealer, Ag Equipment Intelligence and Precision Lifestyle Dealer, joined the AEM Manufacturing Express at two of its stops, including Woods Equipment in Oregon, IL and Kuhn in Brodhead, Wisc.

Top Directory Listings

Yanmar

Yanmar America is the North American headquarters of Yanmar Holdings. Ranked #1 in Product Quality for five years in a row by the Equipment Dealers Association, Yanmar provides innovative solutions for Rural Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment customers.

Yanmar was the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine in 1933 and has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and technology ever since. As a manufacturer of diesel engines, compact tractors and utility task vehicles, construction machinery, and industrial equipment, Yanmar's products are sold in over 130 countries.

At Yanmar America, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services, backed by a strong team of professionals who share our dedication to excellence. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in achieving your goals.

Stihl Inc

Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world.

Season-to-Season: Heritage Tractor

Winter 2013: Heritage Tractor Drives Sales in Tough Times by Boosting Marketing, Filling Product Gaps

Spring 2013: Heritage Tractor Creates Reasons to Buy This Spring

Summer 2013: Heritage Tractor Sells Solutions

Fall 2013: Heritage Tractor Demands More from Parts, Service Departments

Employee Goal Monitoring Software and Parts Van Increase Dealer Efficiency

Selling to Rural Lifestylers

Team and Customer Communication

Using Special Events to Generate New Sales

The Making of a Successful Dealer Event

The Importance of Outside Sales to a Dealership's Success

Solidifying a Communication Plan for the New Year

Creating a Culture of Accountability at the Dealership

Strategies for Employee Retention

Customer Solutions

Strategic Planning

Branding Strategies

This month's digital sponsors:

Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf