Land & Coates expands on turf equipment expertise with new Kubota dealership. Here's how the dealership expanded into a new product line, Kubota tractors, and met the challenges of a new customer segment.

Dealers rank finding good employees among their top concerns for 2013, according to Rural Lifestyle Dealer's Business Trends and Outlook Survey.

One characteristic that sets apart many rural lifestyle dealerships is the company culture and work ethic of the employees. Chris Frodel and Bryan Hanson, owners of Mid-State Equipment in Janesville, Wis., talk about the company culture at Mid-State. Customer service comes in as the top priority for the company.

That's a hypothetical question a manufacturer posed to dealers during a recent conversation. His point: Many dealerships' 8 a.m.-5 p.m. business hours don't work for people with jobs. That means they will drive by your dealership with its "closed"? sign straight to a major retailer, one with lights blazing and cash registers beeping.

Rural Lifestyle Dealer caught up with Jerry Johnson, president of Woods Equipment Products Division, at the recent Ag Connect Expo in Kansas City to learn more about the company’s new partnership with Yanmar America.

Each week brings new developments regarding manufacturers entering or leaving markets or taking a different direction.

Question: "If you sold your dealership tomorrow, what advice would you give the new owners?"

Social media's benefits to your dealership are undeniable. The drawbacks are there, too, based on how and what is posted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other social media.

When was the last time you opened up a phonebook to search for a store, restaurant or place of business that you were trying to reach or wanted to visit? I couldn't even tell you the last time I did.