From farm equipment, to mowers, to rural lifestyle hardware items, it seems that maybe we could learn a lesson from the directions given to big time operators and farmers that is becoming a paradigm for purchasing decisions. Maybe in these market conditions, our key 'feature' should be focused on economic affordability.

As we talk to our customers, just about everyone asks, "Did you see or hear what so and so politician or newscaster said?” As we try to apolitically answer, we desperately search which camp one comes from so the customer doesn’t have objections to buying from us

Now, I am not even a borderline genius, but it hit me that one could take a product and make it the scourge of the earth or the elixir of the heavens. It must depend on the salesmanship it seems.

Dealers, we don't like change. I didn’t like being told what to do by my parents, my first boss, my wife, my pastor, my accountant, my mother-in-law or our suppliers, but it is like my old ag teacher's favorite saying, “Boys it is just like the white stuff in chicken poop — it is part of it.”

All my life I have heard the term or phase things are “going south.” As a young lad we thought the phrase was a good thing. Being a southun' boy, I knew certain truths. Going farther south meant better food, slower talking and less chance of freezing to death in the winter.

Our fearless leader, Sir Mike, rode in on his editorial white horse with pen drawn and extolled the truth that no one wants to state in public anymore.

Few businesses who lost all could be lucky enough to find a place to move into within a week that was a couple of miles from the burnt facility. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by the Solectrac.

Anything I’ll be able to contribute will be the byproducts of an impressive volume of lessons learned. There are many daily mistakes in a long career from farming, corporate OEM experience and daily dealership dealings (they taught me alliteration at Murray State University) and of course, from my mother-in-law. You will get to know her well. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by the Solectrac.