Succeeding in the market requires recognizing the preferred method of snow removal in your area; matching your equipment inventory with future snowfall; and having technicians willing to repair broken machines during cold weather.

In Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 2017 Business Trends and Outlook Report, more than 31% of respondents said they planned to add skid steer loader products to their portfolio this year. That decision may not be surprising with many economic indicators showing a strong homebuilding market.

The goal of Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s “How to Sell” articles over the years has been to disseminate sales practices to help you sell more. By sharing the wisdom of your peers, we hope to help you increase sales and profits from niche rural lifestyle equipment.

It may seem odd to discuss how to sell a product for which the selling season has ended. However, if you want to enter the sprayer business or if you’d like to step up your efforts, the time to start is now by ordering product for the 2016 season. Sprayers sell when weeds grow and most customers won’t wait for an order to be placed when purchasing. They want to take them home and put them to use.

Plan for bad weather sales and promote safety gear and service to increase sales opportunities.

This niche product can offer add-on sales to other equipment, such as chain saws.

Promote the benefits of chippers and shredders, including year-round property maintenance and environmental advantages, to urban and rural customers.

Carrying high-end pressure washers could boost sales -- if you've got the service to back it up.

Manufacturer partnerships, strategic promotion and highlighting versatility can bring a healthy sales harvest for seeders and planters.

Promote their usefulness in many applications and stock a variety of models to increase sales.