Hiring Good Sales People How Top Sales Recruiters Hire Sales Reps

Hiring good sales people is one of the hardest things that a sales recruiter or employer does. Not any more! OK, so how can prospective employers or sales recruiters tell which job applicants can sell? They can make the job applicants take a sales assessment test. If you are an employer or sales recruiting company, you may start with 10 FREE Sales Assessment Tests as explained in this article.

Common Sales Recruiting Mistakes:

A sales recruiting mistake can be expensive. Many sales recruitment firms and employers are deluged with sales resumes, but have no way of knowing who can really sell. So, they often tend to hire someone with whom they “feel comfortable”, who is “like them”, who “looks good”, or who has “industry knowledge”. None of that necessarily means that the person can actually sell. A good Sales Assessment Test can help reduce subjectivity and guesswork, so you can make more objective decisions about hiring good sales people.

Personality / Psychology / Aptitude Testing NOT Enough:

A Sales Personality Test, Sales Psychology Test, Sales Aptitude Test or Sales Reluctance Test is usually not a good predictor of sales potential. There is a lot more to success in selling than just psychology, personality, aptitude or call reluctance. One can have the right personality, psychology or aptitude but if they don’t possess or learn the sales skills and techniques, they are not very likely to succeed in the sales profession. Then there are people who can call incessantly, but cannot close. A well-rounded sales assessment test can reduce subjectivity and guesswork, and help sales recruitment agencies and corporate sales recruitment people make more objective hiring decisions.

Choosing the Best Sales Assessment Test:

Sales Recruiters and employers may want to choose a sales assessment test which is:

1. Accurate / Relevant: The Sales Test must go above and beyond the mundane psychological and personality tests by doing a well rounded sales assessment. This is crucial to the success of the sales recruitment campaign.

2. Robust 2-Step Testing is Better but Costs Less: The simple but robust 2-Step testing (Screening Test plus Final Test) helps protect you against the possibility of a job applicant substituting someone else to take a test on their behalf. Moreover, the Screening Test is much cheaper than the Final Test. If you need to test, say, 500 applicants, you could give them all an inexpensive Screening Test, then give a Final Test to only the top 2% (the 10 highest scorers) on the day of the interview. That could save you a lot of time and money.

3. Efficient: Completely self-contained online system that you can use 24/7/365 at your convenience, without having to call the company every time you wish to test a new sales candidate. Many sales recruiters work online from home.

4. Easy to Interpret: The sales assessment test’s Report Card must be clear, easy to understand, and preferably just 1-page long (some can be unwieldy — up to 20+ pages per candidate). Sales recruiting firms are often pressed for time.

5. Scored Instantly: Candidates’ Report Cards (Sales Assessment Test scores) should be available online immediately after they complete a sales assessment test (no waiting for the Sales Test Reports to arrive by fax or snail mail).

6. Secure Testing: The sales assessment test should contain built-in safeguards against guessing, random answering and candidate substitution. Not all sales tests are created equal. Most good sales recruiters appreciate the importance of secure sales assessment testing.

Introduction And Types Of Tow Trucks

Man is the most intelligent creature on the earth. The human being knows how to make the use of available resources in the nature and to create new world of technology that is called the men-made world. In this men made world the most important and aggressive achievement is the introduction of machines and vehicles. The mixture of machines and vehicles give nice movement and mobility to the machines and one of the best examples of the same theme is the Tow truck. Tow trucks are having amazing utility and are following the concept of towing that has got the oldest experience for the men kinds.

The Tow trucks can be defined as the trucks that are used mainly to transport the motor transport to other locations and also to transfer the heavy machines or ant of the construction site elements. These trucks are making the auto transportation easy and also are providing the best possible services in the emergency helps required to the company. They arrange the reparable or problematic vehicles to the garages or any other service centers according to the will of the owner. These trucks are having vital importance and also are the most prolific and high profile utility in the automotive industries.

The first ever Tow truck was invented in 1916 by the great automotive giant Ernest Holmes. This inventor was a normal mechanic before he invented such useful tool in the world. The inspiration to invent this tool is also quite interesting as in one incident he was forced to pull a car having blocks, ropes and six persons. After having such massive strain, he decided to invent something that can break these miseries to the mechanics and people and as we all know, Need is the mother of Invention. He invented this terrific mechanism in Tennessee. After inventing one tow truck successfully, he started producing them and gradually the Tow trucks became more popular. These services are established now as the emergency road service providers and the towing process of the vehicle is performed by the breakdowns and collisions.

There are several types of Tow trucks available in the world. Some of the leading names in the same categories are the Boom trucks, Hook and Chain trucks, Wheel lift trucks, Flatbed trucks and integrated trucks. These are the most popular types. Let us have a brief description and definition of these types of Tow trucks for sale.

The Boom trucks :-

The Boom trucks are the vehicles that are having the adjustable boom winch that can recover the vehicles from the ditch or culvert and place them on the embankment for the safety purposes. These trucks are having larger utilities and facilities for the owners.

The Hook and Chain trucks :-

These are the most running trucking types in which the chains are looped around the vehicle frame and then is drawn aloft with the help of boom winch to rest on the heavy rubberized mats on the vehicle where other axles care for them. These are the most traditional types of vehicles and are used mainly in the underdeveloped or developing country as the developed countries avoid using these tools that can scratch the vehicles quite heavily.

The Wheel lift trucks :-

The Wheel lift trucks are the vehicles that are producing large metal yoke that sounds like a cradle under the front and rear wheels and draw the vehicles to clear the grounds by a pneumatic or hydraulic hoist that can be towed.

The Flatbed trucks :-

These trucks are also known as the Roll off trucks for sale that can make the entire back of the truck fitted with the bed that can be hydraulically inclined and moved to the ground level. These vehicles offer better services for the vehicles of the customers to be placed under the power and the trucks pull them with the help of a winch.

Integrated trucks :-

These tow trucks are used the most by the authorities to move the illegally parked vehicles. In these kinds of trucks the boom and the wheel lifts are integrated into the same unit and are having amazing utilities.

Apart from these tow trucks, the landscape trucks for sale and the chipper trucks for sale are having popularity in the trucking industries.

Find The Best Kpis Collection Ever

Balanced scorecard system has a very simple concept. Its creators, Norton and Kaplan, were the first to include nonfinancial indicators to the list of measures to be evaluated in order to assess business performance of a company. Key performance indicators (KPIs for short) are all important. It is possible to set the right goals and make the right decisions but it is not possible to achieve positive results when evaluating the wrong key performance indicators. Choice of key performance indicators predetermines overall balanced scorecard success. The history of business world knows many examples of balanced scorecard failures related to the wrong choice or the wrong evaluation of key performance indicators.

To begin with, it needs mentioning that key performance indicators are not just measures that demonstrate company progress or regress on the way to implement strategic goals. KPIs represent critical success factors in various environments the company operates in. Balanced scorecard consists of four categories: financial, customer, internal business processes, learning and growth. Logically, each category has own set of key performance indicators which are however are related to KPIs in other categories. For example, such key performance indicator as sales proposals per one customer is directly related to sales growth rate. Employee satisfaction is linked to customer satisfaction as statistics show that the most satisfied employees in the company have the most satisfied customers, i.e. those who bring the most money for the company.

One shouldnt be in a hurry when making a choice of key performance indicators. Of course, there are KPIs collections and ready to use sets. It is OK to use them but one needs to remember that every business is individual and every implementation process of balanced scorecard is individual as well. Something that perfect lease use one company may be hazardous for another, even if the companies are operating in the same market and in the same industry. At the same time it is very useful to refer to KPIs collections. As a rule, key performance indicators are grouped by industries and balanced scorecard categories. For example, if are most interested in financial indicators youll certainly find the most effective KPIs in financial category in such a KPI collection. In case youre looking for key performance indicators for nonprofit sector you should browse such categories as government, public and nonprofit organizations.

What should one pay attention to when selecting key performance indicators? First of all they should be measurable. One should clearly understand how a particular key performance indicator is measured and what they obtained information means for the company. The second most important factor is significance of the selected KPI for the overall performance. This explains importance of setting weights for Paris key performance indicators. For instance, if the company has problems with customer relations the customer category and all customer KPIs should have more weight than those key performance indicators in the learning and growth category.

We should stress again that there are no universal key performance indicators that will perfectly suit all companies. Use as many resources and KPIs collections as you can and choose the best KPIs for your company.

Top Hotel Management Interview Questions

Hotel management refers to planning and organizing accommodation, catering and other hotel services. It is a branch of management which deals with administrating a business that provides lodging, meals and other services to the customers. It includes hotel administration, accounts, marketing, housekeeping, front office, food and beverage management, catering and maintenance.

An interview is a recruitment process in which a potential interviewer asks questions from a prospective candidate. Given below are some common interview questions that come up again and again during interviews for this post.

1. According to you what is a hotel management?
Well, according to me hotel management refers to specialized management techniques used in the hospitality sector. It includes hotel administration, accounts, marketing, housekeeping, front office, food and beverage management, catering and maintenance.

2. Please elaborate about the skills and qualifications that are required for this post?
Since a job in hotel management has much to do with keeping customers happy thus people who are at this post must hold outstanding communicational, organizational and interpersonal skills. They should be excellent in computer and must know different foreign languages. A good hotel management employee must be able to work successfully in team as well as individual work environment.

3. What is a dream job for you?
For me work surroundings and level of responsibility is most important. I would like to work in a fun, warm environment where individual works independently towards attaining team goals. I am not concerned about minor elements, such as dress codes, cubicles, and the level of formality.

4. If there is any angry and irate customers. How do you handle him or her?
Well, dealing with all types of customers is part of my job. I am a very chill and composed person so I am least effected by the negative feedback of customer. However, I make attempt to handle them carefully by managing their complaints. I usually say sorry for the mistake and inform them that I will do everything possible to correct it.

5. What is needed to get success in a hotel like this?
Well, I believe that determination, willingness to work hard and a hunger to excel in everything you do are some of the key characteristics required for this position. A successful employee would also need to handle pressure well, be a great communicator and an excellent team member.

I hope my article will help you in answering these questions confidently. Good luck in your journey of finding a decent job!

Construction Company Qatar, Constructions Companies In Qatar

A construction company in Qatar may have specialization in a particular aspect of the construction process or may have complete resources to finish the entire project, from design to build, all on its own. It is often a good idea to hire a company that is capable of finishing a project from the start to the end. This helps minimize the cost involved and meet the deadlines defined at the planning stage.

However, in cases when you need to restore or remodel an existing building structure, you would probably require a firm specialized in certain aspects of the construction process. It helps to have a list of companies that have different specializations and also those that can offer all construction-related services under one roof. A Yellow Pages directory is the place where you are likely to find information on such construction companies in Qatar.

From a small house to a large-scale industrial edifice, or an infrastructure-related project, the constructions companies are able to provide services to a variety of clients and for a variety of purposes. They are also one of the largest employers of people of various skills.

Architects, interior designers, civil engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, building services engineers, structural engineers, and supervisors are some of the skilled groups of people that necessarily comprise a constructions company in Qatar. A construction project also requires the help of people like contractors, plumbers, building material suppliers, landscape designers, electrical engineers, financial advisers, legal specialists, and many more to take the final shape.

The industry comprising the various groups of companies and people who contribute to the successful development of a construction project in Qatar is expected to get a further boost in the coming years. The reason for this is the fact that the country has been chosen as the host nation for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

This is the first time that any Middle East country is given an opportunity to organize such a large-scale sporting event of the world. It is an honor to be able to get this opportunity, but at the same time, the pride of the nation is at stake. It is a great responsibility to fulfill the expectation of the global community and the people of the country will leave no stone unturned to make this happen.

We can expect to see an unprecedented surge in all sorts of construction activities across all corners of the country. This makes the role of a construction company in Qatar extremely important. All big or small construction companies in Qatar share the responsibilities to speed up their activities with quality deliveries and bring a substantial change in the sporting as well as the general urban infrastructure in Doha and other cities, in tune with the international standard.

The expectations are high, but the construction companies in Qatar have means and resources to meet these expectations well before the deadlines reach. Yellow Pages industry plays its own role of giving enough exposure to the constructions companies that have operational bases located in Qatar. One can find an elaborate listing of these companies and firms in one of the best online business directories in Qatar known as yellowpageqatar.com.

For more details about Construction companies please visit on http://www.yellowpageqatar.com

Importance Of Incident Management System

Incident management software is quickly becoming a vital tool in the area of incident management. Incident management covers the possibility of any unexpected disasters that may manifest within an organization. The main aim of incident management is to identify, analyse and correct any potential hazards. Once a proper incident management program is put in place then any incidents that occur should be addressed with the correct course of action. For example if a fire were to envelope part of any building used by an organization then the measures that were developed to deal with this possibility will be deployed. This would naturally entail informing a Incident Response Team that will perform the necessary procedures that were designated in accordance with particular guidelines. Incident Management will also include post-incident analysis which will try to determine what caused the catastrophe to occur especially in cases where there was an instituted set of precautions and regulations. This post-analysis information is then used to adjust and modify the previous policies to decrease the possibility of a repeat occurrence. Essentially incident management is significant in an organization as it aims to restore the company to a state of operation after any major or minor happening. With the right program in place an organization does not need to experience losing hours, days or weeks of productivity.

Incident Management may be broken down into six categories.

*Detection and recording of incident
*Classification and First Response
*Investigation and Analysis
*Resolution of Incident and recovery
*Incident closure
*Ownership, monitoring, tracking, and communication

There are various types of incident management software that are developed for use in different incident management scenarios. Therefore, each company’s needs must be identified before software is purchased. The software can be tailored to fit each organization’s need. For larger organizations more comprehensive systems should be utilized to cover all areas. This type of software will normally include: incident mapping which will create custom made maps that will be available to internal and external personnel who may require this information and incident analysis which gathers information to pinpoint particular trends including criminal activity, accident locations and general traffic situation which is vital to both prevention and response programs.

Finding the right incident management software is essential because it will make dealing with any minor or major catastrophe more manageable. No company or organization should sidestep implementing a program that is reliable and suited to its needs.

How You Can Be Among The 20% Of Automotive Dealerships Who Survive The Current Economic Crisis

For most dealerships, times are hard. The leads have slowed down, the obstacles of financing should qualify as an Olympic sport and advertising just doesnt work like it used to.

And the truth is that many dealers are going under. Theres going to be a lot of casualties after this one.your store included.

OR maybe not.

This current financial crisis may really be your best blessing as a small business owner.

Sounds crazy, however heres the deal.

Many dealers are going out of business. No doubt. Its already happening. Your job is to be sure its somebody elses business going under not yours. And there are very real ways to do this, if youre really serious about being among the 20% of dealers who will survive the storm.

Im going to give you some cold, hard stats and ways to aid you in simply a moment, but let me begin by saying that if you dont have the correct systems or processes in place, work them out now. If you have personality conflicts, deal with them today. If you dont have a system for staying in touch with past customers and unconverted leads, get one.

If you dont have a crystal clear answer to the query, “Why should somebody choose me over other dealers?” figure it out this weekend. If you dont have a predictable way to get new clients into the door, at will, now is the time to do something about it. If you have floor plan issues or problems with your lenders, it’s better to sort it out this month than next.

Why?

It all comes back to the timeless 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle.

If youre not acquainted with the Pareto Principle, this rule dictates that 20% of dealerships naturally get 80% of the business. In different words, the 20% of dealers who can survive this current economic storm will do so because they make 16 times as much as those in the 80%.

And because of this capability to earn additional capital, when the market does come back (which it invariably will), theyll be larger and higher than ever, readily positioned to eat up new shares of the auto market.

That may mean more dealers go out of business once more-but it wont affect you if youre among the 20%.

So what can you do to make sure your dealership quickly and easily ends up among the 20% if youre already in, or teetering towards the 80% category?

Well heres what dealers in the 20% group do, and what youll need to do if you plan to survive:

1. Theyre sharpening their axe to make sure the dealership runs smoothly
2. Theyre going through extra lengths to make sure the staff is well skilled
3. Theyre getting a dense hold on the marketing engine that will drive their business over the following few years

And most importantly, they wont panic or talk themselves into defeat. They know individuals will still buy cars. Just not as many. They also know theres going to be less deals to go around and theyll do what it takes to safeguard that business.

Now, what happens if things get real unhealthy, and unemployment rises to 15% or a lot more? Well if youre in the 80%, you’ll be forced to lay off and you wont have the required sustain employees to run your store.

BUT, if youre in the 20%, 15% unemployment rates mean youll have the pick of the litter of who you would like to work at your store. It means that youll have the cash to dismiss your deadbeats and riff-raff and be ready to replace them with competent, skilled, hard working folks in an instant.

Therefore high unemployment rates can be a good thingif youre in the right group.

The 20% group will see these hard times as an opportunity.

Smart people (those in the 20%) know that now, and the months ahead are prime time to invest in stock, real estate, human capital, marketing, inventory — and theyll be the ones who really rake it in when the market comes back.

Thus where can you fall as it relates to the 80/20 rule?

Heres something else that we know for sure

1. 80% of the individuals reading this can create solely 20% of the results they have to be successful (harsh, however true)
2. But 20% of the dealers reading can create 80% or more of the results they need to make itand make it huge!

A small percentage of the dealers reading this right now are prepared to make marvelous progresses in the coming months, whereas the rest are destined to mediocrity.

Now here’s where things get really crucial. The eighty/twenty rule repeats itself, infinitely. Which means the top 20% splits itself into eighty/twenty. Thus theres the top 4%.

Then it happens again. 20% of the top 20% of the top 20% — the top 0.8%. Thats where you really need to be. If we didnt already challenge you enough to be within the top twentyif you REALLY want to come out ahead, try to become a top 0.8% person.

Let’s take a closer look at the .8% person:

Each decision is carefully made by a 0.8% person because its way more important than a decision made by an 80% person.

A 0.8% person knows a way to focus and slim their labors on those things that are actually crucial. Even though he might have a list of 43 things to do, hell hone in on the three or four that are more important than all the others combined. But the 80% people treat all things as if theyre the same, or worse, work on the forty less crucial tasks before they tackle the three or 4 that really matter! They have no sense of priority and hence they “busy work” themselves out of survival.

The 0.8% person carefully discriminates what information he will allow into his mindwhat he reads, listens to, or watches on TV who he surrounds himself with. The 80% people are “open minded” and “tolerant” to just about anyone or any idea.

The 0.8% people belongs to some kind of mastermind or “good ol boys” club. This can be the sort of group that can support, hold up, and go the extra mile for its members. And most of the 0.8% folks pay BIG money to be in these clubs! However again, unlike the 80% who would see it as a waste, they understand the worth and that some of the most brilliant men of all time, (i.e. Carnegie, Henry Ford, Ben Franklin) all participated in the same.

The 0.8% person is perfectly immune to disapproval from othersdoesnt care what most folks think is not affected by pessimism on the news, from neighbors or family members. He realizes that the mass of humanity is nearly always pathetically wrong. The 80% folkswell, theyre the masses.

So, friend, whats it gonna be for you? 80%, 20%, 4%, 0.8%? Your actions now will finally determine your fate of your future. So choose the winning team and start down the road to success-even in these tough financial times!

Forum Marketing Strategy Benefits To Online Business Community Veterans

The full advantages of forum marketing strategy are mostly enjoyed by forum veterans. This are people how have over a long period of time gained credibility and positive online image. They are individuals how have proved their savvy by sharing their experience and expertise in a tactful and consistent manner. It is for this reason that forum marketing is considered a crucial long term online marketing arsenal.

What happens mostly is that these forum veterans, with the express permission of business community moderators are allowed to initiate intensive advertising campaigns. Proper forum marketing strategy advocates that, you seize this opportunity to add value to the forum business community. A good approach would be to offer community members special price cuts on products, free sampling of products and services or start fun promotion contests.

When it comes to forum marketing strategy, it is imperative to avoid spamming. Outsourcing for online marketing firms can lead to them using inexperienced staff to send spam to online forums. Therefore, if you have to outsource for this service do your research well and only work with credible organizations with a proven track record.

Some may argue that spamming business communities helps generate traffic. This may be true to some extent but in the long run it will only contribute to you seriously denting your online image thus people shunning your marketing campaigns. It is undeniable that forum marketing strategy is more about building a good online reputation which in turn results to generating free business sales leads.

The best approach to online marketing is building a good online image thus gain credibility. This will sure take time before to begining cashing in but it is worth you effort in the long run. Getting online business sales leads is not a one day affair but a continues process until you become an expert.

To study more insightful forum internet marketing strategies click the links below.

Marketing Organic Fertilizer

Once a specialty product purchased by a select few farmers and hobby gardeners, organic fertilizers have now become a common sight in virtually every garden center. With so much competition on the market, organic fertilizer manufacturers and dealers are looking at new ways to market their products and increase their sales.

Like all wise marketers, organic fertilizer distributors have learned that the best way to sell their product by combining loads of information with interesting displays and well-planned advertising campaigns. Cross-merchandising and educational marketing are two of the best sales strategies any organic fertilizer manufacturer can put into play.

Many organic fertilizer shops and garden centers rely on product displays to increase their sales bracket. The strategy in play consists of catching the consumer’s attention by placing entire product lines in one expansive display. Other suppliers will scatter displays throughout the store to increase product presence and encourage people to buy. Another popular sales strategy is the careful placement of organic fertilizer products amid the plant department. For example, you might see a potted rosebush with a small display of organic fertilizers next to it. In doing so, the shopkeeper indicates that the fertilizer will indeed encourage flowers to bloom.

Organic fertilizers are typically differentiated by their N-P-K formulations. A variance in these formulations helps to determine the specific area of use the product is most suited, whether it be fruits and vegetables, flowers, lawn care or turf grass. For example, organic fertilizers with N-P-K formulations of 6-2-2 carry a high Nitrogen content, and are best suited for lawn grass. By advertising this fact, organic fertilizer dealers are able to educate their customers and ultimately increase their bottom line.

The colours and packaging materials used can also be used to create a good sales strategy. More and more organic fertilizer manufacturers have repackaged their products, choosing to use plastic instead of brown paper in an effort to improve their sales. Organic fertilizers wrapped in bright resealable plastic bags and plastic containers are certainly much more attractive, and catch the attention of more shoppers. Sharp, eye-catching floral photography on organic fertilizer bags will also attract consumers, luring them with the notion that their flowers will look every bit as beautiful if they use this particular product.

Another important part of the marketing plan is advertising. With a successful ad campaign in magazines, newspapers, radio or television, the supplier can increase sales, and the manufacturer can increase productivity. Also important in the advertising process is consumer education. Telling potential buyers what the product is, and how it is used, will also help to increase sales. Consumers generally prefer not to purchase products that they have little or no knowledge about. Organic fertilizer producers and marketers are advised to offer informative packaging, giving shoppers the chance to learn more before they buy.

In 2002, many organic fertilizer manufacturers reported an increase in their sales. For example, the Scott’s Company reported a twenty percent increase in retail sales of its organic fertilizers and lawn plant food products. According to vice-president of lawn marketing Gordon Hecker, the Scott’s Company was able to achieve this boost in sales without making any changes to their organic fertilizers products. The increase came about due to marketing strategy and improved in-store material display.

Green Light is another organic fertilizer manufacturer that experienced double-digit increases in their sales. The company, based in San Antonio, Texas, has concentrated on marketing their specialty organic fertilizers and plant foods with all-weather displays and plastic packaging.

The trick to making a profit in organic fertilizer sales is really no trick at all. Just apply the basic rules or marketing, and watch your sales grow.

Is The Custom Motorcycle Industry Dead

When Jesse James and his West Coast Choppers first appeared on the Discovery channel the world got a small taste of what custom motorcycles were all about. The economy was good and many men started to dream about having their own custom motorcycle. Of course many of them being upper middle class soccer dads thought the biker lifestyle as portrayed by the great Jesse was a little too scary for them.

Then the Teutels came along. American Chopper struck a chord with men that Jesse failed to do. It made them spend money. Suddenly every man in American over thirty wanted a custom motorcycle. And those that had the money bought them up in droves. Custom bike shops sprang up in almost every small town in the country and many a custom motorcycle builder thought they had hit pay dirt.

Even people who really didn’t plan on buying a custom motorcycle ended up buying a bike because we got caught up in the phenomenon that was American Chopper. Five motorcycles later and two custom motorcycle builds under my belt, I can honestly say that if custom bikes had not been all over the TV I probably wouldn’t have a garage full of them now. The country just went nuts over custom motorcycles.

Doctors and lawyers gladly shelled out for $30,000 bikes so they could join the custom motorcycle fad. Along the way a few production custom motorcycle companies went into business and made their fortunes in a very quick time. If you had the money and wanted a cool bike without the worries about getting parts and such, the production chopper fit the bill. Many of these fad riders actually turned into true motorcyclists, myself included, but that’s where the trouble began.

If you’ve ever ridden a custom motorcycle you’re well aware that these things are great for bar hopping and to parade around at your local bike night but as a full time rides they just don’t work. Trust me I know; after a 400 mile ride to Niagara falls I quickly realized that have a low long custom bike wasn’t what I wanted to ride on long trips. And many other new riders learned the same lesson. As sales of touring models soared the custom motorcycle industry started to hear the death knell that was around the corner. Then tragedy struck the motorcycle industry in general.

As the US economy fell demand for custom bikes fell with it. Many newcomers to the bike building business whom had lucked into a full time carreer out of a hobby soon discovered that when only real bike riders wanted custom bikes built, only hardcore established custom motorcycle shops got the business. Even the well know OCC felt the pinch as their once coveted theme bikes became a low priority for corporations who were now on a budget.

Watchers of the show watched as Paul Teutel Sr had to lay off a bunch of workers and fans could only wonder if their new building was ill timed. The custom motorcycle fad was over.

So what does all this mean for the custom motocycle business in general. Is it dead? Hardly. It’s way bigger than before than fad started. A lot of upstart companies have managed to survive because they created a good product. Some production chopper companies have fallen by the wayside. But the most importan thing, to me is that motorcycling in general has finally become main stream. In spite of a tumbling economy and HD in financial trouble more people are riding motorcycles now then ever before. And that means more people will be customizing them also.

It’s a rare sight to see a motorcycle that hasn’t been customized in one form or another and I confidently predict that after this economy bounces back the custom motorcycle industry and custom motorcycle parts industries will flourish. How do I know all this? Because in spite of lagging sales and the passing of the custom motorcycle fad , websites about Custom Motorcycles are busier than ever. People may not be spending money right now but they’re doing something almost as important. They’re making their bike parts wish lists and in some case determining who they are going to get to build their custom dream bike when things turn around. Which they will.

Take heart my friends, the custom motorcycle industry is not dead, just taking a much needed siesta.