Home / Authors / Mike Lessiter

Articles by Mike Lessiter

To the Point: Stuck in the Middle...

By Mike Lessiter posted on June 9, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer News
For our special management report on preparing for ag cycle changes (starting on p. 86), our staff's research took us to dealers, economists and independent consultants. One interview was particularly fascinating as the conversation quickly veered to internal factors. More specifically, it was a declaration that no variable, not the weather, Farm Bill, interest rates, trade policies nor commodity prices, is of greater importance to dealers' future than the things they directly control.
Read More

It's All in the Execution

By Mike Lessiter posted on March 13, 2013 | Posted in Data & Forecasts
While each of the speakers at the Dealership Minds Summit provided food-for-thought, Boyd Hofmann's presentation reinforced that the best ideas in the world won't work without the right processes and systems and follow-up mechanisms. Hofmann is vice president and general sales manager of JayDee Ag Tech, 9-store John Deere dealer group based in Saskatchewan that is focused on the large producer business. Its structure includes 3 regional sales managers and 21 ag territory managers, along with a support staff of 5 that is dedicated to settlements and sales assistance.
Read More

Dealers Shed Light on Mystery of Marketing

By Mike Lessiter posted on March 13, 2013 | Posted in Best Practices, Operations & Finance
When the Farm Equipment staff spoke with dealers about topics they wanted for the first-ever Dealership Minds Summit, marketing topped nearly everyone's list. Because dealers know well that a better mousetrap and the world beating a path to your door is patently false. More important than ever, dealers must promote themselves with the same fervor that their OEM promotes its color, while employing new technology and customer intelligence tools.
Read More

To The Point: Rediscovering the 'Lost Files' of Dealer Networks

By Mike Lessiter posted on January 1, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer News
Late last night, Dave Kanicki and I rolled back into town after attending a retirement party for Birkey's Farm Store CEO/President Ron Birkey. Time has flown since we profiled him in our second edition after acquiring Farm Equipment, and the event's slide-shows, videos and anecdotes reinforced how fast our industry changes, at times almost blind to the naked eye. So, looking back as a means of looking forward is on the brain today.
Read More

Top Articles

Current Issue

View More

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More

Farm Equipment Videos

View More
Top Directory Listings

Yetter Farm Equipment

Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
Machinery Scope

Machinery Scope

At Machinery Scope, we believe you deserve the best risk management solutions for your investments in heavy equipment. Since 2013, we have been proud to offer extended warranty, appraisals, and inspections. Machinery Scope is a family-owned business built on our experience in farming and equipment dealerships. We understand your business and provide a personalized and professional level of customer service. Machinery Scope has built a strong warranty product with our customers in mind, offering the same professional level of service from the time you get a quote, through the processing of a claim.
Machinery-Scope-Finance-Scope.png

Finance Scope

Finance Scope is able to provide the best financing opportunities for equipment dealers and customers through a diverse mix of lending companies under one single platform. Our large group of lenders, allows for competitive rates regardless of credit scores. Additionally, dealers and customers have access to the industry’s best expertise surrounding finance and lease structures, for all purposes, within the agricultural and construction industries. We provide all of this into one online platform to provide our customers with the best available tailored finance solution for their equipment.
View More