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Mike Lessiter

Mike Lessiter

Mike Lessiter, a second-generation ag journalist, has been Editor/Publisher of Farm Equipment since 2004. He has covered business-to-business operations, manufacturing, and marketing topics since 1992 and has held various roles with the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Assn. and the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. Mike is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was named president of Lessiter Media in 2007.

Contact: mlessiter@lessitermedia.com
Articles

ARTICLES

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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