We've been busy this week here at Service Dealer Towers, putting the finishing touches to the upcoming copy of your favourite magazine.
It's not for me to say, but I'm sure that an independent assessor would agree that it's another absolutely barnstorming edition of the journal dedicated to the dealer network (their words, not mine).
A theme that has become apparent as we have put the issue together is open days and demonstration events. Within the mag's pages we visit dealerships Turneys and B&B Machinery who have recently staged days of their own for their customers. We also attend a machinery introduction day from supplier PSD Groundscare who recently took the opportunity to introduce dealers to some new offerings.
Elsewhere, we speak to Craig Hoare of Toro UK, who completed their own tour of the country this spring, showing off their new kit to dealers. In a wide-ranging conversation, we ask Craig why in this age of increased digital commutations do they still place value on real-life get-togethers like these? Quite simply, he tells us, "We felt that physical events were the best way to give dealers and end users the opportunity to test these upgrades for themselves."
And that principle will also hold true for dealers staging their own open days for their local customer base. Sammy Denne, Turney Group marketing manager, told my colleague Martin Rickatson after their professional turf machinery demo day, “Feedback from suppliers and customers was overwhelmingly positive, and the day presented a fantastic opportunity for visitors to see and try multiple machines in one space."
But for dealers, I think it's fair to say, that open days can represent even more than simply the opportunity to demonstrate and sell machines. Especially with the nature of our dealer readers' businesses - be those domestic, commercial, or farm machinery focused - there remains something uniquely powerful about bringing people together, face-to-face, at your own premises.
We've had many speakers over the years at our Service Dealer Conference who have spoken about how when customers (and potential customers) step into your showroom, shake your hand, talk to your staff, and see your range up close, they’re not just interacting with products - they’re connecting with your brand.
It's an undeniable truism that people buy from people they trust, and even in this time of TikToks, Reels and Stories, trust is still surely built fastest in person? An open day is a fantastic chance to show customers who you really are: your expertise, your after-sales care, your team’s attitude. These are all things that set you apart from those faceless online bandits.
Open days are also great occasions to build even stronger relationships with your suppliers as most will be more than happy to support their dealers with a presence at these events. We regularly cover dealer organised days where manufactures and suppliers have brought along their own reps, demo stock, or promotional materials. They want their brand in front of end users just as much as you do - and your open day gives them direct access.
And running an in-person event, of course, doesn't mean forgetting about the digital space altogether. You'll be able to generate tons of content for your social channels from the day, for plenty of positive online self-promotion. Also, crucially, you can take the opportunity to gather your attendees' contact information to follow up with them after the fact. You could encourage sign-ups to your mailing list, ask informal questions about what products people are curious about, and simply pay attention to which of your products drew the most attention. All of this can feeds into future marketing, stocking decisions, and event planning.
In a sector that still relies on relationships and hands-on trust, a well-run open day could be one of the most effective tools in the dealer's arsenal to remind customers why buying from a trusted local specialist matters.
If you want to share your recent experiences of running open days, please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
