After looking at some of the marketing husqvarna has done. I thought about that some of the other motorcycles & automobile companies have done to promote their brand. Here is some ideals I came up with from a consumers perceptive. Both Husqvarna Headquarters & Zipty Racing could Implement. Some may have already been done. 1. Both Scott Harden & Ty Davis Go out and doing more speaking engagements on the Husqvarna brand to the motorcycle and action sports media. 2. Write weekly articles in Dirt Rider magazine, Dirt Bike magazine, or Cycle News about the team and the company. Similar to what Larry Brooks from L&M racing was doing during the Supercross series. In Motocross Action Magazine. 3. Write a blogs about the team. 4. Update the Zipty Racing website weekly with news & race results. 5. Do more interviews television, radio, and print media. 6. Do a “Ride with a Pro” day. Similar to what James “Bubba” Stewart has been doing at various tracks around the country. Also have new Husqvarnas on display at all the events. 7. Conduct demo rides and show up as a guest pro rider or team owner. 8. Conduct a past & present husky rider’s autograph signing, with 2010 Husqvarna on display. 9. Set up an information booth with 2010 Husqvarnas and/or a couple race bikes on display at select Supercross, Local/National Outdoor races, Endurocross races, Supermotos, freestyle events, X- Games, and some major Desert Races. 10. Setup a Booth and display some 2010 bikes at the upcoming US Open in Las Vegas. 11. Start an Adventure Tour program. Using Husky TE’s 12. Start amateur racing program that races all the same cc Husqvarnas during Supercross races. Similar to what KTM does with mini cycles at Supercross races. 13. Conduct an Open house that Husqvarna Headquarters in New Jersey. 14. Announce a nationwide Husqvarna Demos days. 15. Setup Nationwide Husqvarna give away contest. Give a away 3 bikes and other accessories through a drawing at all the Husqvarna dealerships. 16. Go complete viral on YouTube and others. 17. Team up with BMW on a co-op commercials 18. Setup a "Cross the USA Ride". Husqvarna riders from around the country and around the world riding TEs & SMs. Similiar to the " Midwest Ford Mustang Association" does! 19. Setup a “Rent-A-Husky” rental program. Similar to what some Harley Davidson dealers do! 20. Also have a Zipty Racing hold an Open house at their shop and invite the public, the media and some autograph signing. 21. Auction off a couple Husqvarnas for charity. Similiar to what Orange County Choppers do! 22. Hold a dealership block party at some of the major Husqvarna dealerships around the country. 23. Hold a Charity Fun Run ride. Riders on street legal Huskys. (i.e. L.A. to Las Vegas) Any if not all these events can be announce in weekly motorcycle newspapers, websites, and dealerships, and newsletters. Some will require major planning other can be done through dealers and husky owners just volunteering their time. Thanks Deserthusky
I'm not sure how to respond, and do not have time for each one in detail. The 2010 bikes were at the dealer meeting in Las Vegas, I was their reporting, Nick B has been keeping his blogs updated and posting links on Cafe Husky. As far as I know the Husqvarna NA headquarters are offices only. Why would they want to have the general public look at their desks where company privileged information is (presumably) kept? There has been more tests, reviews, and write ups this year than the last several years combined. There have been many youtube vids with Husqvarna ads in them. Much of what you are suggesting has already been done, is being done, or is simply not practical. But I'm getting the distinct impression what ever the company does will not meet your standards. Husqvarna, like all other companies, does not have unlimited resources.
Dont forget Husky sells about 2000 bikes a year. Unless we want to pay $15K for a TE450, there just isnt the budget to do much on your list.
There should be an adventure rides to represent the TE lineup. Adventure riding not FAT adventure bikes.
Coffee Why the harsh response? I like many of ideas that were represented and wonder why we would not do all that we can to promote the brand. As he said some of these ideas may be done by Husqvarna, dealers and owners volunteering time. Confused?
Ditto sheesh dude's just trying to help promote the brand ... and if husky did not need any help in that field .... there would be more than the usual two or three showing up to race any given netra harescramble/enduro!!!
Husqvarna is doing a lot of those things now. You just have to remember they're still a small company and are laying the ground work for expansion. Great things will come with time! Be patient grasshopper. BlipBlip
Think KTM, the early years. Started riding KTM in 1986, by the EARLY 90's, KTM was starting to get real press in magazines and such, not to mention some household names were starting to make waves on them all over the world racing MX & Enduros. Dealer networks and word of mouth of the product alone saw the really take off by the end of the 90's. Now look at them today. All of that was done on a shoe string budget in comparison the the big "4" at the time. In comparison, I see Husky as being about where KTM was in the early 90's. Zip Ty racing, real money to back them up, race teams all over the world with household names on board. I think Husky has it right by taking it slow and focusing on quality over quantity for the moment. Sure we'll see them importing on a scale of what KTM is doing this coming year. Guys like Scott Harden at the helm. Yeah, Husky has only just begun to shine yet again. For now, I'll enjoy that unique feeling I use to get riding & being seen on my "punkin" before they became a household name.
And they're doing this at a time when a lot of potential customers might be choosing to hold off buying what's generally a leisure item (I know, I know, it should be at the top of your list but some people have muddled priorities). Even the big manufacturers are cutting back, dropping out of top level racing, etc, in a bid to reduce marketing costs and Husky aren't immune to that pressure. I guess it has to be about smarter marketing and carefully targetting whatever spend you do have available, and I'm sure Husky are doing that. I'd guess they'd consider any positive suggestions as to how they can improve without spending a fortune, if those were passed on to them. FWIW, there's been quite a bit of press coverage recently here in the UK. Six months ago I'd never considered buying Husky and now I'm properly hooked (got the T-shirt, mug, hat, etc. Oh, and the bike) so somebody's doing something right here at least.
I ve had great success racing my bike this year,Ive been talking with MANY racers who race mostly orange bikes,always the same exact questions i got racing my gasgas "how expensive are parts" "where do you get parts" "how reliable are they" guys around my area are definetly brainwashed by the orange dealers and they must be telling them that you cant get oparts,cost a ton of money and they break down constantly,all B.S.!! yeah i kinda would rather them not find out my secret weapon, but if it helps sell a few bikes I let them try it out just to see at least the smile when they come back! then I throw them the contingency program and how much they can earn during the season,and for your class at the end of the season,then I let them know how much Ive already won in husky bucks so far this year,I mean they are going to race anyway,why not earn something for it!
It's funny that you'd bring this up! KTM built their business model on the Husqvarna model from the late 70s and early to mid 80s. Back then Husqvarna ruled off-road! They owned everything, Baja, Desert, National Enduro and GNCC! The woods and the desert were full of WHITE and BLUE bikes just like everything is orange today. Back then KTM was about the size of what Husqvarna is today and Husqvarna was the size of what KTM is today. What Happened? Sweden's Husqvarna/Electrolux sold the motorcycle division to Cagiva of Italy... Italy brought Italians over to run Husqvarna USA and to integrate it into Cagiva. All the Americans who build Husqvarna USA into the company it was said F-this and left. (Hopefully Fiat took notes of this when they acquired Chrysler) Anyway... Mark Blackwell who was the General Manger of Husqvarna went to Suzuki as VP of Sales and Marketing and then on to Polaris's Victory Motorcycles Division... where he's their president today. Scot Harden who was Husqvarna's #2 guy went to KTM and took what he learned from Mark Blackwell with him. Fortunately Rod Bush who was President of KTM USA gave Scot a lot of leeway and Scot helped make KTM the company they are today. Mark Brady made a wise decision to bring Scot Harden back to Husqvarna. The recent press and media attention isn't by accident. Scot has a great relationships in the industry. Husky is racing again and building an off-road presence with Wyatt Seels on the east coast GNCC and Ty Davis on the west coast WORCS. Give Husqvarna time to sort things out and they'll be the premier off-road brand they once were... both here in the USA.... as well as around the world. So be patient Grasshopper!
Heard that KTM Austria is very unhappy with KTM USA under the leadership of Jon-Erik Burleson. They want to scrap KTM USA and find a new distributor.
Mostly because of this thread regarding a dealer in Las Vegas - that thread cost me much time when I had none, which meant I was very tired when I typed that. And as far as I can tell the people at Husqvarna NA seem to be working incredibly hard and long hours. Volunteering opportunities come up all the time. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Here is one - someone take a 2009 efi bike to Dynojet and get a free power commander V installed, be sure to take your Lambda sensor. Dusty is all set to figure out and document the FB1,2,3 and Valuese parameter. PM me for details. Then the dealers and owners around the world would have a far better idea how those parameters affect the performance of the bikes in closed loop mode.
I'm wonder if that has to do with the Indian investment company who owns the majority of KTM aren't pleased with their investment?
