Bike Shop Marketing Consulting Firm Headed by Industry Veteran, Randy Kirk, Debuts at Interbike Show

Sept. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Small business marketing expert and long time bicycle industry notable, Randy Kirk, will be showing off his latest venture, Randy Kirk & Associates at the upcoming Interbike Show in booth 34087.  Since selling American Quality Products in 2007, Kirk has been helping small businesses to grow and prosper.  "I took the processes and methods learned in 26 years of manufacturing Mr. Tuffy and California Springs water bottles, and employed them to create inexpensive methods to market a retail or service business," says Kirk.  We have developed streamline methods for the use of social media marketing, YouTube videos, websites, and other potential places to be seen online."

Those kinds of marketing methods will be the subject of a seminar Kirk will be delivering at Interbike in the opening session of the NBDA Super Seminar Retail Education Series at 11:00 on Tuesday, Sept 13.  "This seminar will be jam packed with ideas and methods for getting your bike shop seen on page 1 under dozens or even hundreds of keywords," explains Kirk.

Trade show booth 34087 will also be a busy place.  "We will have a little mini YouTube video studio set up in our booth.  Dealers will be able to spend 5 - 10 minutes in front of the camera giving a short talk about their shop and one of their most important bicycle models.  We will then edit the video with inserts of pictures of the bike being described.  The finished product will go up on the dealers YouTube channel.  If they don't have one, we will create it for them.  This would normally cost at least $300.  We are having a show special at only $50.  A perfect example of our economies of scale at work," Kirk states.

Also in the booth will be copies of Kirk's new book, Principles of Bicycle Retailing for the Internet Age.  His last book, Principles of Bicycle Retailing III, sold over 3000 copies at a time when there were only 6000 shops in the US.  "I was very pleased at the response we had to that book, and it now sells used for over $50 on Amazon.  But it was time for the next edition.  This version has over 100 pages on various aspects of marketing an IBD, both online and traditional."

The book is totally unique and foreshadows how books in the future will look.  In addition to the print edition, there will be an ebook, itunes, and videos of most chapters.  But most importantly, the book will be backed up by an online presence at http://www.BikeShopOwner.com.  "You can't do in print what you can do on line, Kirk explains, "so we created a member's only portal to expand upon what is in the 47 profit packed chapters already in the print version.  We will have video tutorials, tests, templates for signs, opening and closing procedures, financial spreadsheets with formulas already in place, and more.

Finally, the booth will be a place where folks can talk to Randy about the issues they are facing as owners.  He will answer questions on all aspects of store management, not merely the marketing side.  "Our consulting company specializes in marketing, but three of my clients are experiencing generational transitions in their shops, and we have been happy to supply suggestions on how to pass the reigns from father to son or, in one case, daughter."

Between now and the show, Kirk is also producing a free online webinar about Google Places, sponsored by Clean Motion and their new product, RhinoDillos Tire Liners.  This will be on Sept 8 at 4:00 California time.  You can learn more about the webinar by visiting http://www.BikeShopOwner.com.

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Randy Kirk & Associates is a marketing company that works exclusively with small smb's that can't afford $2000-$4000 per month for a marketing consultant. Applying manufacturing principles to marketing methods, the company is able to provide a wide range of services to bikes shops and other mom and pop retailers and service providers. See http://www.help4smallbusiness.com.