2012 Tow Show Schedule

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

With the year coming to an end I thought it would be a good time to talk about the 2012 Tow Show Schedule. Many changes are afoot on the schedule this year with a few location changes and some date changes as well.

2012 Tow Show Schedule

Florida Tow Show

April 19 – 22

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Orlando, Fla.

www.floridatowshow.com

The Florida Tow Show has the reputation as the best tow show in the country. Created with the family in mind the Florida Tow Show is held at the Hilton on the Disney grounds. If you haven’t yet made a trip to this show now it the time. Seminars are offered free to attendees and a the exhibit floor is packed with everything for the towman.

New Hampshire Towing Association Hampton Beach Tow Show

May 19 – 20 – Hampton, New Hampshire

603-863-4206 – www.nhtowingassociation.org

Empire State Towing and Recovery Association 2012 Tow Show

June 1 – 3 Lake George, N.Y.

518-543-6630 www.estranys.com

After meeting some of the folks on the NY State Towers Association at Baltimore this year it looks like TowProgram will be making a trek to the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York to attend this show. We’ve heard good things and look forward to getting to know the fine folks from NY a bit better. Vendor attendance should be up for this show in 2012 due to the Western States Tow Show move to October.

South Dakota Professional Towing Association Tow Show and School

June 1-3 Ramada Inn Sioux Falls, SD.

605-334-3160

Wisconsin Towing Association Annual Convention and Truck Show

June 15 – 17 Chula Vista Resort, (608-254-8366) Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

WTA Office, 608-833-8200 ext. 11

The NW Tow Expo sponsored by the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington

August 17 – 18 Silver Reef Casino Ferndale, WA.

509-782-7170 www.towingandrecovery.org

Professional Towing and Recovery Operators of Illinois

August 17 – 19 Tinley Park Holiday Inn Convention Center Tinley Park, Ill.

800-286-0519 www.towingillinois.com

After a several year stay in Naperville the Illinois show is on the move back to the Southern Suburbs.

Indiana Towing & Wrecker Association 2012 Trade Show & Rodeo

September 6 – 10 Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza Merrillville, Ind

Tom Bertagnolli, 219-927-2100 Tom Bertagnolli tombertagnolli@gmail.com

Tennessee Tow Show

September 13 – 15 Chattanooga Convention Center Chattanooga, Tenn.

David Williams 615-306-9891

Midwest Regional Tow Show

September. 27 – 30 Great Wolf Lodge Mason, Ohio

877-341-3400 www.trao.org

Consistently voted one of the best tow shows in the country the gang of the Ohio Tow Association really know how to put on a show. This show always features excellent seminars and a large roster of companies on the exhibit floor. 2012 will surely be the same great show. If you’re in the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic region this family friendly show is not to be missed.

The California Tow Truck Association Show

October 4-6 Town & Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, CA.

www.ctta.com/wsts.html

After a several year run in Reno the Western States Tow Show is on the move. As we first reported in October the Western States Tow Show has found a new home and a new weekend. The irresistible San Diego location and the new fall date will surely return this great show to is rightful place as The Hottest Show in the West. No doubt this show and the fine people from the CTTA will ensure your time spent at this show will be both informative and fun.

See you in October!

The 2012 Baltimore Tow Show

November 16-18 Baltimore Convention Center Inner Harbor Baltimore, MD

www.towshow.com/

Dennis@TowProgram.com

TowProgram Delivers Profit Solutions for the Business Side of Towing Our tow company advertising plans are contract free and have a proven track record of success. The Black Book of Towing offers 100 Ways to Make More Money with your tow company.

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Baltimore Tow Show

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

What a great weekend in Baltimore. We had a chance to meet with several of our current clients and were able to talk to many people interested in our online advertising solutions for towing companies. Our seminar was well attended and we had great questions and discussions.

I know it was a bit crowded after the seminar so if we didn’t get a chance to speak feel free to give me a call any time at 888-834-1123.

The Baltimore Tow Show floor was packed with service and product suppliers offering just about everything a tower could ask for. And even through the nice weather drew attendees outdoors for the last glimpses of mild weather before old man winter takes over we were able to speak with any towers from across the US and even in Canada and Mexico!

Thanks to all who attended our Baltimore Tow Show seminar and stopped by our booth. We look forward to speaking with you in the coming weeks.

Dennis

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Baltimore Tow Show – Tow Company Advertising Specialists

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

The team from TowProgram are gearing up for the Baltimore Tow Show. We have the “Hard to Find, Tough to Beat” location on the West wall of the show. We will be at the tow show promoting our online advertising plans for towers as well as the Black Book of Towing.

Booth Location

So check us out on the floor of the Baltimore tow show and also

attend our seminar on online advertising for towers on Sunday morning.
See you in Baltimore.

TowProgram

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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2012 Western States Tow Show

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

The Western States Tow Show is On The Move both in location and season! After over a week of playful banter on the Facebook page the CTTA board has announced the new home for the show. San Diego is the new show location and the first weekend in October is the new time.

The 2012 Western States Tow Show will in San Diego October 4-6
Location: Town & Country Resort

It looks like a great location just West of I-5 on I-8.

We look forward to the official release from the CTTA soon.

See you in October!

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Tower Promotes Breast Cancer Awareness

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

As originally reported at mlive.com Northern Michigan tower Tim Baller, owner of Tim’s Towing & Body Shop has painted one of his wreckers pink in an effort to both honor his mother who recently lost her battle with breast cancer and to raise awareness of and funds to fight the disease.

Ballor said when customers specifically request the pink tow truck, he plans to donate a portion of the sale toward cancer research.

“We’re going to be using it throughout, but when they request it, a portion of (the towing cost) goes to the American Cancer Society,” Ballor said.

What a great way for a towing company to get some positive publicity about our industry. So often its the negative side of towing that gets all of the credit. Thanks Tim.

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Find the Right CC Processing Solution for You

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

Another reason I love tow411.net!

After posting a link to my cc processing article on tow411.net another forum member posted this link . Its to a company called Fee Fighters. They are committed to helping merchants lower their credit card processing fees and have several tools you can use to get the best rate for your credit card processing.

They also have a cool little tool to tell you if Square, the nifty credit card reader that works with your smart phone is right for you. Check it out at http://feefighters.ca/square-calculator. Its a great tool and completely free!

Happy savings!

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Tow Company Brochure Marketing

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

So what is the right tool for how to best market your towing company? The answer is it takes several tools. The biggest thing to keep in mind when spending money on marketing for your tow company is two fold: Who is your primary audience and what matters to them.

I was recently pursuing the forum posts at tow411.net and came across this thread discussing brochure marketing for towing companies.

I added this post to the discussion:

This is a great discussion about a valuable and effective marketing tool and it could also be a good idea to consider your audience for these brochures. As towers we have many sources of work: Account/Fleet, Cash Customers, Auction, Municipal/Government, Private Property & Motor Clubs to name a few. The goal is to apply the correct marketing tactic to the audience that would most likely be responsive to that form of message. In my book, The Black Book of Towing, I recommend using brochures for Accounts/Fleet and for Private Property prospects. Obviously these two groups of people would get different brochures as they are motivated to choose a towing company for different reasons (Accounts want a tow partner that will get the job done, no excuses, and be professional to their customers, Private Property prospects may be concerned mainly with no damage statements and help in communicating with their residents/tenants for example). It is important for the brochure to be professional looking and well designed but it is as important that you’re talking about something that specific business prospect cares about. Talking to a repair shop owner about how good you are at private property towing is less interesting to him than hearing that you understand you are viewed as an extension of his business and will treat his customers with respect and professionalism and you guarantee to complete most tows in under an hour. Most of the time a shop will partner with a new tower after his current tower screwed up. So have your message and your brochure written with that in mind and you may find greater success with your marketing efforts.
Good Luck
Dennis

The truth is there are so many ways to successfully market your towing company it is all a matter of good targeting and good execution.
Dennis

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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The Perfect Credit Card Processing Solution for Towers

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

Accepting credit cards is a necessity for any towing and recovery company looking to maintain or grow their share of cash calls performed. And given the fact that cash calls are the most scalable and profitable source of business for towers, unwinding the mess that is effective credit card processing into your company is worth it.

One of the biggest benefits of smart phone technology advancements to small towers across the country is affordable and effective mobile credit card processing. There are options available for everyone from the single truck operator to the large fleet provider.

Here are two products that stick out as good matches for tow industry credit card processing.

Square Credit Card Reader

From the people that brought the world Twitter comes a product that is actually useful. The Square CC Reader is a simple smart phone application that allows the user to process credit cards immediately and from anywhere with phone signal. The product comes with a free tiny (1.5” X 1.5”) magnetic card reader attachment that plugs into the phone’s headphone jack. Swipe the card, enter in the details have the customer sign the touchscreen with their finger, and you are good to go. The system can be used on either iPhones (Apple iOS) or any phone with the Google Android operating system. A single account can be linked to several phones for processing, and all user activity can be tracked with each transaction’s CSV file.

Another great benefit is the Square Reader accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa—all with the same flat rate of 2.75% if the card is swiped or 3.5% plus 15¢ per transaction when card number is manually entered. These rates are a bit higher than what you may be able to negotiate with your local bank, but the fees are fully loaded. There are no other processing, transaction or monthly fees at all. Linking Square to your checking account is easy and payments show up in a few days.

One potential downside is the plastic card reader’s durability. Towers are notoriously tough on phone equipment, and this cute little accessory very well may meet its match in the rough world of towing. The good news is, replacement readers are currently free from the manufacturer.

Overall Square Credit Card Reader represents the future of mobile credit card processing, and is a great resource for the tow industry. Details at http://www.squareup.com.

Existing Merchant Accounts

If you’d like to make a one-time equipment investment and link mobile CC processing to your current merchant account to take advantage of your existing rates, Payware Mobile may be the right product for you. For $79 you get an iPhone plug in swipe accessory and application that allows for mobile processing by a fleet of operators. The Mobile Gateway Admin feature allows you to monitor all transactions in real time and immediately deactivate any device as needed.

Payware Mobile is VeriFone’s version of mobile processing, but most processors are private branding similar technology. The swipe accessory seems more durable than other products, but is currently only available for iPhone. Check out Paywaremobile.com for more information.

The reality of all of these products is they require operators to have access to smart phones. And weather you provide employees with phones or compensate then for the use of their personal phone, upgrading to this technology definitely has its benefits. Considering the costs of just one unpaid call from a bad credit card each month or the time required by office staff to run the cards for operators in real time and you’ll be cutting the cord on credit card processing in no time.

Dennis Wencel developed “The Black Book of Towing” and accompanying DVD set to help independent towers be more profitable. The book and DVD set detail simple and proven ways to run a towing company from the business end. You can order them on his website at www.towprogram.com or by calling 888-834-1123. TowProgram.com also provides affordable online advertising solutions for the towing industry. Wencel has divided his time over the past 20 years running his own tow company and working in marketing.

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Western States Tow Show On The Move????

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

A very coy post was put on on the CTTA/WSTS facebook page on Friday. There has been much speculation about the future of the Western States Tow Show in Reno. After several years of success the show had run into some attendance struggles. I spoke with several people who all had their own reasons why the show was struggling. The economy, the fact that Reno is fairly isolated and not cheap to fly in to, and just the overall attraction of going to Reno. I am sure the Silver Legacy people made it an attractive decision for the CTTA board who have to balance a myriad of issues and challenges to both deliver a successful experience for attendees and a profitable show for the association. One thing I can say for sure about a move, if there is one, it won’t be due to the lack of work and dedication from the CTTA board and to the dozens of volunteers that support the cause each and every year. Their mad scramble of 2011 to make sure the show went off without a hitch was impressive.

So where is the showing heading? Its anyone’s guess. People I spoke with were speculating that maybe Anaheim or San Diego or even Las Vegas are in the running for the 2012 show. It appears as if we shall know the answer soon.

The Western States Tow Show has been very good to TowProgram and independent of its location we will be there connecting with our towing friends from all over the West.

Stay Tuned!!!

Dennis@TowProgram.com

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Towing Equipment Supplier List

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Dennis@TowProgram.com

One of the biggest benefits to small towing companies when it comes to the Internet is access to competitively priced suppliers for all of the various equipment we need over the year. The best resource for supplies and equipment remains buying from tow show vendors as they most always have the best prices but if you can’t make it to a show or need equipment sooner check out the supplier list below.

Chains get “lost” cables wear and new equipment is coming along all of the time to make towing easier, faster and often safer. AW Direct was the standard in my shop but I always felt I was overpaying even if I got a little toy truck with each order. Now the selection of providers and their comprehensive websites is just about endless. I decided to make a list to help towers find these suppliers and save a bit of money in the process. Below is a list of suppliers I am aware of. If you know of a good supplier email me their contact info and I will add them to the list.

Worldwide Equipment Sales is a Chicago based supplier of new and used trucks and now has a complete online catalog of towing supplies and equipment. Mick O’Sullivan was the guy I dealt with over the years for trucks and even through he is a bit grumpy towards me now that I don’t buy trucks any more I am still confident his expertise can help anyone looking for a truck or equipment. These guys really are good and informative and support small towers throughout the US and Canada.

ZIPS Truck Equipment is based out of Iowa and have been serving Midwest towers for years. I have seen these guys at several tow shows over the years and they always seem to have a huge selections of used trucks. Their online parts catalog is outstanding and competitively priced. The Zip’s team boosts they have “The Industries Largest Inventory of Repair Parts and Accessories” and I couldn’t find anything missing from their catalog. They also offer same day shipping for us procrastinators.

Hooks Towing & Recovery Supplies is a group out of Arkansas that I happened across at the Ohio Tow Show. I have never personally purchased from them but they clearly had a loyal following at the show and great prices to boot. They were moving everything from recovery straps to motorcycle dollies to ratchet straps and bridles of all shapes and sizes. The team was knowledgeable and they even had an extensive offering of light bars and LEDs to trick out your truck.

AW Direct is the 400 LB gorilla in our industry. I would venture a guess that just about every tow shop in the country has one of their catalogs in the shop somewhere. Once the gold standard for drop ship towing supplies and equipment AW Direct is struggling to compete with their new found competition from the truck dealers. They still have the best invoices though. I never did find a suitable replacement for them.

Do you know of other suppliers out there serving the towing community well? Let me know and I can add them to the list. More competition on the supply side is better for towers everywhere. I can be reached via email at dennis@towprogram.com

Dennis