METALCON Keynote Address to Discuss the Harley-Davidson Brand’s Success

Do you ever consider how your customers perceive your business? You should and you should do it every day, all day long. Clyde Fessler, one-time vice president of business development at Harley-Davidson, is the scheduled keynote speaker at METALCON. He will present his methods of success at the Tampa Convention Center on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Fessler, often referred to as the man behind the brand, is credited with almost single-handedly rescuing the legendary motor company from near bankruptcy and turning the Harley-Davidson brand into the most sought after on the planet.

“Today I think Harley-Davidson quality and reputation is top notch, but it wasn’t always that way,” says Jay Smith, director of sales at Metl-Span, a manufacturer of insulated metal panels. “Harley-Davidson really struggled in the late ’60s to the early ’80s, but with major management changes and an outstanding marketing strategy, Harley-Davidson has become the premier motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Just ask one of the 350,000 people who bought a Harley worldwide last year.”

Smith owns two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 1997 Road King and a 2012 Ultra Classic Limited.

“I grew up mostly riding horses … and bulls, but I always wanted a Harley,” says Rob Haddock, founder and CEO at S-5!, the manufacturer of clamps designed to attach almost anything to standing seam roofing. “I didn’t get one until I was almost 50. It’s a Road King. Harley is iconic and always has been, but the iconic image changed over the years from one of bad-boy gang bikers with an occasional ‘biker bitch’ to just the classic motorcycle to own, which I believe really opened up their market to guys like me who didn’t necessarily want to associate with the bad-boy types.”

Harley-Davidson is the most recognizable motorcycle on the market. Fessler has presented his Harley-Davidson Turnaround Story to more than 100 corporations and international organizations in the past three years. At METALCON, Fessler will share the story of how he made it happen. His message focuses on success at all level, using the principal of The Five P’s: People, Passion, Product, Price and Promotion. Fessler will relate the message to anyone running a business in a competitive environment, looking to break out and become a market leader.

Would you like to build the brand of your business? Visit the METALCON website to register for METALCON and the Keynote Address, scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 14.