Sheridan, Wyoming, June 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- “Someone told me a long time ago, that if you throw your heart over the fence the body follows,” says Dalton Frederickson, co-owner of Dalton’s RV in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Dalton and his wife Chari, who have been in business together for fifteen years, are not afraid to take a chance in life. After working for his family’s RV dealership in Montana for several years, the two decided to do something that many people thought was crazy – they moved nearly 300 miles away with their daughters and only $2,000 and decided to start selling RVs out of a “tiny cabin on a tiny leased lot.”
The two sold their home and basically everything they owned to pursue their dream. Working extra jobs at night to make ends meet, Dalton would spend many of his days making trips to Indiana to haul new trailers while Chari was in the store. When customers came in wanting to buy parts, the two didn’t have any - so the couple sold a spare tire from their own 37-foot trailer and then continued to strip it down as more requests for parts kept coming in.
“A lot of people didn’t think we would make it, but we just kept saving and paying,” says Dalton.
As the lease on their small lot was coming to an end, Chari worked tirelessly to put together a loan and the two worked non-stop all summer long to come up with the money for a new location along the interstate, where the Sheridan store remains to this day. “Despite tough times, we consistently had a better year than the last,” Dalton says.
Much of that success was likely due to the commitment that Dalton and Chari have always made to their customers. “Our customers are our family,” says Chari. Dalton agrees. “We can offer things that the big guys can’t,” he says. He tells a recent story about a customer who was camping in their new RV and having an issue with the thermostat. Chari drove out of her way to meet the customer in person at their campsite and help them correct the operational error. She also drove by again the next day to make sure everything was still going well. “Why did I stop again? Because they were my customers,” Chari says.
The personal atmosphere that Dalton and Chari have always celebrated at their dealership even translates to their digital marketing efforts. The two were introduced to Brian LeDoux when he worked for an RV parts and accessories company and stayed in touch as he made a career change to Dealer Spike. “This industry is really not as big as people think. It’s really a family,” says Dalton. “That’s how we got to know Dealer Spike…we trusted Brian, and that’s why we started doing business with his new company.”
Typical of many RV industry professionals, Dalton admits he was resistant to the changes that came with updates to his dealership’s website as well as digital marketing services like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). “I’m kind of old-fashioned and I don’t really understand it – but the new buyers are definitely coming to us this way,” Dalton says. “Everything is so connected in the world we live in now. If you don’t have a professionally done website and you aren’t staying on top of it, you’re not going to grow.”
The Fredericksons recognize that having a great website for their RV dealership, as well as SEO and SEM services that push their dealership to the top of search results, is not only smart but crucial to the success of their business. “Sheridan retracted when the coal mining industry took a downturn, but we were selling inventory outside of our market that we never would have sold without Dealer Spike,” says Dalton.
Dalton’s RV has been working with Dealer Spike since 2012 and continue to be happy with online services. “Dealer Spike is specifically watching out for us,” says Chari. “They’re always saying, ‘What can we do to get you more business?’ And that’s been really cool for us.” Dalton thinks it’s “wonderful” that his dealership has been with Dealer Spike for so long. “We are really getting the best for the dollar we spend,” he says.
The Fredericksons say that, economically, the last election cycle was good to Dalton’s RV. In the last year the dealership expanded its team from five employees to sixteen, with more room to grow. They also opened five full-service bays and a brand-new location in Buffalo, WY, which opened its doors on the first of May.
“It’s bigger than us now,” says Dalton. “If we do this right, we can pass this on to our kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.”
About Dalton’s RV
Dalton’s RV opened in June 2003. The dealership stocks a wide variety of travel trailers, fifth wheels, campers, and motorhomes from a range of manufacturers. With an extensive range of parts and accessories in stock and a fully-equipped service center, Dalton’s RV is proud to serve customers all over the United States. Dalton’s RV now has two locations in Sheridan and Buffalo, WY.
About Dealer Spike
Dealer Spike is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company devoted to helping customers increase leads and sales online. With powerful and distinctive website solutions as well as innovative digital marketing tools, dealerships see accelerated results with Dealer Spike.
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