Digital Digest

Photo Session a Big Draw

Engaging customers was critical to Harley-Davidson's turnaround, Schmidt said. This included holding events where people could test drive its bikes, a move motorcycle sellers had considered too risky for liability reasons.

These traveling road shows also provided an opportunity to ask prospects face-to-face, "What do we need to do to this bike to make you want to own it?" The Harley representatives on hand made sure to have a pen and paper in their shirt pockets, Schmidt added, because "writing down what people say makes them feel important."