Tim Odom, President of The AAM Group and Total Truck Centers, and Adam Donahue, VP of RealTruck Bed Covers, explore ways RealTruck is leading the league with focus on growing the truck accessories industry while supporting jobbers.
The Evolution of RealTruck
RealTruck is transforming the aftermarket accessory industry by consolidating its extensive brand portfolio into a single, powerful identity. This move is designed to drive better consumer understanding and grow the market for truck accessories as a whole. Many consumers are still unaware of the wide range of aftermarket options available to them, and RealTruck is committed to changing that by increasing awareness and consideration.
The company’s six-pillar strategy ensures growth and support for both consumers and retailers:
- Generate demand on every vehicle, everywhere
- Make RealTruck a household name
- Deliver innovation & superior product offerings
- Maintain cost leadership
- Unleash the organization
- Always-on marketing & advertising
One of the biggest focuses of this strategy is supporting local jobbers and installers, making it easier for them to connect with and serve their customers.
Driving Awareness and Connecting Customers to Jobbers
RealTruck is investing $90 million into social media, YouTube, and TV advertising to drive brand and category awareness. The goal is to ensure that more consumers recognize and trust RealTruck’s products—and that when they’re ready to buy, they turn to local jobbers for validation and installation.
- Facilitating sales connections: Jobbers are experts who help customers make informed purchasing decisions and provide professional installation services.
- Encouraging in-store learning: Customers who visit physical stores gain firsthand knowledge of products, increasing their confidence and likelihood of purchase.
- Massive engagement reach: RealTruck’s ads are generating 1.2 billion impressions, reaching nearly 678 million consumers.
- Enhanced dealer locator visibility: With over 550,000 dealer locator clicks, RealTruck is directly driving traffic to jobbers.
Becoming an Authorized Dealer
To be listed on RealTruck’s dealer locator, jobbers should:
- Work with their local territory sales manager to keep data up to date.
- Maintain a strong Google Business profile.
- Have a well-structured website that is easy to navigate.
New Wholesale Website for Jobbers
RealTruck has launched wholesale.realtruck.com, a dedicated hub for jobbers to access product information and part lookups. This tool helps jobbers showcase products even if they don’t have them in stock. Feedback is encouraged, so jobbers should connect with their sales and territory reps to improve the platform.
Investing in Brick & Mortar Success
Leading the league starts with jobbers, RealTruck has allocated over $500,000 to help brick-and-mortar retailers maximize their profitability. Through extensive dealer support, the company has conducted over 8,000 dealer visits in 2024, ensuring jobbers have the knowledge, information, and assistance they need to succeed. The Double Warranty Incentive further strengthens this partnership by offering an extended warranty to customers who purchase from an authorized RealTruck dealer, adding even more value to in-store transactions. Additionally, RealTruck has introduced new dual-branded in-store displays that highlight key product benefits, making it easier for jobbers to effectively showcase and sell products.
Ongoing Initiatives
As part of its continued commitment to jobbers, RealTruck is rolling out key initiatives to enhance the retail experience. The Omnichannel Pricing Consistency program ensures stable pricing across all channels, providing transparency and reliability for both jobbers and customers. Another exciting development is the launch of the PROTEX Augmented Reality Tool, which allows consumers to visualize potential builds and validate their choices before making a purchase, further bridging the gap between digital engagement and in-store sales.
Keys to Ride
AAM and RealTruck are partnering for the “Keys to Ride” Vehicle sweepstakes in 2025, where a 2024 Toyota Tacoma decked out with a custom wrap and products from the RealTruck family of brands, will be given away to one lucky finalist at the 2025 SEMA show. Jobbers can enter the sweepstake by purchasing RealTruck products. RealTruck’s participation in Keys to Ride shows their continuing investment in their network of jobbers. Want to know more? Read our blog about the 2025 giveaway, “Keys to Ride Returns for 2025!“.
RealTruck is committed to growing the aftermarket accessories industry by empowering local jobbers and retailers. Through strategic marketing, better sales tools, dealer-focused support, and partnership with the AAM Group, RealTruck is leading the league by ensuring that jobbers continue to be the go-to experts for truck enthusiasts everywhere.