What does it take to build a dealer network that lasts generations?
In this episode, Kyler and John talk with Noah Thomas, Director of Marketing at Great Dane, about how the 125-year-old trailer manufacturer continues to strengthen relationships across its dealer community and grow in a shifting market.
Noah explains how Great Dane’s heritage of quality and resilience continues to shape its strategy today, from restoring a 1953 trailer to celebrating the brand’s long-standing partnerships. He shares how his team supports dealers through programs like buygreatdane.com, new digital enablement tools, and initiatives that maintain open and consistent communication across the network.
This is a look inside a brand that wins by standing behind the people who represent it every day.
Key Takeaways:
Timestamps:
(00:00) Meet Noah Thomas
(01:42) Inside Great Dane’s 125-year legacy of resilience
(02:58) Navigating freight market shifts and customer confidence
(04:54) Celebrating 125 years with a 1953 trailer revival
(06:23) Why small product details create lifetime brand value
(09:21) Turning customer stories into marketing proof points
(10:24) How Great Dane supports its exclusive dealer network
(12:57) Listening to dealers to guide marketing priorities
(14:55) Building buygreatdane.com to drive digital sales leads
(16:56) Empowering dealers with Champ’s Spot sales tools
(18:54) Expanding into last-mile delivery with truck bodies
(19:44) FleetPulse telematics and data-driven product insights
(21:58) Cross-selling strategies with fleets and truck dealers
(26:16) Rebranding Great Dane and protecting an iconic logo
(30:57) Lessons from Noah’s Peace Corps experience in Vanuatu