• by Karl Greenberg , November 2, 2006

General Motors is launching a grass roots effort this week to pitch its Sierra and Silverado pickup trucks to small-business owners in Texas, the biggest pickup truck market in the U.S.

The "Hard Day's Work Tour," in conjunction with Lowe's Home Improvement Centers, will visit Lowe's stores and work sites in the state through December.

Frank Jenkins, incentives and promotions manager, GM Fleet and Commercial, said the program is meant to reach consumers who don't have a lot of time to visit dealerships.

"We thought we'd create our own job site, let them have a little fun, grab something to eat and see our products in a relaxed environment where they can learn about the trucks on their own," he said.

Besides offering a complimentary breakfast, the tour display includes an assortment of work-related product displays, tool give-aways, a sweepstakes to win the new truck and a $500 incentive coupon for either the GMC Sierra or the Silverado.

The tour will visit Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and the Texas Motor Speedway this month and next.

Pickup trucks account for 14 percent of new vehicle sales in the U.S. and Texas accounts for about 10 percent of U.S. pickup truck sales.

Toyota is now building its full-sized Tundra pickup truck in San Antonio, and also bringing the truck to work sites to pitch pickup truck owners who use the vehicle for work.

GM Business Choice, by which small-business owners can select an additional purchase incentive option to complement their business use, is promoting the tour.